God’s plan of Redemption Part 6 “Led by the Spirit”
by Stewart Topping It’s time for honesty; Are you led by the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit). Gal 5:18 says that if you are led by the Spirit then you are not under More »
God’s plan of Redemption Part 5 “sealed by the Holy Spirit”
By Stewart Topping Redemption is a term used in the Bible to refer to the special intervention of God for the salvation of mankind. This use of the word deals with the More »
God’s plan of Redemption Part 4 “what did Jesus do”
By Stewart Topping Does a Christian have to deal with all the following terms in Christendom? How do you really know that you are? Washed by His Blood Sanctified by His spirit More »
God’s plan of Redemption Part 3 “Jesus the Theme of the Bible”
By Stewart Topping Our Christian Bible is made up of 66 books that fit together very well. The plan that God set in motion is redemption of mankind. The Buildings we call More »
God’s Plan of Redemption – Part 2 “what are we being redeemed from?”
By Stewart Topping … There are several things we should be reminded about as we dive into the scriptures. There are two things we have as a result of Adam’s sin. 1. More »
God’s plan of Redemption – Part 1 “man’s fallen nature”
By Stewart Topping … The plan of redemption was set in motion before time and began in the Garden when Adam disobeyed God’s word. He took on a new nature, one which More »
Rebellion Against Pauline Authority
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
One of the chief reasons why so many sincere religious people are left in doubt and uncertainty as to salvation is because the organized Church has rebelled against a distinct and important revelation from God to us who live in this present age. This revelation is found in the inspired words of Paul, in Rom. 11:13:
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles. I magnify mine office.”
Many minimize that which the Word of God magnifies here. They insist upon following Peter rather than Paul, failing to see that Peter’s authority concerned the now-rejected kingdom of Christ on earth over Israel and the nations. Our Lord had said to His twelve apostles:
“Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, YE ALSO SHALL SIT UPON TWELVE THRONES, JUDGING THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL” (Matt. 19:28).
Surely there are no twelve tribes in the Church today, nor was any provision, specific or implied, made by our Lord for “apostolic succession.” This dogma is built upon the unscriptural assumption that the Church today is the kingdom which Christ established when on earth, and that our ministry today is but a perpetuation of that which the twelve began.
The fact is that the ministry of the twelve was halted by the rejection of the King and His kingdom and that the apostles themselves finally agreed to turn their proposed Gentile ministry over to Paul, that other apostle, to whom had been committed “the gospel of the grace of God” (Read carefully, Gal. 2:2-9 and Acts 20:24).
If only the confused religious masses could see that when Israel joined the Gentiles in rebellion against God, when the world’s sin had risen to its height and all was ready for judgment, God revealed “the exceeding riches of His grace” by saving Saul, the chief of sinners, and sending him forth as both the herald and the living example of His grace! Thus he writes:
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound, BUT WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND: “THAT AS SIN HATH REIGNED UNTO DEATH, EVEN SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 5:20,21).
Salvation is the single most important thing we should understand today!
By Stewart Topping
Today there so many different misunderstood concepts about salvation that it’s a wonder that anybody can actually get saved. People add things to very simple instructions the Apostle Paul gave us on what is required for salvation. Paul was writing letters to Christian to help them understand what Jesus had told him about the mystery of grace, not writing about some theological discussion.
I think a big part of the problem is the lack of understanding of the Plan of redemption. God from the beginning of time for Jesus finish the plan by his death, burial and resurrection. See the 6 articles I wrote on redemption … go to website
We need to understand what is required to be saved. Saved from what might be a good question?
- Bondage to sin caused by Adam in the garden.
- The curse of the Law.
- The problem with our flesh
We need to receive God’s free gift of grace because that what God said plus nothing.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Eph 2:8-10 (KJV)
It’s a free gift; there is nothing you can do by your flesh to help yourself. You must believe what God has said and receive your salvation by faith in God’s word.
These are very simple instructions on receiving salvation …
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Cor 15:1-4 (KJV)
Paul said: He is declaring the real Gospel, the good news. By which you might be saved. It is important to know what God has said and what He has done.
What did Paul say in 1 Cor 15:1-4: This is the Gospel by which you are saved? Paul is telling us what he has done and giving us instruction what to do, just believe what God has said and done.
Christ died for us, was buried and rose again. God said he would raise Jesus up in Victory.
Jesus defeated Satan, became the acceptable sacrifice required by the law, overcame death and paid the price for our freedom from bondage. With the Holy Spirit we can overcome our flesh.
PLUS NOTHING….
Be careful not to add to the gospel something that God didn’t require.
