As John Knox, the great hero of the Scottish Reformation lay dying, He related to his friends how that Satan had tried to steal away his hope of salvation. First Satan attempted to shake his faith by pointing out the sins and failures of his life and ministry. Knox told how he sent the enemy packing with the mighty argument of the blood of Christ. Then Satan presented his final temptation, his masterpiece of deceit. He whispered to the reformer, “Surely God will have mercy upon you. You have nothing to fear, for the Holy Spirit has worked mightily in you to bring the gospel to this land.” But John Knox knew that his salvation and right standing with God neither rested on his work for God nor the Spirit’s work within him, but was grounded exclusively in the finished work of Christ. With this knowledge, he was able to route Satan and put him into retreat.
When we look to anything other than Christ and His blood for our assurance, we deny the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work on our behalf. Christ's finished work and that work alone is enough to guarantee full salvation! Too often we look to some change in our character or to some work which we have done to secure our salvation—but this is a fatal error! While salvation brings change and produces good works, these new qualities in us and works done by us are never the ground and basis of our acceptance before God. Christ alone is made unto us righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30).
What are we resting upon? Is it something to do with us or is our confidence in Christ alone? The powerful 19th century preacher, Rowland Hill, said it like this; “People talk about looking back on a well-spent life; I look up to Him who spent His life gloriously to redeem the life of my precious soul, and there alone I dare to look.”
But says someone; “We must have infused righteousness in order to ensure our acceptance with God. We must have sanctification otherwise we cannot know whether we are saved or lost.”
This is anti-gospel, religious nonsense! Our acceptance with the Father is not grounded on any quality in us or on anything we can do or have done but on the worthiness and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The gospel is about the good works of the Eternal Word made flesh. The gospel of God is, "concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" and His divine virtues. It is neither about us nor our virtues (Romans 1:1-4).
Our acceptance is based on the gospel blessing that we have already been sanctified by the will of God through the doing and dying of Christ.
"By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10).
Again we read, "For by one offering He has perfected forever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14).
In addition, our sins have already been purged and put away (Hebrews 1:3; 9:26).
Furthermore, eternal redemption has already been obtained for us (Hebrews 9:12).
And all this is according to the good pleasure of God’s will (Ephesians 1:5-8).
Now we can approach the Lord in unashamed freedom, nothing doubting! He has already cleansed us. All charges against us have already been answered!
Acquittal and acceptance are not given to us because we deserve them but because we need them. We are received because of our need, not our worth. That’s grace and that’s love. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
Does God lie? No? Then listen to this, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus . . . let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith . . . " (Hebrews 10:19, 22). Here then is the certainty of our acceptance—Jesus and His shed blood plus nothing.
And that’s the Gospel Truth!