The Gospel Message: Sanctification And Good Works

In the first portion we determined that the Bible is clear in its message that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. A person exercises faith in Jesus Christ, believing in the message that He died, was buried, and rose again, accepting why He did it. It is only in Jesus Christ that salvation may be found. And when one is saved, they are made a member of the church, which is His body, Acts 2:41. Mind you, I am not referring to a denomination; no, denominations have caused incalculable damage to the witness of the gospel and given rise to some odious and entirely erroneous sects or cults such as Roman Catholicism or Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The Gospel Message: Faith, Grace, And God's Gospel

The saints are supposed to contend for the faith once for all delivered to us, Jude 3. But what is this faith, and how does one appropriate it? And once appropriated, how does one retain it? Also, what is the outcome of this faith in the life of the believer? These questions will be pondered as we consider Jude’s admonition, and what is meant by that one little word, “faith.”

To put it very neatly, faith in Jude’s case is belief in the gospel. It is confident trust in the message given from the beginning, first by the Lord Jesus Christ, then His apostles, and then their successors, down through the ages unto us. The gospel, as defined by its chief proponent in his time, is related thus: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. This is what Paul later refers to as the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Corinthians 11:3. The gospel message is simple and sublime. It portrays our Savior, Jesus Christ. It relates what He has done, who He did it for, and why. Christ died (what He did), for our (who He did it for) sins, according to the Scriptures (why He did it). And if you believe this message, then you are born again, born from above, regenerated, adopted into the household of God.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, Uncertainty

Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?

The final verse of chapter six levels two questions, posed by the preacher as he continues to delve down a truly dark path. Let us recall that Ecclesiastes, among other things, is a thorough study of purpose and relevance of life under the sun, or life without God’s presence providing purpose and meaning both individually, and to the entire race of man. Here we have an encapsulated byproduct of Atheism in all of its lurid glory. 

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, Naming

Ecclesiastes 6:10 Whatever one is, he has been named already, for it is known that he is man; and he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he. [11] Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man the better?

The preacher begins this portion of his letter with a recrimination. No matter what else we are called in life: husband, father, wife, mother, manager, owner, athlete, et al, one label binds the totality of the race and summarizes us neatly: human.

Ecclesiastes Chapter Six, The Burden Of Having

Ecclesiastes 6:7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his soul is not satisfied. [8] For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living? [9] Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This is also vanity and grasping for the wind.

The NASB renders the Hebrew word “soul” for “appetite” for clarity. The literal translation is soul, however, but both could be applicable here. The labor of man is to sate his appetite, whatever that appetite is. We work to achieve what we desire, but when we achieve it gratification is fleeting, and the soul, or one’s appetite, is stricken with fresh desire, or a new pursuit.