Salvation To God

God’s angels in heaven do not need to repent. That was the statement made at the conclusion of yesterday’s offering, and we were encouraged to think about it. They can only celebrate repentance in spirit, as it were, but not as a reality in their lives.

Returning to the verse of Charles Wesley’s hymn, we continue to keep delving deeper and wider into God’s marvellous and unfathomable power and authority. Our hearts and minds are still to see more clearly, think more spiritually and live more as our Lord says we can live. We want this to be a reality, even more so now that we are receiving from this verse of the hymn. 

Incarnate deity,

Let all the ransomed race,

Render in thanks their lives to Thee,

For Thy redeeming grace.

The grace to sinners shown,

Ye heavenly choirs proclaim,

And cry: Salvation to our God,

Salvation to the Lamb.

 

Who are the heavenly choirs, to whom Charles Wesley is referring? Just before we speak more about who are the heavenly choirs, I need to discuss this with you. I say this, because it was brought before me and I was shown myself in light I had never ever thought of.

Words, interpretations and meanings can be so confusing, fickle and altogether disconcerting that one would rather not have the myriad of views preached to us. Even the thoughts of one’s mind, if not subjected and surrendered to Jesus, where the mind that was in Christ Jesus reigns, we can and will only think and speak what we do not know. I have said these words as a concerning and worrisome trend, however, I am being specific here. I’m referring to the fact that heavenly choirs are crying, Salvation to our God. Perhaps this discussion may not really be for you. Nonetheless, I know that it is vital for someone who is struggling in faith, where the Trinity is concerned.

As I have already confessed, I was shown me in light I never saw. I have welcomed this time, for I too have been schooled on Jesus as Saviour. I too have been made to think of Jesus as the Person who shed His Divine Blood to save sinners, including me. Yes, I know that there is One God and I know that there are Three Persons. However, in my legalistic, ritualistic and separatist thinking, I had performed a mental operation on the Trinity, as it were, and separated them. As foolish and utterly daft as it may sound, this is exactly what I did. It was as if the Trinity was like conjoined triplets and I did mental surgery and successfully separated them into individual entities. In that way, salvation belonged to Jesus and Jesus to salvation.

Without even being conscious of it, I never saw God as Saviour, therefore, I was a bit reticent when I read the words, Salvation to our God. Complicated, yet most simplistic!  I strongly believe that some of you, believers as I am, have unwittingly done the same thing. We truly need the daily teaching of the Holy Spirit, to correct and guide us aright. We have to know in Spirit and in Truth, in our mortal, human lives that we serve an Incarnate God. Only by faith can we accept this fact, and live its power and purpose.

When the heavenly choirs cry, Salvation to our God, Salvation to the Lamb, the hymn writer has given us a peek into one of John’s experiences while he was on the island of Patmos. In one of his revelations, John says. After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.  Revelation 7: 9 – 10 NKJV.

The great multitude of praising people, was made up of believers from every nation. These are sinners, saved by our Incarnate God, Jesus Christ. When you and I know, and are genuinely able to cry, in our Spirit-born, redeemed lives, Salvation to our God, Salvation to the Lamb, then we too will be able to join the great multitude.