This Wonderful Time of Grace Series
By Rick Combs
One of the best ways to appreciate this wonderful time of grace we have in this current dispensation, is to compare its’ particulars with other dispensations. The essence of our discussion today is to look at when salvation occurred in the past as compared to today.
Biblical definition: salvation is the wisdom of God’s grace providing atonement for man, propitiating wrath, forgiveness of sins, redemption from evil, reconciliation unto God, justification by faith, and sanctification unto holiness. All of these must be present at the same time for there to be salvation.
Today, the body of Christ has all of these properties in the present.
Salvation occurs when it is finished, complete, and possessed.
Under Israel’s prophetic earthly kingdom program, salvation was promised to come in the future upon the second coming of Jesus Christ.
We are dealing with two different programs; Israel’s prophetic program and the mystery program of grace for the body of Christ as revealed to the apostle Paul.
So, let’s look at some scriptures and compare.
1. Salvation is future. Peter taught that salvation would come from the Lord Jesus at his return.
Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
The believing remnant in Israel in the Kingdom program needed to endure to the end to be saved.
Mark 13:13 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
We have today in our dispensation of grace a present possession of salvation.
Romans 5:11“And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
We have now what they hope for.
These differences are so clear that you have to intentionally avoid seeing them, or choose not to believe what they say. I did this for most of my life, and was being dishonest with the Scriptures as well as with myself.
Let’s look at another…
2. Grace and forgiveness was future. They had to wait for it.
1 Peter 1:13 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Peter was the lead apostle to the “circumcision” (Gal. 2:7-9).
The new covenant will take away the sins of Israel in the future.
Romans 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”
We today have forgiveness appropriated now.
Colossians 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” and Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Being crucified with Christ, the body of the sins of the flesh are cut off from us.
Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.”
Just these two examples alone clearly show that there are stark differences between Israel’s prophetic program and our mystery grace program. I could give many more examples.
Here is a list of scripture references for you to study further and compare on your own.
| ISRAEL’S PROPHETIC PROGRAM Matthew 6:12-15; 18:34-35; 24:13-14 Mark 11:25-26; 16:16; Luke 18:24-26 Acts 2:21 (Joel 2:32); 3:18-21; 10:35 James 2:24 (a minister to the “circumcision”) Hebrews written to Israel; 8:6-12; 11:39; 12:28; 13:14; 1 Peter 1:5, 7, 9-10, 13 | BODY OF CHRIST MYSTERY PROG. Ephesians 1:7, 11-13 Colossians 3:13 Colossians 1:14, 21; 2:13-14 Ephesians 4:32 Titus 3:5-7, Romans 3:20, 24, 28; 5:1, 9 Rom. 6:2, 4; Galatians 2:16; 3:24-25; 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:1, 5, 8-9; 1 Cor. 1:18; 15:2; 6:11; 2 Cor. 2:15 |
The phrase “are saved” is ONLY found in Paul’s epistles except for Revelation 21:24. We have a present possession of salvation which is Christ’s finished work and is offered in full right now.
How wonderful this is in this time of Grace in which we live.
Grace and peace to you!