Redemptive Truths (Part 3)

America is called the land of the free and the home of the brave. Of course, in the early years of our nation not everyone was free — at least in certain States. One of the darkest marks on our country was the slavery of people brought over from Africa.

Back in 2024 the town of Tecumseh, Michigan celebrated its bicentennial. In 2023 I was “commissioned” to write an original choral piece honoring the bicentennial. Not knowing much about the history of Tecumseh, I had to do some research. One thing that intrigued me very much was that Tecumseh (being pretty close to the southern border of Michigan), was a catalyst in Michigan for the underground railroad. So, I made sure to mention that in the song I wrote:

Just a few years later many stood up for their faith

That all were created equal regardless of their race;

They were a catalyst in Michigan for the underground railroad,

They hid slaves from their captures and helped to ease their load.

Why do I mention this today? I mention it because the topic of redemption is intricately tied to the topic of slavery. I plan to look more at this topic in October, but in our nations history there were those who bought people off of the auction block of slavery in order to give them freedom from slavery. And that is exactly what God did for us. We were slaves of sin, and God purchased us from the auction block of slavery at great cost. The cost was the death of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

When we sing songs such as Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim it, we should think of our slavery in sin — our slavery the to worst slave owner of all times — Satan. We have been freed from bondage to him, and set free since he whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

Oh, we are still slaves — but we are voluntary slaves of Jesus Christ. And, Oh! what a wonderful Master He is!

Over the past couple of messages we have looked at six of eight redemptive truths. Today we will finish by looking at the last two truths, which are sanctification and eternal security.

Before we get into all of that, I was asked last week if I would spend a little time elaborating on the fives solas of the Reformation, and on the term imputation, which came up last week in our discussion of justification. So let’s begin by looking at

The Five Solas of the Reformation

The five solas of the Reformation were the doctrinal understanding which the Reformers developed, from Scripture, to combat the errant teaching of the Medieval Catholic Church. During what is often referred to as either the Medieval Period, the Dark ages, or the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church moved away from the authority of God’s Word and placed their authority in the institution of the Church. The Reformers cried out against this, and called for a return to God’s Word. To the best of my knowledge, all of the Reformers agreed on these biblical truths.

We have, in a sense, already looked at the first sola, though it probably wasn’t mentioned as such. But in the first messages in this series, way back in January, we looked at the Doctrine of the Bible. And it was referenced again when we looked at the doctrine of creation. Since the Bible is the document from which we find all of our doctrine, it is an essential doctrine in my mind. The first sola is

Sola Scriptura — Scripture Alone

Sola scriptura means Scripture alone. This principle states that the Bible stands as the ultimate authority for the Christian in both faith and practice. The Catholic church at that time (and perhaps still now) taught that church tradition, papal pronouncements, and church councils were equal with the Scriptures.

But the Reformers taught that the Bible clearly teaches on matters essential to salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit gives the believer understanding regarding the core message. We don’t need institutional gatekeepers. Since the understanding of Scriptures is available to all believers, then the Bible should be available to believers. Hence, the emphasis on translating the Bible into the native tongue of various people groups.

The Reformers championed this doctrine to challenge medieval Catholic assumptions about how believers access God’s truth. They argued that Scripture possesses inherent clarity on matters essential to salvation—that ordinary Christians, guided by the Holy Spirit, could understand the Bible’s core message without requiring institutional gatekeepers or interpretive hierarchies to mediate meaning. This, in theory, made the understanding of Scriptures available to all believers, and undermined claims that only the church could authoritatively interpret God’s Word.

I found a very interesting article regarding sola scriptura on a blog by Simon Turpin, who is apparently a writer for Answers in Genesis. To summarize this article:

The belief in Sola Scriptura, that Scripture is the supreme and final authority in all things, was once held with conviction by Protestant Christians. Today, however, it seems many Christians simply pay lip service to this doctrine without being able to defend or define what it actually is.

Paul points Timothy to Scripture and Scripture alone as the means to deal with false teaching within the church.

The reason Scripture is sufficient is that it alone is God-breathed. In the apostolic teaching of the New Testament, both the Old Testament and the gospel of Jesus Christ , constitute what Scripture is.

Scripture is profitable for four things: teaching, reproof, correction, and training.

The purpose of Scripture is to equip the believer for every good work.

In the time of the Apostles, tradition was both in spoken and written form.

Let’s look at the second sola.

Sola Fide — Faith Alone

Sola fide means faith alone. As with all of these Reformation principles, there is a return to the biblical teaching on this subject. The Reformers emphasized the biblical truth that salvation comes exclusively through faith in the person and work of Christ, rather than through human merit, or through the mediation of the church. The Reformers brought people back to the biblical truth that the repentant sinner is declared righteous by God, through faith in Christ, rather than through performing good works or participating in religious obligations.

The Catholic church teaches that grace comes through participation in the sacraments, good works, and penance. This turns what we call the ordinances of the church into good works that must be participated in to be saved. The Bible teaches that the ordinances (which we will be looking at next week) are things that believers participate in because we have been saved.

The Reformers stressed the biblical truth that salvation is the gift of God and not of works. When someone places their faith in Christ, they are declared righteous because Christ righteousness is credited to their account. We will talk more about this when we look at the doctrine of imputation.

Sola fide does not teach that good works are not important. They are extremely important. It is just that good works are the result of salvation and not the means of salvation.

The third sola is

Sola Gratia — Grace Alone

Sola gratia means grace alone. The Reformers understood that grace is a free gift from God and not something that has to be earned, or something which certain people deserve. I’m not sure how the Catholic Church came to teach otherwise.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Grace is the means of salvation. And faith is the channel through which we receive grace. And all of this is the gift of God. The fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners demonstrates that divine love operates independent of human worthiness.

The principle of grace alone protects God’s sovereignty. It all also takes human pride out of the equation. We all begin as slaves to sin and as spiritually dead. Therefore, we are destined for God’s wrath. But God shows His abundant mercy by making the repentant sinner alive in Christ through grace. God is the One who initiates this, not the sinner, nor any institution. Salvation is the work of God from beginning to end.

The fourth sola is

Solus Christus — Christ Alone

Solus Christus means Christ alone. This Reformation principles brings us back to the truth that Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man.

1 Timothy 2:5 ESV

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

The Reformers emphasized that no human intermediary—whether priest, saint, or institution—can stand between believers and God; Christ alone bridges that divide.

The Catholic Church taught that the church and the saints mediated the flow of grace to people. But the Bible teaches that Christ is our Mediator, Advocate, and High Priest. The Reformers taught that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross accomplished everything necessary for the salvation of the repentant sinner, and that nothing could be added to or subtracted from His finished work.

Solus Christus also teaches that Christ’s authority supersedes all other authority. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Catholic Church had made the pope and church councils to be equal in authority to Christ.

The fifth and final sola is

Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone be the Glory

Soli Deo Gloria means “To God alone be the glory!” Did you know that Johann Sebastian Bach signed all of his compositions with Soli Deo Gloria – he gave all the glory to God for the works which God enabled him to compose.

This principle teaches that all honor and glory for the salvation of His people belong exclusively to God, and not to any human being or agency.

In truth this principle undergirds all of the other Reformation principles. All of this is accomplished for God’s glory, and His glory alone. The chief end of man is to glorify God. And we best glorify Him when we learn to enjoy Him.

This principle should reshape Christian motivation and worship. Rather than performing good works to earn merit or advance personal standing, believers serve God recognizing that their obedience itself flows from his grace. Any good that comes form the Christian life ultimately reflects God’s work through believers. Humans are instruments through whom God accomplishes His purposes, and not independent agents deserving credit.

In summary, the Scriptures alone are the basis of faith and authority. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone.

We’ve been looking at the five solas of the Reformation. Let’s turn our attention now to

The Doctrine of Imputation

Last week while we were looking at the Doctrine of Justification a word came up (which is in our article) and I strayed from my notes and elaborated a little bit on it. Our article on justification ended with this statement that [justification] “is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done: but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us.”

Then I talked a little about imputation, and someone wanted me to talk a bit more about it. Note that,

Imputation Refers to the Theological Concept of Crediting or Assigning Something to Someone’s Account

As mentioned last week, imputation is part of the doctrine of justification. And it is also closely tied to the teaching of the Reformers. Imputation is related the the substitutionary atonement of Christ.

I often think of the substitutionary atonement in terms of baseball. You may or may not know that I have been a huge baseball fan my whole life. In baseball there is something called a double switch. It was used more frequently before baseball started using designated hitters, but I’ve seen A. J. Hinch use it with the Detroit Tigers in present-day situations. The idea has to do with keeping a substitute player who doesn’t hit well from having to come to bat. This was frequently used to keep a pitcher from batting in a critical situation. The manager would put a pinch-hitter to bat in the pitcher’s spot. Then that hitter would stay in the game and field a position, pulling the original position player out of the game. Then the new pitcher would bat in that previous position players spot. Usually, a manager would make sure that the pitcher did not end up hitting.

Anyway, in truth, God pulled off the greatest double switch of all times. This was accomplished when God imputed our sins to Christ as He hung on the cross. And in turn God imputed Christ’s righteousness to repentant sinners.

This doctrine became central to Reformation theology because it explains how sinners can be declared righteous before a holy God. Works of the law cannot justify anyone, since the law brings knowledge of sin—human effort cannot bridge the gap between human sinfulness and divine holiness. Imputation solves this dilemma: justification occurs not through human achievement but through the transfer of Christ’s righteousness to believers through faith. The believer receives what they do not deserve (Christ’s righteousness) while being freed from what they do deserve (condemnation for sin). This mutual exchange—Christ taking our guilt, we receiving his righteousness—stands at the heart of how Protestant theology understands salvation.

Now, we get back to where we left off last week. Let’s look at the Doctrine of

Sanctification

Our articles of Faith does not have an article about sanctification, but I think it should.

I have a statement on sanctification which I hope that our church will adopt as a part of our articles of faith. As with last week, we will look at this statement one phrase at a time.

We Believe that Sanctification is the Divine Setting Apart of the Believer unto God Accomplished in a Threefold Manner ...

The writer of Hebrews wrote,

Hebrews 10:10–14 ESV

And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Remember that this statement said that the setting apart takes place in a threefold manner. Let’s look at the first fold.

First, [it is] an Eternal Act of God, Based upon Redemption in Christ, Establishing the Believer in a Position of Holiness at the Moment he Trusts the Savior ...

Paul wrote,

Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

The ideas of holiness and sanctification are intertwined. In this passage we are holy because we have been set apart by God as a love gift to His Son. Let’s move on to look at the second fold of sanctification.

Second, [sanctification is] a Continuing Process in the Saint as the Holy Spirit Applies the Word of God to the Life [of a believer] ...

While the passage we just read speaks about positional sanctification, Paul went on to write to the Ephesians about progressive sanctification.

Ephesians 4:1 ESV

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

We walk in a worthy manner when we actively engage in putting off the things that belong to our old life, and by putting on the things which belong to our new life in Christ. Later in this same chapter Paul wrote,

Ephesians 4:22 NIV84

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

And a couple verses down he again wrote,

Ephesians 4:24 ESV

and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

We won’t look at it this morning, but Paul goes into much greater depth about the putting off and the putting on in Colossians 3.

Peter closed his second epistle with what is, in my mind, a summary of progressive sanctification.

2 Peter 3:18 ESV

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

So, we have seen the first two folds of sanctification, which theologians describe as positional and progressive sanctification. Let’s look at the third fold.

Third, the Final Accomplishment of this Process is at the Lord’s Return. 

This is in reference to the glorification of the believer, when we will be shed of our sin tainted bodies and receive a new glorified body. O how I long for that day! Paul wrote,

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

The future glorification of the believer is so certain that Paul wrote about it in the past tense, as if it has already happened. Elsewhere Paul wrote,

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

So far today we have considered the five solas of the Reformation, and the doctrines of imputation and sanctification. Finally, let’s look at redemptive truth number 8.

Eternal Security

Our articles of faith refers to this section as The Perseverance and Preservation of the Saints. And, by the way, I love that reference. But I think we are more commonly familiar with the term Eternal Security. The first part of our statement reads,

We Believe that Such Only are Real Believers as Endure unto the End:

Paul wrote this to the Colossian church,

Colossians 1:21–23 ESV

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

The question is, how does one endure in the faith? How does one persevere in the faith? Since salvation is totally the work of God from beginning to end, then perseverance is also the work of God.

God guards us, God keeps us in the faith. This brings us to the next part of our statement.

We Believe that their Persevering Attachment to Christ is the Grand Mark which Distinguishes them from Superficial Professors;

Jesus told a parable about the Sower and the Seed. Some seed was sown along a path, some was sown on rocky ground, some was sown among thorns, and some was sown on good soil. Jesus explained:

Matthew 13:18–23 ESV

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Though some people seem to respond to the gospel right away, and even show signs of spiritual life for a while, their lack of perseverance indicates that their profession of faith was a false profession.

Our article goes on to say,

We Believe that a Special Providence Watches Over their [believers] Welfare;

Speaking of God’s elective purpose, Paul wrote,

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Speaking of God’s watch care over His people, the psalmist wrote,

Psalm 121:3 ESV

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

God cares for those who belong to Him, and He will not let anything permanently take us away from His loving care. As the psalmist said,

Psalm 46:1 ESV

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Let’s look at the final statement for this article of faith.

We Believe that they are Kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Eternal Salvation.

Peter wrote,

1 Peter 1:3–5 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Believer, aren’t you glad that God is your Protector, your Rock of Refuge, your Hiding Place? Aren’t you glad that no one can snatch you out of the protective hand of God?

Friends, if you are here and realize that you have never come to the saving knowledge of God, it is not too late for you. No matter what you have done, God is ready to forgive if you come to Him in repentance and faith.

Over the past few of weeks we have looked at eight redemptive truths. This list of truths is certainly not exhaustive — I’m quite certain that there are other truths about redemption which were not included in this list. But I think we have at least covered the basics. To list these truths in the order which we looked at them:

The Virgin Birth of Christ

The Resurrection and Priesthood of Christ

The Redeeming Work of Christ

Repentance and Faith

Grace and New Creation

Justification

Sanctification

Eternal Security

This fall I do plan on delving a bit more into the Old Testament concept of the Kinsman Redeemer as we prepare for a study of the Gospel of Matthew.

Lord willing, next week we will look at, Ecclesiology, which is the Doctrine of the Church. This is a very appropriate thing to look at on communion Sunday.

Let’s pray.

Father,

We are so grateful for the grace and mercy that You have extended to us in Christ Jesus. You have removed our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. These same sins you nailed to the cross of Christ as He paid the penalty for them. May we never lose the wonder of this awe-inspiring truth.

Father, I pray for any here today who are not yet believers. I pray the the Holy Spirit would be doing the preparatory work of prevenient grace in their lives. I pray that You give them such a burden in regards to their sin that they would flee to the cross of Christ to find relief from their heavy burden.

I pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Closing Song: #196

There is a Fountain

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins,

And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains:

Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;

And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

E’re since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,

Redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die:

And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;

Redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stamm’ring tongue lies silent in the grave,

Then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sin Thy pow’r to save:

I’ll sin Thy pow’r to save, I’ll sin Thy pow’r to save;

Then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sin Thy pow’r to save.