Saturday, October 1, 2005
Acts 13:38-39 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
PREACHED TO YOU!
How is the sinner justified before God? Not by keeping the law of Moses. All have broken God's law and none can undo his evil or re-write the record. We cannot be saved from eternal death, we cannot gain eternal life by our good deeds -- even though this is taught by all the rest of the world religions -- even though too many in the Christian church have bought into the idea that we sinners help in our salvation by our good deeds. It is a damnable lie . . . and a damning lie. Only by Christ, only in Christ do all who believe stand acceptable before God.
". . . through this Man Jesus is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified."
Here the most stupendous and revolutionary truth is simply stated. No difference is made between Jew and non-Jew. This one short sentence is the full Gospel. Paul's letters to the Galatians and the Romans are really only a fuller statement of this one sentence.
Christ was put to death for our offenses. He sacrificed Himself for our sins, in our stead, as our Substitute. He was raised again for our justification, that we might be declared righteous before God. Jesus made the great exchange: He took the guilt of our sins upon Himself. He gives us His own righteous record. All that believe this receive this. It is the perfect, completed work of the Son of God. It cannot be bought with any amount of money or charitable contributions. It cannot be earned by any amount of kindness and goodness toward others.
These glad tidings, this message of the forgiveness of sin by God's grace in Christ, is preached to you. It is not forced on you or flung at you or presented as a sales pitch. It is preached. Simply declared and announced.
An invitation through which God in His love draws you to Himself, through which His heart works in your heart, works that faith which receives and relies on and rejoices in this word of salvation.
