DO YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL SECURITY?

I recently began to receive a monthly check from “Social Security”. The amount is very small, not really enough to live on and the funds are not a gift, the funds are certainly not “free money” at all but rather, they come from an account I paid into for many years. I’m just getting back what I deserve. On the contrary our great God, Father, Creator and Savior has done so many things to provide us with spiritual security we don’t deserve, we didn’t fund, nor was it free. The cost was the blood of God’s only Son Jesus the Lord and Savior of us all (Acts 20:28). There are many things God has done to make spiritual security available to us all.

God Bestowed His Grace: “11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” (Titus 2:11-15).

God’s grace is freely given to everyone who is willing to accept it in faith. Don’t misunderstand me, faith only comes one way, as inspiration put it, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Saving faith is faith in God’s word—not man’s word. Receiving grace comes through faith in the written word of God. Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). We are saved by grace through faith in God’s word. But make no mistake, faith by itself is worthless, and was never taught in the word of God. But the world is replete with contrary teaching. Too many today balk at the teachings from God, too many cringe at the notion that [grace saves through faith] includes works of righteousness, confusing and deceiving good sincere people into believing the lie that works of faith are the same as works of merit, and they are not. We have seen much in the news lately concerning politics and redacted reporting. Well, false teachers today all must redact, that is remove text from His word in order that their way of salvation through faith only can be taught. What did they redact? Most all of the scripture you just read concerning your soul’s salvation. James said, “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20). And he also said, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). Did you just read the same thing as I did? “a man is justified by works, and not by faith only”. The world redacts verse 24 this way “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only”, and then they make their sinful teaching worse by adding “and nothing else” to God’s word. Grace doesn’t teach this, man does. The world also redacts from preaching, (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 16:22; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 1:6-9, 3:27, etc.) Test this against your churches teaching.

If you have breath, God’s grace is always available, always offered to you. Grace came down from heaven as God sent His Son, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Yes, Jesus God’s only begotten came and willingly suffered and died to bring you this offer of grace, salvation and spiritual security. “…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8). Again, saving grace was not free—but it is freely given.

The Holy Spirit revealed God’s will saying “3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)…6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (Eph 3:3-4, 6). The result is that we all have equal access to God’s saving grace through what has been “revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets” and then recorded in the books of the Bible, God’s word to man. Now what does this mean? “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34). Jesus died for you, has risen from the grave, ascended to Heaven and He’s ready to make intercession for all who believe and obey. In this God has done His part, now it’s your turn.

If you want spiritual security concerning His grace in your life, you must be willing to be taught by it, then respond to it in obedience. What does grace teach according to inspiration? What does God’s word tell us all concerning salvation, receiving grace? What is our part in this? You must hear and be taught via the word of God, through God, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who [a]has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me’” (John 6:45), and through Christ as the Father commands, “…This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matt. 17:5). Your part includes having faith that recognizes Jesus is the Christ as He said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). Your part includes repenting of your sins; “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). Will you confess your faith in Christ—that is also your part. “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32). You are almost there. You must accept the word of God and be baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27) for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38, 16:22).

If you’re willing to hear and obey what you just read, what God says you must do to receive grace, salvation, then and only then will the words of Paul apply to you. You see when Paul said, “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:13), the “we” is the church, the saved, the body of Christ. Paul is speaking to “we” as to the sons of the Father (Eph. 1:5), God’s children (Rom. 6:18), those who have received the inheritance because they serve the Lord (Col. 3:24).

If you’ve obeyed the gospel of Christ which you have just heard (John 6:45; Matthew 17:5; John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Matthew 10:32 and Acts 2:38, 16:22), then you are indeed a recipient of God’s grace, you are a member of the Lord’s body, and you are then able to look, “…for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Having done all, your spiritual security will be firm, and your soul will be, “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). You Definity Have Spiritual Security!

If you have not yet obeyed this from of doctrine, and you are still breathing, it’s not too late, you still can. If you need to obey the gospel, please let us help—we’re ready today.

As always, in Love

Dave Scarpino

“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  (Romans 6:4)

Our faithful Creator is worthy to be praised in this assembly. All praise to Him who reigns above in majesty supreme! He gave His Son to die, for all mankind, that He might redeem all. Our blessed Redeemer suffered and died for our sins and is now risen and sitting at the right hand of God as Head of the church. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, knowing that He is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:8-9) “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)