Living in the Spirit's Fullness...Continued from page 5

To all these people the Apostle Paul has come with that he calls the Gospel of Salvation.  Gospel simply means 'good news'.  Salvation is all about God doing for us what we can't do for ourselves.  We cannot make ourselves fit for Heaven; we cannot make ourselves right with God; we cannot live life on earth as we ought to live it.  We can't do it!  We are not wired up adequately to do it!  We are 'fallen' creatures, but God has taken the initiative to move into our lives, and do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.  He has moved to save us from a situation from which we cannot save ourselves, and He does it through Jesus!  That’s the Gospel of Salvation. 

When you hear the Gospel of Salvation, there are two responses: one is to say, "That's a lot of nonsense!" And the other is to say, "That is true!" So immediately, there's a huge division.  You hear the Gospel of Salvation, some people will say, "It is a Word of Truth."  Notice, what Paul says, "You were included in Christ when you heard the Word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation. But then he says, "Having believed!"

Step number one: Hear the Gospel. Step number tw Come to the conviction it is a Word of Truth. Step number three: You believe “into” the Gospel. Now this means more than just giving a mental assent, an academic nod; more than saying,"”Sure, I believe that's true.”  To believe into means to trust in, or to commit to.  You can go to an airport and somebody will say, "That's an airplane, if you get in the airplane, it will miraculously take you to where it's going on the other side of the world. You might say, “Wow!  That absolutely true!”   Some people say, "That's nonsense," and walk away.  Other people say, "That's true,” and sit down and watch it; they don't move an inch.  Then they'll say to you, "Now, you need to get on the plane, sit down, fasten your seatbelt."  You believe into it!  You commit yourself to that which you are convinced is true. 

Step, number one:  HEAR THE GOSPEL. 

Step, number two: COME TO THE CONVICTION, IT'S THE WORD OF TRUTH. 

Step, number three:  COMMIT YOURSELF TO WHAT YOU ARE CONVINCED IS TRUE. 

Step, number four: GOD THEN DOES SOMETHING! 

What does He do?  He puts a seal on you, a stamp of ownership upon you, and at the same time as He puts that seal or stamp of ownership on you, He also gives you a guarantee that what He has begun, He will continue and complete in eternity.  What is the seal? What is His guarantee?  The answer is: the Promised Holy Spirit.

So Paul saying to these Ephesian believers, “You are In Christ, and you can know that you're in Christ! Because you heard the Gospel, you believed it was the Word of Truth;  you committed yourself to what you believed;  God sent His Spirit into your life;  Sending His Spirit into your life, He put his seal of ownership upon you; and gave you His guarantee that He will continue and complete in Eternity what He has started!”