~ Four Foundational
Facts ~
Ruined by Adam’s Fall (our ruin) ~ “Therefore, just as
through one man [Adam] sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus
death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the
world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned
from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the
likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come
[Jesus Christ]” (Romans 5:12-14).
Redemption by Blood (God’s remedy) ~ “But Christ came as
High Priest of the good things to come, with
the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of
this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood
He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption”
(Hebrews 9:11-12).
Regenerated by the Spirit (our need) ~ “Jesus answered, ‘Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, “You
must be born again.” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of
it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who
is born of the Spirit’” (John 3:5-8).
Reception by Faith (our responsibility) ~ “So they said, ‘Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved’” (Acts 16:31).
“Jesus
answered and said to him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these
things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We
have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly
things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly
things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that
is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have
eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but
he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that
the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and
does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does
the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they
have been done in God’” (John 3:10-21).
summary: Ruin, Redemption, Regeneration, and Reception are Four Foundational Facts of spiritual reality (4R’s = 3F’s).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
