Resumen
Todd Cencich examines “The Gift of Salvation” through Romans 10, Ephesians 2, Acts 2, 1 John 4, showing how christ, spirit, gift shape a believer’s relationship with God, daily choices, and service to others.
Transcripción
Understanding The Gift of Salvation
God bless you, I’m Todd Sensesch, and this is the gift of salvation. When God created mankind, his intent was for mankind to live and thrive in perfect harmony with him, walking in the fullness of life without hindrance in anything. Man’s natural state is to be one with God, in pure alignment with him.
This was the original design of mankind on this earth. After Adam’s transgression against God in the original paradise, he lost his spiritual connection with the Creator. It was not only Adam who lost his connection with God at that point, but also all progeny after him were in the same predicament.
Mankind now needed redemption since he’d lost that connection with God and needed spiritual covering. Wholeness and salvation are available today made possible by our Heavenly Father through the accomplished work of Jesus Christ as he stood in our place, sacrificing his life for each of us. Everything we will ever need to walk and stand for God is encapsulated in the completed work of Christ and made known through his word.
Romans 10, 9 and 10, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. These two verses lay out the essentials of how we receive the gift of salvation, which is wholeness and restoration of the spiritual connection that Adam lost.
The foundation for salvation is the finished work of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. On that basis, God justly makes us available to all mankind and offers it to us freely. In this verse, it is very specific when it says we are to confess Jesus.
In the Bible, God’s only begotten Son is referred to as Jesus, other times as Jesus Christ, sometimes as Christ Jesus, and yet others simply Christ. Why does it say Jesus here in Romans 10, 9? References to the name as Jesus emphasize and highlight his walk on earth as a man. This is not insignificant or simply a random reference, but this is talking about our salvation.
El fundamento bíblico
The reason it says Jesus is that when we confess Jesus, we are identifying and acknowledging his accomplishments as a man in fulfilling the will of God in his walk, standing in our stead. When God offers something, he also requires something. In this case, he offers eternal life through the gift of Holy Spirit and requires us to confess Jesus as Lord and rely on the accomplished work of another man, Jesus Christ.
Our confession here is acknowledging the works and the completion of what Jesus accomplished through his life as he stood in our place when he died for us. If this were based on one’s own believing, then it is contingent upon works. Our salvation and spiritual wholeness are not based on works, Ephesians 2, 8 and 9 clearly say, but rooted in the accepting of what God has already done in his Son.
Too many times people put the emphasis on their own believing or confession of sins, which is works on the part of the individual as opposed to aligning their thinking with the truth of what God has made accessible to them, consenting to receive it and taking it. Verse 10 in Romans 10, 9 and 10 gives further detail into our salvation and wholeness. It says, Believeth unto righteousness and confession unto salvation.
In both cases, the word unto is translated from the Greek word ace, which is spelled E-I-S, which means all the way through unto crossing the finish line. Our confession and acceptance is what brings this into reality in an instant. We do not believe or pray for it because it is not something we can work towards or earn.
This salvation is available now and we believe unto, literally, from being spiritually dead to being born again of God’s Spirit. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, For by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. This gift is unbelievably precious and too costly for us to be able to even begin to pay back or account for.
God freely did these things for us, paid for by the fulfillment of what Jesus Christ did for each of us personally. Remember that a gift is not something that is earned, but something that we receive and accept. It is accomplished by faith, which simply means to believe God, indicating our acknowledging it and accepting of it.
Ejemplos y lecciones espirituales
On the day of Pentecost, Peter proclaims the truth about what we receive when we accept the wholeness that God makes available to us. Acts 2, verse 38, 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. The word receive can also be understood as agree to take, then purposefully demonstrate evidence and utilize.
This receiving is active and ongoing, a continuing source of strength and power. Evidence of this gift is shown throughout the book of Acts, where saints walked in power and witnessed signs, miracles, and wonders. The words Holy Ghost in this verse originate from the Greek words pneuma hagion, which more clearly translated, Holy Spirit.
Here it is important to understand the difference between Holy Spirit, capital H, capital S, meaning as God, the one giving, and, slower case, Holy Spirit, meaning the gift from the one giving. God is holy and God is Spirit, and he gave us what he is, which is Holy Spirit. Much like when a father passes on seed to his children, God gives us his Spirit.
This is our connection to the Creator, the gift of Holy Spirit. 1 John 4.15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. Once we receive the salvation from God, from that point on, our dwelling is in God.
We are thenceforth his children, and the spiritual connection lost by Adam is restored, and we are connected with our Heavenly Father once again. Jesus Christ, and what he did, is the key to opening the door for what God made available for us. For man, once again, to have his dwelling in God, to have full sharing with the Creator of the heavens, and to realize God’s purpose.
John 3, 3-7. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I stand to thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Fe en Acción
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again. Salvation, being born again, is a spiritual birth.
Jesus uses this illustration to point out the distinction between the flesh and the Spirit, that they are separate and distinct one from another. It is important to be aware of the difference, because flesh and Spirit are not the same, and they have two different points of origin and ending. Our first birth, that of the flesh, is the human birth originating from our parents, and ends when we draw our last breath.
Our spiritual birth begins when we confess Jesus in Romans 10.9-10 as Lord, and this ends with our spending eternity with our Heavenly Father. 1 Peter 1.23. Being born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. In this verse, it says, by the word of God.
It is not simply referring to the written Bible, but the authority and power of the will of the Almighty God, the power behind what He says. At the time of the creation, God spoke these things into being. Our eternal life is backed by that same power, not mere words on a page, but eternal truth spoken by the Creator.
The Holy Spirit we receive when we accept the accomplishments of Jesus Christ, the result of this His new spiritual birth is perfect and lives and abides forever. We have the perfect gift from God abiding in us, and intended to benefit us in this time and for all eternity. This was all accomplished by the work of Jesus Christ, which is the foundation for the new spiritual life we have available to us.
His word and the Spirit within us gives us guidance, as well as the keys to live a full life in every category. Ephesians 2.10, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. We are God’s handiwork, His masterpiece.
Caminando con amor y confianza
Our spiritual restoration is unto good works, which are those done in partnership with God. Our purpose is to walk in good works, to conduct our life in alignment and harmony with how God would have us to walk. As we choose to walk in these works, we will have the fulfillment that God intended when He orchestrated all of this.
Walking in these good works is completely our decision and out of our free will. Acts 8.14, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Like as Jesus Christ was led by the Spirit of God, so are we as sons of God.
God views us in the same way as He saw Jesus Christ as a son with free will. God does not have the expectation that we do nothing with this tremendous blessing. Rather, He wants us to follow His lead and understand the examples of godly character in the Bible.
We are led by Him, but it is our free will choice and responsibility to follow Him and conduct our life according to His word. As the actions of Jesus Christ benefited the world, so we can help others with the goodness that God has given us. Philippians 2.15, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.
Now that we have His Spirit, what are the evidences of it and what is the prophet? We are lights in the world, beacons of hope in the lives of those who need help. Some people right now are walking in darkness. By our free will and conscious decision, we have the privilege to help them and make known our Heavenly Father’s heart to them, sharing the scriptures, the truth of the word, and ministering to their needs.
This new life in Christ is a wonderful opportunity to produce fruit that God would have us to share what we have been blessed with. Romans 6, 22, and 23. But now, being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.
Aplicar la enseñanza en la vida diaria
For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God made us free from sin and the consequences of sin in order for us to bear fruit and to show His power in our time.
There are lots of needs in the world today, and we can help people find their way back to God. Our natural response to everything our Heavenly Father has done for us is to share it, to help others see the heart of our God. Galatians 5, 22, and 23.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. These fruit of the Spirit are witnessed as a result of our living according to the word and manifesting God’s power.
As we walk for Him, as our Lord Jesus Christ did, we will produce great spiritual fruit. God does not expect us to be perfect. He wants our love.
He wants us to fully partake in all the abundance that is available to us and experience it. Take Him at His word and commit to live up to the high calling in Christ. The new birth is such an incredible privilege, and it is so big we will continue to appreciate it more every day as we focus on God and what He accomplished in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Que Dios los bendiga.
Puntos Clave
- In this case, he offers eternal life through the gift of Holy Spirit and requires us to confess Jesus as Lord and rely on the accomplished work of another man, Jesus Christ.
- Our salvation and spiritual wholeness are not based on works, Ephesians 2, 8 and 9 clearly say, but rooted in the accepting of what God has already done in his Son.
- The Holy Spirit we receive when we accept the accomplishments of Jesus Christ, the result of this His new spiritual birth is perfect and lives and abides forever.
- This was all accomplished by the work of Jesus Christ, which is the foundation for the new spiritual life we have available to us.
- But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Preguntas frecuentes
What is the main message of “The Gift of Salvation”?
Todd Cencich examines “The Gift of Salvation” through Romans 10, Ephesians 2, Acts 2, 1 John 4, showing how christ, spirit, gift shape a believer’s relationship with God, daily choices, and service to others.
¿Qué pasajes bíblicos son fundamentales para esta enseñanza?
The teaching draws especially from Romans 10, Ephesians 2, Acts 2, 1 John 4, John 3.
¿Cómo pueden los creyentes aplicar esta enseñanza?
Los creyentes pueden recibir la verdad presentada, verificarla en las Escrituras y ponerla en práctica con fe, humildad, amor y acciones constantes.
Referencias bíblicas
Romans 10; Ephesians 2; Acts 2; 1 John 4; John 3; 1 Peter 1
Este texto se elaboró a partir del audio o documento original de la enseñanza. Por favor, verifique las referencias bíblicas con su propia Biblia.
