D. Michael Battle, B.A., M.A., M.A.

Dear Friends, let us praise and glorify our awesome God of love for all of His benevolent benefits and beneficial blessings. Praise Him for His miraculous and amazing grace. God Almighty is the Supreme Being: the Higher Power Superpower of the Universe. "It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" Matthew 4:4. The Bible makes it crystal clear that eternal salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. The B-I-B-L-E stands for: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Planet Earth is the preparation and training zone for heaven. If you know all the prophecies, and understand all knowledge and all mysteries, and have not love, you are nothing. True Christianity is an institute on loving and living. From the Doxology to the Benediction, I teach Christ crucified; Christ resurrected and revived; and Christ glorified. Jesus Christ is my inspiration. I believe that the doctrines of Christ supersede church traditions. Jesus said, and I am paraphrasing it. "You diligently search, study, and examine the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me, and testify of and about Me . . . If you believed the Torah, Moses, and the prophets, you would believe Me" (John 5:39-45). I believe that our Prince of Peace is the Savior of the entire human race. This sermon is an exegesis of the Gospel of Jesus. The Gospel is all about the love of Jesus. He is the self-existent, omnipotent, divine Son of God. Jesus is God Incarnate, and God is Love. There are many different perspectives and perceptions about the Gospel. Christ's Gospel of love, righteousness, and redeeming grace is the most important divine revelation given to mankind. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached into all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come" Matthew 24:14. Jesus personifies the values and attributes of God. 1 John 4:19 says: "We love Him because He first loved us." Do you love God? 1 John 4:10 says. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." It is a supernatural miracle every time God converts a sinner into a saint. Do you have a loving relationship and connection with Jesus? Our Lord said in John 15:10. "If you obey My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commandments, and remain in His love."

The Bible says in Romans 5:8 in the NIV. "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." There are many Scriptural nuggets that clarify different aspects of the gospel. For instance, the gospel verse in John 3:16 is the Gospel of Love in a nut shell. I personalize God's promises. "For God so loved the world (and Michael Battle) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Christ came to earth to save sinners like you and me. I believe that the God we worship and serve is not a God of condemnation and hatred, but a God of love and sin-forgiveness. Peter's wife's mother was healed by Jesus, the Great Physician. Don't you believe He is longing to heal you, and forgive you for your sins? John E. Walvoord wrote. "Love was when God became a man, locked in time and space, without rank or place; Love was God born of Jewish kin; Just a carpenter with some fishermen; Love was when Jesus walked in history, loving He brought a new life that's free; Love was God nailed to bleed and die to reach and love one such as I."

The Good News of the Gospel is more hope-inspiring and illuminating than the depressing so-called TV news. St. Paul, a gospel theologian, says in Romans 1:16-17, NIV. Christ's Gospel "is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and then for the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last." Abraham is the father of the faithful; and his faith was accounted as righteousness. "The just shall live by faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). The gospel is all about the life and death of Jesus. There are many different perspectives on the gospel. The apostle Paul describes the gospel in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 1 through 8. I am reading from the New International Version. "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand; By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also."

Faith without Works is Dead

Some people believe in a Homeboy Jesus. They say, "Jesus is my Homie." Jesus is sinless and righteous. "There is no one holy like the Lord" 1 Sam 2:2. Do not blaspheme His worthy name, or use it in vain. Don't trivialize your relationship with the Savior! Some teach a Prosperity Gospel or a Social Gospel; and others believe in an ecumenical Gospel with an ecumenical Jesus that has thrown out all sound doctrine. Does God want us to compromise with evil? No! But some sanctimonious backsliders, hypocrites, neo-Sadducees believe in a Cheap Grace Jesus. They presume upon God's grace while still living in known sin. David prayed: "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins" Psalm 19:13. Presumption is Satan's deceptive counterfeit for credible, active faith in God. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" James 2:26. The angel Gabriel described the plan of salvation in this way. "And she (Mary) shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matt 1:21). Did you hear what I said? Christ's Gospel of Grace and God's moral law of love are inseparable, and they are in perfect harmony. Some false gospel preachers say that "the law (including God's seventh day Sabbath) was nailed to the cross. I can illustrate how foolish this statement is. If there is no law, then there is no knowledge of sin and no sin at all; and if there is no sin, then there is no need for a gospel of grace or Jesus Christ, our Savior from sin. 1 John 3:4 says that "sin is the transgression of (God's moral) law." It is time to preach the Elijah Message. What is your spiritual temperature? Are you a Philadelphian or a Lukewarm Laodicean? "If we deliberately (willfully) keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice (no apology) for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God' Hebrews 10:26-27, NIV.

H.M.S. Richards once said. "Grace is God's part of justification, blood is Christ's part of justification, faith is our part of justification. Grace is the ground of justification, Christ's blood is the means of justification, faith is the how of justification." -Thirty Sermons, pages 616-617. Let me give you a technical definition of how the gospel operates in our life. "The gospel of Christ is the good news of grace . . . by which man is released from the condemnation of sin (that's justification), and enabled to render obedience to the law (that's sanctification)" (RH, Vol. 1, p. 287). Salvation is a progressive process. God's Spirit empowers us. We will receive our crown of righteousness at the Second Coming of Christ. O that will be a glorious day of joy and jubilation! Those who want to be clad in their own stained breastplate of self-righteousness are in a delusional state. We all need to be clothed in the white robe of Christ's righteousness! It's free!

"He [Christ] is a perfect and holy example, given for us to imitate. We cannot equal the pattern; but we shall not be approved of God if we do not copy it, and according to the ability God has given, resemble it." Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 549. No one can equal the pattern of sinless perfection by our Role Model, Jesus Christ. We are imperfect and sinful. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8, NKJV. God's free gift is eternal life. "No one can cover his soul with the garments of Christ's righteousness while practicing known sin, or neglecting known duties. God requires the entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and in order for man to retain justification." SM, Vol. 1, p. 366.

We can only reflect Christ's character by the transforming power of His Spirit working within us. "The gospel is glorious because it is made up of His righteousness. It is Christ unfolded, and Christ is the gospel embodied. . . . We are not to praise the gospel, but praise Christ. We are not to worship the gospel but the Lord of the gospel." SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 907. I worship the Lord of the Lord's Day Creation Sabbath. Amen. The goodness and lovingkindness of God leads us to repentance. See Romans 2:4. Repentance of sin precedes justification. This is an obvious prerequisite. "Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and saying . . . Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:14-15. Repentance is genuine, godly sorrow for our sins (2 Cor. 7:10). You cannot be saved living in known, willful sin. Sin is separation from God. Sin is lawlessness. "Everyone who sins breaks the law . . . No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning" 1 John 3:4-6, NIV. The penalty for sin is death. But Love says, "I take no pleasure in the death (punishment) of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live." Ezekiel 33:11, NLT. Our Triune God is Love. Let us all claim the promise of sin-forgiveness today. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9. God wants us to experience a spiritual rebirth in our hearts, and be baptized under the water and by His Spirit.

Righteousness is Love

What endtime sign about "love" is found in Matthew 24:12, BEB? "And because wrongdoing will be increased, the love of most people will become cold." Hate crimes, violence, terror, corruption in government, financial meltdowns, and ethnic and religious persecution will continue to proliferate in the future. Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you" Matt 15:12. Man's inhumanity to man is of one the greatest sins of our global society. True brotherly love does not abuse, dehumanize, or demonize other people. Jesus wants us to leave our comfort zone, and to love our neighbors and enemies. Children of God, we must all overcome our hatred or bigotry. God loves Atheists, Buddhists, and Hindus. And God loves Christians, Muslims, and Jews. God is no respecter of persons. We are all created equal with freedom of choice and conscience. Christians should be color-blind and race-blind. There is only one human race. Over two-thirds of the world's population lives in China and India. They have a right to hear the gospel of eternal salvation before this Cosmic War between Christ and Satan has ended, and choose who they will worship. Jesus demonstrated His love and grace at Calvary when He saved a repentant criminal. This event is a microcosm of the whole gospel of love and grace. The thief said: "Remember me when you come into your Kingdom." Jesus forgave him and saved him, and promised him eternal life in Paradise in Heaven (Luke 23:39-45). The dead in Christ will meet Him in the air at His Second Coming (1 Cor. 15:23, 51-55). Whether in 2012, 2020, 2050, or whenever, the sky sign and time of the revelation of Christ's Appearing is our Blessed Hope. "The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross . . . but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character, the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer . . . The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian." The Ministry of Healing, p. 470.

Jesus said; "Unless your righteousness exceeds the (letter of the law, legalistic) righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:20, NKJV. Messiah Yeshua said in Matthew 6:33. "Seek first the spiritual kingdom of God and His love." Is the Lord your true Shepherd? Or is reality TV, money, sports, or materialism your Shepherd? Do you spend most of your time on the iPad, in Facebook, or social networking on the cyberspace highway? "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways" (Proverb 14:14).

Someone asked me why doesn't the Christian Church preach more about the Gospel of Love than the Righteousness of Christ? I got some Good News for them today. "Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God, and "God is love." 1 John 4:16. It is conformity to the law of God, for "all Thy commandments are righteousness" (Psalm 119:172), and "love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). Righteousness is love, and love is the light and life of God. The righteousness of God is embodied in Christ. We receive righteousness by receiving Him" Mount of Blessing, P. 18. You can't earn salvation by your obedience. Obedience is proof of your love, and the fruit of your faith. Christ atoned for our sins with His vicarious, substitutionary death on Calvary's cross. Jennie E. Hussey wrote in 1921.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

The Difference between Justification and Sanctification

Let me simplify the difference between justification and sanctification. One of my favorite authors wrote. "Righteousness within is testified to by righteousness without . . . The righteousness (of Christ) by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title (or passport) to heaven, the second is our (moral) fitness for heaven" Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People, p. 35. Let me define some theological terms. Grace is the unmerited favor of God, and pardon for our sins by Jesus Christ. Do we deserve it? No! Faith is the vehicle by which we take hold of Christ, and activate and appropriate His divine blessings, merits, transforming power, and saving grace. God credits Christ's righteousness to our heavenly account by faith when He justifies us. Justification and sanctification are two different aspects of Christ's righteousness in the Creator's pre-existent plan of redemption. A life in Christ means to grow in love and grace, and to develop a Christlike character. Let me break it down. We are justified (declared righteous) by our faith in Jesus Christ, and we are sanctified (made righteous) by our faithfulness to Jesus Christ. But do words and works have anything to do with our salvation? See Rev 20:12-15. "The character is revealed, not by occasional good deeds, and occasional misdeeds, but by the tendency of the habitual words and acts . . . All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith that can make us holy" Steps to Christ, pp. 57-60. Is there anything to hard for God? No! With God nothing is impossible. Ralph Erskine, the son of a Puritan, was a Scottish preacher. He wrote about righteousness by faith in his Gospel Sonnet which was first published in 1734. Here are a few excerpts from his poem.

Kind Jesus spent his life to spin
My robe of perfect righteousness;
But by his Spirit's work within
He forms my gracious holy dress.
He justifying by his merit
Imputes to me his righteousness;
But sanctifying by his Spirit,
Infuses in me saving grace . . .

The former is instantaneous,
The moment that I first believe:
The latter is, as Heav'n allows,
Progressive while on earth I live.
The former pardons ev'ry sin,
And counts me righteous, free, and just:
The latter quickens grace within,
And mortifies my sin and lust . . .

What is the difference between Justification and Sanctification according to Ralph Erskine in his "The Beauties of Erskine" (1745)?

"1. In Justification, God loves us, and shows his love in Christ; In Sanctification we love God, and show our love to him: for the sum of active holiness is love, which is the fulfilling of the law. 2. In Justification, we have the favor of God. In Sanctification, we have the image of God, and the special part of his image is love . . . 4. Justification is God's act of love without us, in and through the merit and righteousness of Christ imputed to us; Sanctification is God's work of grace within us, by the Spirit of Christ imparted to us as a Spirit of love..." I left out explanations 3, and 5 through 7.

Are you ready to gospelize Christ's gospel of love, redeeming grace, and righteousness? Go and tell your neighbors the Gospel. As Christians we are called to reflect Christ's character of love and righteousness, and to live a life of active holiness. Jesus Christ is the Author and Giver of our hope, justification, righteousness, and sanctification. "The righteousness which Christ taught is conformity of heart and life to the revealed will of God . . . True godliness will elevate the thoughts and ennoble the life"- (E.G. White, Desire of Ages, p. 310).

"We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:20-21, NIV). What is justification? When we are justified (declared righteous), Christ's character is credited to our account. "Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted just as if you had not sinned" Ellen. G. White, Steps to Christ (1921) p. 65. Justification by faith is an instantaneous act by Jesus Christ; but sanctification is a progressive, life-long process of growing in grace and growing in Christ's righteousness. The essence of the gospel is a heart transformation, a mindset conversion, and the restoration of the mind, spirit, and body through the transforming, regenerating power of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 5:23). Make a decision right now, and cast your vote for Jesus. An Unknown Author explains the gospel in these terms:

Justification frees from sin.
Sanctification frees from the power of sin.
Glorification frees from the presence of sin.
Justification is for the repentant sinner.
Sanctification is for the surrendered disciple.
Glorification is for the victorious saint.
Justification takes place of the past.
Sanctification takes place of the present.
Glorification takes place of the future.
Justification changes the attitude.
Sanctification changes the character.
Glorification changes us from mortal to immortal.

"Christ bears the penalty of man's past transgression, and by imparting to man His righteousness, makes it possible for man to keep God's holy law –V.6 SDA Bible Commentary, p.1082. Is this Bible Truth crystal clear?

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" 1Tim1:15. This is the very heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Revelation 14:12 says: "Here is the patience (endurance and resilience) of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." God's last day, remnant saints will remain faithful to Jesus. In Noah's day, before the humongous Mega Flood of water, every heart desire and imagination of this vast population of sinners was wicked continually, and then the people became evil continuously. The XYZ generations of our day and age need to repent of their sins. The Antichrist Man of Sin has set himself up inside of the Temple of God to be worshiped as God (2 Thess 2:3-4). The kings of the earth will be deceived by his deadly delusions. Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? Do you love and obey the Lamb of God? Are you willing to suffer afflictions with the People of God?

A microcosm of Christ's gospel of love and sin-forgiving grace is recorded in John 8:3-11. A woman, who was caught in the very act of adultery, was brought to King Jesus by the Pharisees and forced to stand before Christ, our Lord of Love. When Christ forgave her sins, He said to her. "Woman . . . I do not condemn thee: Go and sin no more." Wow! There is hope for the hopeless. Your life is not meaningless. Jesus loves you, and has a meaningful purpose for your life. That's why He died for your sins. Time is running out! The door of salvational grace can swing shut at any time for you or me even before the final crisis at the End of Days. Are you ready for Jesus to come? Confess your sins to God right now. Let Jesus micromanage your life today. While the four angels are holding back the four winds of strife and terror, accept Jesus as your personal Savior. Bible believing Christians! Stay united and worship God. The Revelation of Christ's Appearing will happen very soon. Grace and peace be with you all. Amen.

Michael Battle   P.O. Box 50471
Mesa, AZ 85208   (602) 679-9405

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