Saved again and again
Another great series of articles I wrote a while back worth checking it out…
Here’s an excerpt from the series I did on the doctrine of sin (aka “harmartiology”):
For most of us, we might have thought that Jesus Christ’s life, persecution, death and resurrection was enough to save us from our sins, to forgive us, and justify us before a Holy Holy Holy LORD God. But I think what most of us has forgotten is that this same grace sustains us–day in and day out. Sanctification, the process of something sinful being made holy, has its source in this same grace–any good that we can ever do, or any obedience that we could ever muster only happens because of God’s grace. Grace is the source of (good) work. Our works is the fruit of saving grace–it was exactly what we were saved to do (Ephesians 2:8-10)…and in our working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2) we look forward to the “Future Grace” of God.
It was indeed for our sake & to the Father’s glory that God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin , so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Therefore, we are not just a sinner saved by grace. We are sinners who have been cleanesed, forgiven, transformed, and made righteous and holy in Christ–we are saints! And as grace is through faith and not by works, so also our identity is not defined by what we do or do not do–namely, sin. Even though our nature and our sinning would define us by as sinners who are completely depraved in our entire beings, Christ by His covenantal blood declares us as HIS, holy and faithful ones.
