Milestones to Salvation, Part 2

2005-05-30 17:44

"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins." (2 Peter 1:5-9).

Those who hear and believe the word of truth, the gospel of salvation, come to know that the Spirit of truth has been with them, then these words are fulfilled, "In the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith."

There is no Christ without the Spirit of truth. Christ means "anointed," and anointing means the Spirit. It is written, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." (Acts 10:38). There is no Christ without the anointing.

The Lord Jesus became the firstborn over all creature by this anointing, and became the firstfruits through suffering by this anointing. It is written, "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming." (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

Therefore, the anointing remains in those who believe in the Lord Jesus, as it does in Christ. It is written, "Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3). No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13). Not only the Spirit of Christ is in the Holy Spirit, but also the soul of Christ is. The soul of Christ means the mind of Christ. The Bible says, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:5-8).

And also the Lord himself said, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29). The mind of Christ sprouts in everyone who calls on the name of the Lord by the Holy Spirit because Christ is the very fruit to holiness and the imperishable seed.

Therefore, those who gained Christ, the gift of God, are sure to add to their faith virtue--gentleness, humbleness, that is, the mind of Christ.

The Spirit of truth is with those who have virtue, and they can add to their virtue knowledge--the third milestone. Here the knowledge does not mean the perishable knowledge in the world, but the true knowledge of Christ, which leads to the eternal life and pleases God.

The Bible says, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:8). And again, "and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3:10).

Through this step, we can attain to the third milestone to salvation, as it is written, "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13).

Only from that time we can abide in these words, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32). And then we come to know the evidence of starting to move from a natural body to a spiritual body. It is written, "it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:44). Thank you, Lord.