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Working Out Your Own Salvation
So that, my beloved, just as always you obeyed, not as only in my presence but now much more in my absence, with respect and trembling, work out your own salvation.
The Only Acceptable Message for Salvation
Why is the Gospel for Salvation the only acceptable Message for Salvation?
What makes the Gospel Message so important? Is it not sufficient to simply say that if you accept Jesus you are saved? or Jesus died for you? Does it really matter what you believe or just that you believe? To understand why it is so important to accurately present the gospel for salvation today, which is Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, we are going to look at what God has said throughout the Scripture and the affects on men who either modify God’s word, completely ignore it, or followed exactly what He said.
After renovating the earth [1] due to the fall and judgment of Lucifer who once reigned over the entire created universe as God’s anointed Cherub[2], God planted a garden in Eden[3] and created Adam to tend to the garden[4]. Prior to God building the woman from Adam, He gave instruction to him on how he was expected to govern his life and the consequences of failing to obey His word. Adam was free to eat from all the trees of the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of what is beneficial and what brings calamity in the midst of the garden[5]. God stated, “But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil do not eat from it because in the day you eat from it dying you will die.”[6] Once Eve was made from Adam’s side, as the steward of his dispensation he passed on the words from God to her; […]
Inner Burning (ἐνθύμησις)
Enthumesis (ἐνθύμησις) comes from a word that means inner burning (thumos – θυμος). By adding the preposition in (ἐν), it describes the burning within a person while not retaining the aspect of anger that thumos expresses.
During Christ’s ministry to Israel, a paralyzed man was brought to him. Seeing the man’s faith, Jesus told him to be of good cheer because He has forgiven his sins, Matthew 9:2. Immediately, some of the scribes said among themselves this was blasphemy. However, Jesus intuitively knew their inner burnings and asked them, “Why do you burn malignant evil in your hearts?” Matthew 9:4. Answering the inner burnings of their hearts Jesus states, “Is it easier to say your sins are forgiven you or to say rise and walk?” Christ stated that this man’s sins were sent away so they would know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sin, Matthew 9:6.
The Pharisees were firmly against Jesus and took every opportunity they could to speak against Him. After Jesus released a man who was possessed by a demon that was causing him to be blind and mute, the multitude was amazed and questioned if Jesus could be the son of David. The Pharisees responded by claiming that Christ cast out this demon by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. Jesus, being aware of their inner burnings, calls them out for their sons’ actions, who were casting out demons. If He is doing it by the authority of Beelzebub, by whose authority are their sons casting them out? However, the reality is that a house that stands against itself falls; therefore, since a demon was cast out, the Kingdom of God is at hand, […]
Brought to an Intended End (τέλειος)
In First Corinthians chapter thirteen verse ten, Paul writes of a time when a complete thing (τέλειος) will render ineffective that which is out from a part. Due to poor translations and hermeneutics applied to this passage, a lot of confusion has resulted from using “perfect”, especially around the conclusion of the use of specific Spiritual gifts and prophecy within the assembly. The Greek word τέλειος (telios), found in First Corinthians chapter thirteen verse ten, does not carry the same meaning as the English concept of “perfect”; rather, it conveys completion through bringing something to its intended end. Whether or not it is without flaw has to do with what the goal, or intent, was for that thing.
When Scripture articulates the concept of maturity concerning a human, it refers to a person’s lifestyle upon the earth, not in their resurrected state. Otherwise, it indicates completion, such as with the greater and more complete Tabernacle in the heavens that Christ entered into to obtain eternal salvation in Hebrews chapter nine verse eleven. In First Corinthians chapter two verse six, Paul writes that he speaks a wisdom for the mature, not a wisdom of this malignantly evil age. Paul uses the same concept of maturity while addressing the Christians in Jerusalem who went back to living under law and, therefore, were not training their senses to discern what is proper from what lacks in character. Solid food is for the mature, whereas milk is for the inarticulate babbler, Hebrews chapter five verse fourteen. Due to their lack of maturity, they need someone again to teach them the basics of the oracles of God. In First Corinthians chapter fourteen verse twenty, Paul uses τέλειος (telios) for maturity […]