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Gospel # 3 - THE GOSPEL BRINGS
SALVATION Luke 1:68-73 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He
has
visited us and accomplished redemption for His people. And has raised up a Horn
of salvation for us in the house of David His servant, As He spoke by the mouth
of His holy prophets from of old. Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand
of all who hate us; to show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy
Covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, To grant us that we,
being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, In
holiness and righteousness before Him all the days, And you, child will be
called the prophet of the most High; For you will go on before the Lord to
prepare His ways; To give to His People the knowledge of salvation By the
forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God.”
Not
only does the Gospel bring salvation; but also it brings knowledge of the
fulfillment of prophecy. We first look at verse 68. “For He has visited us and
accomplished redemption for His People.” Accomplished redemption for His
people! Do we take this to mean those from the cross until now? Were not Adam
and Eve His people? Was Cain to Jacob His people? Was not the people from Jacob
to the cross His also? So who was redeemed first? Heb. 2:14-15, informs us that
Christ’s death destroyed the power of Satan, Christ paid the ransom price in
order that the departed spirits being held by Satan could be redeemed, and
released. If they were released, what happened to them? Heb. 2:15, informs us
that the righteous spirits was delivered. Delivered to whom? To God the Father,
Eph. 4: 8-10 the departed spirits were not saved as long as, they were under
bondage to Satan, Christ paid the price to redeem them, to give them salvation.
Luke 1: 74, delivered, fulfilled. And yet we have people in all Churches, who
say that Satan is still alive and active! Do we believe anything that the Bible
says? Really
what does it mean when Paul said that Christ destroyed the power of Him who had
power over death, that is the Devil? It means that a resurrection took place.
But someone says, O the Bible does not say that! O, but it does. Hosea foretold
of this event, Hosea 6:1-3, on the third day, the same day that Christ arose,
Hosea says “ WE” on the third day will arise and live before Him. Well, Matt. 27:51-53,
has some things to say about what happened on the third day, Christ arose, and
the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints came out and went into
the holy city, and was seen by many; they were seen because when they arose,
they arose as a spirit which had form, not a physical body, rather that form
which awaits us in Heaven, a form that can be recognized, and was recognized,
this was God’s plan that they be recognized, such proved the resurrection then
as prophecy fulfilled. On this page I have proven that salvation was brought to
those in bondage to Satan, this being foretold of old is now fulfilled. Of the
New Covenant when the righteous Biologically dies, that Spirit goes to the
Father, where a Spiritual body awaits him, this body is recognizable in Heaven,
it is the form of the person who passed from this life to the next. In
one previous document, we have considered the great object which the Gospel
were designed to accomplish,” to seek and to save that which is lost,” I have
spoken of the way the Gospel lays open for the attainment of this object which
is by grace through faith, as the gift of God. Now we must consider several
distinct attributes and characteristics of the Gospel, and in each we will see
the finished results of God’s plan, which Zacharias uttered at the circumcision
of his son. This prophecy was spoken by the immediate inspiration of God, for
it was said, “ that Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied,”
in the Divine language which is here contained. Every assertion therefore which
this prophecy makes must be infallible, and eternal truth. The son of
Zacharias, was John the forerunner of Christ, the Saviour of the world; and on
the occasion of his public dedication to God, his Father prophesied of the
character and work of that Saviour before he was to be sent. The redeemer was
not yet born in the lowly nature, which He had assumed. But the faith of
Zacharias was led forward to Him, when it is more probable that none of his
people besides his wife, understood the prophecy which he made.” He hath raised
up a horn of salvation,” a Horn of Salvation, the horn in ancient language
represented a great King, as it does in Daniel chapter seven. This Horn would
be the administrator of Heaven and earth Rev. 11:15, what this Horn would bring
to mankind was all sufficient salvation. Sufficient
means, that it is all we need. The characteristics of the Gospel includes those
things which most people deny as being fulfilled, so then we do not have an all
sufficient Gospel, in spite of what the Bible teaches clearly. But that denial
is brought about by the lack of knowledge by people, who teaches, The
teaching was first brought about by the Roman Catholic Church, at a time when
they chained the Bible to the pulpit, in order that the general people could
not read for themselves. One
of the great characteristics of the Gospel is that Zacharias and his people saw
first hand the sufficient fulfillment of all that God had promised. He has
accomplished redemption for His people. He raised up a Horn. Salvation was
accomplished. Salvation from enemies, {salvation from Satan}, John 12:31, John
16: 11, 1 John 3:8, Rom. 16:20.
Being delivered from his enemies,
Heb. 2:14. Forgiveness of sins, Acts 2:38. Forgiveness of sins is an
important characteristic of salvation, it involves, hearing the Gospel,
believing the Gospel, repenting of past sins, and confessing ones faith. Being
baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Salvation involves death and resurrection
for the righteous, Isa. 26:14-19. Judgment is another characteristic of the
Gospel, 2 Cor. 5:10, and what is this judgment for? Rom. 14: 11-12. See also
John 3: 18,” He who believes in Him is not judged.” John 5:24,” He who hears My
Word and believes in Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment.”
Where
does people get the idea of a future judgment, a future resurrection, a future
coming of the Lord. The end of the world by burning? It is not Biblical. For
the ancient law of God said, “ And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the
Lord said to Himself, I will never again curse the ground on the account of
man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never
again destroy every living thing, as I have done.” Eccl. 1:4, Ps. 78: 69, Ps. 93:1, Ps. 104:5, Ps. 119:90, Ps.
145:1-6. Dan.
7:13-14.
The
Gospel testifies for itself, that it is complete, and sufficient.
So then,
the history of the Gospel began in Heaven in the beginning and, “ before the
foundation of the world, Heb. 4:3. We must consider within the history of the
Gospel, that the “ Called out,” the “ Assembly,” the “ Church,” was also
present in Heaven, however, we must also understand that the Spiritual Entity
in Heaven, was also in addition to the angel worship, was offered to our
parents in the garden; but upon their refusal to obey God; they obeyed the evil
influence, and God took away the spiritual aspects of the Gospel, and allowed
people to worship under the physical, until Christ restored the spiritual at
the cross, and, after lifting the scepter from Judah ratified the spiritual
spoken of in Jer. 31: 31 ff. And after the destruction of physical Israel
Christ took His Bride, Rev. 19:7. The saving grace of God was as powerful
during the time of Jacob, as it is now, the only difference was Jacob received
grace; but could not receive total forgiveness for sins; they were rolled
forward yearly by sacrifice. Secondly, his spirit was in bondage to Satan. The
spiritual provided for redemption under the spiritual Covenant. The law of the
Gospel demanded fulfillment. The
Scriptures teach us that all the various parts of man’s salvation have been
devised from the foundation of the world. The great Covenant of redemption
between the persons of the Deity, in which the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit united to bring back the captives of Satan, was made before the world
was created. The great sacrifice which the law of justice demanded after the
interposition of the Son of God, for man, which this plan and Covenant of
redemption provided, was then appointed, and for this Jesus is called the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. The
Book of life is another characteristic of the Gospel; this also was prepared in
the beginning, and the saints are said to be those who are written in the
lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world. The everlasting home
{Heaven} was then provided; for thus says Jesus of redeemed “ Then shall the
king say to them on His right hand, come ye who are blessed of My Father,
receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” In
Matt. 25:34, we have another characteristic of the Gospel, which the unbeliever
must deal with. Has that kingdom come yet? Luke 19:12-27 says yes, yes. Luke
says even more about the Kingdom, about coming back during the lifetime of
those He gave money for investment, he speaks of judgment upon the unfaithful,
slay my enemies in my presence. Woe be to me if I am wrong but it seems as if
all of the prophecy of Luke 1: 68-73 is being fulfilled before my own eyes. Where-ever
you go and read with an open mind, laying aside tradition of the fathers, you
will find evidence of fulfilled prophecy, in fact you will find that all of
God’s plan has now been finished, and has become reality. The
redeeming visit of the Lord God of Israel, of which Zacharias speaks, was
planned and determined before the creation, and has been announced as the
object of faith to the people who believes the account of Zacharias, and to the
people of God, in every age since the world began. For Simeon said, “ For mine
eyes have seen thy salvation,” Luke 2:25-35. We
look at another characteristic of the Gospel, “For all the fullness dwells in
Him.” The fullness dwells in Him when the Gospel is fulfilled. Col. 1: 16-19,”
For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all
things have been created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things,
and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the Body, the Church;
and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead so that He Himself might
come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all
the fullness to dwell in Him.” If you take a glass and fill it to the top with
water, the glass is full; you cannot put more water in the glass. The same
applies to Christ, when He had filled up the prophecy, and there was none left,
the glass was full, and there is no room for more to be filled up. Another way
to see the word fullness is to bring to pass, accomplish, and perform fully. Britannica World language. Funk and
Wagnalls. “Fullness” denotes fullness, that of which a thing is full;
it is thus used of the grace and truth manifested in Christ, John 1:16; of all
His virtues and excellencies, Eph. 4: 13; the end of an appointed time period,
Gal. 4: 4; God in the completeness of His Being, Eph. 3: 19; Col. 1: 19; 2: 9.
Vines Dictionary of New Testament words. Another
characteristic of the Gospel. God said unto the serpent,” I will put enmity
between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head and thou shall bruise
His heel.” Here was the first sign, the first Prophecy, a revelation of the
Spiritual Covenant of grace, the Spiritual Covenant, which would be ratified by
Christ. Notice here, this refers to the Covenant rejected by our first parents.
What God has said was that Christ was the seed of woman that would bruise the
head of the serpent, Christ would lay a death blow to Satan, the serpent of
old, while the serpent would bruise the heel of Christ, he caused Christ to die
on the cross, but little did he know that, Christ would be raised up on the
third day, the serpent’s doom was at hand. So the prophecy of Zacharias is seen
here as being fulfilled, the scepter will be removed from Judah Gen. 49:10, the
old Covenant ready to disappear, Heb. 8: 13. So
then, the prophecy of Zacharias being fulfilled, namely redemption, salvation,
deliverance, Holiness, righteousness, the end of Israel as a physical
nation.
It is unquestionable, that
these things could have been accomplished without Christ appearing the second
time. For according to Zacharias his people were eagerly awaiting salvation by
way of peace, there could be no peace in Israel, until the scepter was removed
from Judah, therefore Zacharias speaks in terms of peace from his enemies, the
Jews were his enemies. Christ comes the second time to accomplish the removal
of all Israel. Heb 9:28, The righteous that Zacharias has in mind, called the
remnant, Christ also acted in their behalf, during the war, Christ went into
Jerusalem and led the righteous out, without the Roman army seeing, or hearing
them go out of the city, the gates were opened, and the Roman army surrounded
the whole city, Christ took them out to safety Micah 2:12-13. In
this part 3 of the Gospel, I have relied upon the Bible itself to support any
claim I have made, however at the closing I will give evidence of an ancient
writer about AD 296. Athanasius the great defender of early teaching in the
Church, said some incredibly unorthodox things in regards to fulfillment about AD
70, of the resurrection of the dead Christ’s return, and the full completion of
God’s revelation. “ For now that He has come to our realm and taken up His
abode in one body among His peers, henceforth the whole conspiracy of the enemy
against mankind is checked and the corruption of death, which before was
prevailing against them, is done away. For the race of men had gone to ruin,
had not the Lord and Saviour of all, the Son of God come among us to meet the
end of death.” [Anthanasius on the Incarnation of the word, section 9, verse 4:
cf.} Perhaps with regard to
the other prophecies, the Jews may be able to even find excuses and to put off
what is written to a future time. But what can they say to Daniel’s 70 weeks?
Or can they face it at all? Where not only is the Christ referred to but also
Holies; and Jerusalem is to stand till His coming and henceforth prophet and
vision cease in Israel. {Anthanasius on the incarnation of the world, section
37, V-3 cf. Dan. 9:24}. And this was why Jerusalem stood till then, namely that
there they might be exercised in the types as a preparation for the reality.
From that time forth all prophecy is sealed and the city and temple taken. Why
are the Jews so irreligious and so perverse as to see what has happened and yet
to deny Christ, who has brought it all to pass? What then has not come to pass
that the Christ must do? What is left unfulfilled? {Athanasius on the
incarnation of the world, section 40, verses 1-8.} What
then has not been fulfilled? That Christ must come to fulfill? What is left
unfulfilled? {Athanasius the Festal Letters IV No. 9-12}. Jessie E.
Mills PH.D
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