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The Sovereignty of the Spirit in Salvation and the Gospel as Divine Shibboleth

Introduction

The work of salvation belongs entirely to God. He acts according to His sovereign will, saving whom He wills, as He wills, when and where He wills. The proclamation of the Gospel is the means by which this sovereign work resonates with those born of the Spirit, serving as a divine shibboleth that distinguishes those who are spiritually alive. Yet, we do so out of love and obedience, not because salvation depends on us but because God has commanded us to proclaim His truth.

Sharing the Gospel: Love and Obedience, Not Responsibility for Salvation

Christians share the Gospel because it is a command of God, not because we bear the responsibility for saving others. Salvation is entirely the work of God, and the Holy Spirit alone regenerates hearts and brings individuals to faith.

  • Matthew 28:19-20: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
  • 1 Corinthians 3:6-7: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

This understanding frees believers from the burden of trying to “save” others, allowing us to share the Gospel out of love for God and others, not out of fear of failure.

God Saves Whom He Wills

Scripture consistently evidences God’s freedom and sovereignty in salvation. He is not constrained by human limitations, nor is His grace bound to any single method or means.

  • John 3:8: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
  • Romans 9:15-16: "For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy."

The Gospel as the Spirit’s Divine Shibboleth

The proclamation of the Gospel is the ordinary means by which God’s saving work is revealed. It serves as a shibboleth, a dividing line that evidences the Spirit’s regenerating work.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:18: "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
  • John 10:27: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

Christians as Bearers of the Gospel

While the Holy Spirit is responsible for salvation, Christians are entrusted with the mission of bearing the Gospel to the world as an act of obedience and love.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:20: "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
  • Romans 10:14-15: "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?"

The Question of the Unreached

1. What About the Native in the Darkest Corners of the World?

God’s saving grace is not limited by geography or circumstance. While the Gospel is the ordinary means of salvation, God can save through extraordinary means.

  • Acts 17:26-27: "And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him."

2. What About People Throughout History of Other Religions?

God’s promise of a countless multitude assures us that His saving work has reached far beyond what is recorded or known.

  • Genesis 18:25: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"
  • Acts 4:12: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Conclusion

God’s sovereignty in salvation ensures that He saves whom He wills, as He wills, when and where He wills. Christians share the Gospel out of love and obedience, not because salvation depends on us but because God has commanded us to proclaim His truth. While God has worked extraordinarily throughout history, the modern Church Age is marked by the global proclamation of the Gospel as the primary means of salvation. Salvation belongs to the Lord (Jonah 2:9), and through the Spirit’s sovereign work and the faithful witness of His people, God is glorified in the redemption of His elect.

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