Salvation
The most important thing in this life is to know for certain whether or not you have been “saved” from the penalty of sin. Gods word tells us that the penalty of sin is death, and that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that man cannot redeem himself; this leaves us with a great need, if I am lost in sin and I cannot find my way out I need someone else to rescue me. I need to be saved. Every day across the world people are physically saved from burning buildings, car accidents, criminals, and more, yet what is more important than your life being saved from death, is your soul being saved from sin, death, He'll, and judgment. The topic of this lesson: What must I do to be saved?
As always we will use Gods word as our textbook, beginning with Ephesians 2:8
By Grace
1st Timothy 1:9
Definition of Grace: The free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him. Layman’s terms grace is receiving some good thing undeserved whereas mercy is having a deserved punishment withheld.
Why we need grace: 2nd Timothy 4:8,God is the righteous judge. God cannot and will not judge unrighteously, just as a good earthly judge must judge and convict lawfully, God the righteous judge must judge and convict according to His law. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death,and not only death but an eternity of real torment in a lake of fire, Revelation 20:15.
We have all,willingly,broken Gods law in some way, at some point in our lives, Romans 3:23, because of our disobedience to Gods law we have earned for ourselves the penalty of sin which is eternal death, Mark 9:43-44, Psalm 49:6-7,because of our sinful condition we are unable to redeem ourselves. Like trying to wash an oily surface clean with a rag covered in oil it cannot be done Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:16.
It is for this reason, the helpless condition of man that we must be shown grace, or we would never be saved.The great news is that God is willing to provide Grace to help in time of need!
How much grace will God give?
James 4:5-8 More!
The grace of God shown through the blood of His Son has covered all the sins of the world for all time! Sins that are past,Romans 3:25,your past cannot keep you from being saved, Hebrews 10:10-12 Your future cannot take away the grace God has given!
Through Faith
Hebrews 11:1
Definitions of Faith: Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth. I have strong faith or no faith in the testimony of a witness, or in what a historian narrates.
2. The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition advanced by another; belief, on probable evidence of any kind.
3. In theology, the assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed. Simple belief of the scriptures, of the being and perfections of God, and of the existence, character and doctrines of Christ, founded on the testimony of the sacred writers, is called historical or speculative faith; a faith little distinguished from the belief of the existence and achievments of Alexander or of Cesar.
4. Evangelical, justifying, or saving faith, is the assent of the mind to the truth of divine revelation, on the authority of God's testimony, accompanied with a cordial assent of the will or approbation of the heart; an entire confidence or trust in God's character and declarations, and in the character and doctrines of Christ, with an unreserved surrender of the will to his guidance, and dependence on his merits for salvation. In other words, that firm belief of God's testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation. Being justified by faith. Romans 5. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11. For we walk by faith, and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5. With the heart man believeth to righteousness. Romans 10. The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the mind, which is called trust or confidence, exercised towards the moral character of God, and particularly of the Savior.
Faith is an affectionate practical confidence in the testimony of God.
Faith as the bible defines it: Hebrews 11:1
Why faith? Hebrews 11:6 Tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God Galatians 3:22 Tells us that it is by faith in Jesus Christ that we receive “the promise”. Hebrews 11:6 explains that it is impossible to please God without faith because in order to come to God you have to believe in God! Novel thought I know but in order to trust someone or something to save you, you must believe it exists. Think of your last doctor visit, unless you yourself are a doctor you had to take His advice for your condition on faith that he could help you get better. Our souls condition is a sin infection and if you don't turn to Doctor God because you have no faith in Him to heal you, YOU WILL DIE.
Note: Knowledge is not faith, knowing isn't believing, verses, must believe that He is, James 2:19 just knowing there is a God isn't enough! Acts 26:28 “almost thou persuadest me”, this ruler heard the gospel from Paul, lived and ruled in Christ's day, yet died and went to Hell having FIRSTHAND knowledge of Jesus Christ if he never let that knowledge drive him to belief.
A gift of God
Romans 5:12-21
The price He paid
1st Corinthians 6:19-20, John 3:16, 1st Peter 1:18-19, Acts 20:28 The price God paid for our sin was as high as could be, since sin cannot redeem sin God needed a perfect sacrifice to accomplish an everlasting atonement, He needed a sacrifice of Himself, His perfect blood, from His sinless Son.
Who He has offered the gift to, 1st Timothy 2:3-4, 2nd Peter 3:9. All means ALL.
How long His gift is good for, Malachi 3:6
To say that God would take back the gift He has freely given (1st Corinthians 2:12) is to say that God is capable of changing His mind based on our actions. We know from earlier in this study that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags to God so if it were possible to lose our salvation it would be impossible to gain it back. Galatians 2:21 and common sense tell us that if we are not able to gain our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:20) Christ's death would be vain because we would all end up losing our salvation and going to Hell anyway. Also notice ten times in the New Testament the phrase “everlasting life” is used. That phrase means eternal, and never ending.
Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I hope that this lesson has helped by providing a basic understanding of how to be saved, and what salvation is.
The assignment for this lesson is to memorize as many of the verses on the following page as you are able.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
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