Image via WikipediaIntroductionHow shall a person be saved? People have various theories …
Do your best and you’ll be OK in this world and the next.
Do good works and you will merit the salvation of God.
We’ll all be saved, regardless.
I’m sure I’ll be saved, because of my saintly parents and grandparents.
I’m a church member.
Believe in God, be good, and go to church.
We’re all trying to get to the same place, so the path we choose doesn’t matter. All these ideas are completely wrong.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." -- Eph. 2:8-10, (NASB)
I. Salvation Is Entirely of Grace
What is salvation? Reconciliation with God, eternal life, in God’s favor forever.
By grace - grace alone - are you saved. God will not be in debt to you. He will not be deprived His right to offer you the free gift of salvation.
Because of sin, we are unable to reverse the sentence of eternal death which has been passed upon us. We are unable to throw off the wrath of God which rests upon us. Nothing we can do would make the slightest difference.
Only God can help us. Out of His great love and mercy, He made a way for us to be saved from eternal destruction.
By grace you have been saved. Past tense. Completed process, because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. “It is finished!” (Luke 19:30)
It is NOT by rituals, by works, by feelings, by merit, not by knowledge, wealth, wisdom or power. Only by the grace of God and nothing else, can we be saved.
We cannot be saved by “making a commitment.” A commitment relies upon whom? YOU!
We simply make a DECISION to receive, on God’s terms, what He offers us.
What terms?
II. We Are Saved Through Faith
Faith in Jesus Christ, based on His sacrificial and substitutionary death for us. He died on the cross, shedding His blood as the payment for our sins. He was buried and rose again from the dead. This is His finished work of atonement, paying the price of our salvation. It paid everything that needed to be paid or could be paid. He made the FULL, FINAL, AND ONLY PAYMENT for our salvation.
No other payment is necessary. No other payment is possible.
We accept salvation through faith in Jesus on the basis of His death and resurrection.
This is vitally important. If you don’t believe the gospel, you have no spiritual life or light in you.
This is the very essence and central affirmation of the Christian faith. Without it there is no Christianity. It is essential.
By faith you believe the gospel.
By faith you receive the salvation of the Lord.
III. Not of Yourselves, It Is the Gift of God
Nothing about salvation is from us. The impulse to listen to and respond to the gospel comes from God the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, And I, if I be lifted up will draw all men to myself.” And also, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” So we see the Trinity is involved in this process. It has nothing to do with a person being good enough or smart enough. It simply is an act of the will in response to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ. We throw ourselves on His mercy, trusting in what He has done and what He has promised.
“Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved..” Acts 4:12 (KJV)
The blood of Christ seals the covenant.
IV. Not As a Result of Works, That No One Should Boast
You didn’t, couldn’t, can’t and won’t be saved as a result of anything good that you have done.
“…[K]nowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.” -- Gal. 2:16 (NASB)
Being saved, you have nothing to boast about, as though you are to be praised for getting saved. All the glory belongs to God, who will not share it with another.
In fact, self righteousness often keeps people from being saved. It can be worse than open sin: ...“Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you.” -- Matt. 21:31 (NASB) Boasting is excluded.
Lost? Or Saved? This is the great dividing line of human existence. This is the great contrast, the eternal separation between two groups:
Lost: Saved:
You were dead. Now you are alive.
You were enslaved. Now you are free.
You were under sin. Now you have been declared righteous.
You were under wrath. Now you are in God’s favor.
You were hell-bound. Now you are seated with Christ in the
heavenly places.
Not of works.
V. Then What About Works? Works Follow Salvation
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (v. 10)
If anyone is in Christ, that person is A NEW CREATURE, (2 Cor, 3:17), with a new motivation and new power. “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep His covenant.” -- Ps. 25:10 (KJV)
What we do for God, we do out of gratitude for what He has done for us. We can’t repay Him. But He allows us to serve Him, and He empowers and guides us. It’s a privilege He gives to us, and a privilege He expects us to exercise. If we have the Holy Spirit, we have the desire and the power to do God’s will.
VI. Eternal Security
If you are saved, you are saved forever. God keeps you secure. He can’t fail. “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
Queen Victoria often visited the poor and humble. In one humble cottage, when she asked what she could do for the resident, the happy Christian told her, “There is nothing I need, I am perfectly content.”Are you sure you’ll be there?
“But I wish to do something for you,” she replied.
“Then promise me one thing.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
“Promise you’ll meet me in heaven.”
The queen replied, “I will surely meet you there, on the merit of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.” [1]
Conclusion
How can I be saved?
Acknowledge to God that you are a sinner.
Believe the gospel and place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation.
Pray and express this to God, repenting (turning away from) your sin, trusting him for guidance.
By faith, simply receive the free gift of eternal life He offers. Then, if you mean business with God, you are eternally saved.
After that, follow Him in baptism and unite with a local church where you can learn about and serve Him, and have fellowship with other believers.
Too simple? It’s the only way.
May God help you in your decision.
[1] From a misplaced book of illustrations.
Illustration: Public domain.
