When Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, he taught us a very important truth about God. He often saves the best until last. It was true at creation, and it is certainly true regarding our great salvation.
You may think that having our sins forgiven is better than anything else, but you would be wrong. The forgiveness of sins is a means to a greater end.
Jesus fulfilled three ministries during his time on earth. He died as the Lamb of God to provide us with all the things associated with that ministry: forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship. (If you do not know the difference between those words, I suggest you read my articles on the subject.) All those glorious aspects of the Lamb of God ministry are absolutely wonderful and necessary if we are to enjoy God and be with him forever, but they are not the end all.
When Jesus rose from the dead, he did so as the glorious and powerful Son of God, Lord of Lords, and Messianic King of Israel. (Romans 1:4)
Christ’s resurrection confirmed the efficacy of the Lamb of God ministry and introduced the means for us to obtain our great salvation, which is putting our faith and allegiance in the risen one. (Romans 10:9)
Through faith in and obedience to our risen Lord, we gain all the benefits of the Lamb of God ministry.
Thirdly, when Jesus ascended into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God the Father, as Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and Lord of the Harvest, he poured out his Holy Spirit upon the church to enable her to fulfill the Great Commission and partner with him in his great harvest and disciple making mission and adventure. Being God’s partner in this huge endeavor is perhaps even more exciting than getting saved, but, alas, many in the church have no clue, having succumbed to the temptation of “forting up” in the local church, celebrating what God has done for us instead of going into all the world to spread the good news.
Fourthly, and this one has not yet happened, Jesus will one day return as the glorious Son of Man prophesied in Daniel 7 to judge the living and the dead and install his eternal kingdom here on earth.
Participation in Christ’s eternal rule will no doubt be the most glorious aspect of our great salvation. We cannot even comprehend as yet regarding the glories God has reserved for those who believe and receive all that Christ died to give us. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
If we are convinced that Jesus saved us from our sins, we should be even more convinced that he will save us from the wrath of God that will be poured out upon those who reject God’s fabulous offer in the Gospel at the Second Coming. As Paul put it, we have been appointed to salvation, not wrath. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:8-10 (NASB)
This is what Jesus meant in John 5:24 when he taught that those who believe in him have already passed from death to life and will never be condemned. We have this directly from the lips of the glorious Son of Man who will be our judge. I rejoice in that. Don’t you? Now, let’s be about fulfilling the Great Commission!
