(This entry marks 1000 posts to this blog. It has been one of my real joys to have this outlet to share what the Lord has taught me in daily, consistent Bible reading. I trust it has been a blessing to those who have been reading them as well.)
1 Corinthians 15:2 KJV
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
The Apostle Paul makes a clarification in this verse that is important for us to consider regularly. Rather than giving people assurance of their salvation, Paul actually gave them cause to question their salvation. The Gospel saves and saves securely, but it saves with some exceptions. John Gill describes those two exceptions in this manner
...if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you...
it is the man that perseveres in the faith and doctrine of Christ that shall be saved; and everyone that has truly believed in Christ, and cordially embraced his Gospel, shall hold on, and out to the end; though the faith of nominal believers may be overthrown by such men, as Hymenaeus and Philetus, who asserted, that the resurrection was past already; but so shall not the faith of real believers, because the foundation on which they are built stands sure, and the Lord has perfect knowledge of them, and will keep and save them.
...unless ye have believed in vain.as the word may be heard in vain, as it is by such who are compared to the wayside, and to the thorny and rocky ground; and as the Gospel of the grace of God may be received in vain; so a mere historical faith may be in vain; this a man may have, and not the grace of God, and so be nothing; with this he may believe for a while, and then drop it: and since each of these might possibly be the case of some in this church, the apostle puts in these exceptions, in order to awaken the attention of them all to this important doctrine he was reminding them of.
Perhaps the most important part of Gills comments are, "...the apostle puts in these exceptions, in order to awaken the attention of them all..." We ought to be awakening the attention of the soul who possesses a security that he is saved without demonstrating in his life that salvation has been effectual.
1 Corinthians 15:2 KJV
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
The Apostle Paul makes a clarification in this verse that is important for us to consider regularly. Rather than giving people assurance of their salvation, Paul actually gave them cause to question their salvation. The Gospel saves and saves securely, but it saves with some exceptions. John Gill describes those two exceptions in this manner
...if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you...
it is the man that perseveres in the faith and doctrine of Christ that shall be saved; and everyone that has truly believed in Christ, and cordially embraced his Gospel, shall hold on, and out to the end; though the faith of nominal believers may be overthrown by such men, as Hymenaeus and Philetus, who asserted, that the resurrection was past already; but so shall not the faith of real believers, because the foundation on which they are built stands sure, and the Lord has perfect knowledge of them, and will keep and save them.
...unless ye have believed in vain.as the word may be heard in vain, as it is by such who are compared to the wayside, and to the thorny and rocky ground; and as the Gospel of the grace of God may be received in vain; so a mere historical faith may be in vain; this a man may have, and not the grace of God, and so be nothing; with this he may believe for a while, and then drop it: and since each of these might possibly be the case of some in this church, the apostle puts in these exceptions, in order to awaken the attention of them all to this important doctrine he was reminding them of.
Perhaps the most important part of Gills comments are, "...the apostle puts in these exceptions, in order to awaken the attention of them all..." We ought to be awakening the attention of the soul who possesses a security that he is saved without demonstrating in his life that salvation has been effectual.
Congrads, on 1,000 posts and Thanks,
ReplyDeleteI have you on my google reader, every post comes up on my reader.
I have enjoyed reading them.
God bless,
Bro. Jeff Hallmark
Thanks Bro Hallmark.
ReplyDeleteI trust the Lord is blessing you as well.