By Randy Cavender
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things yes, the deep things, of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of man which Is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not In words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor. 2:10-12).
After reading this passage of Scripture, would it not be fair to say there are some things that God wants us to know? The Bible was written so all could understand its message. Paul wrote, “. . . how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I wrote before in a few words, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:3-5). God has a message that he wants all to understand. God’s word is plain and simple. Man’s eternal well being depends on those things that God has given in his word! I would like to show you what God’s simple message to man is. What are some things that God wants us to know?
1. God wants us to know that he desires all people to be saved. “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezek. 33:11) This was God’s message to the children of Israel! Does it sound like God hated his people? Certainly God hates all sin, but he does love the sinner and his desire is that all men will be saved! Paul wrote to Timothy, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3,4). Sinner friend, God will not accept you while you persist in your sinful ways, but if you will turn from your past life of sin through humble obedience to God’s will, he will then graciously accept you as his child. My friends, God wants to save you! Why not let him?
2. God wants us to know where salvation is! Have you ever thought about where salvation is? No, I am not speaking of any certain countries, states or towns. I am speaking of Christ Jesus. You must be in Christ in order to be saved! Peter revealed, “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). The plain, simple truth of the gospel is that salvation is in, and only in, Christ Jesus, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14:6). Salvation is not in man or any of man’s devices (including denominationalism)! Without Christ, there would be nowhere to go for salvation (Jn. 6:63-68)!
3. God wants us to know how to get into his Son. God has not given us his only Son and then not told us how to get in him. No Bible-believing person would deny the fact that one must be in Christ to be saved! However, there is disagreement on how one gets into Christ. All we must do is go to God’s word and read what God has said about the matter. God is not the author of confusion and he has given us just two verses of Scripture that teach us what we must do to get into Christ. Romans 6:34 – “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Also Galatians 3:26,27 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” There you have it, the only two passages that teach us how to get into Christ where salvation is! No, this is not to say that faith, repentance, or confession is less important! But it is what God said must be done. Will you not follow the will of God?
4. God wants us to know that we must continue in Christ in order to be saved. It is not enough to get into Christ and then depart. Those of us who are Christians must live our lives in Christ Jesus. Please notice some of the passages that show this. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 8:1). There should be no doubt in our minds about this point! I must continue in the steps of Christ to be saved! In fact, Jesus himself reveals to us how this is to be done. “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed'” (Jn. 8:31). As I abide in God’s word, obeying his commands, I am in the Son of God, where salvation is! Are you abiding in God’s Son?
5. God wants us to know the consequences of disobedience to his will. “Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me” (Prov. 1:24-28). Oh how sad it will be for those who have refused to come and humbly submit to God! As we mentioned earlier, God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9), but we must consider the severity of God (Rom. 11:22). Are you prepared to meet God in judgment? If you are not in Christ, you’re unprepared! If you are not continuing in Christ, you will be lost eternally! The desire of God, his Son, and all Christians is that sinners will freely submit themselves to God in humble obedience. But be it known that if you refuse to come to God, you will be punished with everlasting destruction (2 Thess. 1:8,9)!
You see, the Bible was given to us in order that we might know the mind of God! God has revealed all of these things to us. Indeed let us all be thankful to God for “the grace of God that brings salvation” (Tit. 2:12).
Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 22, pp. 673, 695
November 16, 1989