By Gary Ray Branscome
The words, We have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, and the words,
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men, by which we must be saved, tell us that the grace
by which we are saved is not ours because of a primal decision, but because
Christ took our sins upon Himself and died on the cross to obtain it for us
(Ephesians 1:7, Acts 4:12). Therefore, the first attribute of justifying
grace, is that it is available to us through Christ alone.
The words, John saw Jesus coming to him, and said,
Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, and the
words, He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also
for the sins of the whole world, tell us that Christ did not just die for
a few, but for all men (John 1:29, 1John 2:2). Therefore, the second
attribute of justifying grace is that it is available to all.
As it is written, For God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life (John
The words, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the
prophets, and stone those who are sent to you, how often I longed to gather
your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you
would not, and the words, You stiffnecked
and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost:
as your fathers did, so do you, tell us that God does not ignore the lost,
but earnestly works through His Word to bring them to repentance (Matthew
23:37, Acts 7:51). Therefore, the third attribute of justifying grace is
that God actively works to bring men to repentance and faith so
those who are lost are lost through their own fault, not because God wanted them
to be lost. As it is written, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked; but want the wicked man to turn from his
way and live (Ezekiel 33:11).
Salvation is Available Through Christ Alone
The words, When the time had fully come, God sent forth
His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, To redeem those who
were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, tell us
that Christ came to redeem us (Galatians 4:4-5).
The words, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the
law, receiving the curse in our stead: for it is written, Cursed is every one
who hangs on a tree, tell us that Christ redeemed us by taking upon Himself
the curse that we deserved (Galatians
The words, Being justified freely by His grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, tell us that the forgiveness
Christ obtained for us is given to us freely (Romans
The words, God has done what the law could not do, in
that it was weak through the flesh. Sending His own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh, as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh; that the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk after the
flesh, but after the Spirit, tell us that Christ died as an offering for
sin (Romans 8:3-4).
And, the words, God was in Christ, reconciling the
world to himself, not counting their sins against them; and has
committed to us the word of reconciliation, tell us that we are reconciled
to God by the forgiveness Christ won for us through His death on the cross
(2Corinthians 5:19).
The words, It was fitting that we should have such a
high priest, who is holy, blameless, pure, separated from sinners, and risen
higher than the heavens; Who does not need to daily offer up sacrifice, as do
other high priests, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples: for He
did this once, when He offered up himself, tell us that Christ is our high
priest, and that His death was the sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 7:26-27).
The words, In Christ Jesus you who once were far away
are made near by the blood of Christ. For He is our
peace, who has made both Jew and Gentile one, and has broken down the wall of hostility
that separated us. Having abolished in His flesh the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; in order to make of the two one new body
in Him, so making peace. And that He might reconcile both to God in one body by
the cross, having thereby put the hostility to death, tell us that we are
reconciled to God through Christs death on the cross (Ephesians
The words, Although you were previously alienated from
Him [God the Father], and antagonistic in mind through your wicked works,
He has now reconciled you, through the death of Christs physical body, to
present you holy, without fault and beyond reproach in His sight, tell us
that God the father has reconciled us to Himself through Christs death on the
cross (Colossians 1:21-22).
And, the words In whom we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of
His grace, tell us that we have forgiveness through Christs death on the
cross [His blood] (Ephesians 1:7). As it is written, The
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us of all sin (1John 1:7).
Salvation is Available to
All
The words, For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life, the words, This is good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Savior; Who wants all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge
of the truth, the words, God has also granted to the Gentiles
repentance unto life, and the words, The grace of God that brings
salvation has appeared to all men, tell us that Christ died for the sins
of all men (John 3:16, 1Timothy 2:4, Acts 11:18, Titus 2:11).
The words, The Lord is not slack concerning His
promise, as some men count slackness; but is patient with us, not wanting
anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance, the words, Say to
them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked, and the words, I have no pleasure in the death of him who
dies, says the Lord GOD: therefore turn from sin, and live, and the words,
God
has made of one blood all nations of men
So that they should seek the
Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him, and find Him, although He is
not far from any one of us, tell us that God does not want anyone to be
damned (2Peter 3:9, Ezekiel 33:11, Ezekiel 18:32, Acts 17:26-27).
The words, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the
prophets, and stone those who are sent to you, how often I longed to gather
your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you
would not, the words, You stiffnecked and
uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost: as your
fathers did, so do you, and the words, But there were also false
prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who
will privately introduce damnable heresies, even denying the Lord who bought
them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves, tell us that God does
not want those who ultimately reject the gospel to be lost (Matthew 23:37, Acts
7:51, 2Peter 2:1).
God Earnestly Reaches Out
to the Lost
The words, To Israel He says, All day long I have
stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people, tell us
that God earnestly reaches out to the lost (Romans 10:21)
The words, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to everyone, and
the words, Teach all nations
Teaching them to observe everything I have
commanded you, tell us that God wants the gospel proclaimed to all men
(Mark
The words, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost, the words, I will pour out my Spirit on all
flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, your young men will see visions, and the words, I will give
them one mind, and I will put a new spirit in them; and I will take the stony
heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh, that they may
walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they will be My
people, and I will be their God, promise Gods Spirit to all who believe
(Acts 2:38, Joel 2:28, Ezekiel 11:19-20).
The words, Being confident of this, that He who has
begun a good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ,
the words, Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,
the words Him that is able to keep you from falling, and the
words, Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, tell us
that God not only begins, but also finishes the work of His Spirit in those who
believe (Philippians 1:6, 1Peter 1:5, Jude 24, Hebrews 12:2).