SALVATION IN THE FOUR GOSPELS - J. C. O'Hair

 
SALVATION—IN THE FOUR GOSPELS

Pastor J. C. O'Hair

It should prove both interesting and profitable to compare the salvation messages of Christ and the twelve apostles in the Synoptic Records (Matthew, Mark and Luke) with the message and program of grace which the risen Lord gave to the apostle Paul to proclaim, after Paul said in Acts 13:46, “LO, We TURN TO THE GENTILES.”
It is not by mistake that in the message of salvation to sinners, in Matthew, Mark and Luke, we do not find the word “grace” one time. There is plenty of grace in some of those messages, but for some reason the word, “grace” is not given once in those sixty-eight chapters in the sinner’s salvation. There is much grace in Luke 7:41 and 47 and Luke 14:21, but the dispensation of grace was not yet.
The word “grace” is found twelve times in the six chapters of Ephesians. In that Epistle we have the clear unmixed message of grace: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8 to 10).
The Epistle to the Ephesians was written after the close of the period covered by the Book of Acts. It was written after the fall of God’s religious nation, Israel. (Romans 11:11).
Remember the fact that from Sinai to Calvary God demanded both righteousness and religion. (Hebrews 9:10). During most of the “Acts” period God permitted religion with righteousness. (I Corinthians 9:20 to 25).
There were many wonders and signs and sign gifts during the “Acts” period. They were to cease. (I Corinthians 13:8). There were different gifts mentioned in connection with the “signless” and “religionless” age, after the close of Acts. Compare I Corinthians 12:8 to 11 with Ephesians 4:9 to 13 and I Corinthians 13:9 to 13, with Ephesians 4:14.
After the close of the “Acts.” period God demanded righteousness without religion. Salvation - through grace - by faith - not of yourselves - it is the gift of God. It is even stronger than this in II Timothy 1:9 and 10.
What a difference between Peter’s messages to Israel, in Acts 2:38, also Peter’s message to the Gentiles in Acts 10:34 to 36, and Paul’s unmixed grace message in Romans 4:4 and 5.
Like the message of Mark 16:16, “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” Peter preached “repent, and be baptized for the remission of sins.”
Then he preached to Cornelius, “he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of God.” Paul preached the very opposite in Roman 4:4 and 5. Compare them.
There is a sense in which God’s message for the Gentiles differs with the fall and rise of Israel. (Romans 11:20 and Romans 11:11).
The word “grace” is found more than twenty times in the Epistle to the Romans, where the fall of Israel is recorded. With that fall, God ushered in the dispensation of grace for Gentiles, His long concealed mystery. (Ephesians 3:1 to 4).
In this age and dispensation of grace we do not preach to sinners Luke 13:16 - Matthew 24:13 and 14 - Luke 18:19 to 22, Acts 2:38 - Mark 16:16 to 18 - Acts 3:19 to 21 - Acts 10:34 and 35.
In Luke 13:16 they were to strive (agonize) to enter in and then may not get in. Compare this with Titus 3:5 to 7.
In Matthew 24:13 and 14, they were to endure unto the end to be saved. Enduring, striving to enter in, being baptized for the remission of sins is “of yourselves.” Grace salvation is not. (Ephesians 2:8 to 10). All salvation messages must be studied in the light of Ephesians 2:8 to 10 and Ephesians 3:1 to 6, and the student thus learns the difference between grace in a dispensation and “the dispensation of the grace of God.” (Ephesians 3:1 and 2 - Acts 20:24 - Romans 3:24 to 26).

Posted By – Cecil Spivey

Cspivey1953@gmail.com

 

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