Category Righteousness

Complete in Christ

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“Any ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.“

Colossians 2:10

Once we believe in the gospel (the gospel of the grace of God), we become complete in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our salvation. He is our righteousness. We have been crucified with him, buried with him, and risen with him (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:11-13). Therefore, we are also secure in Christ too! There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:39).

In one of Pastor J. C. O’Hair’s lessons, he goes through what he called “The Five F’s of Salvation.”1 They are fact, faith, fruit, feeling, and future. The fact of salvation is that Christ Jesus our Lord came into this world and died on the cross for all of our sins. He did all the work that was necessary to fully satisfy the payment of the sins of the world. He paid the price with His own blood. Hebrews 9:26 says, “but now in the end of the world hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” “He entered in once into the most holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Heb. 9:12). Christ suffered once so that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18; Col. 1:20-21). And John 19:30, Christ said on the cross that “It is finished.”

The next thing is faith. The work is already done. All we have to do is believe in what God, through Christ, did on our behalf. We are saved by grace through faith and it is not of ourselves, it is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved,” we are told from Acts 16:31. And “but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).

After we believe, then comes fruit. In Ephesians 2:10, it says that we are God’s workmanship. We are created unto good works. God the Father is glorified when we bear much fruit unto Him (John 15:8). We are not saved by good works, but we are created for good works that we should walk in them. 2 Peter 1:5-8 tells us that if we abound in faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity, then we won’t be barren nor unfruitful (Compare Gal. 5:22). But, if we don’t do good works then God will make us barren or unfruitful. As 1 Corinthians 3:17 says, “if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy.” That person will still be saved, but they will be barren (have no fruit) in their life for the Lord and they will suffer loss of a reward when God judges us for what we have done in our body whether good or bad.

The next thing is feeling. Based on what O’Hair writes, I think this can also be called “filling.” “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:13). “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17). By believing in what Christ has done for us and living our lives for Him, it will fill us up with all joy and peace. We have this feeling of joy that fills us up completely, because we know what Christ did for us on the cross and we know that we have a hope in Heaven with Christ forever. J. C. O’Hair adds this important note. “Salvation is not by feeling, but by faith.”2 The feeling comes as a result of salvation (as does the fruit).

The final “F of Salvation,” is future. When we believe in what Christ has done for us, we have a glorious future waiting for us. Titus 2:13 calls it our “Blessed Hope.” God will show the exceeding riches of His grace toward us (Eph. 2:7). We will all be changed. How so? We will be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). We will be fashioned like unto His glorious body (Phil. 3:21). “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4).

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.“

Galatians 2:16

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20

The law was our schoolmaster as it says in Galatians 3. It was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith (Gal. 3:24). The law itself is holy, just and good (Rom. 7:12). But, when the law is used lawfully it is used to show us that we are sinners (1 Tim. 1:8-10). “For by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). Instead of bringing life to us, it brought 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” (Rom. 8:3). Christ came to deliver us from the law of sin and death and the law of Moses by being crucified to condemn sin in the flesh. He died for our sins. He did that so “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Rom. 8:4). The law required perfect righteousness. Righteousness is the requirement for entrance into Heaven. While many try to establish their own righteousness, the truth of the matter is that we just can’t. Isaiah says, “all of our works of righteousness is as filthy rags.” It is not perfect. It isn’t true righteousness. We instead need Christ’s righteousness. He alone is perfect. He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17), which He did. When we have faith in Him, our faith is counted for righteousness. We become a member of Christ’s own Body. Therefore, Christ is made for us righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30). We are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). The righteousness that is required of the law is fulfilled in us, because Christ is in us. He is our righteousness! We are not made perfect by the law, but instead we are made perfect by Christ Himself. Therefore, we are secure in Christ!

“For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angles, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“

Romans 8:38-39

God has “chosen us to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). We are chosen in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is Christ who was chosen before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 1:9). Anyone can be saved if they just believe. When they believe, they are then joined to Christ. We are joined to His Body, the Body of Christ. In Titus 1:2, we read that “in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” We learn from Romans 4 that what God promises, He is also able to perform. All believers, members of His Body, began in the Spirit. The saints were baptized by one Spirit into one Body (1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 4:4). We are set apart (sanctified) unto God as a holy temple in the Lord (Eph. 2:21-22). We became identified with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:11-13). We are crucified with Him, buried with Him, and risen with Him. Therefore, because we began in the Spirit, we will also be made perfect by the Spirit. Since we have life in Christ Jesus, because of the law of the Spirit, we therefore have the Spirit dwelling inside of us to help us mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body (Rom. 8:13), so that we may be able to produce fruit unto God and glorify Him. We have that blessed hope of the redemption of our bodies, where we will be conformed to the image of His Son. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Nothing can rob us of the joy that we have in the Holy Ghost. No one can lay a charge against us, because it is God that justifieth (Rom. 8:33). No one can condemn us, because it is Christ who was condemned for us by dying on the cross and is risen again (Rom. 8:34). We know that He is the firstfruits of them that slept. He was raised for our justification. Therefore, we know that we also will be resurrected and have that hope of eternal life with Christ in God. We have this hope by belief of the truth. When we first trusted in Christ as our Savior, we received the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15), the Spirit of His Son (Gal. 4:6).

Ephesians 2:5-6 – “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.“

Ephesians 2:5-6

Believers are quickened (or made alive) together with Christ. We have newness of life, because of what Christ did for us on the cross. We have a position in the heavenlies in the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 2 says that we are complete in Christ. That means we are circumcised (spiritual circumcision) by the circumcision of Christ (by the death of Christ) (Col. 2:11), we are buried with Him by baptism (Col. 2:12), and we have been raised with Him (Col. 2:11-13). All of that was accomplished by the operation of God. It was by God’s doing, not ours. All we did was believe or trust in what God said He did. Our faith is then counted for righteousness. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ.

In conclusion, we have the “the 5 F’s of salvation.” They are fact, faith, fruit, feeling (or filling), and future. Christ did all the work necessary for us to have salvation. He fulfilled the law Himself, He was crucified for our sins (He knew no sins Himself), buried our sins away forever, and rose again for our justification. The only thing we do is decide to believe on Him and His finished work. When we do believe, our faith is counted for righteousness. We now have life in Him. God gives to us the Spirit of His Son, so that we may live for Him on this earth while we wait patiently for Him to return to catch us away in the air and take us to glory. Having this knowledge of salvation and living for Him gives to us a good feeling. We are filled with all joy and peace, because we know where we are headed and we are excited to get there and be there with Christ and God the Father. We are justified by the faith of Christ, and we live by His faith too. We began in the Spirit, and we are made perfect by the Spirit. We are not made perfect by the works of the law, but by Christ Himself. He is our righteousness, and our life. We are made alive together with Him and raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For we are complete in Him. We are secure in Christ.

Notes:

  1. J. C. O’Hair, One Hundred and Seventy Bible Lessons or Sermon Outlines (Wisconsin: Berean Bible Society), 5-6, https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ONE-HUNDRED-AND-SEVENTY-BIBLE-LESSONS.pdf.
  2. O’Hair, One Hundred and Seventy, 6.

The Righteousness of Faith

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Here in Romans chapter nine and ten, we have the “righteousness which is of faith” and the “righteousness which is of the law.” We see how the Jews went about obtaining righteousness, and we see how the Gentiles went about it. It says of Israel in Romans 9:31, “which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.” In Romans 10:3, it says “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Why were they not able to attain to it? Because they “sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law” (Rom. 9:32). The Gentiles, on the other hand, who followed not after righteousness have attained to it (Rom. 9:30). Why? Because they had faith. Matthew 23:23 calls the scribes and Pharisees, “hypocrites,” because they were very religious, but they omitted the weightier matters of the law. One of those things being faith.

“Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

Romans 9:32-33

“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”

1 Corinthians 1:22-23

The cross of Christ ended up being a stumblingblock to the Jews. But, for everyone that simply believes on Christ and His finished work on the cross it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18, 21, 24). This brings us to Romans 4, where Paul brings up the promise that was given to Abraham.

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

Romans 4:13

The promise that Abraham should be the heir of the world was given to him and his seed through the righteousness of faith. It was not given to him through the law. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3). “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).

If it was through the law,

  • faith is made void (Rom. 4:14)
  • the promise made of none effect (Rom. 4:14)
  • the law would annul the promise (Gal. 3:18a)
  • the oath would annul the covenant (Heb. 6:13-20)

But, thanks be unto God that it is not through the law. God gave it to Abraham by promise (Gal. 3:18b). And that promise was given unto him through the righteousness of faith. Abraham simply believed, and his faith was then counted for righteousness.

We learn from Hebrews 6 that God swore by Himself, for there is no one greater than Him, that He would perform that which He had promised to Abraham. What God promises, He is also able to perform. He told Abraham that he shall inherit the land, and that He will bless and multiply Abraham as well. “Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee” (Heb. 6:14). Hebrews 6:16 continues on to say, “For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.” Unlike God, when men (mankind) make promises with one another, they often are not kept. So, men will also often attach to their promise an oath to make sure it is kept. The oath is for confirmation. For example, in business there are verbal and written contracts. Verbal contracts are binding, however, without it written down it usually isn’t enforced. Sometimes it becomes a “your word verses my word” situation. So to avoid that, men will put the contract in writing as well. The written contract doesn’t make void the verbal contract. It simply confirms it. So, the written contract in this example would be the confirmation, which is the end of all strife. The confirmation is really for man’s benefit. God doesn’t need a confirmation Himself, but He confirms His covenant with an oath for man’s sake. He does so for the purpose that those who are the heirs of promise would know the immutability of His counsel (Heb. 6:17).

The same is with the covenant and the oath. The covenant of promise was promised by God and will come to fulfillment. The oath is the confirmation of the covenant. But in no way does the oath annul the covenant. As Paul writes in Galatians 3:15, “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.” The oath, which is added to confirm the covenant, does not make void the original promise that God swore by Himself.

“And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:”

Genesis 22:16

In Genesis 22, we see both the covenant and the oath represented. In the first part of verse sixteen, we have God swearing by Himself that He will bless Abraham. But, the last part of it is where we have the oath. “For because thou hast done this thing.” That “thing” was when Abraham did not withhold his son, his only son. The work that Abraham did was simply a confirmation of that original promise that God gave to Abraham back when he was uncircumcised (Gen. 12, 15). Abraham believed that God would bless him and multiply him and his faith was counted for righteousness (Gen. 15:6). Then, a deep sleep fell upon Abram and it was God that made the covenant with Abram that same day (Gen. 15:17-18). Abram received the covenant of promise through the righteousness of faith. He received it, because he had faith. Then, we have Abraham in chapter twenty-two offering up his son Isaac for the confirmation of the promise. From this perspective, it would seem like Abraham got the promise through faith plus works. So, which is it? Faith or works? The short answer is through the righteousness of faith. As we have already seen in Galatians 3:15, “yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.” And Paul says in Romans 4:13 that Abraham received it through the righteousness of faith. So, even if it be confirmed, no man can annul the covenant that God swore by Himself.

What is the long answer? This is where the difference between the Apostle Paul and James comes in. On one hand, Paul says we are “justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). James, on the other hand, says “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). Paul was writing as the Apostle of the Gentiles to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13). James was writing as a minister of the circumcision (the Jews) (Gal. 2:9) to the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1). Paul taught the Gentiles that we don’t need to be circumcised or keep the law (Gal. 6:15). James taught the Jews to still circumcise their children and keep the law or customs (Acts 21:21-26). Paul rebuked the Galatians when they thought they could be made perfect by the flesh or the works of the law. Paul taught that if we began in the Spirit, then we will made perfect in the Spirit (Gal. 3:1-5). James taught that Abraham’s faith was made perfect by his works. “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:22) One more. Paul said “the righteousness of God without the law is manifested” (Rom. 3:21). James said “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). So, why the difference? Because they had different ministries to two different groups of people. Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. James is a minister of the circumcision. There were certain Jews that went around troubling the Gentiles saying that they too need to be circumcised and keep the law. But, James says that “to whom we gave no such commandment” (Acts 15:24). The only things that James commanded the Gentiles to do was to “abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:20). But, James never commanded the Gentiles to keep the law. Also as Paul was teaching the Gentiles about justification by faith without the law, some of the Jews thought that Paul was teaching them to “forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs” (Acts 21:21). But, that wasn’t the case. To show this to them, James has Paul purify himself by shaving his head to show these Jews that the things they had heard about Paul were nothing (Acts 21:24). Then, James once again says “as touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication” (Acts 21:25). They were writing to two different groups of people. They had their own separate ministries. (I’m not saying that the Jews are saved differently than the Gentiles today. Whosoever will believe. Jews and Gentiles are saved by grace through faith in the cross today). Paul is referring to the covenant when writing Romans 4, and James is referring to the oath when writing James 2. What James writes in no way makes void of the fact that Abraham received the promise through faith, and faith alone. No man disannulleth.

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Romans 4:5

“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”

Romans 4:11

In the Dispensation of Grace, we are saved by grace through faith and it is not of ourselves (Eph. 2:8-9). The man that simply believes is then also justified. Abraham received the promise through the righteousness of faith. The sign of circumcision, and Abraham offering up his son, were both simply a seal or oath for confirmation. They were used to confirm that which Abraham had already received (the righteousness of the faith) when he was still uncircumcised. None of those works, however, could annul the covenant which God Himself made with Abraham, which He gave to him by promise and that we partake of by grace (Rom. 4:16).

Now what about us today? Do we have some kind of way to confirm that we also have the righteousness of God, which we have received by faith in Christ Jesus? The answer is yes! But, it’s not circumcision or our works. Instead, it’s the Holy Spirit. It is also Christ Himself!

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1:13-14

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

Colossians 1:27

When we believe the gospel, we become sealed by the Holy Spirit. Christ dwells inside each and every believer. He is our hope and our life. When Christ shall appear in the air, we also will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:4). Christ in us is our seal or oath for today. Righteousness is imputed to us the same as it was to imputed to Abraham. That is, by faith. We are made partakers of the promise by grace (Rom. 4:16). Christ is the promised seed to whom the promises were made, and we now belong to Christ. We belong to Christ’s own body, the Body of Christ. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). We became heirs by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26), not by the works of the law. We received the righteousness of faith when we first trusted/believed in Christ as our Savior, and we have the Spirit as the seal to confirm it (entirely spiritual, not physical).

In conclusion, Israel did not attain to the law of righteousness because they sought for it by the works of the law. They didn’t have faith. The Gentiles, on the other hand, did attain to righteousness (the righteousness of faith), because they had faith just like our father Abraham. Abraham believed God and his faith was counted unto him for righteousness. He received the promise from God through the righteousness of faith, and not through the law. While God Himself doesn’t need an oath to confirm that which He has already promised to do, He still does confirm it for man’s sake. It is so that we would know the immutability of His counsel. Therefore, God did confirm it with an oath. But the oath in no way annuls the covenant. No man disannulleth. That includes James. Paul and James clearly taught two different things. Paul taught justification by faith without the law, while James taught faith without works is dead. Paul referred to the original covenant of promise. James referred to the oath. Paul refers back to Genesis 15, where Abraham believed God and his faith was counted for righteousness. James refers back to Genesis 22, where we see Abraham’s faith and works together. His faith was made perfect, according to James, by his works. But for today, Paul says we began in the Spirit, and therefore, we are made perfect in the Spirit. We are justified by the faith of Christ, not by the works of the law (Gal. 2:16). And we also live by the faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2:20) too. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). We know that we are saved, because God’s Word says so. We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We are saved by faith, and we also live by faith. Our seal or confirmation of our salvation is not circumcision or any good work that we do. Instead, it is the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus our Lord.

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:6

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Believe that He died on the cross for your sins and was raised again from the dead for your justification. God will count your faith as righteousness. God will then give to you the Spirit of His Son as a seal of the righteousness of faith.

The Grace of God Abounds

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“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)“

Ephesians 3:2-4

We are so blessed to be living in the Dispensation of the Grace of God (Eph. 3:2). We see God’s grace put on full display right now in this current dispensation. God’s grace can be found in any dispensation, but there is only one Dispensation of Grace. It is filled with His grace from beginning to end. It is filled with His grace from our salvation to the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:23). We are saved by His grace and we live by His grace too! It is God’s power and grace that saves all those that believe that His Son died for them and their sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. It is also by His power and grace that enables His saints to walk after Him. God is able to and will save the sinner that will simply call out to Him and put their trust in Him. He is also able to and will work in the believer who will let the “word of Christ dwell in them richly in all wisdom” (Col. 3:16). God is with the believer every step of the way. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31)

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.“

Acts 20:24

We start our study first with the Gospel of the Grace of God, which is the gospel that saves us today. The Apostle Paul “received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). This gospel is also called the gospel of Christ. Romans 1:16-17 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Paul also calls it “my gospel,” because it was revealed first unto him (Rom. 16:25; cf. Rom. 2:16; 2 Tim. 2:8). The gospel itself being that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day and everyone that believes what Christ accomplished for them there at the cross will be saved. It does not matter whether you are a Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female (Gal. 3:28). For whosoever believes on Him shall be saved (Acts 16:31). This message of grace, the gospel of the grace of God, and the Dispensation of the Grace of God were committed unto Paul. It was first revealed unto Him. In Galatians 1:1, it says “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead.” Then, in Galatians 1:11-12, it says “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Also, in 1st Corinthians 3:10 it says “According to the grace of God committed unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation…” God had a secret that He kept hidden in Himself since the world began, but then He first revealed it to the Apostle Paul.

“ Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.“

1 Timothy 1:16

Paul was to be a pattern. 1 Tim. 1:16 says, “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” Titus 2:11 says “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men.” Titus 3:4 continues to say “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.” It appeared “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). And it (His grace, kindness, and love) appeared first to Paul, when he was called Saul of Tarsus, on the road to Damascus when the Lord Jesus Christ appeared before Paul in Heaven and had mercy on him by saving him. It wasn’t brought about by his own works. For he was still at that time “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). The same is true for all of us who will believe on Christ. We aren’t saved by our own good works, but by God’s mercy He saves us. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). We are justified by grace as Titus 3:7 continues on to say. Romans 3:24 says “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Why is this so great? What makes what happened with Paul so special? According to prophecy, this was not revealed to happen. There was something else that was to come after the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7. According to prophecy, there is the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God. Isaiah 61:1-2 foretold of this and when Christ was here on the earth he proclaimed the first part and said that it was fulfilled in that day He was here (Luke 4:16-21). But, He left out the day of vengeance. That part has not been fulfilled yet. Jumping to Acts 2 and starting at verse 16 we see that what was happening at the day of Pentecost was prophesied by the prophet Joel. “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” This part of that prophecy was being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. But, Acts 2:19-20 have yet to be fulfilled. Israel will go through the Tribulation and will see “wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come.” But, it hasn’t happened yet. When Peter indicts Israel, he says to them that “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Then Peter again says in Acts 5:31 concerning Jesus Christ whom they crucified “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Then Stephen recounts Israel’s history in Acts 7 saying of Moses in verse 35, “This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? The same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer…” Then finally before Stephen died, he sees “the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” The fact that He was standing, not sitting, meant that He was going to come back and judge them. The next stage to happen on the prophetic timeline was Christ to come back to the earth and be that ruler and judge, ruler and deliverer, a Prince and a Saviour, both Lord and Christ. He will judge the nations that persecuted His people (Israel) and comfort them that mourn for Him. He will deliver Israel from the hand of her enemies and save them.

Then, Saul comes walking in. And he came persecuting the disciples of the Lord and therefore also the Lord Himself. According to prophecy, the next thing on the timeline was judgment. God could have judged Saul and his fate would’ve been the Lake of Fire like every other unbeliever, who dies in their sins. But, God instead decided to show his mercy to Saul and save him.

” For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,“

Titus 2:11

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,“

Titus 3:4

“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;“

Titus 3:5

Instead of ushering in the day of vengeance where God will judge the nations that persecuted Israel, He did something else. God instead ushered in the Dispensation of Grace. He postponed that day of prophecy. Instead, He decided (He had it planned all along, but it was a secret) to show His love and mercy and grace to the whole world, which He is still showing to this day. We read in Romans 1 that God had given up the Gentiles back in Abraham’s day to their reprobate minds. And now, God concluded all of Israel in unbelief as well, so that He might have mercy upon all (Rom. 11:32). His grace has appeared unto all men (Titus 2:11). Instead of judging Saul of Tarsus, God saved him. God does the same thing for anyone that will simply believes on Him. Those who believe that Christ, who is the Son of God (God Himself), died on the cross for their sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day will be saved. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19). Christ has made peace through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20), so that we might be reconciled. When we believe, we become members of Christ’s own body, the Body of Christ (not Israel, or spiritual Israel). We did nothing ourselves to deserve eternal life. We did nothing to deserve God’s grace. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us” (Eph. 2:4). “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). All of this was a mystery, which God kept hidden in Himself, until the right time where He would reveal it unto the Apostle Paul for the first time. God is forming the church, which is His Body (Eph. 1:22-23) today in the Dispensation of the Grace of God. The Body is made up of both Jews and Gentiles who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. We are justified freely by His grace. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:“

2 Corinthians 9:8

But not only are we saved by grace through faith. God is also able to make all His grace abound toward us (His saints) in our walk with Him. Why does He do this for us? So, that we might abound to every good work. God wants us to abound in Christ. Romans 5:20 says, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” We are instructed to abound in hope (Rom. 15:13). The sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ (2 Cor. 1:5). Paul prays that our love may abound yet more and more (Phil. 1:9). We are to know how to abound and to suffer need, and Paul prays that fruit may abound to our account (Phil. 4:11-13, 17). Lastly, we are to abound in everything (2 Cor. 8:7). Romans 8:32 says, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” God’s grace is truly sufficient for us (2 Cor. 12:9). We always have all sufficiency in all things (2 Cor. 9:8); and we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1:3). Christ’s strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). “For when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). I am strong, because of Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives in me (Col. 1:27).

In conclusion, God is showing His grace more than ever in this Dispensation, which is called the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Where sin abounded under the law, grace abounds much more now that we are no longer under the law. God’s grace, kindness and love has appeared unto all men whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female. It appeared “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by His mercy He saved us.” God has postponed His plan with the nation of Israel and the prophetic program. Instead of going into the Tribulation and the day of vengeance, God ushered in a day of grace. Why? Because God is love and longsuffering. He doesn’t wish that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9,15). Instead, He wants everyone rather to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). So, God appeared unto Paul and gave to him the revelation of the mystery, the truth of the one Body (the Body of Christ). This grace was committed unto him, because he was to be a pattern for all those who would also believe on Christ to life everlasting. Instead of judging Paul, God saved him by His mercy and grace. God will do the same today for anyone that believes that Christ died on the cross for their sins, was buried, and rose again the third day for their justification (1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 4:5, 24-25). Those who will believe will be saved. You will be justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24). Once you are saved, God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you may abound to every good work. If we begin in the Spirit, then we will also be made perfect in the Spirit (Gal. 3:1-5). God’s grace reigns in this dispensation.

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.“

Romans 5:21

To those who have not yet believed, do so now. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved! Believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose again the third day for your justification. You will then be justified (declared righteous) freely by His grace.

The Son of God, whom the Father is well pleased

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“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

Psalm 138:2

It says that God has magnified His word above all, even His own name. We read in the book of John the first verse, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It continues down in verse 14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” This is, of course, speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.“

Philippians 2:9-11

Here, it says that God the Father has highly exalted the Son. He gave to His Son, Jesus Christ, a name which is above every name. Every knee of every person will bow before the Lord and confess that He is “Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (either now or later, but we will all bow).

In Matthew 3:17, it says “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (cf. Matt. 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; 2 Peter 1:17).

Then, what does it say of those of us who are saved? In Ephesians 1:6, it says that God has “made us accepted in the beloved.” Stop! Consider those words closely. God the Father makes us accepted in His only Begotten Son, His Beloved Son, the one who He is well pleased with and has given a name that is above every name!

How is God able to do this? It is “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). The Scriptures have declared that we are all sinners. We have all sinned against Him and we all continue to come short of His glory (Rom. 3:23). But, then it says that we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” God declares us righteous, freely or without a cause. It is a free gift. We didn’t deserve it, but God has offered it to us because of what His Son accomplished on our behalf on the cross. Our sins needed to be judged. For God is a righteous judge. But, thank God, that “He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:32a). It was Christ Jesus, His Beloved Son, who satisfied the judgment against our sin. It says that Christ “was made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). Then, the rest of Romans 8:32 says “how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” The one who delivered up His own Son for us all to be made a curse for us, how shall He also not be the one who will freely give us all things? Notice that it says “with Him” that He shall give us freely all things. It is Christ that was delivered up for us all for our offenses, and it is with Christ that the Father is able to freely give us all things (justification of life, Rom. 5:18).

The Apostle Paul continues in Romans 4:4-5 to say that it is not to him that works that his faith is counted as righteousness, but instead to him that does not work, but simply believes.

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.“

Romans 4:4-5

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth.” It continues to say that God justifies the person who is ungodly. It is the ungodly, wretched sinner that believes who is justified. It says earlier in Romans 3:26 “that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” The person that recognizes that they are a sinner and believes that Christ died on the cross for their sins, was buried, and rose again the third day is justified. That person is now saved. It wasn’t by any works that they did, but instead it was because of the finished work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! It is through what Christ has done on our behalf, dying for our sin, that we after believing on Him are justified and made accepted in Him!

God is well pleased with His Son. His Son, has satisfied the Father’s judgment and wrath against sin. His righteousness has been manifested to us apart from the law, through the faith of Christ (Rom. 3:21-22). All the work is done. All anyone has to do is believe in what His Son has already accomplished for them personally on the cross.

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Once we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have been justified, according to Romans 5:1 it says, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We have peace with God the Father through His Son, the one whom He is well pleased.

To him that does not work, but believes

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God’s Word tells us that we are all sinners. We are all ungodly, wretched sinners.

“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”

Romans 3:10
  • none who understands (3:11)
  • none who seeks after God (3:11)
  • all have turned away from God (3:12)
  • all have become unprofitable (3:12)
  • none that does good (3:12)

“Now we know what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Romans 3:19-20

“For the wages of sin is death…”

Romans 6:23a

We all deserve death. Death is the righteous judgment for our sins.

So, what hope do we have? In ourselves, none. We have no hope of life in our own selves. We are as the Scriptures put it, dead or non-existent (Rom. 4:17; Eph. 2:1). “Dead in our sins.”

But, the good news is that God has manifested His righteousness apart from the law. How? Through the faith of Jesus Christ! In other words, through His work on the cross!

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Whom (Christ) God hath set forth to be a propitiation (satisfaction) through faith in His blood,…”

Romans 3:24-25a

God is not only love, but He is also righteous. Our sins needed to be judged. But (because God is love), instead of each one of us dying for our own sin, God sent His own Son to die on our behalf!

“He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

Romans 8:32

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

1 Cor. 15:3,4

Jesus Christ “put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). He satisfied the judgment of God when all of our sin was imputed to His account, when He hung on that tree. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13).

When we believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, then are we justified or declared righteous! We are justified by faith, not of works!

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”

Romans 4:4

In contrast, –

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Romans 4:5

God does not justify the godly. It says that He justifies the ungodly. He justifies the ungodly that believes in Him and the work that His Son did for them on the cross by paying for their sin on their behalf. When an ungodly sinner, who recognizes that they can’t save themselves, turns instead wholly to God by believing what the Lord Jesus Christ has already done for them, then God counts that person’s faith as righteousness. He justifies them purely on the grounds of the shed blood of Christ. That individual is now made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21)! Christ is their righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)!

  • Rom. 4:17 – God gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did exist.
  • Eph. 2:1 – We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but now God has made us alive.
  • Eph. 2:5 – made us alive together with Christ!
  • Rom. 7:4,6 – we have become dead to the law, that we might be joined to another, which is Christ Himself!
  • Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:10-14 – we are crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and risen with Him!

To him that does not work, but believes! –

  • is justified by His grace, is justified by His blood, is justified from all things (Acts 13:39)!
  • his faith counted as righteousness!
  • is made the righteousness of God in Christ!
  • is now made alive!
  • is joined to Christ!
  • is crucified, buried, and risen with Him!
  • is one that receives the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness!

All you have to do to be saved is believe (which is not a work)! Believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins, took your sins away and rose again the third day. Believe that He was delivered up for your offences and was raised again for your justification.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23