A meaningless gospel, a meaningless god, and a meaningless savior!

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(Don Fortner)

"You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins!" Matthew 1:21

The angel's message to Joseph was a message of grace, redemption, and salvation to sinners. By God's command, He was named, "JESUS," Savior, because He was sent by God to save His people from their sins. What He is called, that He is--Jesus, our Savior.

The Lord Jesus came into the world to save "His people" from their sins. Those He came to save were His people before He came to save them, His by eternal election. There are some people in this world, an elect multitude, chosen in Him before the world began, who are peculiarly and distinctively His people, the objects of His everlasting love, chosen in Him unto salvation (Ephesians 1:2-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).

The Lord Jesus Christ is an almighty, effectual Savior! He saves His people from . . .
the penalty of their sins--by His blood atonement,
the dominion of their sins--by His regenerating Spirit,
the being of their sins--when He takes them out of this world,
all the evil consequences of their sins--in resurrection glory!

Universal love, universal grace, and universal redemption--is meaningless love, meaningless grace, and meaningless redemption. To preach such, is to preach a meaningless gospel, a meaningless god, and a meaningless savior!

"You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins!"

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