01/10/2024 – “The Opened Sight” / “I now send you, to open their eyes… that they may receive forgiveness of sins…” (Acts 26: 17-18)// Second of three connected posts today
“This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciples of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.
God’s first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, ‘… that they may receive forgiveness of sins…’ When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything. The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people’s eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But that is not salvation; it is conversion — only the effort of an awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so called Christians are like this. Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration . This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to to follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.
This is followed by God’s second mighty work of grace: ‘… an inheritance among those who are sanctified…’ In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God’s ministry to others.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
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Summary notes – definitions:
Steps to an “all-in” walk with God:
Conversion: Only the effort of an awakened human being. Their eyes are opened but they have received nothing.
“Born again” – “Regeneration” – “Salvation” – “The place and point in time where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.”
“Sanctification” : “The one has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God’s ministry to others.”
Just two illustrations:
- If someone is converted in a worship service, resulting in an “altar call”, and then goes on living with no apparent change in his life before he or she dies, the signs are there that this person was never saved because “they were never able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.” (bearing in mind, only God can measure a heart.)
- Note: The thief on the cross went through the conversion, regeneration and sanctification steps all in the very short window of his time on the cross. He was most assuredly saved because Jesus said he was.
Soli Deo Gloria!