Take Advantage of the Truth P2

Take Advantage of the (Real) Church Part II

The Essence of the Church is the Administration God’s Salvation

God’s complete work of salvation is executed through the church.

The Pillars of Salvation

Atonement - Propitiation - Justification — Sanctification - Glorification

Atonement - Propitiation

The ministry of the church is the means whereby the Holy Spirit draws one to Christ to receive atonement for their sin.

Jesus Christ is the propitiation for man’s sin.

One is justified by their faith in Christ when they believe in Him wholeheartedly.

Romans 10:8-10

Romans 10:8–10 NASB95

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Justification

for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness

atonement

with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Atonement

ATONEMENT—This word does not occur in the Authorized Version of the New Testament except in Rom. 5:11, where in the Revised Version the word “reconciliation” is used. In the Old Testament it is of frequent occurrence.

The meaning of the word is simply at-one-ment, i.e., the state of being at one or being reconciled, so that atonement is reconciliation. Thus it is used to denote the effect which flows from the death of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 NASB95

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Phillip and the Ethiopian

Acts 8:30-31 The Ethiopian and Phillip the evangelist Acts 8:35-38

​Acts 8:35–38

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

The scripture was preached - Christ was the message (Jesus pointed out that the scriptures testified of Him)

He (the Ethiopian) believed the Gospel (Faith in Christ results in atonement [reconciliation]

Christ is the propitiation > the basis of our being accepted by God

He believed in his heart which resulted in righteousness (justification).

He confessed with his mouth which resulted in salvation. (He testified verbally and through baptism)

The preaching of Phillip by the power of the Holy Spirit, resulted in the faith of the eunuch.

Atonement, Propitiation, and Justification.

Here in the conversion of the Ethiopian, we see the administration of atonement, propitiation, and justification.

The ministry of sanctification and glorification are yet to be administered through the ongoing means of the church.

Consider the early church’s beginning from the Day of Pentecost.

Peter preached to the same individuals who, just days ago, had cried out for the execution of Jesus.

After hearing Christ preached their hearts were pierced leading them to repentance.

With the heart they believed unto righteousness.

They confessed Christ with their mouths and through their baptism.

This was the starting point of their Christian experience.

​Acts 2:42

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

They continued devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles.

They also continued to fellowship with one another.

Initial revelation leads to the entrance of the narrow way.

Ongoing revelation leads one along the narrow way to its end - eternal life.

Take Advantage of the (Real) Church Part III

​Hebrews 13:17

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.

Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

The ongoing ministry of the church leads the children of God into the administration of sanctification and glorification under the watchfulness of the pastor.

Sanctification and Glorification