A Summary of Understanding the Gospel Print

This is a non-WLC article. When using resources from outside authors, we only publish the content that is 100% in harmony with the Bible and WLC current biblical beliefs. So such articles can be treated as if coming directly from WLC. We have been greatly blessed by the ministry of many servants of Yahuwah. But we do not advise our members to explore other works by these authors. Such works, we have excluded from publications because they contain errors. Sadly, we have yet to find a ministry that is error-free. If you are shocked by some non-WLC published content [articles/episodes], keep in mind Proverbs 4:18. Our understanding of His truth is evolving, as more light is shed on our pathway. We cherish truth more than life, and seek it wherever it may be found.

If we want a summary of understanding the gospel, we must remember these things. We are justified (declared righteous) meritoriously based on the blood of Christ. What we get is what the blood of Christ deserves. So, we are justified meritoriously based on the blood, and only the blood. We’re not declared righteous because we’ve been going to church for twenty years, and give good tithes and offerings, or we have a good lifestyle and diet – none of those things, as important as they are. We are justified meritoriously based on the blood alone.

We are justified instrumentally by faith alone. The only way you can take hold of it is by faith alone. You don’t take hold of it by a whole series of things like fasting, praying, sacrifices, doing this, that, and other things. No, we are justified instrumentally (how we get it).

Faith is the empty hand. A big man holds an apple to a little child and says, “Son, would you like an apple?” “Yes, sir”, says the boy, and he puts out his hand. Putting out his hand didn’t earn it, didn’t make it, didn’t make him deserve it. He just took it. That’s what faith is – the empty beggar’s hand.

So, we are justified instrumentally by faith alone. Anybody can take it. There is no virtue in faith. The virtue is in its object. Like the glasses on your nose – take them off your nose and they’re worth nothing. Focus them on their object, and they will come into their own. That’s faith.

put-on-glasses

Lastly, we are justified evidentially by works. What do I mean by that? The evidence of whether we’ve been declared righteous is in the way we live. It’s the evidence–it’s not the cause, nor is it the means, nor the instrument, nor is it what gives merit to our salvation – it’s the result.

So, we are justified meritoriously only because of the death of Yahushua and His blood. We are justified instrumentally only because of the hand of faith that reaches out and takes the gift. You don’t have to have feelings. We’re not saved by what we feel, but by what Yahushua felt for us. “Be my feelings what they will, Yahushua is my Saviour still.” Third, we are justified evidentially by good works.

If we love Yahushua, the Holy Spirit comes in, and He changes our loves so that we love good things and begin to hate bad things, and our lives will show them. They won’t be – nobody’s perfect except Yahushua. We’ll have to ask for forgiveness of sins every day, but we won’t cherish sin or seek after it. We may stumble into it, but we’ll hate it and get out, and immediately ask for forgiveness and strength to overcome. The direction of our life is what Yahuwah judges us by – not a good deed or bad deed now and again, but the main direction – that’s how He judges us.

In what direction are we going? He won’t ask how many times you’ve stumbled, but where are you headed? Our works will show that.

two-travelers-with-a-map

This is a non-WLC article by Dr. Desmond Ford.

We have taken out from the original article all pagan names and titles of the Father and Son, and have replaced them with the original given names. Furthermore, we have restored in the Scriptures quoted the names of the Father and Son, as they were originally written by the inspired authors of the Bible. -WLC Team