Five Things You Need To Know About Salvation by Bro. Jeff Ray @ excharismania .blogspot.com

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Five Things You Need To Know About Salvation
(Acts 4:10, 12) Posted by Bro. Jeff Ray

We as Christians need to be so thankful for our salvation in Jesus Christ and you say I know plenty about salvation and have heard so many sermons on it that you could teach it. Well, we need to be reminded so that we can keep a thankful heart and renew the joy of our salvation in our hearts. We need to hear it again so that we can tell others about salvation found in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So, today we are going to look at five things we need to know about salvation.

I. Salvation and the Two-fold Implication

First we need to define salvation. Salvation means to fully deliver someone from out of danger, harm, or destruction. Now does that have any implications for us? It definitely does. We can get two implications from this.

The first implication is that someone needs to be saved and cannot save themselves. Well I can imply that to myself, in light of what scripture says about mankind ability to save themselves I understand this truth, I am lost and condemned in my sinfulness and I cannot save myself.

The second implication of salvation is this, there is someone who is able to save and is willing to save us. In reading the scriptures we can come to this truth, only Jesus can save us and was willing to save us. From this we have two unchangeable truths, our inability to save ourselves and the one who can save us (Jesus) who is more than willing to save us.

God chose to save us and went to the tremendous task to save us through the sacrifice of the eternal Son of God. The awesome love and grace and mercy poured out on a mere creation. In all rights He could have and should have destroyed us but He did not. What love and kindness and tender mercies He has shown sinful and disobedient mankind (Ps. 69:14-16 says, “Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the water flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.).

The subject of the Bible and the object of God’s love is the redemption of man made possible through Jesus Christ, God the Son.

II. Man is Lost

Rom. 3:9,10 – “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”

If you ever read the book of Romans in just the first 3 chapters we come to these important truths about the nature of man: man is lost in his sins, it is his nature to sin, and that all people are sinful and in need of a savior. The sinfulness of man is called the depravity of mankind. That simply means we are morally and sinfully corrupt and that is our nature.

Every human being ever born or will be born in this world will be born with a sin nature, Rom. 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, we see it doesn’t say some or most but all. All people are equal in this that we are sinful and separated from God (Is. 59:2 – “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you). We can’t let pride say, “I’m not as bad as somebody else”, we are all sinful and in the same spiritual condition without Christ.

III. Man cannot save himself.

Man cannot save himself because he is sinful and cannot come into the presence of a holy God. Because of our inability, we can only fall upon God’s grace to save us. Salvation is by God’s grace and not by any works we do (Eph. 2:8, 9- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.).

Man-made religions, cults, and philosophies trust in a false hope that somehow good deeds, religious devotion, or self-effort will make us good enough to be accepted by God into His Heaven. The prevalent philosophy is that if one does enough good things that it will outweigh the bad. That is far from the truth, the parable of Jesus about judgment day in Matt. 7, in verses 22 & 23, we see them say to Jesus, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Those in that day that relied on good works and religious rituals but never had a personal relationship with Christ and found themselves deceived and facing the judgment of God. Prov. 14:12 says “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”.

Salvation is not earned by church membership, good deeds, baptism, or by keeping the 10 Commandments. It is by putting your faith in Christ as Lord and Savior, recognizing He is the only way of salvation, because mankind cannot save themselves.

IV. What is Salvation?

A. Reconciliation- Salvation is reconciliation with God. Rom 5:10, 11 (NIV) – For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. The suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, He has reconciled us back in right relationship with the God.

B. Redemption- Gal. 3:13- Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. The term redemption in Greek was used of one purchasing a servants at a slave market that gives us the understanding that Christ paid the price to purchase our salvation from the slavery of sin. The redemption price was His blood which was sufficient to purchase everyone sold under sin. The words used to show redemption also mean to purchase and take home, no longer for sale in the slave market, to purchase and give freedom. Christ redeemed us from the slave block of sin and forever given freedom in Christ.

C. Adoption (Gal. 4:4,5- But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.) – we are adopted as sons and daughters of God by and through the person and work of Jesus Christ. We have full rights as children of God through Jesus Christ.

D. Imputation- Christ’s salvation took the penalty for our sin on Himself Is. 53:5- “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” And because He was the substitute for us, He could give vicariously or impute to us His righteousness. So we could be accepted by the Father.

E. Justification (Rom. 3:24,25 – Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins.)- Justification is the forgiveness of sin (past, present, and future) and God declaring us righteous through Christ’s righteousness imputed to us and the removal of His judgment.

V. Cost of Salvation – the cross; the suffering, shed blood, and death of Christ on the Cross. Is. 53:4,5 -Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Healed, cleansed, forgiven, and set free from our sins by the mighty work of Jesus Christ. With great love He gave Himself for the salvation of our souls. With great love we need to confess and believe by faith in Christ to be our Lord and Savior. And after He becomes our Lord we need to serve Him and live for Him and witness about Him to all of those who are still lost and blind in their sins.

http://excharismania.blogspot.com/2009/01/five-things-you-need-to-know-about.html

SALVATION: DO or DONE ?, IT IS FINISHED!!!

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SALVATION: DO or DONE ?, IT IS FINISHED!!!

This post is two articles and one video !!!

http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/helpseek/doordone.htm

DO or DONE? !!

 

“There is a wide difference between your religion and mine,” said a Christian lady to one in whose spiritual condition she had long been interested. “Indeed,” said he, “how is that?” “Your religion,” she replied, “has only two letters in it, and mine has four.”

 
It seems that this gentleman was one of that numerous class seeking to get to heaven by their doings, by attention to ordinances and ceremonies, by what the apostle, in the ninth of Hebrews, terms “dead works.” But he did not understand about the “two letters” or the “four.” His friend had often spoken to him, and on the occasion to which our anecdote refers she had called to take her leave of him for some time, as she was about to go from home.

 
“What do you mean,” said he, “by two letters and four?”

 
“Why, your religion,” said the lady, “is d-o DO; whereas mine is D-O-N-E.” This was all that passed. The lady took her leave; but her words remained and did their work in the soul of her friend–a revolutionary work, verily. The entire current of his thoughts was changed. Do is one thing; done is quite another. The former is legalism; the latter is Christianity. It was a novel and very original mode of putting the gospel; but it was just the mode for a legalist, and the Spirit of God used it in the conversion of this gentleman. When he next met his friend, he said to her, “Well, I can now say with you that my religion is d-o-n-e, DONE..” He had learned to fling aside the deadly doings, and rest in the finished work of Christ. He was led to see that it was no longer what he could do for God, but what God had done for him.

 
This settled everything. The four golden letters shone under the gaze of his emancipated soul, “d-o-n-e.” Precious letters! Precious word! Who can tell the relief to a burdened heart when it discovers that all is done? What joy to know that what I have been toiling for, it may be many a long year, was all done nearly 2000 years ago, on the cross! Christ has done all. He has put away sin; magnified the claims of divine justice; vanquished Satan; taken the sting from death and the victory from the grave; glorified God in the very scene in which He had been dishonored; brought in everlasting righteousness. All this is wrapped up in these four golden letters, “d-o-n-e.” Oh, who would not give up the two for the four? Who would not exchange “do” for “done”?

 
Reader, what say you to this? What of your religion? Does it consist of two letters or four? Is it still “do” with you? or have you found your happy portion and rest in “done”? Do you think of it, dear friend–think deeply–think seriously–and may God’s Spirit lead you, this moment, to cease from your own “do,” and to rest in Christ’s eternal “done.” (by C.H.Mackintosh, 1820-1896)

 
* * * * * * * * * *
When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross He cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The work of our salvation was FINISHED, DONE, ACCOMPLISHED and COMPLETED. We simply need to trust and rest in what the Saviour has accomplished.

 
Salvation is not working; it is RESTING on the WORK of Another, even the Lord Jesus Christ: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:5).

 
Religion is man trying to bring himself to God by human effort, by good works, by ritualism, by traditionalism, by sacraments, etc. Salvation is Christ bringing us to God on the basis of what He did for us on the cross: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

 
God’s holiness utterly condemns the best man (“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one”–Romans 3:10) and God’s grace freely justifies the worst (“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”–Romans 3:23-24).

 
The gospel message brings to man not a work to do, but a word to believe about a work done: “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:25).

 
We are saved, not because of what we have done, but because of the MERCY OF GOD based upon what Christ has done on the cross: “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” (Titus 3:5).
A person can never be saved by his own good works: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

 
Good works done by sinful man can never please a holy God. The greatest good work is GOD’S WORK accomplished by Jesus Christ who offered Himself on the cross as the sinner’s Substitute. Thus we are not saved by good works but we are saved unto good works: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

 
Are you resting fully in the finished work of Christ? Are you trusting in Jesus Christ, WHO HE IS, WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR YOU and WHAT HE HAS SAID IN HIS WORD? “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

http://sovereign-grace.com/518.htm

“IT IS FINISHED!”

 

The Son of God is being slandered by many preachers today. We may often hear them saying, “Jesus Christ has attempted to save all humanity by dying for us all and paying the price for our redemption. But His work alone is not sufficient for our salvation. He has done His part, now we must do ours. We must finish what He has commenced. If we trust in Him, what He has done for our salvation will become effectual, and we will be saved. But if we do not trust in Him, what He has done will have been a wasted effort, and we will perish in the lake of fire.”

 
These slanderers of Jesus Christ therefore become also beggars of sinners for Him. We may often hear them pleading during their altar calls, while their congregations sing verse after verse of invitational hymns, “Please let Jesus save you. He so very much wants to save you, but He is helpless to do so unless you let Him. He has done all He can to save you; now the rest is up to you. Please finish what He has begun.”

 
Their Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 11:4) is but an inglorious caricature of “God … manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16), the Son of God who “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He came from heaven to earth for a very specific purpose. And at the end of His earthly ministry, He shouted in victory in His dying breath, “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

 
“Finished!” is His ministry as the substitute for His people. He Himself declared He had come “as the Son of Man … to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He identified the “many” when He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

 
The loss of life is the penalty God inflicts for sin: “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4) and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ did not die for His own sins, because “[He] committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). Rather, He died as the substitute for others, in their place and stead. God His Father has therefore declared of Him, “[F]or the transgressions of My people He was stricken …, for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:8,11): ” The sins of God’s people were laid upon Him, and He died the death they deserve, suffering as their substitute, in their place and stead. Consequently:

 
“Finished!” is His mission for the salvation of His people. This mission is signified even by the name which was given to Him at His birth: “you shall call His name JESUS [i.e. Savior], for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). This work of salvation has many aspects, and He has finished each.

 
He has remitted the sins of His people. He did so through what He called “My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

 
He has justified His people. He has fulfilled the prophecy of His Father when He declared “My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).

 
He has bestowed eternal life to His people. In His high-priestly prayer to God His Father (John 17), He acknowledged that the Son of God “should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (v.2). And He declared, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (v.4). In summary, He had ascertained that every one of God’s chosen people would both hear and believe the gospel, and receive eternal life through their faith (vv.6-8). He had already ascertained this was done for those who lived during the days of His earthly ministry, and He promised to do so for those who will live in subsequent ages (vv.20f).

 

Truly “It is finished!” Jesus Christ has taken upon Himself the sins of His people, and died in their place and stead, and paid their penalty for sins, and redeemed and justified every one of them. And He has guaranteed that every one of them will enjoy the eternal bliss of heaven, and that none of them will perish in the lake of fire. And He has ascertained that every one of them will hear and believe this glorious gospel. Is He your Lord and Savior?

 

 

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