Amazing Facts About Saving Faith

When a person repents and believes in the Gospel, some pretty amazing things happen; that person is declared “not guilty” concerning their sin (Justification); they become holy and set apart for God (Sanctification); they have right standing and are approved of God (Righteousness); they are no longer slaves to sin because Jesus paid the price to gain ownership from the slave master (Redemption); they also become children of God (Adoption). The result is that a person has a totally new beginning (Born Again). The person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible uses some words that, well, seem quite foreign to us and our modern way of life and therefore it can be hard for us to understand the meaning when we read them. Also, these words can be a barrier to people who are seeking salvation. I guess that they could become almost automatic “switch off” triggers for someone hearing them; particularly for the first time.

Therefore, it may be helpful to try and associate other alternative words whenever you read or hear them, so that our minds become trained to think differently about them. I’ve tried this for a few days and it has helped me. I’ve also used pictures as some people’s thinking is more picture orientated.

Not Guilty (Justification)

Romans 3:21-28, 4:5, 25, 5:1, 15-17. Galatians 2:16, 3:24

Regrettably, in my past life, I’ve been to court on a few occasions and have been declared guilty of breaking the law. I’ve never been to prison but have had to pay fines and incur penalties. One time, I left the court feeling terrible and realizing that I had let myself and family down badly. I also gained a criminal record, one that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

My experience of breaking the law is a total contrast to what happens when a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ. Here we stand before the ultimate Judge; God. We know that we have broken His laws and stand condemned; our crimes are so bad that they deserve the death penalty. However, Jesus steps in and declares that He has paid the penalty of our sin Himself. The Judge sees this and not only lets us go free, but He declares that our record should be wiped clean. We can walk away with no criminal record at all. It’s as if we had never sinned and broken the law before. What amazing grace!

Click here to watch a 3 minute video explanation

Holy, Set Apart for God (Sanctification)

1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Hebrews 10:10, 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Without holiness, it is impossible to see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). As we saw when we looked at our sinful nature, as the bible states in Romans 3:23, “we all fall short of the glory of God.” However, when we receive saving faith, we are washed clean by the Spirit of God and because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, God sees us as now a holy people who He set apart to live eternally with Him.

As I have mentioned before, our sanctification or becoming more like Christ is ongoing we have been given the Word and the Holy Spirit to accomplish this for us (John 17:17, Romans 15:16).

Click here to watch a 3 minute video explanation

Approved (Righteousness)

2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 1:17, 1 Corinthians 1:30

Righteousness simply means; right standing with God.

Our sinful behaviour alienated us from God. Jesus Christ was (and is) perfect. He has always been in a perfect relationship with God the Father and this righteousness of Jesus has now been imputed to or given to us. This is the only way we can stand approved before God.

Redemption

(regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.)

1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Corinthians 6:20, Hebrews 9:12

I once went to a chapel service at the heart of the red light district in Mumbai, India. It broke my heart to see this church full of beaming, wonderful women of God, with their arms raised high in the midst of worship. Why did it break my heart? Well, because straight after that service all these women would return to their “jobs” – they were all sex workers. They had been enslaved and ‘owned’ by the powerful underworld gangs of Mumbai. Some Christian organizations have, in the past, managed to ‘buy back’ these ladies, at a considerable cost from the gangs that have enslaved them.

I’ve never pawned anything at a pawn shop, but I do know that for many addicts who I used to help, this was very much a way of life and sometimes they did this with the most valuable of their possessions in the hope that one day they would get enough money to get them back. If they didn’t get the money within a certain time limit, or even worse, they lost their ticket, they would forfeit the right of ownership of those goods and, legally, they would then belong completely to the pawn shop owner.

The bible declares that Jesus has paid the price to redeem us from the empty ways of our previous life. You see, we were all slaves to sin. Ultimately, the devil was our master, but we should be so thankful and grateful that Jesus paid the price to set us free.

Regeneration (Born Again)

John 3:1-21, Titus 3:5, James 1:13-18, 1 Peter 1:3, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 37:1-14

The Christian teaching and belief called ‘Regeneration’ is a process that is initiated, by God, from heaven above which results in a person having a change of heart and life. This process is procreative whereby God Himself births in us a new nature that heralds in a new beginning for us. Hence also the truth that: ‘If anyone is in Christ the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!’

Click here to read another blog I wrote on What Does Regeneration or Being ‘Born Again’ Mean?

Adoption (Children of God)

John 1;12, John 14:6, Galatians 4:4-7

Please see the slide show presentation below:

https://issuu.com/andrewmarjoram/docs/the_father_heart_of_god

We Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38, Romans 8:8, Ephesians 1:13-14

The term Christ means “anointed one”. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). To be called “Christian” means that we too have been anointed with the Holy Spirit. For, you cannot truly be called one until a person has received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Someone once said: “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile!”

No, the true mark of a Christian is that they have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them which they receive through saving faith.

The whole subject of the Holy Spirit is a massive one and one which I will address in a future blog.