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NewsDay

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Beyond symbolism: The Gospel of Christ

Opinion & Analysis
THERE are many doctrinal differences or schisms across the body of Christ or the church in simple. However biblical truth has to be known. There has always been debate in areas of water baptism, confirmation, holy communion and many other practices. Apostle Paul reveales to us God’s heartbeat in 1 Timothy 2:4, (Amplified), “Who (God) […]

THERE are many doctrinal differences or schisms across the body of Christ or the church in simple. However biblical truth has to be known. There has always been debate in areas of water baptism, confirmation, holy communion and many other practices.

Apostle Paul reveales to us God’s heartbeat in 1 Timothy 2:4, (Amplified), “Who (God) wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognise and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth.” God wants us to be saved and know the truth. In this series I will scripturally shed light on many of these schisms starting with the doctrine of confirmation. Please be prepared to grow by unlearning, learning and relearning.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, that is, the Grace of God announces to hearers and delivers to resultant believers and partakers the finished or accomplished work of Jesus Christ. The wholesome package is complete needing no addition to it. It carries all of the Godhead in the Man Christ Jesus who resides in the hearts of believers. What you receive when you confess Jesus as your Saviour and Lord isn’t a half-baked product. At rebirth you don’t receive a percentage or fraction of Jesus but the whole of Him.

Our salvation is total, containing everything pertaining to this life and the hereafter. You don’t get born again and start searching for other sources for such things as healing, peace, etc. While you may be sick, healing is inside you. As a born again believer, you search the Scriptures and discover what you received in Christ and enjoy. We pray that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened and that the Bible materialises in us.

Salvation ushers eternal life. Eternal life isn’t temporary but forever and ever. It’s unbreakably everlasting. This life isn’t human attainable but delivered to us by the grace of God. It’s unearned, undeserved and unmerited. We don’t get eternal life by self effort or human works of righteousness. The sacrificial death of Jesus was well pleasing to God the Father. It’s on this premise that we have fellowship and communion with God. Jesus Christ fulfilled the will of God and in Him we’re in the will of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:7 points out: “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

In Christ, we’re complete and confirmed. We require no other human establishment or confirmation.

As we grow in our learning we discover things already established before the foundation of the world. What already belongs to us is revealed to us when we continue in fellowship with Him

We’re confirmed. We have inner peace because of the assurance of Christ in us. The witness or testimony of Jesus Christ is established in us. 1 Corinthians 1:6-7 record: “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:” All the gifts and Christ’s anointing are available to us awaiting our discovery by revelation of the Scriptures. The graces of God are stimulated by our desire. Apostle Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 14:1: “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” Proper and correct teaching inspire us to desire what the finished work of Jesus Christ made available to us.

Salvation carries us from death to life. As born again believers our life is intrinsically Christ’s life in our hearts. This is the eternal security of the believer. In Christ we don’t fall short. 1 Corinthians 1:8 settles: “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Confirmation is by God Himself in Christ and not by human ceremony.

Surrendering to Jesus Christ and confessing Him as Lord and Saviour results in us receiving His resurrected life in us. This life has conquered death and, therefore, is eternal/everlasting. Since Christ is in heaven, our eternal redemption is assured. This is our confirmation to the end of the ages. You grow and discover more things, while you’re safely anchored on the surety of God’s faithfulness. As soon as you received Jesus Christ, you were eternally confirmed. The confirmation isn’t some earthly human ceremony, but the finished work of Jesus Christ.

As a New Testament believer you know it’s ordained in Christ. Galatians 3:17 records, “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ.” Furthermore, Galatians 3:15 fixes, “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.” You’re confirmed, you’re established. The Christian hope rests on the reality that Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption and declared that it’s finished. In Him, we’re blameless. You’re innocent and guiltless. Let’s consider 1 Corinthians 1:8 quoted above from the Amplified version. It reads: “And He will establish you to the end, keep you steadfast, give you strength, and guarantee your vindication; He will be your warrant against all accusation or indictment so that you will be, guiltless and irreproachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).” Don’t live in fear, you’re confirmed by God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we close, please say this prayer of assurance; Abba Father, I thank you for confirming my salvation in Christ Jesus and declaring me innocent before you in Christ. Because of your assurance, I pursue my dreams fully aware that I lack nothing and that I am a giant not a weakling. In Jesus’ name I am established and confirmed. Amen. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.

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