Week 4: Salvation

1.    Salvation

1.1. Acts 16:30 And after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” What must I do to be saved?

1.2. What is salvation and why do we need it?

1.2.1.   Heaven and hell are clearly described in the Bible as places we go after death.

1.2.2.   Rev 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life

1.2.3.   Matt 25: 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

1.2.4.   Heaven was created because of fall of the angels when Satan tried to set himself up over God. Satan isn’t in charge in hell, he is just another person there.

1.2.5.                Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:”

1.2.6.   The fall of man brought sin into the world and separated us from God. The Levitical Law required that blood be shed for forgiveness of sins. Imagine how tough it would have been to kill a sweet soft baby lamb every time you sinned. The atonement for sin can be seen during the Plagues of Egypt, and is the basis of the Jewish Passover.

1.2.6.1.       Ex 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

1.2.6.2.       Heb 9:22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

1.2.6.3.       Is 1:11 "The multitude of your sacrifices-- what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

1.2.7.   The Work of Jesus was to replace the blood of animals and lambs with the Blood of the Lamb who never sinned. He loved us enough to leave heaven and endure the same temptations we did, but without sin. Sin came into the world through the first Adam, but the second Adam, Jesus, took it away.

1.2.7.1.       Heb 4:6 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

1.2.7.2.       Romans 5:12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—15But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

1.2.7.3.       Heb 12:2 Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1.2.8.   So how do I know Im saved? The term “Once saved, always saved mean” is not found in the scripture. We believe in salvation by grace, through faith in the blood of Christ, shown by our change of heart and good works. Works aren’t the thing that save you, they are the thing that proves your conversion is real and lasting. Salvation is more something that happens when you reach eternity, than something that happens here on earth.

1.2.8.1.       1 Cor 9:27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1.2.8.2.       Phil 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

1.2.8.3.       Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

1.2.8.4.       Matt 7: 16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ You shall know them by their fruit

1.2.9.   The Work of the Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out, and makes our salvation evident to others.

1.2.9.1.       Gal 5: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

1.2.9.2.       John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

1.2.9.3.       Rom 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

1.3. Practicalities

1.3.1.   The Romans Road

1.3.1.1.       Romans 3:10-12, and 23 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” ... For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (NLT) 

1.3.1.2.       Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT) 

1.3.1.3.       Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (NLT) 

1.3.1.4.       Romans 10:9-10, and 13 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved ... For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NLT) 

1.3.1.5.       Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (NLT)

1.3.1.6.       Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (NLT) 

1.3.1.7.       Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT).

1.3.2.   Ask for forgiveness for your past sins and resolve to change and stop actions that displease God

1.3.3.   Ask Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior

1.3.4.   Connect with a local community of believers, a coal in the fire stays hot

1.3.4.1.       Heb 10:24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

1.3.4.2.       Final Thought: Heb 10: 26For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. 28Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” 31It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.