MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
May 28, 2025
God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration – Part 2
THE GOSPEL AND ITS PURPOSE
Among fellow mortals, there were few men who could speak for and in behalf of all the apostles and true messengers and servants of God in these last days till the close of probation.
One of them is apostle Paul, dramatically converted and transformed by grace from the feared Pharisaical zealot of Judaism and prominent persecutor of Christ’s very first disciples in Judea.
Paul was uniquely privileged to be taken in vision to “the third heavens, paradise Itself, where he heard language that is not lawful to speak on earth” possessing profound knowledge of the “deep things of God” having been granted the confidence declared with certainty (emphasis supplied):
“For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL of Christ: for it the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION to everyone that believeth. . . . For THEREIN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:16, 17, A.V.
Christ means “the Anointed One.” Jesus means “He shall save His people FROM their sins.” (Matt. 1:21). And “God is love, light, and life.”
Jesus Christ’s gospel is verily “the good news” of salvation for all fallen, sinful mankind “for therein is revealed “to the world, men, and angels” God’s power, purpose, and plan to save fallen mankind completely, fully, and eternally from the curse of sin, “the transgression of the law,” the “wages of which is death”, that is, “the second death.”
In the imponderable “mystery of godliness” God divine was manifested in the human flesh” (1 Tim 3:16). God Creator partook of the flesh and blood likeness of sinful flesh”, four thousand years after the fall in Eden, and “condemned,” not condoned, “sin in flesh that the righteousness of God might be fulfilled in us.” The Creator became the “second Adam” to redeem the failure of the first Adam, the original father of the human race.
The gospel of Christ is first a revelation God’s perfect love, enduring mercy, and “righteousness without a flaw” to the sinner, inviting him to accept by simple, childlike faith the complete efficacy of the atoning blood shed by His substitutionary death at Calvary’s cross as the promised “seed of a woman” (Gen. 3:15), verily the Creator of heaven and earth “in whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” This is He, the Desire of ages, “the only-begotten Son of God the Father who, “in the mysterious “love that constraineth us,” offered Him as the Sacrificial “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” —the only-acceptable price demanded by the Creator and Lawgiver’s own immutable law, the foundation of His eternal throne and transcript of His character, which was transgressed by His creatures.
Fallen mankind was thus first redeemed in his totally-helpless condition as hostage/prisoners by his inherent fallen, sinful, carnal, mortal nature to Satan the “adversary of God and man” and a slave to sin.
By faith in Christ’s once-and-for-all perfect atoning sacrifice as the Lamb of God, he receives the imputed righteousness of Christ by justification, the forgiveness of sins repented and confessed by faith in Christ’s “faithful and just power to forgive sins and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.” Thereafter, he daily walks and lives “by faith that works by love” (Gal. 5:6) and purifies the soul temple, constantly beholding Christ’s perfect righteousness and character-perfecting life by His empowering grace imparted through the Holy Spirit
Hereunder is described the saving grace and power of Christ’s redeeming blood shed at Calvary for the forgiveness or pardon of sins emphasis supplied):
“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence [carefulness, margin]; having made known the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He had PURPOSED in Himself. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, BOTH which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even IN Him. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the PURPOSE of Him who worketh after the COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL THAT WE SHOULD BE TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY [His righteous character] who first trusted in Christ. In whom also ye trusted after ye heard the WORD OF TRUTH, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION to whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise [the promised Holy Spirit as Christ’s Successor and Vicegerent on earth]—which is the earnest of our inheritance [‘heritage of Jacob’] UNTIL the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the PRAISE of His glory [His glorious character].” Eph. 1:7-14, KJV.
Carefully read that again, pleading for the Holy Spirit of truth’s enlightenment.
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.