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2. The Savior of the World and His Completion of Salvation on Earth
The Denial of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection in the Koran: Mohammed was consequent in his religion. In Islam Allah accepts no mediator, no lamb, and no helper. He alone is creator, lord and judge. Were Allah to need a mediator or savior to redeem mankind, he would no longer be omnipotent. Allah alone, forgives whom and when he chooses. If he doesn't want to forgive, he doesn't. He remains sovereign, independent and free. Allah is not a Father God, full of love and holiness.
The Koran radically rejects the possibility of a representative, one who suffers and bears the penalty for another's sin, as well as any other expiatory sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. Five times in the Koran stands the strict formulation: No soul shall bear another's burden! (Suras al-An'am 6:164; Bani Isra'il 17:15; Fatir 35:18; al-Zumar 39:7; al-Nadjm 53:38). Since there is no divine love (agape) in Islam, the love of substitutionary atonement remains unknown. All of the sacrifice ordinances of the Old Testament, as well as their summation in the expiatory death of Christ, are rejected by Muslims, and declared to be erroneous.
This is summarized in the consequent rejection in the Koran of the historical fact of Christ's crucifixion (Sura al-Nisa' 4:157). With one blow the entire theological truths of justification, reconciliation with God, and the blotting out of the legal demands of the law against us cease to exist. The wrath of Allah remains upon every Muslim who fails to fulfill the Islamic law (Galatians 3:10). The angel of darkness already torments every dead Muslim in the grave, should his good works not offset his bad deeds.
The Koran also rejects the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Mohammed, to be sure, claimed twice in the book of Muslim, that Allah allowed ‘Isa to pass away or gently die, and that he raised him up to himself alive. But in the Koran ‘Isa was never buried, and, therefore, did not rise. He would not have overcome death; much more, Allah raised Him to himself alive, to save Him from the plague of the cross! (Sura Al 'Imran 3:54-55; al-Nisa' 4:158) In the Koran 'Isa is no victor over the wrath of God, sin, Satan and death. These ungodly forces continue on uninterruptedly in Islam.
Mohammed understood himself to be a “warner”, and not a savior, from the coming judgment. His law, the Sharia, is the broad road that leads Muslims directly to paradise. But the opposite is the case! By the law no man is justified before God (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16). Every law condemns those who violate it. The law, upon which all Muslims set their hopes, will condemn them. (Romans 4:15; James 2:10)
The Denial of Salvation by Grace in Islam: The words “Salvation” or “Savior” could not stand in the Koran. In Islam there is no “free grace”, no mercy of Allah upon his lost humanity. There is no tension arising between His holiness, which must judge, and His saving love. Islam doesn't know, and doesn't want to know that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Whoever recognizes that Muslims exclude themselves from the completed salvation of Christ will grasp another fact in dismay: The constant rejection of grace and salvation in Islam lead to an increasing hardness of heart, along with collective bondage. By rejecting salvation from the ensuing wrath of God and His judgment, Muslims condemn themselves (John 3:36).
3. The Realization of Salvation in the Church of Jesus Christ
Before His ascension Jesus commanded His disciples to wait for the promise of the Father. He declared to them: “For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5). By way of His atoning death on the cross Jesus had completed salvation for the world. Now He wanted the certainty of salvation in His followers spiritually realized. In like fashion, the priests in the O.T. had laid the blessing of the sacrifices offered in the temple upon the waiting assembly. The One who rose from the dead assured His followers: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me” (Acts 1:8).
The Pouring Out of the Holy Spirit: On the cross Jesus finally and conclusively wiped out the sin of the world, which had been a high dam holding back the blessing of God. Thereafter, the Holy Spirit could engulf those praying at Pentecost like a wide river flowing from grace (Acts 2:1-4). The cross remains the decisive prerequisite for the reception of the Spirit. Without the blood of Jesus Christ we can neither receive, nor keep, the Holy Spirit. We did not directly receive the Spirit of God, but alone through Jesus Christ. He is the Vine; we are His branches (John 15:4-8).
Following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter and the apostles immediately testified to the eternal existence of the Crucified One, now risen. They called on all those who heard to repent and confess their sins. They encouraged those standing in bewilderment to express faith in the living Messiah. They implored them to undergo baptism, showing a visible and decisive step toward their Savior, in order that they might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Spirit indwelling those who have placed faith in Christ does not arise from out of themselves. He is not activated in them through autogenic training. Nor does His indwelling them involve the effects of a shot of adrenalin. No, this Spirit comes from without, and enters the person from the Father, and from the Son. It is God's personal dealing with every single person searching for Him, and gives portion of His own good Spirit (John 14:16, 23, 26).
The Holy Spirit is no created spirit, like Mohammed claimed, but God's initial substance. He is true God of true God (John 4:24). This Spirit brings the power and qualities of God with Him, wherever and whenever He resides in a person. Therein mortality puts on immortality, and that which is sinful is sanctified. In the reception of the Holy Spirit, the salvation of God is realized in those who believe.
The Realization of Salvation in Individual Believers: The event of salvation is described with different terms in the New Testament, since no single human word can adequately express the greatness and significance of this miracle.
Jesus told Nicodemus, no one would be able to comprehend or enter the Kingdom of God, without first being born of water and Spirit (John 3:3-6).
The evangelist John further explained: “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” (1 John 5:4).
Jesus testified: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has appointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor” (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 42:7). A Christian can and should repeat this sentence in faith, because the word, “Christ”, means an “anointed one”, not more, and not less! The anointing of Christ's followers by the Holy Spirit is confirmed repeatedly in the Bible (John 16:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Jeremiah 31:33-34; 1 John 2:27).
Paul confirmed that the Holy Spirit's sealing of those who believe in Christ was their protection from God's Judgment (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; Revelation 7:2-8).
The reception of eternal life is another expression for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit Himself is the never ending life from God (John 3:16,36; 5:24; 10:28; 17:2; 20:31; Acts 13:48; Romans 6:23; 7:6; 8:18; Philippians 1:21; 1 John 3:14; 5:11-13).
The Realization of Salvation in the Church: The gift of God's Spirit has not just been entrusted to individual believers, but from the very beginning was extended to the entire church. The New Testament permits no spiritual egoism or solitary appreciation.
All of Christ's followers together are designated as the temple of God, for His Spirit lives in them (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21). At the same time, the body of every single Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
In particular, Paul describes the church as the spiritual body of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:4), in which Christ is the head, with we, the individual members, supplementing one another.
The Holy Trinity, like a gentle magnet, desires to gently draw us into Himself, when we live in the Holy Spirit (John 17:21-23).
“The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). Therefore, John confesses a breathtaking sentence: “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16; Ephesians 3:18-19).
The fact that the Spirit of the Father and of the Son enters us, and remains in us, is confirmed through other wordings in the New Testament. We should repent and confess anew: I believe in the Holy Spirit, and not allow the third article of faith and it's entire interpretation be given into the hands of sects and fanatics. We need to live in the Spirit and the power of Christ. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in mortals signifies the grace of intimate fellowship with God. Salvation means unity with God, the Father, and with Jesus, His Son, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, in contrite men and women of prayer.
How Can we Receive the Spirit of God? We must first recognize that God, at Pentecost, poured out His Spirit on all flesh (Joel 3:1, 5; Acts 2:16-21). The Spirit need not be poured out again for us. Through Christ's blood and righteousness we have received the right to receive God's Spirit. Whoever hears and believes the word of Jesus, “Receive the Holy Spirit!” (John 20:22), has already, through his trust in Jesus, received the Holy Spirit. The Spirit sinks Himself into us through faith, just as faith is a fruit of the Spirit (John 1:12-13; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13). It is not important whether we feel the Spirit of God. It is decisive that we believe that He has taken possession of us. Whoever in faith gives thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit, offers God praise. And to him who orders his conduct aright He will show the salvation of God (Psalm 50:23). Jesus repeatedly declared to us how we can truly receive God's Spirit (Luke 11:9-12; John 6:47, 63; 10:27-30; 11:40; 14:26-27; 15:4-8; comp. Acts 2:39; 9:17-19). Dare to believe! Pray with thanksgiving, and be of comfort, for Jesus Himself wants to draw and solidify you into His salvation. His love for you is unending.
The Holy Spirit Sanctifies and Leads us Into the Ministries God Wants: The Holy Spirit is not given to us in order to become a spiritual pleasure. Much more, He desires to renew and sanctify our life for service to God and men.
For that, He gives us the witness of the Father and the Son (Romans 8:15-16). No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).
- The Spirit is love. He wants to overcome our self-centered behavior.
- The Spirit is joy. He wants to drive out our depression.
- The Spirit is peace. He wants to calm our internal restlessness.
- The Spirit is truth. He wants to banish our lies.
- The Spirit is patience. He wants to overcome our over-sensitivities.
- The Spirit is humble. He wants to break our pride.
- The Spirit is holy. He sanctifies all areas of our life. He has declared war on every impurity in our body, thoughts, or sub- consciousness. He schools us in self-denial and sacrifice. Without holiness no one will see the Lord (2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Hebrews 12:14).
The Spirit of Jesus teaches us prayer, worship, praise and thanksgiving (Matthew 6:9). He helps us to speak out the Father name of God, and bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:14-16). He drives us on to faithfulness, continuous intercession, and the offering of thanksgiving (Ephesians 6:18-20).
The Spirit gives us sympathy, compassion and mercy for all who are dead in sin. He encourages us to offer them the gospel in an understandable way. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:17-18). Peter, for example, openly spoke before his judges in the Sanhedrin: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” – but alone the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12; 10:43). The Holy Spirit is merciful, patient, and overcomes our fear. He motivates us to witness to the salvation in Christ, just as he overcame the manifold and justified fear of Paul, who wrote: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
In mission to Muslims and Jews redemption is not just revealed in the subjective salvation of the individual. Rather, it is also a freeing from collective bondage, in the redemption from possessive powers. It leads to courageous testimony, in joy and wisdom, to the only Savior of men. The Spirit of Christ helps us to overcome every form of hate and aversion.
Jesus desires our joy to be full (John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13). We experience this through our testimony to the completed salvation in Jesus. Let us together proclaim the victory of Jesus Christ, for today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we rejoice because You poured out Your Holy Spirit on every human being. This blessed Spirit came only after the death of Your only Son, who reconciled the world to You; and the Holy Spirit dwelt in His praying followers. Let Your pure Spirit flutter upon our families and churches that whoever repents may be filled with it.
QUESTION:
- How does the divine Holy Spirit dwell in corrupt man?