Jesus seen as the Good Shepherd from the Old Testament

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."

Introduction:

Even though today's post begins with Jesus speaking of Himself in John's Gospel in the New Testament, I thought we would consider how this title is developed throughout the Old Testament. The beauty of this title of "Shepherd" or "Good Shepherd" is in how God the Father and Christ are portrayed as being Personal and Powerful. Powerfully, God easily wards off any threats that could swallow up His people in their faith. Personally speaking, God carries His people in His arms whenever they are limping, hardly walking or at their wits end. 

Whatsoever is said of Yahweh, Jehovah God, in the Old Testament is attributed to the Son in the New Testament. Whenever Christ revealed Himself as "the Good Shepherd", the background revelation of the Old Testament is included. We looked in our last post at how God is revealed as "the Shepherd". By identifying Himself as "the Good Shepherd", Jesus is equating Himself with the Father. Rather than offering detailed exposition on a few passages, I want to offer a few headings to aid the reader in tracing this divine title of "shepherd" throughout the Old Testament. We will then conclude with final observations pertaining to how this all works in making clearer to us the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

How we see the image of God as "Shepherd" developed in the Old Testament

1. The Guiding Shepherd. 
Genesis 48:15; 49:24; Psalm 23:1-6

2. Providing Shepherd. 
Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:11

3. The Rescuing Shepherd. 
Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 31:10

4. The Divine Shepherd. Psalm 80:1

The above passages are but a sampling. Still, we know that headings such as these carry forth into the New Testament's handling of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd.

Jesus' use of the Old Testament's imagery in identifying Himself as "the Good Shepherd"

Commentators have noted how much of the Old Testament imagery connects to Jesus as "the Good Shepherd". Ellicott, the classic commentatory notes in his commentary on John 10: 

"The passage of the Old Testament referred to above has prepared our minds for this thought of Christ, especially Psalms 23; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-16; Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24. He is the Shepherd who is ideally good, fulfilling every thought of guidance, support, self-sacrifice that had ever gathered round the shepherd’s name. No image of Christ has so deeply impressed itself upon the mind of the Church as this has."

To cite one further example, John Gill in his commentary writes concerning the Old Testament imagery of "shepherd" and its association with Jesus Christ:

"I am the good shepherd,.... A shepherd of his Father's appointing, calling, and sending, to whom the care of all his sheep, or chosen ones, was committed; who was set up as a shepherd over them by him, and was entrusted with them; and who being called, undertook to feed them; and being promised, was sent unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and under the character of a shepherd, died for them, and rose again, and is accountable to his Father for everyone of them; the shepherd, the great and chief shepherd, the famous one, so often spoken and prophesied of, Genesis 49:24."

Closing thoughts

Today we briefly considered the Old Testament background and development of the "shepherd" theme as it relates to Jesus. Jesus claimed Himself to be "the Good Shepherd" in John 10:11. We noted how much of the Old Testament thought-patterns were embedded in the rich meaning of Jesus' statements. In all we noted four brief headings concerning how the "shepherd" theme is developed in the Old Testament, and how such can shed light for us on the Person and work of the Lord Jesus:

1. The Guiding Shepherd. Genesis 48:15; 49:24; Psalm 23; Mt 9:23

2. Providing Shepherd. Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:11; 1 Peter 2:25

3. The Rescuing Shepherd. Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 31:10; 1 Pt 5:4


4. The Divine Shepherd. Psalm 80:1; Revelation 7:17

God as the Mighty One, the Shepherd and the Rock - Genesis 49:24

Genesis 49:24 "But his bow remained firm, and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)."

Introduction:

The opening text of today's post features one of the earliest mentions of the term "shepherd" as a Divine title for God. The verse above occurs in the context of Jacob's blessing of his son Joseph. Joseph was used mightily by God in a series of circumstances to save his family (see Genesis 50:20). The surrounding context of Genesis 49:24 gives us a clearer picture as to why God is called "the Shepherd": “Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a spring; Its branches run over a wall.
23 “The archers bitterly attacked him,
And shot at him and harassed him;
24 But his bow remained firm, and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 From the God of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb."

Three Divine titles are mentioned in the verse. We can see reference to God as "Shepherd", "Stone" as well as His identity as "the Mighty One of Jacob". 
As is often the case, Divine titles that occur in tandem function together to reveal the multifaceted character of God. Today we want to observe how these three titles function to reveal to us the character of God.

1. Mighty One of Jacob.  

The Old Testament's revelation of God as "the Mighty One" speaks of God's omnipotence. Psalm 50:1 for example states - "The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken, And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting." To associate God as a shepherd with this title "Mighty One" first and foremost refers to the strength He has to lead His people. Such a title carries a second connotation, namely God's covenant relationship to His people. King David's desired had been to build a temple for God. God's plans were different from David's with God choosing his Son and heir Solomon to be the builder of The Temple instead. Psalm 132:1-5 records David's desire and God's response: Remember, O Lord, on David’s behalf, All his affliction;
2 How he swore to the Lord And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3 “Surely I will not enter my house, Nor lie on my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids, 5 Until I find a place for the Lord, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” So we can say that as "Mighty One", God possesses unlimited strength as the Shepherd of His people. 

2. The rock 

In Genesis 49:24, we see a second title associated with "shepherd", and which accentuates the idea of God as shepherd - namely God as "Rock". 1 Samuel 2:2 states - “There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God." God as "the Rock" gives the imagery of shelter, protection and provision. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul would refer to Jesus Himself as the Rock that accompanied Israel throughout her journeys (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-6). So just like the previous Divine title, the "Rock" fortifies the imagery of the title "shepherd" as communicating the "Shepherd's protection and provision for His people. 

3. Shepherd

We come lastly to the title "Shepherd" itself. When we consider the other two titles of "Rock" and "Mighty One of Jacob" in association with "Shepherd", we find an enriching picture of the Lord God. Shepherds tended the sheep in Israel. Joseph had tended the flocks of his father and so would had connected to Jacob's words to him. Although the shepherd's job was important, shepherds typically occupied the lower rungs of the social ladder. Despite the shepherd's humble position, God chooses to use this very title as a revelation of Himself. 

Many have been blessed by hearing the 23rd Psalm recited or preached. When David starts out with the words: "The Lord is my Shepherd", we find the tenderness of the Psalm reaching to our heart. Psalm 80:1 uses this title "shepherd" in an exalted sense: "Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel,
You who lead Joseph like a flock;
You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!"  Why is God so pleased to reveal Himself as "Israel's Shepherd" or as "my Shepherd"? God's stooping down of Himself to the level of our understanding is the quintessential heart of the meaning of Divine revelation. Is it no wonder why Jesus Himself referred to He being "the Good Shepherd" (John 10:11). The Divine Son humbled Himself by taking unto His Person true humanity - revealing Himself as the God man. Such an act was truly God stooping down to make Himself known to us - not only by words, but by the Person of the Son assuming true humanity. 

Closing thoughts

Today we considered how three Divine titles worked together in Genesis 49:24 to reveal to us the character of God. We noted how the titles "Rock" and "Mighty One" work with the title "Shepherd" to show us what kind of Shepherd God is to Israel and to all that trust in Him by faith. If we were to summarize everything we have discussed, we could do it the following way:

1. As "the Mighty One" God is the Mighty Shepherd

2. As "the Rock", God is the protective Shepherd"

3. As the Shepherd, God shows His strength and protection by How He reveals Himself to His people. 

God’s Work By Christ Through You

John 9:1-5 "As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

Introduction:

In this post we want to understand what works Jesus came to do and how you and I can appreciate and share those works with others. 

The importance of Jesus' works

When we consider the Person of Jesus Christ, one cannot separate Who He is from what He did and is continuing to do. The actions and activities of Jesus Christ are His works. The works of Christ are likened unto rays of the sun that lead us back to the Person of Christ.

In Matthew 11:2-5 we read the following: "Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." John the Baptist was held in Herod's dungeon-like prison. His cell was just wide enough for the man himself. The conditions were unsanitary, dark and exposed John the Baptist to the elements. He was the forerunner of Jesus, and now it seemed life was running over him. For a moment John's world was eclipsing His vision of Jesus. John had not lost complete faith, for He knew He needed to appeal to the works. Jesus sent word back concerning the works He was doing, validating His messianic identity. Jesus' works are important. 

The Apostle John often will mention Jesus' works, since Jesus Himself mentioned them. In John 10:25 for instance, we read these words from Jesus' lips: "Jesus answered them, 'I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.'" The works of Jesus points one back to Himself. Jesus elsewhere claims to do the same works as the Father, hence verifying His claims of deity (see John 5:20,36; 10:37-38). Once more, concerning Jesus' works indicated by the Apostle John, we read in John 14:11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves."

The remarkable fact of Jesus' works working through the believer

Jesus did all sorts of works while in His ministry here on this work. The Gospel records 35 miracles, His substitutionary death on the cross and resurrection. All of those works points us back to Jesus. However, the amazing reality following His resurrection is that He, by His Spirit, and by His exaltation at the Father's right hand, works through believers in history and in the world. Jesus Himself promised His disciples for example in John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." The Reformation Study Bible observes: "

History proves that Jesus is not affirming that each believer will do greater miracles than He did. The church’s work in the power of the Holy Spirit will be 'greater' than Jesus’ works in number and territory."

As one combs the Book of Acts and the New Testament letters, it is evident that the church as a whole is continuing on Jesus' works. Christianity, mind you, is the only religion in the world that claims its original founder to be daily experienced in the life of His followers. Moreover, followers of Jesus Christ claim that Christ is working in them and through them. What follows below is a summery of the types of work God by Christ works through believers in Jesus Christ. This summary of Christ's works is gleaned from John 9 and finds their spiritual counterparts in the remainder of the New Testament.

1. Sight to the spiritually blind. John 9:1-12

The Apostle Paul is recorded saying in Acts 26:17-18 concerning God's call on His life: rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ Just as Jesus opened the eyes of the man born blind in John 9, every follower of Jesus Christ has been charged to share the Gospel with those who are born spiritually blind. Only God's word spoken, preached or explained can open the spiritual eyes of the sinner. 

We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5: "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness". We are reminded in Galatians 6:9-10 "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." According to 2 Corinthians 5:15-20 reminds us as well that God is making His plea through believers for sinners to be reconciled to Himself. Jesus works through the Christian to verbalize the gospel to open spiritual eyes. Notice another work of Jesus through the Christian....

2. Speak the Word to the spiritually dead. John 9:13-17

The audience which got wind of Jesus' miracle in the healing of this man born blind was a hostile one. The religious leaders more and more hated the Lord Jesus Christ. He was unfazed though and continued to speak for God's truth and embody such truth as God in human flesh. Whenever the follower of Jesus Christ shares God's word with unbelievers, such words carry with them life giving power. John 5:24-25 notes: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." The preaching forth of God's word is the voice of Christ calling forth sinners from their tomb of unbelief, connecting it to what will be the literally resurrection of the dead from their graves in the future when He returns. We see, in other words, parallels between the spiritual reality of the new birth and the physical reality of resurrection. Concerning how God's words bring forth spiritual life, James 1:18 notes: "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures." The Apostle Peter writes similarly in 1 Peter 1:23 "for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God."

So in terms of Jesus works, believers in Him continue on in spiritual terms what He did for the blind man in John 9. We speak forth His word which opens spiritual eyes and speaks life into spiritually dead souls. Now notice one more work God desires to work by Christ through His people...

3. Set free those who are captive. John 9:18-29

When this man's sight was given to Him by Jesus, it did not mean his life was going to be easy. In fact, before it was all said and done, this man lost everything humanly speaking. He lost his place in that Jewish culture, temple life and clearly his relationship with his family. But do you know, this man had Jesus! Jesus set him free from the captivity of darkness that had held him at bay all his life. John 8:32 and 8:36 reminds us of the one set free by Jesus and by His words is free indeed! Far better to walk a free man in this world with no commendation from men than to have all the world has to offer. 

Jesus states in Mark 8:34-38 - "And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Closing thoughts

In this post we aimed to understand what works Jesus came to do and how you and I could appreciate and share those works with others. We looked at three such works:

1. Sight to the spiritually blind. John 9:1-12

2. Speak the Word to the spiritually dead. John 9:13-17

3. Set free those who are captive. John 9:18-29

Reflections On Jesus Christ - The Lamb of God

John 1:29 "The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Introduction:

Today's post will only but skim the surface of one of the most profound titles to describe the Lord Jesus Christ - namely, "the Lamb of God". This concept of "God's lamb" or "lamb of God" spans both Old and New Testament revelation. In this brief post, I want the reader to have a spring board from which they can launch into further study of this incredible name for Jesus. 

Therefore, to summarize the goal for today's post: The Old and New Testaments both center God’s redemptive purposes around the concept of a sacrificial lamb. This idea turns out pointing to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. In focusing upon this title "Lamb of God", we will find a means of increasing our awe of Him.

So, when we say Jesus is the Lamb of God, what do we mean? How is Jesus seen as the Lamb of God in the Old and New Testaments?

1. Sinless, spotless Lamb for our sins. 

In Exodus 12:5, we find God giving the prescription for the Passover. The Hebrew people had been in Egypt for over 400 years. Their daily life consisted of bondage and enslavement. They cried out to God, and God heard their cry. God met Moses on the backside of the Midianite desert, shepherding the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro. In Exodus 3 God meets Moses in a theophany of the burning bush. From that bush thunders the Divine voice of Yahweh - calling Moses to go to Pharoah and to say: "let my people go". When Moses inquired as to Who or what was sending him, God's response to Moses was this: "I am, Who I am." So, Moses goes to Egypt and God works forth ten plagues to make a mockery of the Egyptian pantheon and to show forth the glory of His power to both the Egyptians and the Hebrews.

On the final night prior to their crossing of the Red Sea, God sends the death angel over the land. God had told the Hebrews to take a lamb and kill it. The blood shed by the lamb was to be applied to the door posts of their homes and to the entryways of their gates. When the angel would see the blood of the lamb, he would "passover" that home, sparing the first born son. In effect, the lamb, prescribed by God, "saved" the lives of the firstborn of the Hebrew people and thus secured their future. 

In Exodus 12:5 we find out about the kind of lamb that needed to be killed for this initiatory passover: "Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats." The Hebrew word translated "unblemished" is elsewhere translated in the Old Testament as "perfect" or as the NIV renders it: "without defect". This word gives the idea of having all of its parts in perfect working order, having not one fault. The Lord Jesus Christ is described as a sinless, spotless lamb in 1 Pt 1:18-19 "knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." So Jesus as the Lamb of God is the sinless, spotless Lamb. In order for Him to be the Savior of sinners, he needed to be sinless. As God, He is incapable of sin and as man, He never chose to sin in thought, word nor deed.

2. Saving Lamb to take away sin. 

We've seen Jesus as the sinless, spotless lamb of God. Now notice with me a second trait of Jesus as the Lamb of God, namely as the "Saving Lamb". Isaiah 53:1-6 states: "Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah's prophecy takes us directly to the foot of the cross, even though that event was over 700 years removed from Isaiah's day. Isaiah then writes in 53:7 "He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,  so he did not open his mouth." Clearly we find this saving substitute being compared to a saving lamb. The Apostle Peter picks up Isaiah's words and brings out their ultimate intention in 1 Peter 2:22-24 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

So we see then that Jesus, as the Lamb of God, is the spotless lamb and the saving Lamb. Let's consider one final observation, namely....

3. Sovereign Lamb Who will soon return. 

As we arrive at the final book of the Bible and the New Testament, we find the Apostle John recording under divine inspiration the Heavenly throneroom. Notice what he beholds in Revelation 5:6-10 - Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Dr. John Piper has noted on this passage in Revelation that we see a "lion-like lamb"and a "lamb-like lion". As the Lamb of God, Jesus' humanity is underscored with reference to His work on the cross. However, following His resurrection and ascension into Heaven, we find the Lamb of God imagery attaching us to His deity as well. Why? If for anything else, the Son's incarnation as the God man means that He will forever be the God man, the Lamb of God, as much God as He is man, with both natures united in His person. 

Closing thoughts

When I often write these posts, I feel like I only skim the surface of God's profound truth. The notion of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God is an incredibly rich name of Jesus that could easily occupy a life-time of reflection. Nevertheless, my hope is that his has whetted the appetite of the reader. We learned three things about Jesus as the Lamb of God:

1. The Spotless or Sinless Lamb

2. The Saving Lamb

3. The Sovereign Lamb

God's Power In Salvation - Romans 4:16-25

Romans 4:16-17 "For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist."

Introduction:

As the Apostle Paul works his way through explaining the crucial doctrine of justification by faith, we find him illustrating such by the Old Testament patriarch Abraham. Abraham's life can be read about in Genesis 12-25, throughout several Old Testament passages, as well as expounded upon in New Testament chapters such as Galatians 3:5-9; 4:22-31; Hebrews 11:8-19 and James 2:21-23. We looked in the last post at how one experiences God in salvation. Justification by faith sets the sinner in prime position legally to experience the other saving graces by experience. Elmer L. Towns expresses quite well the following sentiments about justification:

"In the same way, justification changes our legal papers in heaven; we become children of God." 

So what took place in Abraham's life with respect to his change of position in justification (Romans 4:16-22) is also said of believers today (Romans 4:23-25). In short, both Abraham and anyone who trusts in Christ is justified by faith and simultaneously experiences God's power beginning to operate in their life. How can we better understand the extraordinary power of God in Christian salvation and in what follows in Romans 4:16-25? In other words, justification's positioning of the believing sinner enables them to begin enjoying the following graces associated with God's power in salvation:

1. Power of a New Life. Romans 4:16-17

When God declared Abraham righteous in justification, on what grounds was there to make such a declaration? God's grace, as stated plainly in Romans 4:16. The crediting of the righteousness of Christ which was alluded to in the promises of salvation given to Abraham is what enabled Abraham to be deemed "right with God". Now notice another distinct grace that is alongside this legal declaration of justification. We find reference to God's ability to give life to the dead in Romans 4:17 - "(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." God's ability to create new life out of nothing in salvation is explained elsewhere. For example, consider 2 Corinthians 4:6 "For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." Paul later on in 2 Corinthians states in 2 Corinthians 5:17 "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things are passed away and behold, all things become new." 

So, justification is indicative of the fact that God by His Spirit was doing a living, powerful work in Abraham's heart. God's supreme declaration occurs in the context of new life imparted in saving faith. Such a powerful experience of God's power is what describes Christian salvation as well. Faith in Christ's death and resurrection points to the grounds of our justification - namely Christ Himself. His resurrection power demonstrates that what He did on the cross worked on our behalf. This incredible new life beginning in saving faith is empowered by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). So in salvation, one experiences the power of a new life. But how else is God's power experienced in salvation?

2. Power of New Hope. Romans 4:18-19

We read in Romans 4:18-19 "In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb." Abraham and Sarah's situation at the time God found them was, by all accounts, hopeless. They were both tangled up in pagan religion (see Joshua 24:1-3). Both of them were past the child-bearing years, compounded by the fact that Sarah was barren. Moreover, even after Abraham and Sarah began to walk with God, it would be another 25 years before God appeared to them formally to announce what would be the birth of their son Isaac. Physically speaking, things were bleak. 

But what did the saving faith of God inform Abraham concerning his situation? He realized he could not bring about the promises of God spoken to him. Sarah too resigned herself to the fact that she was incapable. But God did a work and what their faith told them concerning the realm of unseen realities would be confirmed later on in the birth of that bouncing baby-boy Isaac. Faith brought with it new found hope. Paul would later on expound on the amazing results brought about as a result of the hope poured into the human heart at salvation by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:1-5). Again, such experiences of God's power to Abraham is equated with experiences of his power in saving faith today.

So we experience God's power in salvation by way of new life, new hope and thirdly...

3. Powerful assurance. Romans 4:20-21

We read in Romans 4:20-21 "yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness." I love the word "yet". It is a small word but oh is it so powerful! It carries the thought of reversing whatever was said prior. Despite Abraham looking at he and Sarah's hopeless situation, "yet", they did not waver in unbelief. Only a heart touched by God and having experienced God's life-saving declaration of justification can look through the hard-times and find assurance in Christ. Faith both performs and informs the believer's heart and mind concerning God, Christ and all the blessings of salvation. As the hymn of old states: "blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!" 

4. God's power available to you today. Romans 4:23-25

As we close out this post today, Paul notes in Romans 4:23 that these truths "Now not for his sake only was it written....", but, notice in verse 24 "but for our sake also...". Paul's whole point in bringing Abraham forward to illustrate salvation and its crown jewel of justification by faith is to aid us in better understanding how it is we experience both positional change (justification) as well as life change (regeneration) and relationship change (adoption) as God's power in salvation. Truly, this reminds us of the theme verse of Paul's epistle to the Romans, Romans 1:16, concerning how he is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also the Greek.

A Slow-Motion View Of God's Power Experienced In Salvation

Romans 4:16-17 "For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist."

Introduction:

The above picture captures a baseball getting hit by a bat in extreme slow motion. Such an event is instantaneous from the standpoint of normal human perception. Today's post is going to consider another instantaneous event, a supernatural one, namely: the power of God experienced in the life changing moment of salvation. We will attempt to do this by a Biblical and doctrinal "frame-by-frame" view of Biblical salvation. Hopefully, we will discern a sequence of logical moments in an otherwise simultaneous, instantaneous event we call salvation. 

Justification is God's declaration of a change in one's legal standing or position before Him

Commonly, discussions about justification by faith detail the positional standing that changes with respect to the sinner's standing before a Holy God. Prior to justification by faith, the sinner is a child of wrath, in darkness, spiritually dead and condemned (see John 3:36; 8:24; Romans 3:10-19; Ephesians 2:1-4, 12; 1 Peter 2:10). 

Justification involves a changing about of the position of the person from primarily being identified as a sinner to having a new positional identity as a saint (see 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Peter 2:12). Elmer L. Towns in his volume: "Theology For Today" notes on page 457 an analogy of a foreigner becoming a legalized citizen of the United States to clarify this point:

"But as he becomes aware of his new legal standing, he may shout, cry, or break out into a grin. The emotional reaction has no organic connection to his changed legal status, but there surely is a cognitive awareness of his new advantages. In the same way, justification changes our legal papers in heaven; we become children of God. In response to this new relationship we may cry, rejoice or worship God in silent gratitude."

G.I Williamson in his commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith, page 105, matches Towns' observations in his comments on justification by faith:

"This means that at the instant we begin to trust in Christ we are then and there declared to be legally without sin, guilt, or future punishment. This declaration cannot depend upon anything done by the sinner. Faith which is not 'doing' but only dependence  upon what Christ has done instantaneously results in complete and eternal justification, provided it be true faith."

Since justification by faith involves God declaring a change in our position, what then occurs right before and right after it?

So what takes place when God's declares a believing sinner righteous? An important doctrinal truth that sheds light on justification is what Bible teachers call "imputation". In short, imputation has to do with the crediting of Christ's life and work to the sinner's account in saving faith, since on the cross, the sinner's life and sin was "imputed", or "reckoned" or "credited" to Christ on the cross (see Romans 4:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21). This act of transfer by God means then that in justification, what saves the sinner is not so much their faith, but the righteousness of Christ credited to them through the reception of it in faith. All faith can do is receive into its otherwise empty hands all that Christ did. So what logically occurs before justification by faith and what follows logically from it? Below we will see that the Holy Spirit's preparatory work of regeneration operates before and His work of adoption follows upon the heels of the grand declaration of justification. For all practical intents and purposes, all three occur simultaneously and none of them than take place lest all three are operating. Still, a closer look can yield why it is Christian salvation is truly amazing! 

Witnessing the redemption of a sinner in slow motion

I'm sure the reader has seen videos where they take an extremely high speed video and place it into "slow motion". It is important to recognize that Christian salvation involves a momentary act that is composed of distinctive moments that are logically prior to and following from justification. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 notes about our redemption: 

"Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord."

In the first three chapters of Romans, we discover that mankind is faced with a three-fold crisis: a spiritual crisis, a moral crisis and a relational crisis. All three crises characterize sinful, fallen man. To address each of these crises, which are occurring simultaneously in the sinner on a practical, everyday level, God issues forth in the Gospel three distinctive "graces" that constitute the redemption or salvation of that person. Justification represents the second of these two and deals primarily with man's moral condition as a condemned and guilty sinner. There are two others which must be mentioned:

1. Regeneration. The Baptist Faith and Message places God's work of regeneration ahead of justification by faith in terms of logical sequence. It states: 

"Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace." 

The Baptist faith and Message then adds:

"Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour." 

2. Adoption. Though not specifically mentioned in the Baptist Faith and Message, the grace of adoption follows logically from one's legally declared change of position in justification. G.I. Williamson notes on adoption in his commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith:

"Adoption, as the term clearly implies, is an act of transfer from an alien family into the family of God Himself. It means that those who were by nature children of wrath, children of darkness, even children of Satan (Eph. 2:3, Col. 3:6, John 8:44), are constituted the children of light and and of God."

How regeneration, justification and adoption operate in the salvation of the sinner

Regeneration takes care of the sinner's spiritual death in sins and trespasses. Justification by faith is God's declaration over the sinner due to their simultaneous response to the Spirit's work in their heart. Justification takes care of the sinner's legal or moral crisis. But what about the relational crisis? It is where we find the grace of adoption grant the rights of responsibilities of the new found relationship legally declared in justification.  

Closing thoughts:

We aimed today to consider how the power of God is experienced in salvation. We did a "frame-by-frame" view of Biblical salvation, noting a sequence of logical moments in an otherwise simultaneous, instantaneous event we call salvation. We noted that there are the graces of: regeneration, justification and adoption. We discovered that each of these address mankind's spiritually dead crisis, moral crisis and relational crisis before a Holy righteous God. 

Faith Followed By Good Works - Understanding Justification and Sanctification

1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 "Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality."

The respulsive nature of our sinfulness before saving faith that deserves judgment

Whenever you read some passages in the Bible, you may come away sometimes in shock or even disgust at the imagery and events. Certainly God's graphic description of the sins of His people is shocking and disgusting. Isn’t that what sin should be to us? Grotesque! James 4:4 reminds us - "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." 

The description of Jerusalem and Judah in Ezekiel's day would had matched any other wicked city such as Ninevah in Assyria, Babylonia in Babylon or Sodom and Gomorrah. God's point was well made - sin is disgusting, repulsive and should be despised by God's people. Moreover, our sin before a Holy Righteous God does nothing for us but to make us guilty and deserving of judgment. As a result of Adam's rebellion in the garden - death, sin and guilt have been inherited and experienced by every human being born in history (with the exception of Jesus).
  

How justification by faith alone removes the penalty of our sin

Whenever you turn to James 2, you read about the nature of true saving faith - that faith will always be followed by good deeds. Though we are saved by grace through faith apart from the law (the point of the book of Romans), yet saving faith should and must evidence a life that is not lawless (James' point). Both books do not conflict, but rather complement one another in seeing the same saving faith with respect to what it takes to get right with God in salvation (Romans = saved by grace alone through faith alone) and the nature of such faith following salvation (James = kept by grace and a faith that is never alone).

The Biblical doctrine of justification teaches that faith alone is necessary and sufficient to receive salvation. At saving faith, the entire active obedience of Christ in His life and passive submission in the cross and empty tomb is credited or imputed to our spiritual poverty. When Jesus was on the cross, our willful disobedient life and refusal to submit to God was credited or imputed to Jesus Christ. Hence in the Biblical teaching of justification, the spiritual transaction that occurs stems from a double-crediting, a double-imputation if-you-please. In other words, Jesus on the cross was treated like me so that in saving faith I could be credited the Father with the righteousness of Jesus Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). In justification, the penalty of my sin is removed. 

Justification by faith is likened unto a mother and the works of sanctification are the little children following 

However following salvation, good works proceeding from faith is the chief evidence demonstrating the reality of one's justification. (James 2:14-20) We are saved by grace through faith alone, however following salvation, we are being saved by a faith that is never alone. All good works that follow from the one-time Divine pronouncement of justification at saving faith is what the scriptures call "sanctification". Many over the centuries have wondered how justification by faith and sanctification in good works relate to one another. 

Think of faith as a mother and good deeds like the children that follow the mother. Wherever the mother is, the little children are there in close proximity. We see this in how human mothers and children relate to one another. We moreso see in the animal kingdom this same principle, such as ducklings or chicks following their mother. 

With justification, the penalty of my sin is removed and in sanctification the power of the necessity of sin is removed. Although the presence of sin won't be removed until believers are in the Lord's presence, the sanctifying work of the Spirit gives power to fight and overcome sins and desire righteousness. The wonder of sanctification is not only in being set free from sin's power, but also having the power to live right and do right for God on the basis of Jesus' credited righteousness. 

To further elaborate the distinctions between justification and sanctification: in justification, I am positionally deemed righteous by God with Christ's righteousness. In sanctification, the Holy Spirit is making me in experience whom God has declared me to be in position. Both graces together work in the Christian to make them like a child following after their Lord. 

Biblically illustrating justification and sanctification in action

We started out this post by noting the disgusting nature of sin. However James points out that a harlot by the name of Rahab was justified by faith and demonstrated such faith by hiding the Jewish spies in the days of the conquest of Jericho (James 2:25). She was justified by faith apart from works and continued living by sanctifying faith that does work. Can God save harlots? Absolutely! God's grace is the only thing that can reach you and me in the depths of our sin and Christ's blood is the only thing that can overflow the heights of our sin and wipe away its guilt. That's the relationship between justification and sanctification.