Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel read Romans 4:19 discussing the promise of God made to Abraham. Abraham, who against hope, believed in hope to become the father of many nations. God is asking all to believe in His promise, as faith in the finished work of Christ will bring about the will of God in our lives. Discussing the topic of confessing in a believer’s life, the panel agrees that confessing what is in scripture, according to the will of God is permitted. Proper confession will result in New Covenant benefits if we are anchored in the Word of God by faith and we want to see the Kingdom of God grow.

Law keeping works wrath instead of grace. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel read Romans 4:17 discussing justification by faith. We are responsible for the gospel, as God has many ways He has revealed Himself to mankind. The Apostle Paul teaches how grace and law together will never get lost mankind right with God. Works will only frustrate the grace of God. We must beware of the flesh, the carnal mind. His grace comes as a free gift, which cannot be worked for. Righteousness comes by faith in the finished work of Christ and that alone.

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel read Romans 4:13-16 discussing justification by faith. The life of Abraham is our example of acquiring righteousness by faith and not by works. Salvation cannot exist in both works and faith; either one cancels out the other, thus, the promise would be made of non-effect. The Apostle Paul is warning the early church followers that works frustrate the grace of God, and shuts off the flow of grace in our lives.

Dependence on self will turn us away from the finished work of Christ, taking us from a government of grace to a government of law. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss how Satan tries to get believers to take our eyes off of Christ in the midst of our storms. If our object of faith is in self-efforts, then this change of focus to self, will leave us with a law mindset. We cannot have justification with a law mindset. When we focus on law, or self-efforts, then our power source is now in our own willpower and the result will be failure, and the sin is likely to dominate our lives once again. The New Covenant is exclusive, faith in the finished work of Christ and Him alone.

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel read Romans 4:13-14 discussing justification within the New Covenant and the Old. Reading Galatians 3:8, the panel explains how this justification is not just to the Jew, but the heir of the world is Christ and the New Covenant, which applies to all those who believe. If we are, in Christ, we are Abraham’s seed. The promise was made to Abraham and his seed. Brother Larson says, here, we see seed is singular; therefore, this refers to Christ alone, and those who are In Christ are justified. Inheritance is never earned, it can only be given.

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss how all who believe on the finished work of Christ are justified. Looking at the Law of Moses, and Israel’s effort to keep the many other fence laws, we learn that this deception and spirit of religion can never lead to justification, which is by faith alone. Justification can only come by faith in God’s redemption plan. Just as Abraham was the father of all those who believed; meaning, faith and not works. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel welcome back Pastor Bob Cornell from Murfreesboro Tennessee. Jesus said, “He cannot come, until I go away”, referring to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The panel discusses the way the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer today. This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. While Abraham, had the promise of righteousness by faith; it is now, not only a legal work, but a transformative work, all done by Christ’s finished work. The sealing and imputation in us of the Holy Spirit is by faith. Since the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit dwells inside every person; yes, upon salvation, but also when those who call on the second subsequent work of the Holy Spirit a prayer language is received, evidenced by speaking in tongues. (Acts 2:1-4)

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel welcome guest Pastor Bob Cornell from Murfreesboro Tennessee. The panel discusses justification by faith, as God has designed for the believer’s life and living. Brother Bob shares his testimony of how he learned to carry this truth every day. We are called to carry His truth, if we don’t, we will end up trusting in self-efforts. Correct faith in Christ’s finished work will allow the Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us, and transform us into the righteousness of Christ. There is a rest in the finished work of Christ. Freedom and liberty come when we truly understand the justification we have in Christ. This is the only way God works. Personal performance will always fall short of the glory of God.

Can the believer lose his or her justification? Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel look at the life of David, a perfect example of why a believer can expect to stumble. By faith, our righteousness in imputed, and cannot be achieved by works. Only repentance and forgiveness, and keeping our faith in Christ can maintain our status in Christ as we recognize our sin. Brother John explains God’s maintenance plan; as we don’t fall out of the grace of God, but we fall into His grace. He is a God of restoration.

You can’t understand the New Covenant without a proper understanding of the Old Covenant. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss faith in the finished work of Christ looking at the lives of Abraham and David. The Old Testament is not obsolete with the coming of Christ, but it is complete because of Christ’s death on Calvary’s Cross. Everything regarding Israel and the law pointed to Christ and Him crucified. While justification for the sinner is explained through the life of Abraham, we see justification for the saint through the life of David, one who knew God and failed time and time again.