Sovereign Grace Doctrines
Concerning 'THE GOSPEL' - JESUS CHRIST
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Surely you know you are a sinner. You know this even before you hear the testimony of God that "There is none righteous, no, not one; ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10,23). You know from your own personal experience that the psalmist David was right when he said "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies" (Psalm 58:3).
No one had to teach you to do wrong. It comes naturally, because you are by nature and from birth a sinner. You were born in "the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will" (2 Timothy 2:26). Try as hard as you can, but you cannot live a perfect and sinless life. Be honest with yourself and admit that you are "a slave of sin" (John 8:34).
You need to be ransomed from your captivity and slavery! If you die unransomed, you will perish for all eternity in "the pit," the lake of fire. But you are incapable of ransoming yourself, and no other mortal is capable of paying your ransom (Psalm 49:6-8): "Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him -- for the redemption of their souls is costly ...." Someone who is sinlessly perfect, and therefore not a captive of Satan nor a slave of sin, must die in your place and stead, and pay the price of your ransom with his own life and blood.
I have good news for you if you truly desire to be ransomed. A messenger from God has declared of such seekers, "Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom" (Job 33:24).
A ransom indeed has been found! His name is Jesus Christ. He is the eternal and divine Son of God. He has assumed our humanity by being born of a woman, thereby becoming also Son of Man (John 1:1-3,14; Galatians 4:4). He did so for a purpose (Matthew 20:28): "the Son of Man ... [came] to give His life a ransom for many." Note well:
1) Jesus Christ has paid a ransom with "His life." He has paid the ultimate price. The ransomed are therefore told "you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, ... but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18f).
2) Jesus Christ has paid a ransom "for many." He did not pay the ransom for every one. God Almighty declares "He bore the sin of many"; and "for the transgressions of My people He was stricken" (Isaiah 53:12,8). Those whom God calls "My people" are those whom He Himself, "before the foundation of the world, ... according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace," chose in Christ and predestined to be His own adopted children (Ephesians 1:3-6). These are all whom "God from the beginning chose ... for salvation" (2 Thessalonians 2:13), and "whose names have ... been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world [i.e. Jesus Christ]" (Revelation 13:8).
The ransomed shall indeed be delivered! Every soul ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ shall be delivered from the condemnation of the law of God, captivity to Satan, and slavery to sin. Not a single one of them shall perish in the Pit. Every one for whom He died may therefore sing the testimony of Charles Wesley: Five bleeding wounds He bears, Received on Calvary; They pour effectual prayers, They strongly plead for me: "Forgive him, O forgive!" they cry, "Nor let the ransomed sinner die!"
Are you among "the many" who were ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ? You are if you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, and are trusting in Him as your Lord and Savior. If you refuse to believe His gospel and reject Him, you will perish unransomed in "the Pit."
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
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