The Two Gospels and Adoption, the Basis of Eternal Security

I knew a couple who had two children. They were good parents. They made sure their children had the education and spiritual food they needed. One day they heard about a young girl who had been abused who was a ward of the state. They decided to adopt her and love her. They carried through and did what they decided to do.

At first they poured out their love to her. But soon, other people could see a discrimination between her and the natural children. She couldn’t do things the way her parents expected, but the other children always did. She couldn’t be trusted, but the other children were. She didn’t get good grades, but they did. After a while, the parents were sorry they had adopted her. By this time she had developed some severe emotional problems.

If you were a child observing this situation, you would never want to be an adopted child. When we read Galatians 4:3-7 in this light, we may not want to be an adopted son either.

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

But let’s notice some important things in this passage. The promise of this adoption shows a great change in our present lives. We are no longer slaves but sons. We are now heirs of God.

What does this adoption mean? We can change wills all we want, today, but it was different in ancient Greek law. In Galatians 3:15, it says, “Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant[1] yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.” The great Asia Minor archaeologist of a hundred years ago, William Ramsay, helps us understand the meaning of this word, diatheke, which can be translated covenant or will. He wrote,

An illustration from the ordinary facts of society, as it existed in the Galatian cities, is here stated: “I speak after the manner of men”. The will (diaqhkh) of a human being is irrevocable when once duly executed: hence the Will of God, formally pledged to Abraham, that all nations should be blessed in his seed, i.e., in Christ, cannot be affected by the subsequent act of God executed centuries later, vis., the giving of the Law. The inheritance of blessing comes from the original Will, and cannot be affected by the subsequent Law. . . . The question as to the sense of the Greek word Diatheke in this passage must be carefully distinguished from the far more important question as to its general Biblical meaning. Here the word is used in allusion to every-day life among ordinary men. The Biblical usage is a different topic. . . . That the word must in this passage be taken in the technical sense of Will is shown by the following reasons. In the first place the Diatheke is proved to indicate a Will by the fact that an inheritance, klhronomia, is determined by it, 3:18. Secondly, Paul says that he is speaking “after the manner of men,” 3:15. He therefore is employing the word in the sense in which it was commonly used as part of the ordinary life of the cities of the East. What this sense was there can be no doubt. The word is often found in the inscriptions, and always in the same sense which it bears in the classical Greek writers, Will or Testament. But, if Paul is speaking about a Will, how can he say that, after it is once made, it is irrevocable? It is this difficulty that has made the commentators on this passage reject almost unanimously the sense of Will. They do not try to determine what was the nature of a Will among the Galatians, but assume that an ancient Will was pretty much of the same nature as a modern Will. Our procedures must be very different. We have to take the word Diatheke in its ordinary sense “after the manner of men”: then we observe what is the character attributed by Paul to the Galatian Will: finally we investigate what relation the Galatian Will bears to the known classed of Will in other ancient nations, and so determine its origin. In Hellenized Asia Minor, at the time when Paul was writing, the Diatheke or Will was a provision to maintain the continuity of the family with its religious obligations. . . . It is here plainly stated that when the Will has been properly executed with all legal formalities, no person can make it ineffective or add any further clause or conditions. . . . We are confronted with a legal idea that the duly executed Will cannot be revoked by a subsequent act of the testator. Such irrevocability was a characteristic feature of Greek law, according to which an heir outside the family must be adopted into the family; and the adoption was the Will making. Galatian procedure, evidently, was similar. The appointment of an heir was the adoption of a son, and was final and irrevocable. The testator, after adopting his heir, could not subsequently take away from him his share in the inheritance or impose new conditions on his succession. That is a totally different conception of a Will from our modern ideas. We think of a Will as secret and inoperative during the life-time of the testator, as revocable by him at pleasure, and as executed by him only with a view to his own death. A Will of that kind could have no application to God, and no such analogy could have been used by Paul. But the Galatian Will, like God’s Word, is irrevocable and unalterable; it comes into operation as soon as the conditions are performed by the heir; it is public and open. Such also was the original Roman Will; but that kind of Will had become obsolete in Roman law. It could have been familiar to no one except a legal antiquary; and neither Paul nor any other Provincial is likely to have known anything about that ancient Roman idea. . . . Galatian law was evidently of kindred spirit to Greek law and unlike Roman, just as we found to be the case in regard to adoption and heirship. The exact sense of [verse] 15 must be observed. Paul does not say that a supplementary Will (epidiaqhkh) cannot be made; but that the new Will cannot interfere with or invalidate the old Will. . . . The Roman-Syrian Law-Book . . . well illustrates this passage of the Epistle. It actually lays down the principle that a man can never put away an adopted son, and that he cannot put away a real son without good ground. It is remarkable that the adopted son should have a stronger position than the son by birth; yet it was so. . . . When diaqhkh is understood thus, the paragraph becomes full of meaning; but this sense could hardly have existed except in a country where Greek law had been established for some considerable time. . . . The expression in v. 15, “when it hath been confirmed,” must also be observed. Every Will had to be passed through the Record Office of the city. It was not regarded in the Greek law as a purely private document . . . It must be deposited, either in original or in a properly certified copy, in the Record Office; and the officials there were bound to satisfy themselves that it was a properly valid document before they accepted it. If there was an earlier will, the later must not be accepted, unless it was found not to interfere with the preceding one.[2]

With this understanding of diatheke, diaqhkh, will, Paul’s message of adoption and its implications for our security become very clear. Adoption, uioqesia, means son placed. You are made a son as soon as you are saved. Romans 8:14-16 establishes that.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

However, we have not arrived at the time of our adoption yet according to Ephesians 1:5, “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” Once we trust Christ as our Savior, we become part of God’s predestinated program of adoption. Our adoption is absolutely certain. Its basis is God’s predestination. Nothing can change that Will.

In referring to adoption, Ramsay said Paul used the word as “a son after he has succeeded to the inheritance.” Now, by Roman and Syrian law, a son came of age at 14. But he was under a curator till he was 25. This brings us to another question. When is the time of our adoption? We understand that we have the first fruits of our salvation – pardon, forgiveness, security, acceptance, and sanctification. But, adoption is not mentioned. When does the adoption take place?

From Romans 8:23, we see that the adoption takes place at the redemption of our bodies – when these bodies are changed. This is the time of the rapture. “Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

We have already touched on it, but it is so important that I want to reiterate it. The certainty of our adoption is based on God's predestination. God’s predestination of our future gives a security that nothing else can supply. God foreknew the corporate body of Christ. In this foreknowledge, He planned that all members of the body of Christ would be holy and blameless before Him. When we freely receive the gospel and believe, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. Once we become a member of His body, we partake of His foreknown and predestined plan. Once we are saved, we cannot lose our salvation – it’s predestinated. Romans 8:29-32 gives the whole plan.

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Notice, the concept of adoption – “that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” – is in this passage even though the actual word is not used.

Ephesians 1:4,5 is an even stronger passage since it uses adoption. Again, notice that our adoption is predestined.

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

We long for our adoption so much we groan. We can’t wait until that time comes. Not only do we groan, but the whole creation groans under the present burden of the curse.

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body (Rom 8:22,23).

Our present guarantee of our future adoption is the Holy Spirit's sealing. That’s what it says in Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.” Just as in the last case, the stronger statement is found in Ephesians 1:13,14:

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

And according to Ephesians 4:30, this guarantee lasts until we don’t need it. We are sealed until or for the day of redemption. Once we reach that day, we will be changed and have no more need for His sealing. We will be with Him in glory. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30).

Only the redeemed of this dispensation, members of the body of Christ, are promised this sealing guarantee.

Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Gal 4:1-5).

But the ramifications of our future adoption are present with us now. We have the Holy Spirit now. We cry “Abba, Father.” We are His children now. We know we are secure in Christ because we are sealed. That sealing is our guarantee. We have two wonderful portions of scripture which say it beautifully. They are Galatians 4:6,7 and Romans 8:14-17.

Galatians 4:6-7 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father! 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Romans 8:14-17 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

But there is a lot of confusion about what a person has to do to receive salvation and be secure in it. When these questions surfaced in Galatia, Paul got upset.

Gal 1:6-9 I’m amazed that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

Men’s lives were at stake. Paul was “afraid for” the ones in Galatia. Notice what he wrote in Galatians 4:9-11,

But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

Was he concerned about the salvation of all of them? No, because he had just written Galatians 4:4-7 to them.

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

He knew most of them were saved. They knew the figure of adoption that Paul used was from current Greek law. The Greek law that Alexander established when he conquered this area said the adopted son could not be disinherited.

We will realize the maturing of this adoption when we are raptured before the tribulation. Romans 8:23 describes our adoption, somewhat. “Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”

Ephesians 1:5 clearly states the security we members of the body of Christ have: “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”

In Galatia, some had believed after Paul left them. He was concerned about them. He wrote Gal 5:2-4 to them.

Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

He was so concerned that he wrote Gal 5:7-12.

You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!

Well, how did this whole upsetting mess get started? To begin with, Christ was sent only to Israel. In Matthew 15:24 Christ Himself said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And Paul was inspired to write Romans 15:8, “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers.” When Israel rejected Christ, God raised up Paul with a commission different from the 12 Apostles. Their commission required baptism for salvation.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mk 16:15-18).

In contrast, Paul’s commission did not include baptism. “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect” (1 Co 1:17).

There was a different dispensation, that is, a different method of salvation. Peter and the eleven had the gospel of the circumcision. Paul had the gospel of the uncircumcision. The circumcision gospel was always associated with works for salvation. Paul’s gospel, according to Acts 16:31, was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Paul was given a whole new program called the dispensation of the Mystery, or the dispensation of Grace. This is recorded in Ephesians 3:1-9.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles; 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship [oi*konomiva, dispensation] of the mystery, which has been hidden from the ages in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

Paul had been given a different gospel by the resurrected Christ according to Galatians 2:7-9

But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel of the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship of the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

So, then, what gospel should we proclaim? Even though we have shown that Paul preached a gospel different from Peter's, others say they’re the same. So, let's continue checking this out. What did Peter preach as the gospel in his first sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:22-24,30-38

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know; 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.

For some reason, Peter doesn’t even mention the redemption Christ purchased on the cross. His sermon emphasized that Christ was the Messiah of Israel. That was his important message.

Later, when Peter went to Cornelius in Acts 10:34-43 he

opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord of all; 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

When we look at the bold printed words above, we can see that works were essential for salvation: “Whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”

As far as the method of salvation is concerned, Peter’s gospel was quite different from Paul’s. In Acts 2:37,38, when they heard his sermon,

they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said to them, [Here’s the method] Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Later, when he wrote his first epistle to “the pilgrims of the Dispersion”, in 1 Pet 3:21, he wrote,

There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Water baptism was necessary for salvation.

Peter also admonished them to make their election sure by doing good works in 2 Pet 1:10,11.

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And for those who did not make their election sure, there was no hope, for Peter wrote in 2 Peter 2:20,

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

The ones who “escaped” in verse 20 are those who were deceived by the false teachers. The context points to the ones deceived by the false teachers. They first “escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge[3] of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. At the time they “escaped”, they would be in a state of salvation no matter what their identity. Their state of salvation in contrast to ours is this: Our salvation is sealed. Theirs is conditional, dependent on their endurance by faith.

2 Peter 2:20 is very similar to Hebrews 6:4-9: “If they fall away”.[4] Here, we read, “If . . . they are again entangled.” In both places they lose their position in the process of salvation. In both places “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning” because “it is impossible . . . . to renew them again to repentance,” so they cannot resume the process of salvation. With the complete knowledge of the new covenant, they really knew better. So they were without excuse. One who would sin this way would commit the unpardonable sin of having the certain knowledge of the new covenant and despising it (1 Jo 2:20-27).

Why would it “have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness”? Isn’t it always better for someone to know the way of righteousness? That is true in this dispensation because a person always has the opportunity to come to the Lord. But in that dispensation, it would be “better not to have known” in the first place than to know it, experience the blessings of salvation, and then lose out completely. What a disaster! To be in the process of salvation, then lose it. But worse than that, to be unable to ever get back into it again. Hebrews 10:27-29 tells us of the true misery of

a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”

Why should there be such a “fearful expectation of judgment”? Why this “fiery indignation”? Because a special knowledge is given to partakers of the new covenant (Isa 54:13; Jer 24:7; 31:34). With this special knowledge, the new covenant requires the responsibility of faithfulness. Please do not misunderstand me. Such faithfulness would not come from their own power. As they concentrated on loving God, it would be “the power of God [released] through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pe 1:5).

In contrast, what gospel did Paul preach? In Acts 13:16-39, he started with the calling of Israel to King David. Then in verse 23 he said,

From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior; Jesus; 24 after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 26 Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Simply put, the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:30-32

brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

In his epistles, Paul gave the same message of salvation. In Rom 3:21,22, he wrote,

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference.

And the gospel in a nut shell is found in Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

As far as the method of salvation is concerned, in contrast to Peter’s “be even more diligent to make your call and election sure,” Paul wrote in 1 Co 3:15, “If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” Then, in contrast to the required works for salvation which Peter, James, and John taught, Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:4-9,

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

And in Titus 3:4-7,

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

God raised up the Apostle Paul and gave him a brand new message. Then, what should we proclaim? Should we teach the Mosaic law, the kingdom gospel that was for the Jews, or the message of grace that is for this dispensation?

There is nothing more important to a person than his salvation and security? Nothing! Then, why is there so much confusion in the Christian world about this subject? The confusion comes from mixing together the method of salvation from the two different dispensations we’ve been studying. Instead of mixing them, we must learn to contrast the messages. It was different in the dispensations which were associated with the gospel of the kingdom – also called the gospel of the circumcision, that given to Peter.

Let’s read Galatians 2:7, “But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision had been committed to me, as the gospel of the circumcision was to Peter”. Under the gospel of the circumcision, they had to believe and be baptized to be saved,

Christ said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mk 16:15,16).

Peter commanded the same thing on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:38, Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” He later wrote a similar statement in 1 Pe 3:21,22,

There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Another doctrine associated with the gospel of the circumcision or the gospel of the kingdom, was endurance. They had to endure to be saved. One example of that is John 15:1-6,

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Another example of their need to endure is found in Mat 24:13,14, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

One of the most confusing was the requirement to do the works of the law. Notice what Mat 19:16-22 says.

Now behold, one came and said to Him, Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? 17 So He said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He said to Him, Which ones? Jesus said, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 20 The young man said to Him, All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack? 21 Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

These principles for salvation were repeated much later by James when he was writing to the Jewish dispersion in Jam 1:22-2:24. Please read the whole passage to get the context.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty [The Mosaic law.] and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 8 If you really fulfill the royal law [The Mosaic law.] according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, [The Mosaic law.] and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, [in the Mosaic law.]“Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder. ” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law [The Mosaic law.]. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty [The Mosaic law.]. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? [after he was circumcised and the covenant of circumcision was made with him by God.] 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which said [before he was given the covenant of circumcision], “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. ” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

In contrast, in the dispensation of Grace which was given to Paul according to Ephesians 3:1-3,

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles – 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery,

in this dispensation we have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 16:31). That’s all!

Now, when you mix these two gospels together, you cause a short circuit and the sparks of confusion fly. But, how do we divide these two gospels? What is the answer? We find over and over again in Acts 9:15, 13:46, 18:6, 22:17-21, 26:17,18, 28:28, Romans, Galatians 1:11-2:10, Ephesians 3:1-9, and Colossians, that Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles – the uncircumcision. Not only did he preach a new gospel, the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24), but he showed that God had a new spiritual blessing for this dispensation, which we call eternal security.

Let’s look at the best portion which describes this doctrine for this dispensation, Eph 1:3-14.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Notice, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing because we are in Christ.

4 just as

This “just as” opens a section where he explains one of those spiritual blessings of verse 3. This spiritual blessing is unique to the dispensation of grace. We are the only ones who have this eternal security. This blessing may be special to us because this is the dispensation in which God is not showing signs and miracles to His saints.

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

Notice, once we believe in Christ as our Savior, we are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Co 12:13). Then we find out that the body of Christ was chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame. Because we were baptized into Christ, we now have this security. We will be holy and blameless because we are in Christ. This is an absolute. We can’t lose it because God predestined it.

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

The adoption which we will experience at the rapture (Rom 8:23) is predestined. We can’t lose it. Our holiness and blamelessness is secure once we trust Christ as our Savior.

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

Once we believe, He makes us accepted in Christ because of His grace. We don’t have to endure to be saved, He keeps us.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

We are in Christ. The Holy Spirit seals us in Christ (Eph 1:13; 4:30). Because of this, we have redemption. We are accepted. All of our sins – past, present, and future – are forgiven. All of this is according to His abundant grace. But it is only because we are in Christ.

9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

We see from this that He has made known to us His purpose for this present dispensation. He wants to fill up the church which is the body of Christ in this dispensation. Christ accomplished the act of propitiation by dying on the cross. We become part of His fullness when we believe.

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance,

It’s not that we will obtain the inheritance; we have it right now. But we only have it because we are “in Him.”

being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things

Not everything, but a specific all things – the all things which is the body of Christ.

according to the counsel of His will,

Again, the basis for our inheritance is God’s predestination. This predestination is not to salvation, but our security once we are in the body of Christ. Further, this predestination is according to God’s purpose. He wants us to be holy and blameless. Again, we are the all things (ta panta, the all things of Eph 1:23) He is working, we, the members of the body.

12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

“That” shows us the purpose for those who trust in Christ. He makes it absolutely sure that we will “be to the praise of His glory.”

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

After you trusted Christ as your savior, we find that you were sealed by the Holy Spirit. How long were you sealed? Until you sinned? Until you fell away? No! It says in Ephesians 4:30 that you were sealed until the day of redemption. After the day of redemption, we’ll be home in glory. We won’t need to be sealed any more.

14 [The Holy Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We have a guarantee. We know we have an inheritance in the heavenlies because the Holy Spirit is our guarantee. We have this guarantee until the redemption of our bodies which takes place at the rapture. We cannot lose our salvation, no matter what.

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[1] diatheke, diaqhkh, “A disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one wishes to be valid; the last disposition which one makes of his earthly possessions after his death; a testament or will.”

[2] William Ramsay, A Historical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, Minneapolis: Klock & Klock, 1978, pp. 349-354. I changed Roman numerals to Arabic.

[3] epignwsei, experiential knowledge. The other references to this noun and its verb epiginwskw, in this epistle are 1:2,3,8; 2:20,21.

[4] Hebrews 6 has different syntax though. It has an aorist participle, parapesonta", which is translated as a conditional participle by KJV, NIV, NKJV, RSV. However, the NRSV and the NAS translate it as one of the five substantival participles governed by the article in verse 4. Richard A. Young wrote in his Intermediate New Testament Greek, A Linguistic and Exegetical Approach, Broadman & Holman, 1994, p. 156., “It seems better to view the participle as the last in a series of five substantival participles that identify the apostates, all governed by the article in verse 4: “For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who have been once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, . . . and who have fallen away.” Either way, the sense is very similar to 2 Peter 2:20, which has the structure of a first class condition.