"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor 6:2; Isa 49:8
These words of the Apostle, quoted from the Prophet Isaiah, are generally understood to be a call to the world to improve the present opportunity of accepting Christ by faith in order to salvation, with the warning that the present time furnishes the only opportunity, this being the day of salvation.
But this is NOT the meaning of the text. Neither the Apostle nor the Prophet addresses the world (non-believers). Both address justified, consecrated believers. The class addressed is plainly seen from Isaiah's prophecy, to be consecrated believers of the Gospel Age--the Christ head and body. It thus reads,
"Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time I heard THEE, and in (a) day of salvation have I helped THEE: and I will preserve THEE, and give THEE for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that THOU may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves."(Isa 49:8, 9)
It is the anointed, the Christ, head and body, selected and developed during the Gospel Age, which is to accomplish the great work here pointed out--the work of the resurrection, or restitution, in the next age, saying to the prisoners in death, "Go forth," and to those in the darkness or shadow of death, "Show yourselves." The Gospel Age now closing, has been the acceptable time for justified believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God; because this age was specially set apart by God for the calling and development of this class of sacrificers whose sacrifices are now acceptable.
"Now," or the accepted time, did not commence until the Gospel Age began, at Pentecost; or rather in the fullest sense it began with Jesus' sacrifice, dating from his consecration at baptism. The sacrifice of Christ, which actually takes away sin, was the acceptable sacrifice; and it must be an accomplished fact, before any of the condemned sinners could be actually legally justified, so as to be accepted as joint sacrificers and joint heirs with him. When the sacrifice had been made, any who trusted in it were legally justified, their sins being canceled, and the righteousness of Christ imputed to them by faith.
Though justified thus by faith in Christ's redemptive work, none of those justified in this age have been permitted to reach actual restitution to human perfection, that being the privilege not of this the Gospel Age, but of the coming Millennial Age. But that right to human perfection and lasting life, having been secured for all, those who now by faith accept it, are reckoned as now possessing that perfection--as though now perfect men. Such during the Gospel Age have been invited to present themselves as living sacrifices to be used up in God's service (Rom 12:1), and the assurance is given that whoever thus sacrifices "Now" during the acceptable time, is accepted of God, and shall in due time receive the reward of the crown, the throne, and the divine nature, as joint-heirs with Jesus Christ whose example they thus follow--after having been justified by faith in his sacrifice for their sins.
Those who before the death of Jesus our ransom, trusted in God's promises, and walked in obedience to God, were not actually justified until the only sacrifice, which could take away sin, was actually offered. Nevertheless their faith shall receive a reward in the times of restitution. But living before the "acceptable" time, they were not informed of the "high-calling" of the divine nature and joint-heirship, and therefore were not invited to thus offer themselves as members of the body of Christ and joint-sacrificers with him. "Now [the Gospel Age] is the accepted time." "Now is THE day of [the "great"] salvation."
The class thus called and accepted, the Prophet declares is called and chosen for the special work of accomplishing the salvation of the world--their restitution from death to perfect life in the next age. Then that will also be a day of salvation, --a day of salvation for the entire world. In that day men will neither be called nor permitted to offer themselves as living sacrifices, nor to deny themselves the comforts, joys and righteous liberties then provided for all, but simply to forsake sin and pursue righteousness.
Paul, in referring to these words of the Prophet, urges those who have received this grace [favor] of justification, to see that they receive not this grace in vain-- (2 Cor 6:2). This leads us to consider how we could receive the grace of justification in vain.
Continued with next post.
Return to Index
These words of the Apostle, quoted from the Prophet Isaiah, are generally understood to be a call to the world to improve the present opportunity of accepting Christ by faith in order to salvation, with the warning that the present time furnishes the only opportunity, this being the day of salvation.
But this is NOT the meaning of the text. Neither the Apostle nor the Prophet addresses the world (non-believers). Both address justified, consecrated believers. The class addressed is plainly seen from Isaiah's prophecy, to be consecrated believers of the Gospel Age--the Christ head and body. It thus reads,
"Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time I heard THEE, and in (a) day of salvation have I helped THEE: and I will preserve THEE, and give THEE for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that THOU may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves."(Isa 49:8, 9)
It is the anointed, the Christ, head and body, selected and developed during the Gospel Age, which is to accomplish the great work here pointed out--the work of the resurrection, or restitution, in the next age, saying to the prisoners in death, "Go forth," and to those in the darkness or shadow of death, "Show yourselves." The Gospel Age now closing, has been the acceptable time for justified believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God; because this age was specially set apart by God for the calling and development of this class of sacrificers whose sacrifices are now acceptable.
"Now," or the accepted time, did not commence until the Gospel Age began, at Pentecost; or rather in the fullest sense it began with Jesus' sacrifice, dating from his consecration at baptism. The sacrifice of Christ, which actually takes away sin, was the acceptable sacrifice; and it must be an accomplished fact, before any of the condemned sinners could be actually legally justified, so as to be accepted as joint sacrificers and joint heirs with him. When the sacrifice had been made, any who trusted in it were legally justified, their sins being canceled, and the righteousness of Christ imputed to them by faith.
Though justified thus by faith in Christ's redemptive work, none of those justified in this age have been permitted to reach actual restitution to human perfection, that being the privilege not of this the Gospel Age, but of the coming Millennial Age. But that right to human perfection and lasting life, having been secured for all, those who now by faith accept it, are reckoned as now possessing that perfection--as though now perfect men. Such during the Gospel Age have been invited to present themselves as living sacrifices to be used up in God's service (Rom 12:1), and the assurance is given that whoever thus sacrifices "Now" during the acceptable time, is accepted of God, and shall in due time receive the reward of the crown, the throne, and the divine nature, as joint-heirs with Jesus Christ whose example they thus follow--after having been justified by faith in his sacrifice for their sins.
Those who before the death of Jesus our ransom, trusted in God's promises, and walked in obedience to God, were not actually justified until the only sacrifice, which could take away sin, was actually offered. Nevertheless their faith shall receive a reward in the times of restitution. But living before the "acceptable" time, they were not informed of the "high-calling" of the divine nature and joint-heirship, and therefore were not invited to thus offer themselves as members of the body of Christ and joint-sacrificers with him. "Now [the Gospel Age] is the accepted time." "Now is THE day of [the "great"] salvation."
The class thus called and accepted, the Prophet declares is called and chosen for the special work of accomplishing the salvation of the world--their restitution from death to perfect life in the next age. Then that will also be a day of salvation, --a day of salvation for the entire world. In that day men will neither be called nor permitted to offer themselves as living sacrifices, nor to deny themselves the comforts, joys and righteous liberties then provided for all, but simply to forsake sin and pursue righteousness.
Paul, in referring to these words of the Prophet, urges those who have received this grace [favor] of justification, to see that they receive not this grace in vain-- (2 Cor 6:2). This leads us to consider how we could receive the grace of justification in vain.
Continued with next post.
Return to Index
