New to Grafted To Grow and not sure were to begin?
The Captain of our salvation is interceding for His people.
He is not a petitioner moving the Father's compassion, but a conqueror, who claims the trophies of His victory.
Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25.
His offering is complete. As our Intercessor, Jesus executes His self-appointed work.
He is holding before God the censer containing His own spotless merits and the prayers, confessions, and thanksgiving of His people.
He is able to save us to the uttermost
The offering is wholly acceptable and pardon covers all transgression.
The great Captain of our salvation has conquered in our behalf, that through Him we might conquer, if we would, in our own behalf.
Nevertheless, Christ saves none against their choice. He compels none to obedience.
Jesus made the infinite sacrifice that His followers might overcome in His name and His righteousness be imputed unto them.
In order to be saved you must accept the yoke of Christ and lay off the yoke which you have fashioned for your neck.
The victory that Jesus gained in the wilderness is a pledge to you of the victory that you may gain through His name.
By what title is Jesus designated in His relation to the plan of salvation?
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
What is He to all who obey Him?
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Name one person who was said to be waiting for the advent of this Captain and Author of salvation.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
What had been revealed to Him by the Holy Spirit?
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Being directed to the temple at the exact moment of our Savior's presentation, what did he say?
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation; Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
What was the Savior called more than 500 years before He was born into the human family?
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Note: The Spirit called Christ the Son of Man through the prophet 500 years before He was born into the human family, and nearly 2,500 years prior to the actual fulfillment of the prophecy in, anticipation of His being born unto us.
Why did the the Captain Of Our Salvation become the Son of Man?
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Unto whom was He born? What titles are here ascribed to Him?
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
What record have we of His pre-existence?
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
What testimony is given of Him in our creation?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him;
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
What exhibition of creative power is seen in connection with the plan of salvation?
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
What evidence did He give of creative power revealed through Him while in the world?
Christ gave abundant evidence of His creative power while in the world by:
healing the lame and those who had the leprosy
restoring sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf
supplying bread to the multitude, turning water into wine, and raising the dead.
To what extent is Christ able to bring complete salvation to mankind?
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Of what did He speak, by His Spirit, to the prophets before He become human?
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
What was the Savior's purpose in coming into the world?
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
For what does He come the second time?
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them without sin, that look for him shall he appear the second time unto salvation.
What appeal does the Psalmist make to men to know the Lord?
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
What is God declared to be? How do we make Him our refuge?
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
In whom can the redeemed fully rejoice?
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
What attribute of God is shown in continuing to offer salvation to humankind?
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
Notwithstanding the Lord's long-suffering, what must surely come?
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
What, therefore, is the duty of humans?
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near; Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
All the power of the eternal God being pledged to secure our salvation, what responsibility is laid upon us?
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
What will be said in that day by those who are waiting for him?
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
What will the wicked do and say?
The kings of the earth, great and rich men, chief captains, mighty and bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
The idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
The Captain of our salvation leads His people on step by step. He is purifying and fitting them for translation. He has said for our encouragement:
Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:20.
Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33.
Christ will lead us on to a victory over sin. What God promises, He is able at any time to perform.
The spirit, wisdom, and goodness of God, revealed in His word, are to be exemplified by the disciples of Christ. Thus they are condemning the world.
Moreover, He is leaving in the rear those who are disposed to draw off from the body, who are not willing to be led, and are satisfied with their own righteousness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:23.
No greater delusion can deceive the human mind than that which leads men to indulge a self-confident spirit.
Moreover, to believe that they are right and in the light, when they are drawing away from God's people, and their cherished light is darkness.
References
Agencies of the Plan of Salvation, Lessons 1906
1T 333; 3T 456 - The Ellen G. White Estate
King James Bible Version (KJV)
His hand is stretched out still. Why wait longer?
Your Creator And Redeemer Longs For You - Take Him At His Word
Learn to trust in God's love and His power to save and restore His moral image in you.
The Spirit of God is pleading with you to seek for those things that alone can give you peace and rest - the grace of Christ and the joy of holiness.
Give to Christ your guilt and fear today. He can satisfy the craving of your heart. Believe the Son of God.