Tuesday, June 5, 2018 – Ephesians 6:18

 Armor of God, Pt. 26

The Helmet of Salvation, Pt. 5

 Salvation is by Grace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvhl6qikwK0

Grace Fellowship Church

Pastor/Teacher, Jim Rickard

www.GraceDoctrine.org

Stand in Warfare – Eph 6:10-20.

3. The Equipment, vs. 13-17.

Eph 6:17; Psa 3:8; Jonah 2:9; Gal 2:20; Eph 1:3-10; 2:8-9, 21-22; Phil 1:6; Col 2:7

Vs. 17, “And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

There are about 115 passages that condition salvation on “believing” alone, and around 35 on “faith.” Unfortunately, man has added certain things to this one and only condition, for example; believe and repent, believe and be baptized, believe and confess sin, believe and confess Christ publicly, believe and promise a better manner of life, believe and pray for salvation, believer and do good works, etc.

“Faith,” as you know, is a non-meritorious act on the part of the believer. Faith is the only system of perception which is totally devoid of any human merit. Only the object has merit, and in salvation the object of faith is our Lord Jesus Christ. How much faith does it take to be saved? Just a little bit more than no faith at all.

The salvation work of Christ on the Cross excludes anything being added to faith. No works of any kind are allowed. Salvation is by grace through faith, “not as a result of works, so that no one may boast,” Eph 2:9. Two OT passages indicate that “salvation belongs to and is from the LORD,” Psa 3:8; Jonah 2:9. Any system which tends to combine human responsibility with this Divine undertaking is wrong. Eph 2:8-10 relates good works to salvation produced by grace as an effect thereof, and not a cause.

Grace is all that God is free to do for unsaved mankind on the basis of the saving work of Christ on the Cross. Grace is extended to all members of the human race as unbelievers, living under spiritual death in total depravity and total helplessness regarding past salvation. Therefore, as a matter of grace, past salvation is entirely the work of God. If past salvation is totally the grace and work of God, then so is present and future salvation. As such, our salvation, in all its Biblical forms, is directly related to the work of all three members of the Trinity.

  a. It is the work of the Father in His plan of salvation, who sent the Son to carry it out. The plan of salvation reflects the purpose of the will of God the Father, who has sent the Son to carry it out, Eph 1:3-10, and His judging our sins, past, present, and future.

  b. It is the work of the Son in being judged for our sins, past, present, and future.

  c. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in common and efficacious grace, past, present, and future. 

This is why the way of salvation is faith in Jesus Christ, and faith alone with no works added to it. Works will be the result of our faith and salvation, but salvation is never the result of works.

In so providing salvation by grace, mankind can have salvation from sin, salvation or deliverance out of the world, salvation from the flesh, and salvation in relation to heaven. And because of Satan’s opposition to salvation, we have been provided the “Helmet of Salvation,” to stand firm against his opposition.

There is no salvation offered under grace which stops short of being eternal in its character. This is due to the fact that it proves to be altogether a work of God, and His purpose and power never fail, Phil 1:6.

Phil 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began (Past) a good work in you will perfect it (Present) until the day of Christ Jesus (Future).”

We are eternally secure because of our past salvation, Heb 5:9; 2 Tim 2:10; Eph 1:13; cf. 4:30.

We will be eternally rewarded because of our present salvation, 1 Cor 3:10-15; Rev 2-3.

We will be eternally blessed with an inheritance at our future salvation, Heb 9:15.

Another important image of well-being or blessedness related to our salvation is unique to the NT; our union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Here one might speak of “salvation in,” for there are several images and many passages that picture salvation as a matter of being related to the Savior, as the believer is “in union” with Jesus Christ, 2 Cor 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature.”

Jesus is the cornerstone and foundation Eph 2:21-22, “In whom the whole structure is joined together ... in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Cf. 1 Peter 2:4-5.

Col 2:7, “Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”

Not only are the saved in Christ, but Christ is also in those who are saved, Gal 2:20. Cf. John 14:20; Eph 3:17; 1 John 4:16.

Gal 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”