THE THREE R'S OF REDEMPTION (Division III C)

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto god, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18). 

  I. RECOGNIZE THE SITUATION – Acts 26:18a

A. The Payment for Sin – Rom. 6:23a

B. The Provision for the Sinner – Rom. 6:23

 II. RENOUNCE SIN AND SATAN – Acts 26:18b

A. Renounce the Practice of Sin – Acts 26:18a

B. Renounce the Promoter of Sin – Acts 26:18b

III. RECEIVE THE SAVIOR - Acts 26:18c

A. Receive the Pardon from Sin – Acts 26:18ca

B. Receive a Place with the Saints – Acts 26:18cb

C. Receive the Promise from the Savior – Acts 26:18cc

Introduction:  Acts 26:18 is one of the main verses I have used in evangelistic meetings as well as in discipleship classes.  This verse was given to Paul when he was commissioned to be the apostle to the Gentiles.  It involved three distinct concepts that a person must know to come to the Lord Jesus Christ: I. Recognize the situation; II. Renounce Sin and Satan; and III. Receive the Savior. Today I will talk about III. C. Receive the Promise from the Savior.

III. C. Receive the Promise of the Savior - Acts 26:18cc

“And inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me” (26:18cc)

In our previous study in Acts 26:18, we have been dealing with the process of salvation.  In this study, we will consider the promise of salvation. This Scripture is clear and concise.  Jesus told Paul that salvation is “by faith that is in Me.” This is a promise of the Savior.

In the final analysis, we are saved by faith in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to His promise.  The Apostle Paul wrote, ⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Eph 2:8-10).

I didn’t hear about the gift of the grace of God—THE GOSPEL—until I was 18 years old.  I was thrilled and terrified to learn that God the Father had sent His Son to suffer, die, be buried, rise again, and the third day to ascend to heaven according to the Old Testament Scriptures which prophesied of Him. 

As a new Christian I understood the reaction of the Jews when they heard the Apostle Peter’s words in Acts 2:36-38: “³⁶Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. ³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

I remember that the night I was saved the preacher quoted Romans 10:8-10: “⁸But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; ⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” The preacher was a good orator, and he didn’t read, but quoted the Scripture without opening the Bible.  I thought I heard God speaking to me.  I believed the Bible.  I believed in the promise of the Savior. 

The next day I memorized Romans 10:9-10. These were the first verses I ever memorized, and I thanked God for the promise of the Savior.  

Jesus Christ is the Savior. There is no other independent Savior.  Following are some misconceptions about salvation. 

·       Faith in God does not save—The Son is the only Savior.

·       The grace of  God does not save—The Son is the only Savior.

·       The blood of Jesus does not save—The Son is the only Savior

·       Inviting Jesus into your heart does not save—The Son is the only Savior.

Griffith Thomas said that faith is embracing the Lord Jesus with empty arms.  When I heard this statement I thought about the first movie I went to at the age of 14. One of my brothers and some ranch hands working for my dad let me go with them because I finished all my work early.  In the movie a couple were dancing. The lady extended her hand behind the man’s back, and another man kissed it.  I wasn’t even a Christian, but I was disgusted. I thought I didn’t want to see any more movies after that. 

My father-in-law, who was a missionary in Central America, told me an interesting story about a barber in Nicaragua.  As I remember the story, this barber bought a Bible.  But he couldn’t read! The shoe shine boy in his barber shop could read, so the barber paid the boy to read the Bible to him.  He was dissatisfied to have to depend on someone else to read to him, so he paid the boy to teach himto read. The barber spent time studying until he learned to read.  When he could read the Bible he had bought, he accepted the Lord’s gift of salvation. He later became a pastor and started a church.  A person who heard this story asked me if this barber who went to so much trouble to receive the Gospel was saved by works.  Of course he wasn’t! 

The verb believe and the noun faith are the words most often used in communicating the salvation that is in the Son of God. However, God often uses other terms in the Bible to describe the way of salvation. For example, we read that we must Repent, Receive, Be Born Again, Obey.  Furthermore, the Bible says we are saved by God’s Grace, and by His Mercy.    Note the following Scriptures:

·       REPENT   

John the Baptist says, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Mt 3:8). 

Peter says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9).

Jesus’ first message to the unsaved was, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Lk 13:3).

Paul says, “¹⁰For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. ¹¹For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Cor 7:10–11).

·       RECEIVE

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).

^“6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him ⁷Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Col 2:6-7).

·       BE BORN AGAIN

“⁵Jesus says, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (Jn 3:5-7).

Peter says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1:3).

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”  (1 Pet 1:23).  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1:3).  

Paul says, “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Cor 4:15).  

James says, “Of his [Jesus’] own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (Ja 1:18).  

·       OBEY

“And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:32).  

¹⁶Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Rom 6:16-17).   

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb 5:9).  

“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thes 1:8).  

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Pet 4:17).

“And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him (Acts 5:32)

“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?” (Rom 10:16). 

·       GRACE

“⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:8-10).

·       MERCY

Jesus gave the parable of the publican and the Pharisee: “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner” (Lk 18:13).  

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Frieda remembers Dr. Alan Redpath giving an illustration when he was speaking at Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University). He said his two little girls came running to him one morning. The elder jumped into his lap and put her arms around him.  She taunted her little sister, “I have all of Daddy.” He reached out and put his arm around the younger child. The little girl looked at her sister and said, “But Daddy has all of me!” 

Saving faith involves receiving all of the Lord Jesus Christ and entrusting all of ones self to Him.

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This is the last in the series of messages on The Three R’s of Salvation from Acts 26:18. 

I welcome constructive comments.