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God's salvation in three aspects is manifest in the Scriptures as the primary,
secondary and final. By primary aspect, we speak of that deliverance from the penalty
of sin. By secondary aspect, we speak of that deliverance from the power of sin. Last,
by final aspect, we speak of deliverance from the very presence of sin.
Paul wrote, Who delivered us (past tense) from so great a death, and doth deliver
(present tense): in whom we trust that he will yet deliver (future tense) us II Cor
1:10. Deliverance necessitates a deliverer, and God's word makes it clear that the
only Deliverer is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is called the deliverer in Romans 11:26.
(Read Lk 2:11; Jn 1:29; 4:42; Acts 4:10-12; 5:13; I Thes 1:10; II Pet 3:2, 18)
In order to effect the three aspects of deliverance in II Corinthians 1:10, Christ's
work is associated with three separate and distinct appearings which run successively,
not conjointly.
First, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now
once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself Heb 9:26. The hath . . . appeared of this text is an accomplished fact, but
notice another text.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures
of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb
9:24. The now to appear follows the hath . . . appeared and encompasses an extended
period of time beginning with Christ's ascension into heaven and ending with His
second coming. His first appearing was in order to satisfy the justice of a Holy God
by offering Himself in death on behalf of alien sinners. His present appearing is not
on the earth, but in heaven. It does not involve His death, but life, and is not
offered alien sinners but is extended to the children of God in the very place of
blessing, the house of God.
Third, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look
for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation Heb 9:28. The shall
. . . appear follows His Priestly work involved in the expression now to appear and
involves the same thing spoken of by Paul in Colossians 3:4, When . . . shall appear .
. ..
Not surprising, we find three aspects of grace associated with these three appearings
by which the threefold deliverance is accomplished. First, For the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Tit 2:11. This aspect of God's grace was
manifested on the cross when Christ died for sinners. It is the same aspect of grace
spoken of in Romans 3:24; 4:4; 5:1-2; 11:5-6; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9; and Hebrews 2:9.
After Christ displayed the grace of God, He left this earth, went back to heaven, and
currently dispenses grace in answer to the prayers of God's children--not alien
sinners. Thus, Let us (holy brethren), partakers of the heavenly calling Heb 3:1, who
have an high priest over the house of God Heb 10:21, come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need Heb 4:16.
This aspect of grace is in order that the children of God, not alien sinners, serve
God acceptably Heb 12:28. It is the same aspect of grace spoken of in I Corinthians
15:10; II Corinthians 6:1; II Corinthians 12:7-10; and Galatians 5:4.
There is, however, another aspect of grace reserved for the future. Thus, Wherefore
gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to
be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ I Pet 1:13. This aspect of grace
is predicated of the second coming of Jesus Christ, and is the same aspect of grace
reserved for the ages to come in Ephesians 2:7.
The threefold work of Christ as Shepherd corresponds to the aspects of grace, aspects
of appearing and aspects of deliverance. There is only one Shepherd, the Lord Jesus
Christ, but His work as Shepherd is threefold, past, present and future involving His
death, ascension into heaven and second coming. Thus, I am the good shepherd: the good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep Jn 10:11.
Second, Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you
perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing
in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen Heb
13:20-21. Third, And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away I Pet 5:4.
To apply the truths under points two to alien sinners is to impose upon the lost what
God applies to His children for their benefit and spiritual growth. We encourage you
to keep each part in its own place. Only the Word of God rightly divided can
accomplish what God intended. That Word of God rightly divided is the Word of promise.
The primary aspect of salvation is that deliverance from the penalty of sin which is
death. Everything essential to this aspect of deliverance was accomplished before
Christ ever left this earth. Paul wrote, By the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away
sins: But this man, after he had offered once sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on
the right hand of God . . . For by one offering he hath perfect forever them that are
sanctified Heb 10:10-12, 14.
The Scriptures abundantly testify to the universality of sin among the human race (Rm
3:9-18, 23). The Scriptures also abundantly testify as to the result of sin, namely
death, or separation from God (Gen 2:17; Rm 5:12-19; Eph 2:1). God, however, is holy.
The Psalmist wrote, The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works
Ps 145:17. Moses declared, "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like
thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Ex 15:11). Sin
separates from God (Isa 59:1-2), and the prophet declared of God, "Thou art of purer
eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity . . . " (Hab 1:13).
This holy God is also a God of love, grace, mercy, compassion, patience and
longsuffering. How could God be faithful and true to Himself and execute a just
judgment upon sin, and at the same time save those who were sinners?
God found a way whereby He could be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in
Jesus Rm 3:26. God is faithful to punish sin, but punishment of the sinner took place
in the Person of a Perfect Substitute. Sin was borne by a Substitute, and man's
indebtedness was paid by Another. Therefore, the prophet wrote, " . . . the Lord hath
laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa 53:6).
This brings into view the doctrinal word propitiation, which is the Godward side of
Christ's death. Propitiation does not mean that God needs to be changed in any sense,
because God is the Unchanging God (Mal 3:6; Heb 1:12; 13:8). God did not begin to love
man after Christ died, but God's essential nature is love, and He has always been love
just as He has always been holy, or spirit and etc.
But God's love for sinners could not be poured out until there was a just basis upon
which God could deal with men. Propitiation is that specific work of Christ that
enables God to act on behalf of fallen man because it completely satisfies what the
justice of a Holy God demands. God, therefore, is able to justify the ungodly (Rm
4:5), but not at the expense of what He is, rather on the basis of justice satisfied.
Man who has sinned and come short of the glory of God needs to be reconciled to God,
or brought back into harmony. We know what reconciliation means in our daily lives
from things like reconciling a watch to the proper time, or a check book to a bank
statement. Man is out of balance, not God. Therefore, man is always spoken of in
scripture as reconciled to God, not God to man.
It is equally important to know that God Himself is the standard by which men are
tested. It takes God to bring you to God. The distance between God and the most
exalted creature is infinite, and the Lord Jesus can bring you no nearer to God than
He Himself is. He is God. So said Isaiah (Isa 9:6-7). So said John (Jn 1:1-2). So said
Thomas (Jn 20:28). So said God the Father (Heb 1:8, 10).
He entered life by means of a virgin (Mt 1:23), proving, not that Mary was His mother,
but that God was His Father (Mt 3:17; 17:5; I Jn 4:14). He bypassed the degradation
that came upon the human race through Adam's fall. He walked on this earth some
thirty-three-and-a-half years and demonstrated Himself to be without sin (Mt 4:11; Jn
14:30; I Pet 1:18-19; 3:18).
The very fact that He did not sin proved He could not. He is the standard that all
others have come short. In His death, He fulfilled what was presented in the Old
Testament as sacrifices that were innocent, without blemish and offered for the
guilty. His death was not the result of His being helpless, or merely a victim of
circumstance. His death was in accordance with the eternal purpose of God, His Father,
to save sinners.
His work satisfied God's holy demand that death be made as payment for sin. It offered
the sinner an acceptable substitute, a perfect substitute, without sin--God manifest
in the flesh. His death is . . . for the ungodly . . . sinners . . . enemies . . .,
and . . . when we were . . . enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son . . . Rm 5:5, 6, 10.
The question now is, what does God require of the alien sinner to receive the benefit
of this finished work? You cannot improve upon bible examples of what was preached to
alien sinners in order to receive eternal life. As a case in point, read John 6:32-59.
The Lord never told those subjects to pray for eternal life, nor call on the name of
the Lord for eternal life, nor confess with your mouth in order to eternal life, nor
be baptized in order to have eternal life, nor hold out faithful to the end in order
to have eternal life. He said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me
hath everlasting life Jn 6:47.
There are verses that associate the forgiveness of sins with confession, as in I John
1:9, and calling on the name of the Lord with salvation as in Romans 10:13, and
baptism with salvation as in I Peter 3:21, but we will show, in the course of this
study, those verses have no application to alien sinners, nor to salvation from the
penalty of sin.
If all these things are essential to the salvation of the alien sinner, then the whole
truth about how men receive eternal life was not preached in one place by anyone in
God's Word. Since we do have the whole truth, how men receive eternal life, preached
in one place by many people we know all these things, and many more that man adds, are
not how men receive eternal life.
Looking to John 6:32-65, Christ's message to the lost is the only message the lost
need hear. His message, in this text, is a message which speaks of the Lord's
identity, His divine origin, His pre-incarnate state, and the purpose of God for His
coming into the world--to save sinners. BD
secondary and final. By primary aspect, we speak of that deliverance from the penalty
of sin. By secondary aspect, we speak of that deliverance from the power of sin. Last,
by final aspect, we speak of deliverance from the very presence of sin.
Paul wrote, Who delivered us (past tense) from so great a death, and doth deliver
(present tense): in whom we trust that he will yet deliver (future tense) us II Cor
1:10. Deliverance necessitates a deliverer, and God's word makes it clear that the
only Deliverer is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is called the deliverer in Romans 11:26.
(Read Lk 2:11; Jn 1:29; 4:42; Acts 4:10-12; 5:13; I Thes 1:10; II Pet 3:2, 18)
In order to effect the three aspects of deliverance in II Corinthians 1:10, Christ's
work is associated with three separate and distinct appearings which run successively,
not conjointly.
First, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now
once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself Heb 9:26. The hath . . . appeared of this text is an accomplished fact, but
notice another text.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures
of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb
9:24. The now to appear follows the hath . . . appeared and encompasses an extended
period of time beginning with Christ's ascension into heaven and ending with His
second coming. His first appearing was in order to satisfy the justice of a Holy God
by offering Himself in death on behalf of alien sinners. His present appearing is not
on the earth, but in heaven. It does not involve His death, but life, and is not
offered alien sinners but is extended to the children of God in the very place of
blessing, the house of God.
Third, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look
for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation Heb 9:28. The shall
. . . appear follows His Priestly work involved in the expression now to appear and
involves the same thing spoken of by Paul in Colossians 3:4, When . . . shall appear .
. ..
Not surprising, we find three aspects of grace associated with these three appearings
by which the threefold deliverance is accomplished. First, For the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Tit 2:11. This aspect of God's grace was
manifested on the cross when Christ died for sinners. It is the same aspect of grace
spoken of in Romans 3:24; 4:4; 5:1-2; 11:5-6; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9; and Hebrews 2:9.
After Christ displayed the grace of God, He left this earth, went back to heaven, and
currently dispenses grace in answer to the prayers of God's children--not alien
sinners. Thus, Let us (holy brethren), partakers of the heavenly calling Heb 3:1, who
have an high priest over the house of God Heb 10:21, come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need Heb 4:16.
This aspect of grace is in order that the children of God, not alien sinners, serve
God acceptably Heb 12:28. It is the same aspect of grace spoken of in I Corinthians
15:10; II Corinthians 6:1; II Corinthians 12:7-10; and Galatians 5:4.
There is, however, another aspect of grace reserved for the future. Thus, Wherefore
gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to
be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ I Pet 1:13. This aspect of grace
is predicated of the second coming of Jesus Christ, and is the same aspect of grace
reserved for the ages to come in Ephesians 2:7.
The threefold work of Christ as Shepherd corresponds to the aspects of grace, aspects
of appearing and aspects of deliverance. There is only one Shepherd, the Lord Jesus
Christ, but His work as Shepherd is threefold, past, present and future involving His
death, ascension into heaven and second coming. Thus, I am the good shepherd: the good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep Jn 10:11.
Second, Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you
perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing
in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen Heb
13:20-21. Third, And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away I Pet 5:4.
To apply the truths under points two to alien sinners is to impose upon the lost what
God applies to His children for their benefit and spiritual growth. We encourage you
to keep each part in its own place. Only the Word of God rightly divided can
accomplish what God intended. That Word of God rightly divided is the Word of promise.
The primary aspect of salvation is that deliverance from the penalty of sin which is
death. Everything essential to this aspect of deliverance was accomplished before
Christ ever left this earth. Paul wrote, By the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away
sins: But this man, after he had offered once sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on
the right hand of God . . . For by one offering he hath perfect forever them that are
sanctified Heb 10:10-12, 14.
The Scriptures abundantly testify to the universality of sin among the human race (Rm
3:9-18, 23). The Scriptures also abundantly testify as to the result of sin, namely
death, or separation from God (Gen 2:17; Rm 5:12-19; Eph 2:1). God, however, is holy.
The Psalmist wrote, The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works
Ps 145:17. Moses declared, "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like
thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Ex 15:11). Sin
separates from God (Isa 59:1-2), and the prophet declared of God, "Thou art of purer
eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity . . . " (Hab 1:13).
This holy God is also a God of love, grace, mercy, compassion, patience and
longsuffering. How could God be faithful and true to Himself and execute a just
judgment upon sin, and at the same time save those who were sinners?
God found a way whereby He could be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in
Jesus Rm 3:26. God is faithful to punish sin, but punishment of the sinner took place
in the Person of a Perfect Substitute. Sin was borne by a Substitute, and man's
indebtedness was paid by Another. Therefore, the prophet wrote, " . . . the Lord hath
laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa 53:6).
This brings into view the doctrinal word propitiation, which is the Godward side of
Christ's death. Propitiation does not mean that God needs to be changed in any sense,
because God is the Unchanging God (Mal 3:6; Heb 1:12; 13:8). God did not begin to love
man after Christ died, but God's essential nature is love, and He has always been love
just as He has always been holy, or spirit and etc.
But God's love for sinners could not be poured out until there was a just basis upon
which God could deal with men. Propitiation is that specific work of Christ that
enables God to act on behalf of fallen man because it completely satisfies what the
justice of a Holy God demands. God, therefore, is able to justify the ungodly (Rm
4:5), but not at the expense of what He is, rather on the basis of justice satisfied.
Man who has sinned and come short of the glory of God needs to be reconciled to God,
or brought back into harmony. We know what reconciliation means in our daily lives
from things like reconciling a watch to the proper time, or a check book to a bank
statement. Man is out of balance, not God. Therefore, man is always spoken of in
scripture as reconciled to God, not God to man.
It is equally important to know that God Himself is the standard by which men are
tested. It takes God to bring you to God. The distance between God and the most
exalted creature is infinite, and the Lord Jesus can bring you no nearer to God than
He Himself is. He is God. So said Isaiah (Isa 9:6-7). So said John (Jn 1:1-2). So said
Thomas (Jn 20:28). So said God the Father (Heb 1:8, 10).
He entered life by means of a virgin (Mt 1:23), proving, not that Mary was His mother,
but that God was His Father (Mt 3:17; 17:5; I Jn 4:14). He bypassed the degradation
that came upon the human race through Adam's fall. He walked on this earth some
thirty-three-and-a-half years and demonstrated Himself to be without sin (Mt 4:11; Jn
14:30; I Pet 1:18-19; 3:18).
The very fact that He did not sin proved He could not. He is the standard that all
others have come short. In His death, He fulfilled what was presented in the Old
Testament as sacrifices that were innocent, without blemish and offered for the
guilty. His death was not the result of His being helpless, or merely a victim of
circumstance. His death was in accordance with the eternal purpose of God, His Father,
to save sinners.
His work satisfied God's holy demand that death be made as payment for sin. It offered
the sinner an acceptable substitute, a perfect substitute, without sin--God manifest
in the flesh. His death is . . . for the ungodly . . . sinners . . . enemies . . .,
and . . . when we were . . . enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son . . . Rm 5:5, 6, 10.
The question now is, what does God require of the alien sinner to receive the benefit
of this finished work? You cannot improve upon bible examples of what was preached to
alien sinners in order to receive eternal life. As a case in point, read John 6:32-59.
The Lord never told those subjects to pray for eternal life, nor call on the name of
the Lord for eternal life, nor confess with your mouth in order to eternal life, nor
be baptized in order to have eternal life, nor hold out faithful to the end in order
to have eternal life. He said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me
hath everlasting life Jn 6:47.
There are verses that associate the forgiveness of sins with confession, as in I John
1:9, and calling on the name of the Lord with salvation as in Romans 10:13, and
baptism with salvation as in I Peter 3:21, but we will show, in the course of this
study, those verses have no application to alien sinners, nor to salvation from the
penalty of sin.
If all these things are essential to the salvation of the alien sinner, then the whole
truth about how men receive eternal life was not preached in one place by anyone in
God's Word. Since we do have the whole truth, how men receive eternal life, preached
in one place by many people we know all these things, and many more that man adds, are
not how men receive eternal life.
Looking to John 6:32-65, Christ's message to the lost is the only message the lost
need hear. His message, in this text, is a message which speaks of the Lord's
identity, His divine origin, His pre-incarnate state, and the purpose of God for His
coming into the world--to save sinners. BD
| Salvation in Three Aspects CHAPTER 2 By Bobby Dunn |
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Copyright © 2007
Gateway Baptist
Church
All Rights Reserved