Christ alone saves
Notes for study and points to ponder
The protestant reformation was birthed with the simple truth that we are justified by faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, apart from our own works or worthiness.
"We . . . maintain, that man is not only justified freely once for all, without any merit of works, but that on this gratuitous justification the salvation of man perpetually depends." - John Calvin
Doctrines that would indicate that we can make ourselves better or in some way add to or complete the finished work of Christ in His substitutionary work on the cross negate the grace of God and the cleansing blood of Jesus.
The gospel is not a self improvement program. For some the famous bible verse is GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES, but it is no where in the bible. Through Christ God helps those who are hopeless and cannot possibly help themselves.
It is time we return to the gospel in all of its pure simplicity that God does what no man can do, the impossible . . . he saves us, redeems us and by his grace changes us.
"Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His MERCY has he saved us."
"By grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast."
Put your trust in Christ and He will not only save you, but change you making you a new creature in Him, old things passed away and making all things new again.
We cannot save ourselves or make ourselves better. We cannot reform ourselves, but the grace of God can.
Salvation is of the Lord
"Salvation is of the Lord" Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole in the wilderness, a type of the substitutionary atonement of Christ. Anyone who looked upon that "cross" in the wilderness received healing and was protected. "Look and live"
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, put your trust in Him and in Him alone for eternal life.
"Paul declares nothing on behalf of man concerning his justification but only a true and lively faith which [itself] is a gift of God." - John Wesley
"But Christ without guilt . . . took upon Himself our punishment, in order that He might thus expiate our guilt and do away with our punishment." - Saint Augustine
Sola Gratia (by grace alone)
Oh, that the church would return to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the great secrets of the New Testament Church was that "great grace was upon them all."
Acts 4:33 doesn't say great faith was upon them, or great authority, or great holiness. It says with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all.
The Greek word here is mega and could properly be termed "mega" grace. The Church of Acts thrived because of MEGA GRACE.
Great reformation and harvest will come when the church returns to this truth and experiences Mega Grace!
Like a cloak the early church was covered with the Mega Grace of Christ.
Today the enemy fights this more than anything else. If he can keep the church in legalism, then he can keep the church from reformation and the resulting harvest of eternal souls into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is the reason that the enemy of our souls keeps sowing the seeds of GALATIANISM and false teaching into the church. In order to take our eyes off of Jesus and His finished work on the cross.
The truth is that the harder we work to be good or reform ourselves the further down the slippery slope we go. But when we trust in Christ and rely on His Grace, then are we truly raised up together with Him and seated with Him in heavenly places.
NOTE that the SECRET PLACE is above the Mercy Seat which is sprinkled with the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. That is where we commune with God and clearly hear His voice!!! Exodus 25:17-21
Come boldly to the throne of grace in order that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We don't enter there by following a set of man made rules or protocol, we don't enter there by merit or earning it. We can only enter there by the Blood of Christ, a new and living way.
(Eph 2:6) And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Remember: "by grace are you saved thru faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
It is the gift of God!
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. You can receive the gift of Christ today, simply turn to Him and put your trust in Him. Christ will come into your life, change you and make you a new creation in Him.
It is the greatest miracle in all creation. The New Creation in Jesus Christ.
Reformation will come when we remove the humanistic approach of "self help" and trust in Christ and in Christ alone.
Jeremiah 17:5
"Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm and whose heart departs from the Lord."
Solus Christus (in Christ alone)
There is one and only One Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. You cannot get to God through a man, a Pastor, a Leader or a Priest.
Our only access to God is thru Jesus Christ and His substitionary work on the cross.
While we were yet sinners Christ died on the cross to redeem us.
The only basis for entry into heaven is in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.
ONE MEDIATOR
Our only approach to the Throne of Grace is through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled on the Mercy Seat.
It is above the Mercy Seat that has been sprinkled with the atoning blood of Christ that God promised to commune with us.
This is His secret place.
It is only by virture of the blood of Christ sacrificed for us on the cross that we can approach the Throne of GRACE with boldness and obtain Mercy.
Down through the years particularly in the charismatic movement there has been alot said about COVERING OR COVERINGS.
For the past 37 years I have prayerfully studied the bible. I attended 3 major universities and a theological seminary where I was trained by one of the worlds finest greek scholars.
I find only one covering in the Word of God
Jesus Christ and His precious atoning blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat in heaven.
My challenge to those who teach coverings or speak of coverings is to find Chapter and verse in the Word of God for their teachings!
I am very concerned with any teaching that takes away from the cross, any doctrine that focuses on man instead of Jesus, that focuses on human effort and merit instead of the grace of God through Jesus Christ!!!
A great gospel awakening, a great grace awakening is coming to America, but it will not come to those bound by legalism. The Truth shall set you free.
Thank God for the blood of Christ that cleanses us, redeems us and restores us into fellowship with God the Father.
Thank God for Jesus Christ and His wonderful grace, compassion and love.
Today you are invited to come boldly to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and find help in your time of need.
Now I understand the need for church government and certain legal guidelines in organizing churches and denominations. But "covering" is a biblical term used exclusively for atonement in both the old and new testaments. When examined biblically much of this teaching on "coverings" is an affront to the atoning work of Christ and in my view very dangerous indeed.
The church needs desperately to return to this great truth: Christ alone!
Soli Deo Gloria (glory to God alone)
It is so easy to look to people, only natural to look up to leaders.
God has blessed me with some great Fathers in the faith. I have been blessed to enjoy many great mentors in my life. A few have disappointed me at times, but most have left me with a lasting legacy of love, compassion and faithfulness.
As a kid I looked up to Superman, the Lone Ranger and others. Growing up we all look for heroes, people we can look up to.
Unfortunately as believers we often look to people instead of to Christ.
I think we are all guilty of putting people on pedestals. Our God is a jealous God. One of the Ten Commandments is against Idolatry and the scripture strictly forbids giving glory to man instead of to God.
We live in the age of televangelism and superstar christianity.
Names, fame and reputation are exalted above character, honesty and integrity. We live in a culture where certain leaders are placed upon pedestals and honored as heros, or even worshipped as idols.
If a guy flies a lear jet, drives a BMW and is on television, then WOW . . . everything he says must be gospel truth. Right?
Honestly, there is more false teaching, more false apostles and prophets today than any other time in human history. There has never been a great need for discernment than we have today.
1John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
It is not wrong to respect and show gratitude for Pastors and Christian Leaders.
However, often these leaders receive glory and honor that rightfully belongs to Christ and Christ alone.
It is not scriptural to worship leaders and not fair to them when we put them on pedestals and expect them to be perfect.
Leaders are only human and share the same faults and weaknesses that we all have. No matter how great their reputation, how large their ministries, they are only human.
Today ministry has become a mega business with much competition and lack of integrity. Sadly today, many good Christian Leaders have fallen for this very reason.
We expect too much of them and demand perfection on the one hand. On the other we set them up for pride and for a fall when we put them up on such pedestals.
"Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."
The Reformers were 100% right on target when the restored the truth that ALL GLORY belongs to Christ. For it is in Christ alone and by virture of His all sufficient atonement on the cross that we are eternally saved and secure in Him.
Jesus Christ never promoted or recognized a religious hierarchy.
Human leaders are not worthy of the glory to belongs to Christ alone.
It is so easy to put humans on pedestals and look to them instead of Christ. This was the fault of the church during the times of the Reformers, and so it is today. Remember the words of Christ found in Luke 22:24
"A dispute arose among them as to which onf of them was to be the greatest. But JESUS said to them:
The kings of the Gentiles lord it ove them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors.
But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become your minister and the leader like one who serves.
I am among you as One who serves."
I trust that what I have shared will be taken in the spirit in which I have shared it. I recognize completely that I am human as well and can be wrong on some points just like anybody else.
If you knew me personally you would know that I am teachable and pray continually for those who may disagree with me. When I am corrected on a biblical basis I am quick to repent and admit that I was wrong.
My prayer today is that you will consider the foundational teaching of the great reformers and join with us as together we turn the church back to Christ and a Christ centered ministry which focuses on giving Glory to Christ alone!
Charles Fowler
What we need is . . . a spiritual Reformation and thus a conversion of Christians and of the Christian churches themselves — a conversion to the truth of their own message. — Karl Barth
The protestant reformation was birthed with the simple truth that we are justified by faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, apart from our own works or worthiness.
Christ and Christ alone saves!
"We . . . maintain, that man is not only justified freely once for all, without any merit of works, but that on this gratuitous justification the salvation of man perpetually depends." - John Calvin
Doctrines that would indicate that we can make ourselves better or in some way add to or complete the finished work of Christ in His substitutionary work on the cross negate the grace of God and the cleansing blood of Jesus.
The gospel is not a self improvement program. For some the famous bible verse is GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES, but it is no where in the bible. Through Christ God helps those who are hopeless and cannot possibly help themselves.
It is time we return to the gospel in all of its pure simplicity that God does what no man can do, the impossible . . . he saves us, redeems us and by his grace changes us.
"Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His MERCY has he saved us."
"By grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast."
Put your trust in Christ and He will not only save you, but change you making you a new creature in Him, old things passed away and making all things new again.
We cannot save ourselves or make ourselves better. We cannot reform ourselves, but the grace of God can.
Salvation is of the Lord
"Salvation is of the Lord" Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole in the wilderness, a type of the substitutionary atonement of Christ. Anyone who looked upon that "cross" in the wilderness received healing and was protected. "Look and live"
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, put your trust in Him and in Him alone for eternal life.
"Paul declares nothing on behalf of man concerning his justification but only a true and lively faith which [itself] is a gift of God." - John Wesley
"But Christ without guilt . . . took upon Himself our punishment, in order that He might thus expiate our guilt and do away with our punishment." - Saint Augustine
Sola Gratia (by grace alone)
Oh, that the church would return to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the great secrets of the New Testament Church was that "great grace was upon them all."
Acts 4:33 doesn't say great faith was upon them, or great authority, or great holiness. It says with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all.
The Greek word here is mega and could properly be termed "mega" grace. The Church of Acts thrived because of MEGA GRACE.
Great reformation and harvest will come when the church returns to this truth and experiences Mega Grace!
Like a cloak the early church was covered with the Mega Grace of Christ.
Today the enemy fights this more than anything else. If he can keep the church in legalism, then he can keep the church from reformation and the resulting harvest of eternal souls into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is the reason that the enemy of our souls keeps sowing the seeds of GALATIANISM and false teaching into the church. In order to take our eyes off of Jesus and His finished work on the cross.
The truth is that the harder we work to be good or reform ourselves the further down the slippery slope we go. But when we trust in Christ and rely on His Grace, then are we truly raised up together with Him and seated with Him in heavenly places.
NOTE that the SECRET PLACE is above the Mercy Seat which is sprinkled with the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. That is where we commune with God and clearly hear His voice!!! Exodus 25:17-21
Come boldly to the throne of grace in order that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We don't enter there by following a set of man made rules or protocol, we don't enter there by merit or earning it. We can only enter there by the Blood of Christ, a new and living way.
(Eph 2:6) And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Remember: "by grace are you saved thru faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
It is the gift of God!
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. You can receive the gift of Christ today, simply turn to Him and put your trust in Him. Christ will come into your life, change you and make you a new creation in Him.
It is the greatest miracle in all creation. The New Creation in Jesus Christ.
Reformation will come when we remove the humanistic approach of "self help" and trust in Christ and in Christ alone.
Jeremiah 17:5
"Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm and whose heart departs from the Lord."
Solus Christus (in Christ alone)
There is one and only One Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. You cannot get to God through a man, a Pastor, a Leader or a Priest.
Our only access to God is thru Jesus Christ and His substitionary work on the cross.
While we were yet sinners Christ died on the cross to redeem us.
The only basis for entry into heaven is in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.
ONE MEDIATOR
Our only approach to the Throne of Grace is through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled on the Mercy Seat.
It is above the Mercy Seat that has been sprinkled with the atoning blood of Christ that God promised to commune with us.
This is His secret place.
It is only by virture of the blood of Christ sacrificed for us on the cross that we can approach the Throne of GRACE with boldness and obtain Mercy.
Down through the years particularly in the charismatic movement there has been alot said about COVERING OR COVERINGS.
For the past 37 years I have prayerfully studied the bible. I attended 3 major universities and a theological seminary where I was trained by one of the worlds finest greek scholars.
I find only one covering in the Word of God
Jesus Christ and His precious atoning blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat in heaven.
My challenge to those who teach coverings or speak of coverings is to find Chapter and verse in the Word of God for their teachings!
I am very concerned with any teaching that takes away from the cross, any doctrine that focuses on man instead of Jesus, that focuses on human effort and merit instead of the grace of God through Jesus Christ!!!
A great gospel awakening, a great grace awakening is coming to America, but it will not come to those bound by legalism. The Truth shall set you free.
Thank God for the blood of Christ that cleanses us, redeems us and restores us into fellowship with God the Father.
Thank God for Jesus Christ and His wonderful grace, compassion and love.
Today you are invited to come boldly to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and find help in your time of need.
Now I understand the need for church government and certain legal guidelines in organizing churches and denominations. But "covering" is a biblical term used exclusively for atonement in both the old and new testaments. When examined biblically much of this teaching on "coverings" is an affront to the atoning work of Christ and in my view very dangerous indeed.
The church needs desperately to return to this great truth: Christ alone!
Soli Deo Gloria (glory to God alone)
It is so easy to look to people, only natural to look up to leaders.
God has blessed me with some great Fathers in the faith. I have been blessed to enjoy many great mentors in my life. A few have disappointed me at times, but most have left me with a lasting legacy of love, compassion and faithfulness.
As a kid I looked up to Superman, the Lone Ranger and others. Growing up we all look for heroes, people we can look up to.
Unfortunately as believers we often look to people instead of to Christ.
I think we are all guilty of putting people on pedestals. Our God is a jealous God. One of the Ten Commandments is against Idolatry and the scripture strictly forbids giving glory to man instead of to God.
We live in the age of televangelism and superstar christianity.
Names, fame and reputation are exalted above character, honesty and integrity. We live in a culture where certain leaders are placed upon pedestals and honored as heros, or even worshipped as idols.
If a guy flies a lear jet, drives a BMW and is on television, then WOW . . . everything he says must be gospel truth. Right?
Honestly, there is more false teaching, more false apostles and prophets today than any other time in human history. There has never been a great need for discernment than we have today.
1John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
It is not wrong to respect and show gratitude for Pastors and Christian Leaders.
However, often these leaders receive glory and honor that rightfully belongs to Christ and Christ alone.
It is not scriptural to worship leaders and not fair to them when we put them on pedestals and expect them to be perfect.
Leaders are only human and share the same faults and weaknesses that we all have. No matter how great their reputation, how large their ministries, they are only human.
Today ministry has become a mega business with much competition and lack of integrity. Sadly today, many good Christian Leaders have fallen for this very reason.
We expect too much of them and demand perfection on the one hand. On the other we set them up for pride and for a fall when we put them up on such pedestals.
"Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."
The Reformers were 100% right on target when the restored the truth that ALL GLORY belongs to Christ. For it is in Christ alone and by virture of His all sufficient atonement on the cross that we are eternally saved and secure in Him.
Jesus Christ never promoted or recognized a religious hierarchy.
Human leaders are not worthy of the glory to belongs to Christ alone.
It is so easy to put humans on pedestals and look to them instead of Christ. This was the fault of the church during the times of the Reformers, and so it is today. Remember the words of Christ found in Luke 22:24
"A dispute arose among them as to which onf of them was to be the greatest. But JESUS said to them:
The kings of the Gentiles lord it ove them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors.
But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become your minister and the leader like one who serves.
I am among you as One who serves."
I trust that what I have shared will be taken in the spirit in which I have shared it. I recognize completely that I am human as well and can be wrong on some points just like anybody else.
If you knew me personally you would know that I am teachable and pray continually for those who may disagree with me. When I am corrected on a biblical basis I am quick to repent and admit that I was wrong.
My prayer today is that you will consider the foundational teaching of the great reformers and join with us as together we turn the church back to Christ and a Christ centered ministry which focuses on giving Glory to Christ alone!
Charles Fowler
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