Salvation Is “Located”
By Kenneth E. Thomas
Years ago I either read or heard (I can’t remember which) Marshall
Keeble’s sermon by this name. It was impressive then and is as needed today
as ever. There are a number folks who are saying that if man must “do”
certain things to be saved (especially baptism) or if man must do something
to “keep saved,” this some how negates grace. This doctrine isn’t
new, it has been around for many years. Guess who originated it? It came
from the same source as did the “you shall not surely die” if you
eat the forbidden fruit doctrine of (Genesis 3:4). Man leaves God
by disobedience, man must return to God by obedience. If obedience negates
grace and earns salvation on one’s own merits, why wasn’t this so
from the beginning? Has it changed? If so, when? Those who teach
this are obligated to give us answers to these questions (1 Peter 3:15).
Hebrews eleven refutes this idea as well as (James 1:18-25; 2:14-26;
Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 5:9).
Places Where Salvation Was “Located”
We are told that the things that transpired in the Old Testament
records of God’s dealings with man, are “written for our learning” and
that they are to serve as “examples” to those of us living since
that time (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11-13). Let’s look at some
historical events and make the proper application to you and me today.
1). A proper relationship (fellowship) with God was enjoyed
between Adam and Eve “in the beautiful garden.” As soon as they
sinned, they were expelled from the garden and lost their access to the
tree of life along with the relationship they had formerly enjoyed with
God (Genesis 3:1-24). See (verses 22-23). In order to approach God
now, since their sins had separated them from Him, animal sacrifices were
instituted as a means of temporarily atoning for their sins, allowing them
to approach Him in worship. While nothing is specifically stated about
Adam and Eve having offered such sacrifices after the fall, we do have
the record of two of their sons, Cain and Abel as they attempted to worship
God outside the garden. We learn from Hebrews 11:4 that Abel acted
by faith offering what God had commanded for this particular sacrifice
and was blessed. We also learn that Cain attempted to substitute the fruit
of the ground and his worship was rejected by God (Genesis 4:1-7).
2). Next as we study Biblical history, we learn how exceedingly
sinful mankind became on earth. Man became so evil in fact that the record
says that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually” (Genesis 6:5). The Bible says “it repented the Lord
that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart” (V-6).
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8).
Then we read God’s commandments to Noah regarding the building of a giant
boat or ark three stories high with one door and one window, along with
specific instructions as to its size and type of wood to be used in its
construction, as well as its contents (Genesis 6:14-21). The last
verse of Genesis chapter six simply says, “Thus did Noah; according
to all that God commanded Him, so did he.” You will remember that the
Scriptures say that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis
6:8). Did “doing according to all that God commanded him”
somehow negate God’s grace in that dispensation? If you answer no,
then you are bound by honesty and consistency to allow that doing doesn’t
negate God’s grace today, for the Hebrew letter says “By faith Noah, being
warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark
to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became
heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:8).
You will please observe that “..Noah only remained alive, and they that
were with him in the ark” (Genesis 7:23b).
A New Testament application of this principle may be found in
Peter’s reference to How Noah’s kind of faith will also save us when we
do as instructed. “...when once the longsuffering of God waited in the
days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight
souls were saved by (through ket) water. The like figure whereunto even
baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the
flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
angels and authorities being made subject unto Him” (1 Peter 3:20-22).
Isn’t it strange that folks will totally disavow what the word of God
says about scriptural baptism today? They say it does not save whereas
the Bible says it “does also now save us..” This little change of
one letter makes the difference between salvation from alien sins and continued
separation from God. Look at those two words “not” and “now!”
If the Lord wanted us to know the role baptism plays in our salvation,
how much plainer could He have said it than “baptism doth also now save
us?” Does it or doesn’t it? Just as surely as one is “saved by faith,”
(Romans 5:1; Galatians 3:26; John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6), one is likewise
saved by baptism. If we can’t take God’s word here, how can we claim to
take it elsewhere? Jesus said something about living by “every
word..” (Matthew 4:4).
3). It cannot be denied by the honest Bible believer that
God made provision for justice to be properly meted out in Israel. Involved
in this were the “six cities of refuge.” Three were to be on one
side of Jordan and three on the other in Canaan. If one committed manslaughter
or murder, he was “fair game” for the next of kin, the avenger of
blood unless he was able to take up residence “in the city.” There
he was safe from harm and would be brought up before the congregation for
judgment at the proper time. If he was caught “outside the city”
the revenger of blood could take his life with God’s approval. See (Genesis
9:6) for when this law of capital punishment was first stated so far
as we know. See (Numbers 35:6-33). There is much more of interest
concerning these cities but that will have to wait for another lesson.
Suffice us to keep clearly in our minds that “salvation was located”
in these cities.
4). Our next illustration of “salvation being located,”
is the case of Rahab the Gentile of the city of Jericho. She had heard
of God’s dealings with the various people who opposed Israel in the wilderness
wanderings. When spies were sent by Joshua to “spy out the land,”
She hid the spies so they would not be caught. She made them take an oath
to save she and her family from the destruction of Jericho when they came
against the city. Not only was she told that she and her family must “stay
in the house” or their promise to spare them would be null and void.
She was also told to “place a red string in the window.” These are conditions
placed on the grace that she and her family were to receive you see. Did
she and her family earn being spared by staying in the house and placing
the red string in the window? Certainly not! Would they have been spared
without meeting those conditions? Certainly not! If conditions did not
nullify grace then, why do some suppose they do today? Read (Joshua
2:1-24). See (verses 17-21) in particular. Do you suppose there is
any reason, prophetically speaking, that this “red string” or “scarlet
cord” was the sign for Israel to spare this particular house?
Whether that is so or not, it does remind us of the blood of Christ and
how God’s wrath against our sins is stayed when we are “under the blood
of Jesus” by having obeyed the gospel and by continuing to walk in
the light (Romans 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4;
Romans 6:3-6; 1 Peter 1:22-25; 1 John 1:1-9). Please read these
passages.
5). Salvation for Paul and the crew of a ship was once
conditioned upon every one “staying in the ship.” The temptation
was to try and escape death by jumping over board. Paul said an angel of
the Lord had promised them that no harm would come to them if only they
would “stay in the ship.” The lesson here is the same as in the
other cases of course, their safety was by God’s grace, but to be a recipient
of said grace they must do as instructed. Do you suppose any one of these
fellows said “we have earned our lives being spared for we stayed in
the ship?” I don’t think so. They knew their safety had come from the
God whom Paul served (Acts 27:21-44). See (Verse 31) in particular.
Our Salvation Is “In Christ”
Salvation is “in Christ.”-2 Tim. 2:10
Redemption is “in Christ.”-Eph. 1:7
Forgiveness is “in Christ.”-Acts 2:38
Sonship is “in Christ.”-Gal. 3:26-27
Reconciliation is “in Christ.”-Eph. 2:13-16
Translation is “in Christ.”-Col. 1:13-14
One is a new creature “in Christ.”-2 Cor. 5:17
Sealed with Spirit “in Christ.”-Eph. 1:13
An heir of God “in Christ.”-Rom. 8:17
Seed of Abraham “in Christ.”-Gal. 3:27,29
Blessed in death “in Christ”-Rev. 14:13
Complete “in Christ”-Col. 2:8-10
All Spiritual blessings are “in Christ.” Eph. 1:3
Being “In Christ” Same As Being “In His Church”
The sphere of being “in Christ” and of being “in His
church” are identical spheres or relationships. The same acts of obedience
that places one “in Christ” at the same time makes one a part of
that which is known as His church, kingdom, family, household, body, or
bride. To say that one is saved by one means and becomes a member of the
church by yet another, is to show ones lack of understanding. Since Christ’s
blood is the purchase price for His church (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:15).
And since the church is the “spiritual bride of Christ” (Romans 7:4;
Ephesians 5:22-33), when one has been cleansed by His blood, one automatically
becomes a part of His bride. To say one is save and then must “join”
the church would be akin to saying “I am going to be married and then
seek a bride.” The figures of speech which show when one’s state
or relationship are changed from “out of Christ and out of His body”
to “in Christ” and “in His body,” are many. To Nicodemus
Jesus said that he must be “born again” to see the kingdom (John 3:3).
This new birth is of two elements, the water and the Spirit (John 3:5).
This is paralleled by (Titus 3:5) which shows that God saves
us “through the washing of regeneration...” When one is “born
again” therefore, one is automatically a child in the family of God.
The same acts which place one “in Christ” are what makes one a member
of his church. The church and the kingdom are one and the same spiritual
relationship (Matthew 16:18- 19; Colossians 1:13-14; Mark 9:1; Acts
2:22-41, 47).
How Does One Enter Christ?
Surely the question has already been sufficiently answered to
the discerning mind who has read this far in our study, but to give more
specific information may be needful and so we continue.
If we do not “enter Christ,” we will remain aliens and
unreconciled unto God by the cross. I know because of the following language
inspired by the Holy Spirit. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes
were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace
who has made both (Jew & Gentile ket) one, and has broken down
the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the
enmity, that was between us, the law of commandments contained in ordinances,
so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross,
thereby putting to death the enmity.” (Ephesians 2:12-16). To remain
out of Christ is to be separated from God; but to be “in Christ,”
is to be “no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with
the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
A preacher I once knew said “I know the church and the kingdom
are one and the same relationship, for every time the first century
Christians planted the seed of the kingdom, churches of Christ sprung up.”
That’s exactly so (Romans 16:16). Jesus said “other sheep I have
which are not of this (Jewish ket) fold; them also I must bring, and they
will hear My voice; and there will be one fold and one shepherd” (John
10:16). The apostle Paul who was chosen late to be Christ’s apostle
to the Gentiles, was qualified when Christ appeared to him on the Damascus
road. He both heard His voice and saw the Christ (1 Corinthians 9:1;
Galatians 1:11). This man was a praying, penitent, fasting, lost soul
until he heard “in the city” what he must do (Acts 9:6).
In the city he was told “and now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized,
and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
In doing this, he was “delivered from the power of darkness and translated
into the kingdom of God’s dear son..” (Colossians 1:13. This same man
wrote by divine inspiration the following: “..do you not know
that as many of us as were “baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death” (Romans 6:3)? Since as already shown
“all spiritual blessings are in Christ,” can you not see that since
we are “baptized into Christ,” we have no access to any spiritual
blessing that is “located in Christ” without scriptural baptism.
Scriptural baptism is when a penitent believer is baptized upon his confession
of faith in Christ for the remission of sins and into the one body. Period!
Are you “in Christ?” If not, let us assist you as soon as possible
(Acts 2:22- 38,40, 47; Acts 26:28-29). Read acts chapter two and
see what was taught and what these folks did on Pentecost to become
a member of Christ’s church. This was hundreds of years before such
a thing as Roman Catholicism was heard of and many more hundreds of years
before such a thing as Protestantism was on the world scene. If we
go back beyond those things to the Bible, believe and do as they did, we
will be what they were. If not, then why not?
Today when a man and woman are married and they desire offspring,
the seed is planted and later a child is born into that family. The
child takes the family name and is heir to the family inheritance.
In Christ's spiritual family a process akin to this takes place. The seed
(word) is taught, man believes, repents, and is baptized into Christ and
into the one body. He takes the name Christian and is subject to the inheritance
(Revelation 14:13; 22:14).