As I was writing this sermon, a conversation with a friend came back to me. The occasion for the conversation was when I tried to witness to him and told him about the salvation that I enjoyed in Jesus Christ. I told him how that by just merely believing in Jesus all your sins will be forgiven; past, present and future sins. The expected response was that he must do good in order to qualify and to remain qualified for the grace of God. The idea of qualifying into grace is in itself an oxymoron because grace in unmerited favor and to qualify for it is hardly unmerited. As the dear Apostle Paul aptly put it, if it is of works then it is no longer grace but wages. The idea that we have to qualify for grace is not only oxymoronic, it is also un-biblical because the Bible teaches that it is only by Faith alone in Christ alone by which we can be saved. Here are six chains that binds us into God which gives us the assurance that once we are saved, we will remain saved no matter what:

Peace (from the Greek word eirene which means to join) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

The Greek word eirene which means to join together or to bind is so illustrative of the believers situation because we can only have peace with GOD for as long as be are bound together with Christ (John 15:7). A lot of people believe that they are fine with God in fact, a lot of people like God. The problem is, its not really important whether we like God or not, we are at war with God because God declares war with the sinners (the natural man is at enmity with God)(Rom 1:18, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness). God in angry at sinners because the holy God cannot be at peace with them while they continue under the guilt of sin. Justification removed that guilt and the removal is so immediate that upon the belief in Jesus Christ, peace is made. It will surely result in a feeling of having peace of mind, but its not only that. This peace is not a state of the mind but rather the result of a judicial declaration of not guilty (It is finished!!!).

We have access (from the Greek word prosagoge meaning admission)

Access sounds like a high-tech word. It reminds us of having the right password in order to get admission to a computer network. The same idea applies here because unless we have Jesus in our hearts (the right password) we cannot have access to the presence of God. Having access means that we are not born in the state of grace but rather we are born outside of it for we are by nature the children of wrath and the carnal mind is at enmity against God. The idea of having access is alien to the Jews and to anyone who came from the works salvation background because to these people God is far and to have access means to be consumed. Because of that, they want to qualify first. That is why they have a hard time believing that by only believing in Jesus Christ we can have access. But the Bible teaches otherwise, in fact, having access is the heart of the doctrine of Justification by Faith. It means that we can enter in.

By faith into this grace wherein we stand

This access is brought about primarily by faith. Always by faith because there is no other way. The admission that we have by the blood of Christ brings us into God’s favor or grace. Being a favor, it is not something that we deserve like a wage but rather it is freely given (Ephesians 2:8-9).  As we enter into His grace, we realize that we are standing on it. Right now, if you have a relationship with Christ, you are in a state of grace, God smiles in your favor.  This is why we are told in Scriptures to grow in grace and not to grow into grace because right now we are already in grace (2 Peter 3:18). Being in a state of grace, we have present joy but not only that, we also have future joy in hoping for the glory of God in which we will be partakers.

Glory in tribulation

From time to time we experience testing and tribulation and we also rejoice in that because this is proof that we are the children of God because those that He love he also discipline (Hebrews 12:6-7). When we experience suffering because of our faith, we have to rejoice in it because these are signs that we are not bastards but rather true blue blooded children of GOD. Tribulation also has its good results and these are 1) patience (hupomone meaning cheerful endurance) which enables us to hold on when we are subjected to testing knowing that God will provide a way out, 2) experience, which enables us to see the faithfulness of God and our sincerity with Him because as we wait for God’s deliverance we can measure whether of not we are sincere in out faith and when God thus delivers us, we experience His faithfulness. 3) Hope that does not disappoint because God is faithful and the His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is Given unto us as an earnest (Ephesians 1:13-14 arabon)

Save from the wrath

Since we now have peace with God, we are also saved from the outpouring of His wrath that will come in the last days. That is why I always believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. Christ has taken the full fury of the  wrath of God and there is no more left for the believing sinner to suffer.

Joy in God through Jesus Christ our atonement

Since we no longer have to suffer because God has initiated a change in our status from alienation to to a state of forgiveness, we have joy in Jesus Christ who atoned for us.

Application

These are the reasons why we don’t need to qualify nor do we need to remain qualified with regard to our salvation. The six results of Justification by Faith ensures that we will stay saved no matter what will happen. Let us not allow anything to hinder us and to remove the assurance that we have in Christ. The six chains of Justification by Faith will remind us that we will always stay saved.

In Romans chapter 1 the Apostle Paul made it clear that the pagans are guilty before God because they ignored him as he revealed himself through the created order. Although they don’t have the special revelation as opposed to the Jews, they are guilty because God has shown enough of himself to them to make them accountable. Every pagan civilization has a sense of morality with which to guide them towards what is right and what is wrong and by ignoring this, they are guilty.

Now, it would be easy for the religious and the moralist (the Jews as the Apostle would put it, but in the Church, those who are going through the motions of religiosity but without a heart for Christ) to applaud with Paul and say that the pagans deserved all the condemnations of Romans 1 while they themselves are excused because they obey the Law. This judgmental attitude is dangerous because the ones who are judging are actually doing the same acts that they condemn in others. It is obvious that we all have committed at least on one occasion, any one of those sins listed in the previous chapter and thus, are in danger of the same condemnation. It is always  risky to point a finger on others because every time we do so three of our fingers are pointing back towards us.

He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

When I look at my withholding tax deduction every pay day I feel like:

I mean c’mon, I work so hard and now this? And where would all those money go, to the pocket of some government officials?  I feel like I’m being rob every time I look at my pay slip every pay day.  But when I study Jesus, I realized that He never had the same resentment as I do with regard to taxes.  He even willingly paid them. I know that the manner of paying was extra ordinary (Matthew 17:27) but the fact remained that He paid. So if the King of kings and the Lord of lords paid His taxes, I believe I might as well do so willingly. Now that a hard pill to swallow.

Just as anyone, Christians will also experience hardship in this life. We die at the same rate as unbelievers, we experience financial reverses, we have difficulty dealing with our children, you name it we also have it. But what can we expect in a fallen world? Whats more, God never promised to spare us these things, Jesus even experienced them to the point of death. But if there is one thing I’m sure of, its this, that in the midst of trials God promised never to leave me nor forsake me and in the process He is bringing about the kind of person that He intends me to be. Yes, even in the valley of the shadows of death I will fear no evil for Jesus is with me and I welcome trials of any kind because I know that its for my good that He allowed it.

In each heart there is a question and a longing so deep that we don’t even know where to start digging for answers. This is the kind that we cannot even shake off with whatever vices or entertainment. This is the kind that lingers so that we ask them when we are most alone. What on earth am I here for? Surely there is some purpose? We don’t just live and die right?
In our pursuit for meaning we turn to the wrong directions believing that we will find it there. Jobs and hobbies can seem to entertain us only to find out that they don’t truly satisfy while vices only leaves a trail of broken lives and relationships. What are we to do then? we cry. It is at these times of brokenness that the Spirit of God gladly comes to the heart like a spring of living water to quench the deepest of thirst and to satisfy our utmost longings. It convinces the soul that it needs Jesus, its truest lover. That he gave up His life just to win you to Him and bring you into a blissful relationship and that the heart is after all desiring Christ.