February 19th Class

We began this morning in Genesis 12 and 15:2-6 where we saw God call Abram out of the Ur of the Chaldeas, saw God make Abram a promise and then saw the long, long wait that Abram had, the long wait that seemingly produced nothing of the promise that God had made.  Then in Genesis 15 we see the Word of the Lord come to Abram in a vision and Abram’s response.  Yet it’s verse 6 that seemed to rise off the pages as we read what God tells us happened to Abram on that day that God spoke to him...

 “Then he (Abram) believed in the LORD; 

and He (God) reckoned it (belief) to him as 

righteousness.” 

This is the day of Abram’s salvation.  

This is the first time that we see the Name of God, Adonai, in scripture.

Adonai... Lord, Master Owner

We looked at Romans 10:13

Acts 2:21

Joel 2:23

I thought that in this class, since we had already done our homework, that it would be good to look closer at what it actually means to be saved.  

The truth that "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."  may not have the full impact intended unless we realized all that the "name of the Lord", the name Adonai means.  If you can think of the name Adonai being the outer gel casing of a very potent multi-vitamin and every other name of God as the powerful powder vitamin mix inside it might give you a better idea of what the name of the Lord really means.

When we call upon His Name, we are calling upon ALL that He is.  

Every name of God that we have studied so far, and have yet to study in the days ahead, are ALL encased in this one name... Adonai.

You cannot separate Adonai from any of His other names.

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

                                                                                   Acts 4:12

Because it would take far too long for me to try and re-create the class discussion from this morning, I'm just going to type out the basic points of the discussion and then list the corresponding scripture verses.  I won't be elaborating on these verses, so if you have any questions, pop into The Comment Cafe, and either myself or one of your sisters will be happy to chat with you.

1.  Many believe that all it takes to be saved is faith

     Galatians 3:6-8  

2.  We need to be saved because we are sinners

     Matthew 1:21   Romans 5:12   Genesis 3:1-5

3.  What is sin?

     1 John 3:4   1 John 5:17  James 4:17  Romans 14:23  

4.  The work of Jesus

     Isaiah 53:6  John 8:34-36  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

From my study of God's Word so far, I have come to believe that there are two basic components of salvation.  Years ago, I remember hearing people within the church speaking about "Lordship Salvation".  It was a term that had arisen as a result of those that stood on the belief that all it took to be saved was faith in Christ.  
While you may disagree with me on the following, 
it was what I shared from my own notes this morning.

5.  There are two basic components of salvation:  

     

     REPENTANCE

     Matthew 3:2-8  Mark 1:14-15  Luke 13:2-5  Luke 24:44-48  
    Acts 17:30  Acts 26:19-20  2 Peter 3:9   Luke 15:10

     "...repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ."  Acts 20:18-21

The transliteration of repentance in the Greek is METANOEO.  It implies a change of mind.   Repentance is a complete change of mind regarding self, worship of self, the running of your own life.  Repentance is turning from self rule to turning to the rule of God over every area of your life.  It's perceiving, seeing Jesus as God, and His right to have dominion over your life. Repentance is seeing sin for what it is, separation from God.  It is acknowledging that the wages of sin is death and of seeing Jesus as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.  Repentance is acknowledging that salvation is in Jesus alone.  Repentance is submitting yourself to God and His Son and having a complete change of mind about Who should be directing your life. 

I honestly believe that repentance has become the missing element within Christendom today.

 
    FAITH

     Ephesians 2:8-9  Romans 10:8-9

I'm thinking that simply put, faith/belief means that you take God at His Word!  That you believe what He says!  The description of salvation in Ephesians 2:8-9 is that we are saved by grace... not by works.  That this grace comes through faith... and that faith is not our own, it is a gift from God.  It's ALL God, the grace, the faith, the salvation!

There is nothing that you could do that would warrant your salvation.  Nothing that could commend you to God.  Isaiah 53:6 tells us that ALL of us, like sheep, have gone astray.  There is nothing in us that would draw us to God.  He alone draws me, by His Spirit to Himself, through Jesus.  He convicts me of sin and righteousness and judgement and then He gives me the faith to believe.

The truth of it leaves me breathless.

One thing I wanted to add here is that salvation is not MAKING Jesus Lord.

He IS Lord.

Salvation is perceiving Jesus as Lord.

It is perceiving Jesus as God.

In Matthew 1:23 we are told, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son ad they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, 'God with us.'"

In Romans 10:9 we are told, "...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

In Romans 10:17 we are told, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of (concerning) Christ."

It probably won't surprise you one bit that I had the class draw a stick figure with two big ears, an open mouth and a huge heart!  

Faith comes when we hear the Truth concerning Jesus, the Truth about sin.  We hear with our ears, thus the two big ears! 

The big heart comes in when we believe in our heart (mind, but who wants to draw a big brain!) what we have heard with our ears and then we make this confession of our faith/belief with our mouth... this is our salvation story!

Ask the girls that attended this morning what the remember about our discussion concerning  confessing with our mouths! :)

A little note about this believing in your heart that Jesus is Lord.

Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.

If He is God, and He is, then He is also Adonai.

Lord, Master, Owner.

We have been purchased with a price.

True salvation shows itself in a willingness to submit to Him.

Submitting to His right to rule your life.

His right to judge.

6.     Many will say... 
        Matthew 7: 19-23

        
To confess the name of Adonai, is to confess not only the gel container (Adonai) of the multi-vitamin, but it is also confessing every single name of God, every single one.  Many will say, "Lord, Lord", "Adonai, Adonai", yet are they, are we, submitting to Elohim our Creator God, El Elyon our Sovereign God, El Roi our God Who sees, El Shaddai our All-Sufficient God... 

do we really KNOW God.  

Confessing Him as Lord, as Adonai is not just an intellectual assent.  Salvation goes farther than limited belief.  Salvation includes repentance and a bending of the knee in submission to Who and All He is.

Girls, this class is all about KNOWING GOD.

Your salvation is not a one time demonstration of faith.

Nor is it a one time demonstration of repentance.

As you and I grow more intimate with the Names of our God,

both faith and repentance will surely be exercised within us...

I'm beginning to see the wear and tear upon my own blessed knees.

                  

love,

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