Three Eternal Principles of Salvation

Introduction. (Heb. 1-3).  God has dealt with mankind in different ways through the centuries. Scripture teaches three different periods that have involved different standards of law, different ways in which God was to be worshipped, and different demands regarding salvation. These are...

1.      Patriarchal. From creation to the time of Moses we are not told of any written law that was revealed. God instructed the heads (or patriarchs) of families. These patriarchs offered animal sacrifices, and God held men accountable to what had been revealed to the family heads.

2.      Mosaic. With Moses, God gave a written Law to the descendants of Jacob. This established a class of priests who alone offered sacrifice and all Israelites were accountable to study and obey mosaic law.

3.      The Age of Christ. Now all men are accountable to the New Covenant or Law of Christ that is revealed in the New Testament. Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for all men, and now acts as the universal High Priest. All Christians are priests offering spiritual sacrifices to God as they worship and serve Him.

Although God has offered different laws to mankind over the years and different ways in which He was worshipped, we can see that there have been three things that could be described as eternal principles regarding the salvation that God has offered to mankind in all ages. This morning let’s look at these three eternal principles.

I. The Patriarchal Age.

A.      Adam and Eve.

1.      They were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27); They were placed in the garden of Eden, with all their needs provided for them (Gen. 2:8), and God gave them guidance (Gen. 2:16-17). This was God’s grace. They didn’t earn these things, nor provide them for themselves. It was God’s gift. Yet...

2.      They had to believe in God (Gen. 3:1-6).

3.      They were expected to obey Him (Gen. 3:22-24).

B.      Noah.

1.      At a time when condemnation was coming upon the world, Noah found grace from God (Gen. 6:6-8). His salvation was not by his own ingenuity. He wasn’t able to predict weather—he wasn’t a master ship builder. God was gracious to him. Yet...

2.      He had to believe in God (Heb. 11:7). We can say accurately that Noah was saved by faith, and yet...

3.      He was expected to obey God (Gen. 6:22). God’s grace and Noah’s faith did not dismiss his responsibility to obey—in fact it was his obedience that demonstrated his faith. It was his obedience that showed his acceptance of God’s grace. If he had not built the ark, he too would have been lost—God’s grace to him would have been in vain.

C.      Abraham.

1.     God gave Abraham some wondrous promises (Gen. 13:1-3). Even before he left his homeland, or offered Isaac, God was gracious to him. This was God’s grace. But...

2.      He had to believe what God had promised (Heb. 11:17-19).  How would God bless his family if his son was dead? This  required faith. But...

3.      He also was expected to obey (Gen. 22:1-14)—he offered Isaac. He acted, by faith—but he acted. He was not flawless, but his faith was shown by His obedience. By his obedience he accepted God’s grace.

II. The Mosaic Age.

A.      The Exodus.

1.      The Israelites were in a helpless condition. They did not earn God’s love for them or His willingness to deliver them (Exod. 3:7-10). This was God’s grace. But...

2.      Moses was expected to believe in God—not to presume or trust in himself (Num. 20:7-12).

3.      By failing to obey he showed a lack of faith—he was expected to obey. He did not enter the Promised Land because of this.

B.      The Bronze Serpent.

1.      In spite of God’s deliverance, the Israelites spoke against Moses and Aaron—God’s servants. Because of this God allowed serpents to kill many of the people. They deserved this punishment, but God in His mercy offered a way of salvation—looking upon the bronze serpent (Num. 21:8-9). This was God’s grace. Yet even so...

2.      The people had to trust in this salvation—This was faith (John 3:14-15). Jesus compares this to salvation in Christ. It requires faith, but it also requires...

3.      Obedience to the plan of salvation. If the people did not looked to the serpent they would not be saved. If we are not obedient to the gospel we will not be saved.

C.      Naaman. This man was a Syrian official who was leprous. He came to the prophet Elisha and asked to be healed.

1.      Elisha told him to dip seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:10-14). This was God’s grace. He could not heal himself. He did not deserve this. At first he did not believe, but in order to be healed...

2.      He has to believe. Dipping in water—what would that do? That wasn’t the point—it was faith in the command given by one through whom the word of God was spoken. If he didn’t act, he didn’t have saving faith. If he believed...

3.      He had to obey. Only when he dipped was he healed. How similar this is to baptism. It is not magic water—it is faith, but one who does not do it does not have saving faith. To do it in truth, is to show faith in God’s salvation.

III. The Age of Christ.

A.      Gospel of Grace. We have seen in the previous examples God’s grace being shown in the warnings, or instructions, or promises offered to various people (e.g. the warning to Noah; the promises to Abraham; the instructions to Naaman). God’s grace in Christ is no different.

1.      It teaches what God demands of us (Titus 2:11-13). This is God’s grace to us.

2.      It is the “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

3.      It is the “word of His grace” (Acts 20:32). This is a message that must be believed and obeyed if we are to receive God’s grace.

4.      If not, it is received in vain (2 Cor. 6:1). Paul warns that this can happen. In other words, God can do his part, but we can reject it and miss its blessings.

B.      Pentecost

1.      When the gospel is preached to some who days before may have said “crucify Him, crucify Him” that was God’s grace. They didn’t deserve it. They couldn’t earn it, but...

2.      They had to believe (Acts 2:37-38). What a change—from hating him to faith in Him. But...

3.      They had to obey (Acts 2:41). Those who accepted His grace obeyed.

C.      Ethiopian Eunuch

1.      This man was given a chance by God’s grace (Acts 8:26). Philip was told to go to him and he told the man what he needed to believe and do...

2.      He believed and...

3.      He obeyed (Acts 8:37-38).

D.     Paul

1.      A persecutor of the church was given God’s grace (1 Cor. 15:10). Remember, this is that same man that God led to write that God’s grace teaches us. God’s grace works in us as His word works in us. But it is also clear...

2.      He had to believe in a different course (Acts 9:6).  He told Agrippa, years after this “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).

3.      He had to obey. In obedience he was baptized (Acts 22:16).

Conclusion. Will you accept God’s grace? Will you believe? Will you obey?