Welcome to The Ancient Path
What About New Life In Christ?


You landed on this page because you are seeking information about the rich and wonderful salvation that God offers those who seek Him.

You certainly will ask, "What is required of man in order for him to be saved?"

Scripture is very clear that no one is saved by attempting to perform a good act in his own power. In fact, no one on his own is capable of an act that is righteous in God's eyes.

[Psalm 14:3]
They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. (NASB)

[Romans 3:10-12]
as it is written,
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, 
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; 
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, 
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

It is certainly doubtful that even Adam, before the Fall, totally on his own without any divine enablement was capable of performing any act of moral good in God's eyes.

When Adam did act on his own, he committed the first sin (Genesis chapter 3). Not only is it futile to attempt to gain salvation by good works in general, but as Scripture teaches clearly even complete adherence to the Mosaic law (difficult as that would be) would not justify anyone.


[Galatians 2:16]

nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

[Galatians 3:11]

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

Performance of religious rites simply for the sake of the rite will not save anyone, for God desires something else.

[Psalm 51:16-17]
"For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."


According to Scripture, the sole requirement for salvation is that men and women exercise faith in the provision that God has revealed.

Faith is not to be considered a meritorious work on the person's part, for Scripture affirms everywhere that faith, as all of salvation, is God's gift to mankind.

[Ephesians 2:8]
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."

[Romans 6:23]
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."


There is no question that faith is clearly taught as the sole requirement for salvation in the Old and New Testament of the Bible.

The ultimate object of faith in any and every age is God Himself. The ultimate issue at any time in history is whether a man or woman, boy or girl, will take God at His word and exercise faith in the provision for salvation which God reveals.

Clearly, whatever religious rites, good works, and so on a person might begin or resume, and whatever promises they might reaffirm, the repentant sinner was ultimately turning or returning to God. In all times, they are the ultimate object of faith. Even today when we ask individuals to believe in Jesus Christ as their personal savior, we are asking for an ultimate commitment to God. He is the one who has revealed that salvation is available through faith in Christ. Moreover, a rejection of Christ constitutes a refusal to believe God's word about Christ; it is a rejection of God Himself.

Years ago I heard the gospel message preached by Dr. George Slavin. His simple approach to the question, "How do I get saved?" was simply, "Just like the wedding ceremony, I George do take you Jesus to be my savior, to be my God and my Lord - I give my life to you." Yes, it's that simple. God is looking for men, women, girls and boys, who of their own will and volition choose to love God and to do so through His Son, Jesus - the Anointed One of God (Messiah / Christ).

What about obedience following belief? The specific expression of faith confronts the believer as they contemplate how they are to live out the salvation they have already been given. It is his way of responding to God in obedience as evidence that they have already believed. So therefore works are a matter of response to God for the wonderful gift of salvation based upon faith.


This brief edited document is based upon the fine writing of John S. Feinberg, Salvation in the Old Testament Tradition and Testament. Essays in Honor of Charles Lee Feinberg. Chicago: Moody Press, 1981. Hbk. ISBN: 0802425445. pp.39-77.

JOHN S. FEINBERG (M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago; M. Div., Talbot Theological Seminary: Th.M., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is professor of systematic theology at Liberty Baptist Seminary, Lynchburg, Virginia.




SAYING THE GOSPEL

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

PART-1

 

My God is immense beyond imagination. He measured the entire universe with merely the span of His hand.

[Isaiah 40:12] Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?


Yet I could not have failed this great God more miserably than I have.

[Romans 1:21-25] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man... they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator...

[Romans 3:23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

 

However, what I could not do, God did.

[Romans 5:6] For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.


And in doing what He did, He did it all, sending His own Son into the world to die on the cross for my sins.

[Romans 8:3] For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.

By this He has shown me unfathomable love.

[Romans 5:7-8] For one will scarcely die for a righteous person -- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die -- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

Now when my time came and I placed my faith in Jesus, God instantly granted me a great salvation. He forgave me of all of my sins, past, present, and future.

[Colossians 2:13] When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.

[Psalms 103:12] As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

 

He made me His child, adopting me into His family.

[Ephesians 1:5] He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.

[John 1:12] But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.

 

He gave me the gift of the Holy Spirit, who gives me God's power.

[Acts 1:8] ... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...

[Ephesians 3:16] that... he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.

 

The Holy Spirit pours out God's love within my heart.

[Ephesians 1:13-14] In him you ... were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance ...

[Romans 5:5] ... God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

 

The Holy Spirit tenderly communicates to my spirit that I am a child of God and an heir of eternal glory in heaven.

[Romans 8:16-17] The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ...

 



SAYING THE GOSPEL

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ

 

 

PART-2

Encouragement in Christ

 

Every breath, every heartbeat, every function of every organ in my body is a gift from Him. Every legitimate pleasure I experience is a gift from His loving hand to me.


[
1 Timothy 6:17] ... God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

[Acts 14:17] Yet he did not leave Himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

 

 

Going my own way and living according to my own wisdom, I have broken countless times either the letter or the spirit of every one of God's Ten Commandments.

 

[Exodus 20 3-17] You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image ... You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain ... Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... Honor your father and your mother... You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet... anything that is your neighbor's.

 

[Colossians 3.5] ... covetousness, which is idolatry.

 

[Matthew 5:27-28] "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 

[1 John 3:15] Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

 

 

Thinking myself to be wise, I have shown myself to be a fool; and because of my arrogance. God has every right to damn me to the everlasting experience of His terrifying wrath in the Lake of Fire.

 

[Romans 6:23] For the wages of sin is death ...

 

[Revelation 21:8] But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

 

[Ephesians 2:3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Jesus loved me so much that He was willing to lay down His life for me. No one could ever love me more or better than Jesus.

 

[John 15:12-14] ... I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends ...

 

 

God also allowed His future and present wrath against me to be completely propitiated by Jesus, who bore it upon Himself while on the cross. Consequently, God now has only love, compassion, and deepest affection for me. and this love is without any admixture of wrath whatsoever.

 

[1 John 2:2] He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world,

 

 

God always looks upon me and treats me with gracious favor, always working all things together for my ultimate and eternal good. God's grace abounds to me even through trials.

 

[Romans 8:28] And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.



SAYING THE GOSPEL

Have this mind among yourselves,
which is yours in Christ Jesus.

 

Part-3

The Glory of God

 

All that I am and all that I have I owe to Him and to His goodness.

[James 1:17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

My life in every way is, and will continue to be, utterly dependent upon Him in whom I live and move and have my being.

[Acts 17:28] For in him we live and move and have our being ...

My Sin Against God

So as for myself, apart from Christ I am bound by the guilt of my sins and also bound by the power of sin, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures.

[Romans 3:19] Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

[James 2:10] For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

[Titus 3:3] For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy. hated by others and hating one another

[Ephesians 2:3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh. carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

 

God's Work On My Behalf

On the third day after Jesus' death, God raised Him from the dead, thereby announcing that His death was completely sufficient to atone for every sin that I have or will commit throughout my lifetime.

[1 Corinthians 15:4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

[Acts 13:30, 38-39] But God raised him from the dead, ...and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

 

My Salvation

Because I am a justified one, He subjugates every trial and forces it to do good unto me.

[Romans 5:1-5] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

 

When I sin, God's grace abounds to me all the more as He graciously maintains my justified status as described above.

[Romans 5:20-21] ... where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

When I sin, God feels no wrath in His heart against me.

[1 Thessalonians 5:9-10] For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

[1 John 2:2 (NLV)] He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

 

His heart is filled with nothing but love for me, and He longs for me to repent and confess my sins to Him, so that He might show me the gracious and forgiving love that has been in His heart all along.

[1 John 1:9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

Excerpt from A Gospel Primer For Christians by Milton Vincent All Scripture is from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.



2022-04-17 2230