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Chapter Eight Soteriology - Salvation
I
t is crucially important to grasp the dimension of God's eternal
purpose and grace for mankind. We shall come to appreciate the high goals of the eternal God for the human race when we follow His unfolding pur pose through the scriptures.
8.0 The One and Only Saviour
The oneGod ofcreationwho isWordandSpiritisalsotheonlySaviour
of fallen man. Never losing track of the sons of Adam down from the Garden of Eden, His uninterrupted purpose climaxed in the revelation of God in His redemptive love when He was manifested on earth as Immanuel (Isaiah 7:13-14). As the Apostle John states that in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and God was the Word (Greek Bible). "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew him not" (John 1:9-10).
Through the prophet Isaiah the Holy One of Israel asks, "Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, it is truth" (Isaiah 43:9). This too is what God wants us to hear and acknowledge:"Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior" (Isaiah 43:10-11;
44:24).
God questions persistently and clears all doubts: "Tell ye, and bririg them near; yea, let them take counsel together who hath declared this from ancient time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me, a
just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:21-22). (Read also Isaiah 64:4;35:4.) God also declared through Moses, "Seenow that I,even I,am he,and there isnogodwithme: Ikill, andImake alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my
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