- October 6, 2020
To the saints of Grace Baptist Church of Dallas, Oregon
Greetings in the victorious name of Jesus!
You are loved! Never forget that. The gospel is true!
In the news today the President is back at the White House serving the country after a bout with the corona virus. Meanwhile the media is concerning itself as to whether that is safe. Was the President released too soon? Are others at risk? What about his secret service agents—are they at risk? They also worry if the press corps is safe. Is America safe in the hands of this reckless President? They have worked themselves into frenzy. But it is so superficial and tomorrow will bring another news cycle. More panic!
But on another level, we have to ask, “Is anybody safe?” I mean, “Are they truly safe?” Yes, on a temporary level we want to be safe from the corona virus. But that is only one disease. There are a whole lot of other diseases out there that are taking lives every day. People have heart attacks, stokes, cancer, and a host of other maladies that take lives. They may be safe from death today, from corona virus—but are they ultimately safe? Physically, everyone will die… eventually. The death rate in America—no matter which party is in power—is still 100%. And if this is the case, can it be said whether we are safe? Safe… ultimately, safe? How can we be sure that we are “safe” for eternity?
Many today consider eternity to be a myth of some sort. They want to follow the science and say that since eternity cannot be seen, felt, heard, touched or tasted, it therefore does not exist. They are not concerned about eternity simply because for them it is absurd. It would be better to concern one’s self with the here and now and make the best of it simply because you “Only go around once in life.” There is nothing more than atoms, matter, time and space. End of story. Nothing else to live for but what can we experience right here and now. For people who hold such ideas, they would just as soon not talk about supernatural things. It is foolish at best, and upsetting at worst. They don’t want their comfortable worldview challenged at all. No accountability that way.
But then there are others who consider there might be a “hereafter?” For them, they feel that science really can’t explain all there is to know out there. For example: Everyone seems to have a “feeling” of right and wrong. We have a nose for injustice, and when we experience injustice we are outraged. Where did that sense of justice come from? Was it a product of evolutionary process? Is there a common “justice” gene that is inherent in the human DNA? Did it just happen that way? Or, were we created by a “Just God” in His image, and we are outraged at injustice? The same is true for our sense of beauty. It seems everyone has an appreciation for beauty… whether it is nature, artwork, craftsmanship, or a beautiful act of some sort. Where did this universal appreciation for beauty come from? Was it part of the primordial soup that mankind evolved from, causing a beauty gene in our DNA? And if we all commonly share this appreciation for beauty—why doesn’t my dog seem to appreciate beauty? Why is mankind so different? I want to suggest that it is because there really is a Creator who has created us in His image and has left a record of that on our hearts. He also wrote it in His book the Bible. And He called His creation “good.” Yet sin has entered the world.
The Bible talks about being saved…all over the place! It says that really NO human is safe from God’s wrath and that we are all under judgment. The Bible says that NO ONE is safe in and of themselves. Even the most popular verse in all the Bible hints at this. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Now if a person would take time to really listen to this verse it would tell them some amazing things. First, if they would allow themselves to consider that there was a God—they would now know that that God loves them. He is a loving God. Secondly, that same God did something on behalf of others… namely, God “sent His one and only Son into the world.” God is aware of this world and He loves this world so much that God sent His Son. (Later in the same book you could read that His Son, Jesus, died on a cross for sinners.) Keep digesting that verse and you would deduce that according to God’s perspective—sinners (that happens to be every human being) are being threatened. God says that they will perish apart from believing on His Son. And lastly, if they did believe, that same person would receive something of great value, namely: eternal life. It would be a full and satisfying life in the here and now; and after one died they would inherit an eternity with Jesus. Now that seems to be a very good offer from a very great and loving God. I can’t understand why any rational person would turn down an offer like that?
With all that being said, I know there is a controversy raging over what does it mean to believe? There is what is known as “Easy believism.” In other words, all a person has to do is simply say the words, and thus having said the words they are now automatically guaranteed eternity now matter how they live the rest of their life. Just like magic! Others take another view that to believe—truly believe, one must really mean it by keeping certain standards and complete certain ordinances. One must believe the right way to show God that you are worthy and ready for Him to save you. In a word you have to “Earn it.” But what does the Bible say about salvation?
In Romans 10 the Apostle Paul is talking about the Jews who were more determined to earn their righteousness by the law—but then Paul reveals that a person really needs a righteousness that is by faith instead. In verses 6-8 he quotes Moses to remind the Jews what he said, and then makes the point that the righteousness that is by faith is just what Moses had talked about. And then Paul applies it to Christ. Christ had come to earth, (God sent His Son,) and so you don’t have to go to heaven. God also raised Jesus from the dead, so you don’t have to do that either. But the present reality is that Christ is near you. The word is in your mouth and in your heart—that is, the message concerning the faith that Paul is proclaiming. And then Paul gives a wonderful analogy of what it means to believe properly. Listen to his words:
“9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13 (NIV2011)
The idea of declaring with your mouth that Jesus is Lord has to do with the personal conviction and acknowledgment that Jesus is God’s Son, who came to earth and is also God. Jesus said, “Out of the heart the mouth speaks.” So this is NOT simply mouthing the words, but rather a settled deep belief and trust that this is true.
Next it says that if one believes in their heart that God raised [Jesus] from the dead—meaning that one would truly believe the eyewitness account that in fact Jesus did rise from the dead—thus validating life after death and all of Jesus’ claims as well; that one would be saved. That one is saved from the punishment that is sure to come in the judgment of God—or from perishing, as John 3:16 says. The righteousness that is by faith requires true trust in the True One offering a True Gift of eternal life. Hence God says that “You will be saved.” Saved from ultimate perishing that is.
Verse 10 elaborates a little more. It says that it is with our hearts that we believe and are justified. Justification means that God declares a person righteous. He does this not because He wishes to sweep our shortcomings under the rug, but on the basis that Jesus has paid the penalty of sin on this person’s behalf. Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice of atonement on the cross. There on the cross God judged sin—and Jesus paid the penalty. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23a. Jesus died our death for us. It takes faith to believe what God has done for us.
But then Paul says that it with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. This is not a two step salvation, but rather two sides of the same coin. The profession is the spoken reality of what has happened already in your heart. One is an internal reality and the other is the external reality. It is the acknowledging to God that Christ really is God and you are truly believing in Him.
When Paul refers to the Scriptures in verse 11, he has a well known verse from Isaiah in mind. This quote comes from Isaiah 28:16—where Isaiah is quoting something God had told him. “So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.” Jesus referred to Himself as that stone. He was the One placed in Zion. Jesus is the precious cornerstone on which a person may build their lives and futures on. And God says that the person who relies on [Jesus] will never be stricken with panic—as others will be on the day of God’s judgment.
Now just in case you thought God was playing favorites, and was only going to save a certain people, say the Jews, or any other kind of people; Paul lets us know that God plays no favoritism. This good news is for everyone! Simply believe! If you are a Jew, you can be saved. If you are a gentile—same thing. You can be saved by believing.
In fact, everyone is invited to be saved. God shows no favoritism. If you are reading this, you have an invitation to be saved—it is that simple. No one need be excluded. Paul simply reminds us that “The ground is level at the cross.” What’s the only condition needed? A person must call upon the name of the Lord is all. Paul says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Period. Paul’s conclusion is supported by a quotation from Joel 2:32 that says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” To “call on” the Lord means to pray in faith for salvation. Just the way that Paul had illustrated in verses 9 and 10. To call on the Lord is to exercise your faith in Jesus, and thus receive God’s righteousness that is by faith.
God does not want to make salvation hard. You don’t have to do a million spiritual push-ups. You don’t have to purchase salvation with gold or silver. You don’t have to cash in a gazillion good deeds in order to be “good enough.” It is a righteousness that is by faith. This is God’s way, and this is the way that He has made for sinners to become righteous. Jesus verified this when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” John 14:6. Now if you want to argue with Jesus and insist that there is another way that He hasn’t mentioned—go right ahead. That is your business. But it would underscore one thing… and that is that it would NOT be a righteousness that is by faith. You choose: Your way—or God’s way? As for me and my house, we are choosing God’s way. I placed my trust in Jesus back in 1966 and I have never regretted receiving the Savior since. I believe you will find the same.
“I Surrender All,” by Judson W. Van de Venter
“All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all, All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
“All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken, Take me Jesus take me now.
I surrender all, I surrender all, All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Savior, wholly Thine.
Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine.
I surrender all, I surrender all, All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all, I surrender all, All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.”
Benediction:
“The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all,” 2 Tim. 4:22.
Pastor Russ Hilsinger
Grace Baptist Church of Dallas, OR