SALVATION-A THREEOFLD WORK OF GOD

SALVATION-A THREEFOLD WORK OF THE GODHEAD

As tAs to its Divine SOURCE, Salvation is attributed to ALL THE PERSONS OF THE GODHEAD.

(1) Salvation is from the Father - James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

(2) Salvation is through the Son - Titus 3:4-6, 1 Jn. 4:14 "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared." "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."

(3) Salvation is by the Spirit - Rom. 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

Rom. 8:2-4, 9-11, 23 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."

John 3:5 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

1 Pet. 1:23 "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

2 Cor. 3:6 "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

But Salvation is always set forth as the peculiar work of the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 2:11, Heb. 2:10, 5:9, 2 Tim. 1:9. He always has the preeminence. And apart from Him there can be no salvation for men. Acts 4:12

        The reason for the preeminence of the Son is that the divine work of Salvation is mediated through Him. He is the Door. John 10:9

                     c. This preeminence needs assertion today. Christ is the rock of offence and men are stumbling over Him. Herein lies the reason no world religion involving Christ has ever been formed. 1 Pet. 2:4-8

 

As to its ACCOMPLISUMENT, Salvation covers ALL TIME

For a person to be secure in their salvation Christ made it a threefold work of the Godhead.

(1) A past act: we have been saved
Eph. 1:4 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.”

2 Tim. 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”

(2) A present process: we are being saved 1 Cor. 1:18 ASV margin “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are being saved it is the power of God.”

(3) A future goal: we shall be saved Rom. 13:11 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”

1 Pet. 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Note: Summary in Rom. 8:28-30 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” There is His threefold work stated by Paul.

A three-fold work of Christ to do this. Eph. 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” There it is stated a second time by Paul. Bathed and washed and pictured and symbolized in a threefold communion service in John 13. See symbols pictured above.