(This is also posted on this site as FAQ 28.)
Psalms 97:8 Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of Thy judgments, Oh LORD.
In this Psalm, the Jews are said to rejoice because of the Word of God. To rejoice means they had understanding and could appreciate what they understood. Contrast this with Psalms 106:7 which describes the generation of the Exodus from Egypt: Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt. They experienced the greatest display of God’s power in the Old Testament. They saw the mighty judgments of God upon proud Pharaoh, crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, and, in the wilderness, their clothes and shoes did not wax old. Yet, they failed to understand it and did not get to enter the Promised Land.
It is through the mind (intellect) that God’s Word gets into our hearts where it is then appreciated and loved. The same thing is true about God Himself. To really know Him is to love Him because we understand He is altogether good to us and lovely. I think backsliders miss this important transition of knowledge from the mind to the heart. Jesus said, “Let these sayings of Mine sink down into your ears”. Sinking down conveys more than just hearing, even more than mere understanding. It implies understanding that results in agreement and emotional attachment.
In like manner, to truly understand the Gospel is to cleave to it. That’s because it contains the only saving message there is. Where else will you go if you desire to avoid hell and enjoy heaven (John 6:67-68)?
Likewise, to understand the tenets of salvation is to embrace and love every one of them. Consider what is offered sinful mankind in the precious plan of salvation. If you comprehend it, I do not see how you cannot love it. It was revealed on the Day of Pentecost to persons Peter convicted of crucifying their Messiah (Acts 2:22-23). What words do you suppose they assumed awaited them when they finally asked Peter what they should do? For their grievous offense, they hardly expected the gracious words Peter spoke. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). Certainly, they were surprised and relieved to hear about complete remission of sins coupled with the gift of God’s Own presence in their lives. Since when does someone receive a gift for committing crimes? That’s truly amazing grace. How could they resist following through on it? And, how could they not fall in love with Christ and the means He gave to redeem them?
Let’s individually consider these perfect tenets.
1/ Repentance
The only thing that makes repentance difficult on the part of a guilty person is pride. Understanding should make repentance easy. The person who realizes his offenses to another party is obligated to repent (cease committing the offense along with a sincere apology). It should be easier than normal if it is known that the person offended is readily merciful.
Typically, the hardest part of forgiveness is on the part of the person offended. That person is the one who has the greatest load to bear. He is the one who was injured by the offense(s). He is the one who is strapped with the burden of granting forgiveness. It’s much harder to forgive than to ask for forgiveness. The offended person has a lot to overcome in order to forgive. Some people can’t find it in their hearts to do it, even when the offender is sincere. It is wrong on the offended person’s part to refuse forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35) but I think we can all understand his position.
Consider God. He is the most offended party ever. In fact, He has been universally offended by everyone, time without number. His Person, and sovereignty, and authority, and majesty, and holiness have been despised. Obtaining forgiveness from such a high status should be difficult. King David never totally forgave Shimei who cursed him (2Samuel 16:5-13; 19:16-23; 1Kings 2:8-9). But God grants us repentance (Acts 11:18). That means He actually inspires us and leads us to it (Romans 2:4). In other words, He helps us repent— every one of us (2Peter 3:9). And never was anyone more inclined to forgive. God often waits with long-suffering for us to bow before Him in repentance.
Repentance is a rich experience. It is a beautiful. It is intended by God to be life-changing. It is an encounter with God in which a sinner comes face to face with Him to ask forgiveness and to receive His help going forward. It is the greatest thing to happen to that person up to that point. And God shows His approval of one’s repentance by release of the burden of guilt he has carried. Repentance is such a dramatic and uplifting experience with God that a person can come away from it thinking he has met every criterion of salvation.
2/ Baptism in Jesus’ name
Peter stated that souls, upon repentance, are to be baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins. This baptismal command was given to the Apostles by Christ in the Great Commission (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38). If a person lets that saying sink down into his ears, he will not argue against it. Instead, he will rapidly obey it because, if he deems himself a sinner in need of mercy, there is not a greater promise in the Bible. Sin is man’s biggest dilemma— by far! It will keep a soul from God and destroy him in hell.
Remission of sins is more than forgiveness. It’s removal of sin as though it never happened. John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He not only forgives man’s sin, He removes it (See Acts 22:16.). In comparison, we may forgive another person but we can’t remove his offense and we can’t even really forget it, try so hard as we may. But when Christ removes a person’s sin, He no longer has cognizance of it (Jeremiah 31:34; Micah 7:19).
Repentance and baptism in Jesus’ name require little effort on the part of the sinner. In repentance, the burden is on God to forgive. In baptism, the baptizer does all the work. The baptizee is similar to a dead body being carried to burial. But, for so little effort, the candidate is totally free of sin, as though he had never sinned. There is not a greater bargain to be found. It is like coming upon the greatest hidden treasure and pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46). If people only understood the Gospel tenet of baptism in Jesus’ name, they would make it their first priority of business. And they would love it and would do everything they could to promote and defend it.
3/ The gift of the Holy Ghost
The gift of the Holy Ghost is literally the Spirit of Christ coming into a person to live and abide forever. Christ symbolized it as His Own breath (John 20:22). It is a glorious experience that will enable the recipient to praise God in other tongues (Acts 2:1-4,11). It gives regenerating power that breaks the sin nature (John 3:5; Romans 6:11-23). It is described in the Bible, even by Jesus Himself, as a gift (John 4:10; Acts 2:38; 8:20; 11:17).
Christ wants every person to receive the Holy Ghost. John the Baptist, in predicting Christ’s coming, described Him as the Spirit Baptizer (Matthew 3:11). Therefore, pouring out the Holy Ghost is His ministry, just as water baptism was John’s. That fact indicates how ready He is to fill us with His Spirit. Jesus literally went to Calvary to give people the Holy Ghost (John 16:7). Likewise, prophecy declared that He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17-18).
If people knew about receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and understood how great it is, they would certainly call upon Christ to personally receive it. This is exactly what Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria (John 4:10). And, receiving it is as easy as asking (Luke 11:13).
Conclusion
Christian salvation is in the context of wrath. By it, we are literally saved from the wrath of God, which we deserve due to our sins. Jesus died for us on the cross to make salvation possible. Every tenet is procured by Calvary. To understand this context and what Christ did in our behalf should insulate us from any future exposure to wrath. We’re not perfect yet. We may fall but we must not fall away. We understand too much to jeopardize our very souls and despise the precious blood of Christ that redeemed us. Every aspect of the Gospel is precious. Its tenets are wonderful. To understand them is to love them. There is no better way to honor Christ than to walk in them. They are our wisdom and understanding (Deuteronomy 4:6). Therefore, we should lay them up in our heart and in our soul (Deuteronomy 11:18). O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end (Deuteronomy 32:29).