The marriage between man and woman is a shadow or type of the union we have with God which came into effect in the instant we accepted Christ. God doesn’t like divorces in the natural, because that ruins the image of the far superior union He has entered with the regenerated man. Thus Jesus says; “Let no man separate what God has joined together.” However, in the Old Covenant under Moses the Israelites were allowed to give a certificate of divorce on account of their hard hearts. This is very important, because God hasn’t a hard heart. He is love. He would thus never separate himself from, that is, divorce those who are in a union with Him. Even when we are a faithless He is faithful.
God has such a tremendous respect for the marriage that He wouldn’t release us from our marriage to the law, indwelling sin and our union with Satan before we died. The instant we accepted Christ we went into His cross and died with Him. Now, we are free to marry another, and that person is God. When God swore His covenant oath, remember that marriage is a covenant agreed between two equal partners, He had no one greater by whom to swear, He hence swore by Himself that He would never leave us or forsake us. We played no part in the setting up of that covenant. He is the sole guarantor that the covenant conditions will be met. That is our eternal security!
Many say that sin can cause us to lose our salvation. That is impossible, because it was because of sin that He saved us. We were helpless slaves under its dominion. In our newness of life we are dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Sin is a power, a spiritual power which found a dwelling place in man when man was deceived by Satan. That power is forever cast out. We are free from its demands. We might commit sins, but we are every instant cleansed by the blood. Sin can never cause us to lose our salvation, because it was because of sin that He came to our rescue.
One of the images the Scriptures use to describe our being is vessels. A vessel is filled with something. That is its natural faculty. God created man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils and man became a living being. Then man was put in the Garden. In the garden there were many trees. Our attention is drawn to the Tree of Life which was in the middle of the garden. The tree of prominence. In addition there was the tree to knowledge of good and evil.
The tree of life represents Christ, because later on we learn that if man had taken of the tree of life he would have lived forever. Christ is eternal life. Two trees, two possible unions. As a vessel man is created to be filled with something, and He chose the wrong filling. When we have accepted Christ the former union is dissolved and we are now filled with the tree of life, which is eternal life. To assert that a borne again person can lose his salvation is in effect saying that God will permit that that person again is filled with the spirit who is at work in those who are disobedient. That is an impossibility. That would be to annul the cross. That would be to deride Jesus finished work.
Noah’s ark is a wonderful type of Christ. Every man and animal that entered the Ark was saved and protected from the flood. In the same manner every regenerated man is in Christ. In Him we are safe and protected forever and ever. It wasn’t Adam who shut the door when everyone had entered the ark. “And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the LORD shut him in.” (Gen 7:16). God was their guarantee! He personally sealed the Ark. No one is greater than God and no one can remove God’s seal. His firm resolve is that not a single soul that has found shelter in Christ will ever be separated from Him.
Paul said: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8: 38-39) Nothing means nothing!
2 comments:
It is important to point that salvation is a gift. The concept of a gift is, it serves its purpose when it is RECEIVED. Once received, it is PUT TO USE. And in order to enjoy that gift, you need to HOLD ON TO IT. So long as you are holding on to it and enjoying it, it is yours. Salvation is not like the innate gifts we received; like, gift of singing, gift of dancing, etc. Salvation comes from our believing (John 3:16 "... that whosoever believes..."). That is why we need to work on it (meaning, make sure we keep the gift) as stated in Phil 2:12. Some say that verse is a different salvation (meaning "survival") but if you look at the original translation, it is the same "salvation" used for salvation from sin. Marriage bond is a "command" whereas salvation is a gift for us to receive or not. We a re saved by grace, yes, BUT through FAITH. Faith is an action (work). Salavation is grace that is activated through our faith, if not, Jesus wouldn't have used "whosoever believes" in John 3:16.
My friend, Ted, posted this on Facebook a short while ago:
". . . for those of you who believe a Christian can "lose" salvation, think about it: you would have to un-create a New Creation, un-crucify one who was crucified with Christ, un-seat one who is seated with Christ at the right hand of God, un-inherit one who has inherited the Kingdom, un-gift the gift of the righteousness of God, etc., . . . or un-declare that the blood of Jesus was thick enough to keep you."
Post a Comment