The finished work of Christ is the reconciliation of all men to God. His death, burial, and resurrection proved that he was the Son of God and the Savior of all men, especially those who believe. This means that he is the Savior of every lost person as well, it is just that the lost do not acknowledge him as such. It is much like the presidency of Donald Trump after the election. Donald Trump is the president of all Americans, especially those who voted for him. Yet, you still have those who will say, "he is not my president." Even so, the lost are many who are lost that say, "Jesus? He is not my Savior." Just because there are those who will deny that Jesus is the Savior of all men does not make him any less the Savior of all men.
Hiya and thanks for replying, although I'm in some agreement, I see it a bit differently, the finished work of Christ is the setting up of the gospel and bringing us a new and living way, ready to reconcile all those who believe in the ministry of reconciliation to God. He was about his father's business from the age of 12. And when he started preaching, he healed and saved, and he said that the father had given him work to finish
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
His work was to glorify God and to start the harvest and bring in as many as would believe through the gospel and make some apostles and some disciples as labourers to carry on the harvest.
John 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
He had finished the work that the father gave him to do before he went on the cross, he had glorified him in the earth and brought to us a new and living way to follow.
And yes, the death burial and resurrection did prove that he was the son of God, because he fulfilled all the prophesies, and anyone who knew the scriptures could have seen by his life that he was the Messiah, even when he said my God why has thou forsaken me, he was referring to Psalm 22 which would clearly show that he is the Messiah!
But salvation is through faith by the grace of God.
The Road to loss is wide and paved with good works and vain obedience. The truth remains that obedience is not required to obtain salvation because He is the Savior of all men already. The truth remains that obedience is not required to retain salvation because the finished work of Jesus Christ is what sustains our salvation. The truth remains that all who are truly saved will obey and produce good works, but that salvation is not predicated upon said obedience.
This I don't agree with you here, once we are saved, we are to obey God. And if we don't obey God and live by his will then we can be cut off, this is shown in many verses in the New testament, we are to carry on in his goodness. If we turn away from God once we have known him, then we are putting our flesh before him and we are no longer being saved.
God won't leave his Spirit with those who choose the way of the devil. The flesh and world are of the devil, if we choose to live by the will of them then we can't expect God to stay with us. God won't be mocked!
I will never be careful about who I judge; but, I am extremely careful about how I judge.
Those born of God judge by the word of God and by nothing else.
To believe that we are to obey God isn't fruit either way. I do not have a problem with the truth of obeying God: however, I do have a problem with those who claim that obedience is the source of salvation. Jesus alone is the source of salvation, this is why he is the Savior to begin with. If our obedience secures our salvation then we are our own saviors, and to claim such is to claim equality with Jesus Christ.
We have to obey from the beginning, the first word Jesus spoke when be began to preach was repent, straight away he gives us an option, repent or not. We have choices from the start, believe or not, repent or not, follow or not and obey and do the will of God, or not.
This is why it is so important to speak out of truth in love, wisdom, and kindness. Frankly, I have not seen many here on TOL who do as such.
God is love, and those who truly follow him will have their hearts filled with his love, and God's goodness, mercy, forgiveness and love will be seen in and through them. This is the life of Christ in God's children, his true church.
