Evangelist Bob George published a remarkable little book in 1989 entitled:
"Classic Christianity"
This little tome has encapsulate much of the teaching — including the examples — which have so moved and motivated me from Pastor Joseph Prince!
Like the Chindian from Singapore, Mr. George points out that many believers have only received half of the Gospel.
We are informed that by Christ's death, we received remission of sins. Sadly, some individuals are not even informed that their salvation is guaranteed, or that all of their sins are covered at the Cross. One theologian termed Christ as propitiation as "the passive obedience of Christ."
Most Christians believe that they are going to heaven, but as for living on the earth, they believe that they are on their own, or that they must now strive to live by the Ten Commandments in order to receive God's Favor here on Earth.
His most informative example deals with the portion of Christ's Finished Work which many people miss out on, or are at least not informed of. Theologians speak of the active obedience of Christ, His active and ongoing intercession and justification of the believer as He sits at the right hand of the Father — including the release of His Holy Spirit into the believer, thus making us one with Him!
Like many grace-focused preachers today, George combats the false heresy which fearful presupposes that individuals who know and believe that all of their sins are forgiven will just go out and sin like crazy.
Scripture teachers otherwise:
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed
upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not
I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
and
"For the grace of God
that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
"Teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly, in this present world" (Titus 2: 11-12)
and
"Now our Lord
Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath
given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
"Comfort your
hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." (2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17)
From this false assumption springs the problem with teaching only the forgiveness of sins — knowing that all of our sins are forever forgiven does not motivate us to live out God's glory, to work out our salvation.
The second part of God's glorious work through His Son, Jesus prays for on the night He was betrayed:
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they
also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (cf John 17:21)
In Christ, we are restored, nay promoted to eternal life, we receive a new identity, in Christ, as we then receive Him by the Power of the Holy Spirit. We receive the promise of the Holy Spirit (cf Acts 2:33), which is life, and that more abundantly! (cf John 10: 10):
"And you, being
dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
"Blotting out the
handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and
took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
"And having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing
over them in it. " (Colossians 2: 13-15)
We are raised up from death to life with Christ! Not only are we delivered from sin, but we are also delivered from the demands of the law!
In Ephesians, Paul reiterates that we are brought to life and made one in Christ, through whom we reign in high place!:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
"Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
"And hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2: 4-6)
Later in the same chapter, Paul outlines how Jesus' death has ended the demands of the law on a believer:
"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle
wall of partition between us"Having abolished
in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
"And that he might
reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity
thereby:
"And came and
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh." (Ephesians 2: 14-17)
We have peace with God (cf Romans 5:1) through Christ Jesus. We are freed from the demands of the law, as Jesus fulfilled the law, dying for our sin, and thus making us in Him the righteousness of God (cf 2 Corinthians 5:21) Thus, we can receive the Holy Spirit, who guides us to live holy lives, beyond merely attempting to keep the rules!
We receive God's own righteousness! We are made with Christ — we sit with Christ in high places! On top of that, the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us, wiping away all sin and forever reconciling us to the Father, even when we fail!
Most believers, myself included, were very puzzled following my salvation. What was I supposed to do now? When we receive the much-ignored second element of the Good News, Jesus active obedience in our lives, His sitting at the right hand of the Father, His extending His Holy Spirit to live in us, remind us of all that He has taught us in His word, and to guide us in this world — this is the greater glory. Believers now enter into a life of rest, of letting the faith of the Son of God lead them from faith to faith, transforming us from glory to glory!
No longer are we called to try and obey the commandments in our efforts. Rather, by the power of the Holy Spirit we are called to believe on Him whom the Father has sent, to trust in Him, to grow in grace and knowledge of Him, and to live out our new creation life as Sons of Light!
This is the Gospel in all of its fullness. Not making light of a dark world, Paul declares that the believer is now a child of light:
"For ye were
sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of
light." (Ephesians 5: 8)
and
"Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the
night, nor of darkness." (1 Thessalonians 5: 5)
We are now Sons of light, so let's live that way!
Let us preach the Word (cf 2 Timothy 4: 2), that every person knows and believes that He has received full remission of sins, and by the Spirit of Adoption can become sons of God, children of light, and therefore receive the power and truth to walk accordingly!