“SALVATION IS OF THE LORD!”
Ephesians
1:3-14
“Salvation is of the Lord!” That was Bro. Jonah’s
confession of faith after just three days in the belly of a whale. He learned
more sound doctrine in three days at Whalebelly
Seminary than most preachers learn in a lifetime. Salvation is, in its entirety, from start to finish, the work of
the triune God (Eph. 1:3-14). God the Father chose his elect, the objects of
his grace, in eternal election. God the Son redeemed us with precious blood at
Calvary. God the Holy Spirit called us from death to life and gave us faith in
Christ at the appointed time of love.
Christ alone is our Savior.
All
the grace of God flows to believing sinners through the merits of Christ’s shed
blood and righteousness. In the matter of salvation, Christ is all. If you have
not yet learned that, you have not learned the gospel (1 Cor. 1:30-31).
Salvation is wrought in us by God the Holy
Spirit.
God’s saving grace, that
redemption and salvation which was purchased and obtained for God’s elect by
the blood of Christ at Calvary, is effectually applied to and wrought in every
chosen, redeemed sinner by the almighty, irresistible power and grace of God
the Holy Spirit. “It is the Spirit that
quickeneth. The flesh profitteth nothing. It is God the Holy Spirit who
gives life to dead sinners, creates a new heart within, and works in us the
gifts and graces of faith, conviction, and repentance
God saves sinners by the use of means.
We are taught in the Word of
God that salvation is wrought in the hearts of chosen sinners through the
instrumentality of gospel preaching. “Faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. By his wise and holy
design, “It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” The gospel we preach
is “the power of God unto salvation.” It
is written, “The preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the
power of God.”
Salvation is an experience of grace.
God’s salvation is something
a person experiences in his heart and soul. We do not build our hopes upon
feelings and experiences; but I would not give you a plugged nickel for a
salvation that is not felt and experienced in the depth of a man’s soul. Life,
pardon, forgiveness, and freedom are things we feel and experience. We do not
all experience God’s grace the same way; but all who are saved do experience
God’s salvation. Paul’s experience of grace was not the same as Lydia’s; nor
was Lydia’s the same as the Philippian jailor’s. They all experienced the same
grace; but they all experienced that grace in a very personal way. Yet, every
sinner saved by the grace of God, having experienced grace through the
preaching of the gospel, knows that he or she is a sinner saved by grace alone,
through faith alone, in Christ alone, and gladly confesses with Jonah – “Salvation is of the Lord!”
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #726
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net