God Is My Salvation

Q: What does the Bible say about salvation?

The Bible teaches that salvation is found solely in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Savior and God. The Bible consistently reveals that salvation is found in no other but Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 12:2, we are encouraged to 'behold, God is my salvation.' This signifies a personal relationship and recognition of God as the source of salvation. Throughout Scripture, Jesus is referred to as our Savior (Titus 2:13), emphasizing that He is not just part of our salvation, but entirely and solely our salvation. God's purpose in salvation is eternal, stemming from His sovereign will, as noted in Ephesians 1:4-5, where believers are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.

Q: How do we know predestination is true?

Predestination is affirmed in Scripture, emphasizing that God chose His people before the foundation of the world. Predestination is biblically rooted in several key passages. Ephesians 1:4 states, 'He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,' illustrating God's sovereign choice in salvation. Furthermore, Romans 8:29 declares that those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, emphasizing God’s intentional plan for His people. God does not act randomly or accidentally; His actions are based on His eternal purpose, which affirms the doctrine of predestination as integral to understanding God’s work in salvation.

Q: Why is the concept of eternal purpose important for Christians?

The eternal purpose of God assures Christians of His sovereign and intentional plan for salvation. Understanding God’s eternal purpose is crucial for Christians as it reflects His sovereignty and deliberation in the matters of salvation. In Isaiah 14:24 and Ephesians 1:11, we see that God’s counsel and purpose will stand, providing unwavering hope and assurance. Knowing that salvation is not an afterthought but part of God's eternal decree encourages believers to trust deeply in His plan. This knowledge cultivates confidence in God's promises, framing our understanding of how we fit into His grand narrative and the assurance that our salvation is secure.

Q: What does it mean that Jesus is both God and Savior?

Jesus being both God and Savior affirms His divine nature and His authority to save sinners. The dual identity of Jesus as God and Savior is foundational to Christian faith, exemplifying His divinity and His redemptive mission. In Isaiah 12:2 and Titus 2:13, Jesus is identified as both our God and Savior, underscoring that only God can provide true salvation. This means that salvation is not just a gift but a divine act of grace, where Christ, in His fullness of God, takes on the task of redemption by bearing the wrath for our sins. Therefore, as believers, we trust in Him fully, recognizing that our salvation is secure in the One who holds both divine authority and the heart of a Savior.

Q: Why is joy important in the Christian faith?

Joy is a natural response to God's salvation and assurance, reflecting our relationship with Him. Joy is vital in the Christian faith as it flows from an understanding of God's redemptive work through Christ. In Isaiah 12:3, we see that 'with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation,' indicating that our response to salvation should be one of joy and gratitude. This joy is rooted in the assurance that God has acted decisively for our salvation, assuring us of His presence and love. In Philippians 4:4, we are encouraged to 'rejoice in the Lord always,' emphasizing that our joy should be consistent and rooted in His faithfulness. Thus, joy serves as a testimony of our relationship with God, reflecting the peace and hope we have through Christ.

Now this evening, I want to go back to Isaiah chapter 12. And I'm entitling the message from the words found in verse 2. God is my salvation. You see that in verse 2? And I love how that verse starts with the word, behold. Behold. Stop and take a good look at this. Stop and look. Look to Christ.

Behold, God is my salvation. No wonder the Lord Jesus Christ is called on multiple occasions, God, my savior, God, my savior. The Lord Jesus Christ, he's all of our salvation, not part of it, he's all of it. Now, I trust that all of you can identify with this message of salvation in Christ. If you're a believer, you can. And by His grace, I hope all of us can say that the Lord Jesus Christ is my God and He's my Savior.

He's my Lord and He's my God. Remember Simeon in the temple, the Lord had promised him he would not die till he seen the Lord's Christ. When they brought the child Jesus in the temple, And Simeon picked him up and said, Lord, I'm ready to die. I've seen thy salvation. That's when a man's ready to die, when he's seen the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, as Paul says in the book of Titus and Timothy, at least four times, looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He's our great God and He is our Savior. You remember from Isaiah 45, He's called a just God and Savior.

And then He says, beside me, there is no other. And then you remember what He says next? He says, look, look, look to me and be saved. There's salvation in no other, is there? The Lord Jesus Christ, He is the Savior and He is Emmanuel. He's the Savior and He's Emmanuel, God with us. He's got our Savior, no doubt about that.

Now God's purpose in salvation is an eternal purpose. God's purpose to save the people from all eternity, chose them and gave them to the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the surety of that everlasting covenant. God's purpose in salvation is an eternal purpose. Everything God does in a way of saving his people is based upon his eternal purpose. His eternal purpose. He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. He never saved sinners by accident. There's no accidents with God.

God crosses the path of his people, calls them out by his grace, and he does this all according to his purpose and grace given us in Christ before the foundation of the world. It's amazing when Paul writes about that, the young Timothy said, don't be ashamed of me or the gospel.

For it's God who saved us and called us. When did he save us? He saved us when he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. And then one day he called us. And it's all according to His purpose and grace given us in Christ before the foundation of the world.

God said of Jeremiah, I've loved thee with an everlasting love. Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew you and ordained you to be one of my servants. Everything God does, He does on purpose. Every sinner He saves are called according to God's eternal Purpose, purpose, purpose. Everything God does, he does on purpose. Turn one page to Isaiah 14. Isaiah 14. We're going to look at this, I think, Lord willing, next week. Isaiah 14, verse 24, the Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, surely, as I thought, so shall it come to pass.

As I have purposed, so it shall stand, that I will break these shearings in my land, upon my mountain, tread him underfoot, Then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, who shall disannul it? His hand is stretched out, who shall turn it back? Remember what Nebuchadnezzar said, that when God revealed himself to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, he said, none can stay his hand or say unto him, Lord God Almighty, what doest thou? So everything God does, he does on purpose.

He says, my counsel shall stand, I've spoken it, I've purposed it, I will do it. It'll come to pass. That's the God of Scripture. Everything He does, He does according to His eternal decree, His eternal purpose, which He purposed in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. As we often say, and I pray the Lord will give me strength to say this, in my last days, salvation's of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Of the Lord and His planning, of the Lord in His purchasing, of the Lord in His performance, of the Lord in His preservation, of the Lord in His perfection.

We are predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ. A man who says, I don't believe in predestination is a man who is ignorant, is a man who doesn't want to be like Christ. because predestination is to be just like Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 7, remember this from our study. Behold, I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number.

Revelation 7 verse 9. of all nations, kindred, people, and tongues, stood before the throne before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and they cried with a loud voice saying, salvation to our God, which sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb. Salvation to who? Salvation comes from who? Where does salvation originate? With Him. Salvation to our God. sits on the throne.

He said, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. Therefore, his covenant of grace in Christ is called an everlasting covenant. The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep to the blood of the everlasting covenant. David said on his deathbed, King David, this covenant ordered in all things and is sure He said, that's all my hope. That's all my desire. Covenant mercies we have in Christ.

The Redeemer, the Savior, and the surety of the covenant people, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is an everlasting Savior. He saves his people with an everlasting salvation. The elect of God were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world and given to the Lord Jesus Christ.

He said, all that the Father has given to me, they will come to me and I'll never, no never cast them out. I will never forsake them. I will never leave them. That which God has purposed in eternity, he will bring to pass in time. God has decreed all things from the beginning. He declares the end from the beginning, from ancient times to things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel will stand. I'll do all my pleasure. That's the God we worship. That's the God of Scripture. The elective God will hear the gospel and be visited in that day by divine visitation of grace and that effectual call of the gospel.

When Paul talks about, when he writes to those believers in Thessalonica, he said, we know you're the elective God. How do you know that, Paul? For our gospel came unto you not in word only, but in the power of God the Holy Spirit. And God called you and made you new creatures in Christ.

The words found in this chapter describe unto us that this day of visitation, the day of conviction, the day of calling, the day of rejoicing, the day of revelation, when the elect of God are divinely visited in that time of love by the power of God through the preaching of the gospel, that mighty effect that has upon them, making them new creatures in Christ, we see here the fruit of that divine visitation, which is the fruit of salvation. It pleased God through the preaching of the gospel to call out His people. And in that day, verse 1, Isaiah 12, verse 1, and in that day, that special day that God has ordered, God has ordained, in that day, that day of salvation when Christ is revealed to your heart, in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I praise Thee. I'll praise thee.

Though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away. How is his anger turned away? Because the Lord Jesus Christ took the wrath of God, due our sin laid upon him. Now there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ. His anger has been turned away because the Lord Jesus Christ paid our sin debt.

And in that day, this is that day that Salvation's coming to our house. As our Lord said to Zacchaeus, this day salvation's come to your house. As that dying thief said to the Lord Jesus Christ, this was the day of his salvation. He said, Lord, you're a king. How did he know he was a king? There was a sign written over his head. This is the king of the Jews. God gave him faith to believe that. You're a king, you're coming into a kingdom, and when you come into your kingdom, Lord, remember me. I love what the Lord said to him, this day, this day, you'll be with me in paradise.

You know, he's still there, that dying thief, that repentant thief, he's still there with the Lord Jesus Christ. In that third heaven, Where is that third heaven? I don't know, but it's somewhere. I get quite amused about these scientists that are wondering about if there is life outside our universe and outside our solar system. Well, certainly there is. The God-man mediator sitting on the throne. Whoever that galaxy is, It's a real place. Sure, there's life beyond the Milky Way.

Because the Lord Jesus, where were all his people who died over the last thousands of years? Believers are with the Lord Jesus Christ. Where's Adam? We know Adam's body's back to the dust, but where did Adam go? He's redeemed by the blood of Christ. Adam Abraham ain't equal gonna see one day he walk right in the glory. He's still there. The resurrected Lord ascended. They watched Him go up into the heavens on a cloud. He's somewhere. He's there sitting on the throne interceding for us.

But this is a day of visitation. This day of salvation come to our house. This phrase, in that day, is used in the book of Isaiah over 40 times. And it dawned on me This evening while I was scraping some whiskers off my face, it dawned on me that this day is the day the Lord hath made. And we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118. It just popped into my head. Sometimes the strangest things I think of at the strangest times. But I'm thankful the Lord brings these things to my mind. This is not talking about a 24-hour day. by the time when God crosses our path with the gospel and reveals Himself unto us.

It's a day of Holy Spirit conviction and judgment precedes justification and emptiness precedes filling. A day of conviction and judgment precedes justification. There must be an emptying before there's a filling. There must be a conviction before there's a healing.

A sinner will never lay hold upon Christ robe of righteousness until he's chilled by his nakedness. Are you chilled by your nakedness and you lay hold of Christ by faith? Never be clothed until you're stripped. Never be filled until you're emptied. Never be made alive until you know what you are by nature, a guilty, dead sinner. If you know that, God's already given you life in Christ Jesus.

He's nigh them of a broken heart. Save us such as be of a contrite spirit. It's a day of conviction, but it's also a day of revelation. A day of revelation. In that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I'll praise thee. It's a day of revelation. He's hid these things from the wise and prudent. and reveal them unto babes. Thou shalt have a cause to say, I am what I am by the grace of God. Thou shalt have a heart to say, being made a new creature in Christ, he gives us a new heart. He makes us new creatures in Christ. And he gives us the will to say. The Lord is my salvation. Thy people shall be willing. You remember Psalm 110, verse three. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Then he says, in that day, thou shalt say, that day of conviction, revelation, thou shalt say, O Lord, I praise thee. We look to him who saved us by his grace. And we confess like Thomas, of old, when he said, My Lord and my God. O Lord, I will praise Thee, though that was angry with me because of my sin, Your anger's turned away. How can that be? Because our sin was punished in our substitute.

Look over here to Isaiah 53. You remember Isaiah 53, verse 10. Here's the reason his anger's turned away. The Lord Jesus Christ endured the wrath of God for our sin. That's what's happening on Calvary Street. And this is what the Lord says about it, Isaiah 53 verse 10.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, when thou shalt make a soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. He bear our sin and his own body on the tree.

If I was angry with me, look at the last line in verse one. I will praise thee. Your anger's turned away, your wrath has been turned away by the blood atonement of Christ, and you have given me comfort, comfort, comfort, comfort. That reminded me of this scripture. Turn to Isaiah 40, Isaiah 40. Comfort, what does God comfort us with? When he saves us, what does he comfort us with? Christ, Christ is our comfort. Isaiah 40, look at this, you remember verse one?

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. Cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. For she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sin. Full payment for all our sin.

That's our comfort, isn't it? Our Lord told those disciples, when God the Holy Spirit comes, He will comfort you. He'll take the things of mine and reveal them unto you. What does God the Holy Spirit comfort His people with? The people of God, Christ. Christ is our comfort. Christ is our comfort.

Now look at verse two. My servant, my elect, you remember Isaiah 42, one, behold, my servant, my elect, and who my soul rejoices, God said, behold, God is my salvation. He's my salvation. Think about this for a minute now. God, who was God Almighty, the eternal, unchanging, sovereign God, he is my savior. He's my salvation. I like what, David said in Psalm 27, the Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I be afraid?

Behold, God is my salvation. I don't know what he is to everybody else, but I know what he is to me. He's my Savior. He's my God and he's my Savior. And I will trust, I will trust and be not afraid for the Lord Jehovah Jehovah is everlasting, all-sufficient, eternal God. He's the one who is my strength. He is my song. He has become my salvation. He's my strength. He's my song. We sing about Him, don't we?

And that day of divine visitation is not only a day of conviction, but also a day of divine salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ when we are taught by the Lord that He's everything in salvation, that Christ is all and in all. The Lord Jehovah is God my Savior. Some of the old writers say that one of the names of Jehovah is Jehovah our Savior, Jehovah our Savior, and I know that's so. Jehovah, the Lord Jehovah is God my Savior, the everlasting, eternal, self-existing, holy, merciful God, Jehovah Elohim. as we studied in the book of Genesis.

He's the only, you remember Isaiah 45? I quoted it a moment ago. He said, I am God, beside me there is no other. The only just God and Savior. He's the only one can be just and justify the ungodly. When God sovereignly grants unto us faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, you know what will happen?

I will trust. Trust Him at all times. You remember Psalm 62. Trust Him at all times. Your people pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us. When God grants us faith in Christ Jesus, it causes us to trust Him for all things, for righteousness, for redemption, for salvation. We trust the Lord. We don't trust, certainly we don't trust ourselves, do we? I don't trust myself. I trust Him for all salvation. Saving faith is a gift of God, and saving faith, when God grants us saving faith, the fruit of that is trusting Him, looking to Him, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

The faith of God's elect is the fruit of life given to us in regeneration. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. We don't believe to be born. We believe because we have been born of God and made new creatures in Christ Jesus. Faith is the result of the new birth. The new birth. When does that newborn baby cry? He cries when he's born. He doesn't cry to be born. He cries because he has been born. And that's a cry of faith. Faith and repentance are not the conditions of salvation, as I said Sunday. Now listen, faith and repentance are not conditions of salvation, it's the fruit of salvation. It's the fruit of salvation. We are taught that we are weak and sinful creatures and that Christ is all our spiritual strength, all of our spiritual strength.

Turn to Isaiah 26. Isaiah 26, look at verse 4. Well, verse 3 and 4, Isaiah 26. Well, let's go back to verse 1. Isaiah 26, verse 1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. Here's this, in that day again. We have a strong city, salvation will got a point for walls and borks, open ye the gates that the righteous nation, which keepeth truth, may enter in, that will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee, because he trusted in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. He is my strength and he is my song.

We are taught to sing the song of redemption, aren't we? Sing unto the Lord. Look at verse 5. Isaiah 12, verse 5. Sing unto the Lord, for He hath done excellent things. We sing unto the Lord. You remember the song in the Revelation, chapter 1, verse 5 and 6? Unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sin and His own blood, to Him be all honor and glory, both now and forever and ever. Amen. Back to Isaiah 12, verse 3.

And in that day, that day of salvation, that day of conviction, that day of revelation, in that day shall you say, what do you say? Praise the Lord. I know that phrase is, in a lot of religious circles, it's a meaningless phrase. But believers really do in their heart, They don't have to have the waving of the hands and all the emotional show, but in the deep recesses of their heart, they say with David, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Praise ye the Lord. Give all honor and worship and glory unto the Lord.

Verse 4, Isaiah 12. Call upon His name. Call upon His name. or proclaim his name. Remember, we studied that, was it last week or the week before, Isaiah 9, verse 6? Unto us a child is born, but unto us a son is given, and his name shall be called, what, Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and of the increase of his government there shall be no end. Praise ye the Lord, call upon his name. Declare his doings. Declare his name and declare his doings among the people. Declare his doings, not ours, his doing.

We receive this salvation with joy, don't we? Joy in our heart. Salvation received with joy and thanksgiving like the thirsty man in the wilderness that finds cool, clear water to quench his thirst. He gives thanks for the water of life, doesn't He? That's Christ. That's the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord. Call upon His name. Declare what He has done for us, not what we have done for Him. What He has done for us. He's performed all things for us. Salvation by His performance, not ours. Psalm 57 said, He's performed all things for us. all things for us.

Declare his name, call upon his name, verse three, therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. Christ is our joy. He's a well of water springing up into everlasting life and in that day, shalt thou say, praise the Lord. We rejoice in that water of life. The wise man Solomon said, as cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Therefore, with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day, shall you say, praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people.

He done all things well. Make mention, the last part of verse four, make mention of this. that his name's exalted. His name is exalted. Remember Philippians chapter two, God has given him a name above every name, that at that name, every knee should bow, every tongue should confess that he's Lord to the glory of God the Father. Make mention that his name is exalted. He's exalted, Lord God Almighty. This is the one we worship. Verse five, sing unto him. Declare his name as the almighty God. Declare his doings. For the Lord hath made me glad through thy work. I will triumph in the work of thy hands. Sing unto the Lord in that day of visitation, in that day of conviction, in that day of rejoicing, in that day of salvation. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things.

This is known in all the earth. As Paul said to Agrippa, or one of those kings, this thing wasn't done in a corner. It was done openly. He was convicted. The Lord Jesus Christ had a conviction. They said he was guilty of blasphemy. He had a public trial. He was publicly executed. This thing wasn't done in a corner. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done an excellent thing. This is known in all the earth. East, west, north, south. God will call the people from all over this world. He said, bring my people from afar. Bring my people from afar.

I'm thinking of a scripture over here if I can find it. I think it's Isaiah 43. Don't turn, let me just read it to you. Fear not, I am with thee. Verse five, I'll bring thy seed from the east, gather thee from the west, I'll say to the north, Give up and to the south, keep not back. Bring my son from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone that's called by my name. For I have created him for my glory. I have formed him. Yea, I have made him. Bring my people from afar.

He has a people out of every kindred, tribe, nation, tongue under heaven. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things. Everything the Lord When he said, it is finished, he finished the work the father gave him to do. Everything he did, he did everything in an excellent way. The father speaks from heaven, said, this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. He had done excellent things. We have an excellent redemption, an excellent righteousness.

We have an excellency. all things concerning all spiritual blessing, and this is known everywhere. Verse six, cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion. That's God's church. I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion, Psalm 2. Well, great is the Holy One of Israel. The Holy One of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ, He's the Holy One. The Holy One of Israel, He's in the midst of thee. Do you believe that? God is in the midst of His church.

He's the head, we're the body. He said, where two or three, two or three, are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst. You say, well, I don't see Him. I don't feel His presence. We believe His word. Where two or three are gathered together in his name, he said, there I am in their midst.

And you know when the gospel is preached, that we studied it in 1 Peter chapter 2, when the gospel is preached, the angels desire to look into these things. There's angels floating around here tonight. Preaching it crazy. Okay. I believe God's Word. The angels are desiring to look into these things of the Gospel.

The Lord Jesus Christ dwells among His people. He dwells in His church. I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. For great is the Holy One of Israel. He is in our midst. Not only does He dwell in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the head, we are His body, but He dwells in the hearts of His people. He's given us the residing Holy Spirit that dwells in every believer. Christ in you is the hope of glory. The Holy One dwells in the hearts of His children, regenerated by the power of God, the Holy Spirit.

God Is My Salvation

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about salvation?

How do we know predestination is true?

Why is the concept of eternal purpose important for Christians?

What does it mean that Jesus is both God and Savior?

Why is joy important in the Christian faith?

Sermon Transcript

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God Is My Salvation

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about salvation?

How do we know predestination is true?

Why is the concept of eternal purpose important for Christians?

What does it mean that Jesus is both God and Savior?

Why is joy important in the Christian faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Tom Harding

Comments

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