The Word of Salvation Sent to Sinners: Part Three
II. The second head proposed was: To speak of the word of salvation, which I may do by answering these four questions.
QUESTION 1: What is the word of salvation?
ANSWER: Not the law, but the gospel; this is that which is the power of God to salvation, Romans 1:16. Whatever discovers Christ, and salvation through him, is the gospel.
QUESTION 2: Why is it called the word of salvation?
ANSWER: Because it discovers salvation; it describes salvation; it conveys salva-tion, as a charter does an estate, or as a testament does a legacy; it offers salvation; it establishes a connection betwixt faith and salvation to all sinners of mankind, for, "He that believeth shall be saved"; and because it is the organ or instrument by which the Spirit applies salvation.
QUESTION 3: How does the word operate in the hand of the Spirit, when believed unto salvation?
ANSWER: It operates as seed cast into the ground: it operates as rain and dew; "My doctrine shall drop as the dew, and distil as the rain": as light, "They that sat in darkness saw a great light"; it is light shining in a dark place. As fire; "Is not my word like a fire?" As water, as wind, as a seal imprinting the divine nature: as a glass, through which we see God's glory: as balm for healing, "He sent his word, and healed them."
QUESTION 4: What are the qualities of this word of salvation?
ANSWER:
1. It is a divine word; the word of God. God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is the Author of it. Hence the gospel is called, "The gospel of God," Romans 1:1; 15:16.
2. It is a word of God in Christ, Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:3. It is secured in the hands of a Mediator; Yea, and: Amen in him. It is given to us by Christ, and sealed in his blood; "This is the New Testament in my blood."
3. It is a gracious word of God in Christ: it is free; it does not move upon our good-ness or badness; our goodness does not further, nor our badness hinder it. It is a word that comes from pure grace, and springs from his free mercy, who is the God of all grace. It is such a gracious word, that it contains all grace. Hence,
4. It is a complete word, containing all our salvation; for it contains God in it, Christ in it, the Spirit in it. It contains a righteousness in it, founding a legal title to life eternal, vis., the obedience of Christ; and a legal security from eternal death, vis., the satisfaction and death of the Surety. It contains all the parts of life, and may well be called the word of life: life in the beginning of it, in regeneration, "Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth." The life of justification: we are justified in believing and receiving of Christ, our righteousness, as offered in the word. The life of sanctification, the life of consolation, and the life of glory hereafter.
5. It is a sure word: "The sure mercies of David": Sure, and more sure than a voice from heaven, such as even that which the disciples heard on the mount, "We have a more sure word of prophecy, unto which we do well to take heed," II Peter 1:19.
6. It is a gracious, complete, sure word of God in Christ to sinners, as well as saints: it is to sinners of Adam's family; for it presents a remedy for their malady.
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This is the third installment of a five part series from Ralph Erskine in his track "The Word of Salvation Sent to Sinners"
QUESTION 1: What is the word of salvation?
ANSWER: Not the law, but the gospel; this is that which is the power of God to salvation, Romans 1:16. Whatever discovers Christ, and salvation through him, is the gospel.
QUESTION 2: Why is it called the word of salvation?
ANSWER: Because it discovers salvation; it describes salvation; it conveys salva-tion, as a charter does an estate, or as a testament does a legacy; it offers salvation; it establishes a connection betwixt faith and salvation to all sinners of mankind, for, "He that believeth shall be saved"; and because it is the organ or instrument by which the Spirit applies salvation.
QUESTION 3: How does the word operate in the hand of the Spirit, when believed unto salvation?
ANSWER: It operates as seed cast into the ground: it operates as rain and dew; "My doctrine shall drop as the dew, and distil as the rain": as light, "They that sat in darkness saw a great light"; it is light shining in a dark place. As fire; "Is not my word like a fire?" As water, as wind, as a seal imprinting the divine nature: as a glass, through which we see God's glory: as balm for healing, "He sent his word, and healed them."
QUESTION 4: What are the qualities of this word of salvation?
ANSWER:
1. It is a divine word; the word of God. God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is the Author of it. Hence the gospel is called, "The gospel of God," Romans 1:1; 15:16.
2. It is a word of God in Christ, Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:3. It is secured in the hands of a Mediator; Yea, and: Amen in him. It is given to us by Christ, and sealed in his blood; "This is the New Testament in my blood."
3. It is a gracious word of God in Christ: it is free; it does not move upon our good-ness or badness; our goodness does not further, nor our badness hinder it. It is a word that comes from pure grace, and springs from his free mercy, who is the God of all grace. It is such a gracious word, that it contains all grace. Hence,
4. It is a complete word, containing all our salvation; for it contains God in it, Christ in it, the Spirit in it. It contains a righteousness in it, founding a legal title to life eternal, vis., the obedience of Christ; and a legal security from eternal death, vis., the satisfaction and death of the Surety. It contains all the parts of life, and may well be called the word of life: life in the beginning of it, in regeneration, "Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth." The life of justification: we are justified in believing and receiving of Christ, our righteousness, as offered in the word. The life of sanctification, the life of consolation, and the life of glory hereafter.
5. It is a sure word: "The sure mercies of David": Sure, and more sure than a voice from heaven, such as even that which the disciples heard on the mount, "We have a more sure word of prophecy, unto which we do well to take heed," II Peter 1:19.
6. It is a gracious, complete, sure word of God in Christ to sinners, as well as saints: it is to sinners of Adam's family; for it presents a remedy for their malady.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the third installment of a five part series from Ralph Erskine in his track "The Word of Salvation Sent to Sinners"
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