The Doctrine of Christ

LESSON THIRTEEN The Acceptance of a Personal Saviour

1. The love which provided salvation for us extends to the world, to the church, and to me. John 3:16; Ephesians 5:25; Galatians 2:20. TDOC 34.6

2. There must be a personal application of this salvation. Mark 1:40-42; 10:46-52; John 6:57; Mark 9:23, 24; Revelation 22:17. TDOC 34.7

3. God deals with us as individuals. Isaiah 57:15; 66:1, 2; Matthew 16:24; Luke 5:20; Romans 2:1; 7:24; Matthew 16:27; 20:9; Romans 12:3; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 1:17. TDOC 34.8

4. The provision made for salvation avails for those only who personally, accept Christ, by believing on him. Mark 16:16; John 3:18, 5:24; 1:12; 1 John 5:13; Acts 10:43; 13:39; Romans 1:16; 3:26; 1 John 5:5. TDOC 35.1

NOTES: The failure of mere culture

“Mere intellectual culture is not enough. Learning and righteousness, knowledge and faith, are not interchangeable terms-mere synonyms.” TDOC 35.2

Delay and unbelief

“Men may spend some time in search before they embrace salvation in Christ; they may dignify delay by the name of search, but its true name is unbelief. Alas for the thief upon the cross, had he spent any time in such search!” TDOC 35.3

The incarnate Christ

“The truth summed up in the word ‘incarnation’ is one that satisfies the soul of man, who finds in the incarnate Christ what he can find nowhere else the revelation of a spiritual world, a definite and rational conception of a Supreme Being, an authoritative code of morals above all, a Mediator through whom he may draw near to God, and enjoy communion with him.” TDOC 35.4

The conquering power

“There is only one thing that will put the collar on the neck of the animal within us, and that is the power of the indwelling Christ. The evil that is in us all is too strong for every other fetter.” TDOC 35.5

The distinguishing feature

“Is it not indeed the distinguishing feature of the Christian system that it placed the foundation of salvation in living relation with a living Person, rather than in the adoption, of opinions or of habits?” TDOC 35.6

Attachment and detachment

“If we have got hold of Christ as our Savior, and have found in his cross the anchor of souls, that experience will deaden us to all which was our life, and the measure in which we are joined to Jesus by our faith in his great sacrifice will be the measure in which we are detached from our former selves and from old objects of interest and pursuit.” TDOC 35.7

Union with Christ

“Faith unites the believer to Christ, so that he receives of Christ’s fullness. The believer is by his faith united to Christ even as the branch is to the vine. The influences and efficiencies of the vine all reveal themselves in the branches.” TDOC 35.8

Sonship through Christ

“The capacity for receiving the divine life is native to us; that we should receive it is an essential part of the divine idea of human nature. But the actual realization of our son ship is possible only through Christ. Even apart from sin it was possible only through him. If the divine life is to be ours, and with the divine life divine son ship, we must be one with Christ. And those to whom the gospel comes are made one with Christ in ‘response to their faith in him.” TDOC 36.1

The one method

“An eagerness in acquiring knowledge about Christ may as effectually as any other pursuit retard us in making acquaintance with him. It is mere trifling to be always inquiring about one who is himself with us; the way to secure that we shall have him when we need him is to go with him now. How can we expect our difficulties to be removed while we do not adopt the one method God recognizes as effectual for this purpose, fellowship with Christ?” TDOC 36.2

Faith necessary

“If we do not, by faith and meditation, realize the principles which flow from the truth as it is in Jesus, and obtain the strength which is stored in him, we shall not grow by him or like him. No matter how mighty be the renewing powers of the gospel wielded by the divine Spirit, they can only work on the nature that is brought into contact with and continues in contact with them by faith. The measure in which we trust Jesus Christ will be the measure in which he helps us.” TDOC 36.3

“The gracious provision of God in giving his Son that the world through him might be saved, becomes effectual in the individual believer only as he personally accepts the wonderful gift of the Father’s love, and inwardly appropriates the living bread from heaven.” TDOC 36.4

“Lot it be remembered that the study of the testimony is one thing, and the enjoyment of the salvation is another; and that the record of the things which Jesus did and said has attained its end with those only who, ‘believing, have life through his name.” TDOC 36.5

Read the chapter, “Faith and Acceptance,” in Steps to Christ. TDOC 36.6