Salvation

"Behold, God is my salvation,

I will trust and not be afraid;

'For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;

He also has become my salvation."

Therefore with joy you will draw water

from the wells of salvation.

And in that day you will say:

"Praise the Lord, call upon His name;

declare His deeds among the peoples,

make mention that His name is exalted.

Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things;

this is known in all the earth.

Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,

for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!"

Isaiah 12:2-6

1. What is salvation?

2. Why do we need salvation?

3. Who is our Savior?

4. How are we saved?

5. Who may be saved?

6. Conditions of salvation

7. For what purpose does God save us?

There are many voices saying come - walk this way, this is the way of salvation. But Jesus tells us that He only is the way!

He is the door into the kingdom of God, and there is no other way.

1. What is salvation?

When I think of salvation, I of think of being saved from something, but I hadn't always thought of what I was being saved to! Webster's.dictionary defines.salvation as;

 to save... 1a: deliverance from the power and effects of sin b: the agent or means that effects salvation ...

2: liberation from ignorance or illusion

3a: preservation from destruction or failure b: deliverance from danger or difficulty

The Greek word for "Salvation" means: safe, to save, to deliver or protect, heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be whole. This is what salvation is. Everyone of us longs for these things in our lives and most of us spend our life trying to secure them for ourselves. Yet, God provided these for us in Jesus Christ. Salvation is initially being born by the Spirit into God's family and continually partaking of the wholeness, health, protection and deliverance that is provided through Christ Jesus. This initial entrance is called being born again. You can read Jesus' response to a question about it, in John 3:3-6.

2. Why do we need salvation?

Because:

Romans 3:23 - All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God

Romans 6:23 - The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Well, you might ask, what is sin and how did man get into this state?

Sin is any act apart from God; it is any transgression of God's laws.

All selfishness, and self-centeredness is sin. In order to get a better understanding, we need to go back to the beginning of sin, and the temptation of Adam in the garden. In getting Adam to disobey God, Satan brought sin into the world.

Romans 5:12, 19 - "Wherefore as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned; ... For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."

From this we see that all mankind came under the sentence of the law of the bondage of sin and death at birth.

God  committed to Satan the power of death (Hebrews 2:14). His doom is sure for God has prepared everlasting fire for the devil and his angels. (Matt 25:41)

Lets take a look at mankind's condition without Christ from God's viewpoint.

1. We are in bondage under the law of sin and death, such law working in us to bring forth fruit unto death. (Romans 7:5; 8:2)

2. Our understanding is darkened and we are alienated from the life of God through ignorance because of the blindness of our hearts. (Ephesians 4:18)

3. We are without hope and without God in the World. (Ephesians 2:12)

4. Creation has been cursed and is under the bondage of corruption. (Romans 8:21)

5. We walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience ... in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and are by nature the children of wrath. (Ephesians 2:2,3)

6. We have been plunged into darkness. (Matthew 4:16; Isaiah 60:2)

7. We are dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13)

8. Our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19)

Indeed, this is not a pretty picture of God's highest creation. The above listing is by no means exhaustive regarding the devastating effects of sin.

A shortened life span, vastly decreased mental capability, and  a downward spiral of degradation and despair are clearly seen by all.

Is there any hope for Mankind? The answer is YES! Thank God for His never-ending love! Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He has made a way for us and when we call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save us, we are:

1. Forgiven  --  Ephesians 4:32

2. A new creation in Christ Jesus -- II Corinthians 5:17; John 3:3-7

3. Free from the bondage of sin and death -- Romans 6:14 & 8:2

4. Reconciled to God -- Romans 5:10; II Corinth 5:20; Colossians 1:20-22

     a. walk in the Light -- Ephesians 5:8; I John 1:7

     b. walk in the Spirit -- Romans 8:4,14; Galatians 5:16

     c. are made alive unto God -- Col 2:13; Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:5

5. Given Eternal life and heaven is our home -- John 3:16; John 14:2

6. Adopted as sons of God -- Galations 4:5,6; Ephesians 1:5

7. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ -- Romans 8:17; Galations 4:7

8. Clothed with His righteousness -- II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9

9. Cleansed by His Blood -- Colossians 1:14; Revelation 1:5

10. Accepted in the Beloved -- Ephesians 1:6

11. Translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His

       Son. -- Colossians 1:13; Ephesians 5:8

12. The Body of Christ -- I Corinthians 12:12,13,27

13. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit I Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9-11; I John 3:24

14. Sanctified by His Spirit --  I Corinthians 6:11; Romans 15:16

If the Son makes you free you are free indeed! - John 8:36

3. Who is our savior?

There is only one Savior, and His name is Jesus!

Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other:

for there is none other name under heaven given among men,

whereby we must be saved.

4. How are we  saved?

    Our Part

Acts 16:30 - And he brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.

Romans 10: 9 - That if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For a person believes with his heart and is justified,and a person declares with his mouth and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be ashamed." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Greek, because they all have the same Lord, who gives richly to all who call on him. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Rom 10: 1-4 - Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

There is a warning here for those who have a zeal for God, but do not know Him well enough to come under His righteousness (His ways, salvation, humbling of self). These people will  attempt to establish their own righteousness. We see this today, in the many ways that sects of Christianity make so many rules for acceptance. This is actually putting the obeying of man before God. We should live our lives unto God only -- as if He is in our thought life with us. In this way, the Holy Spirit will show us what is pleasing and displeasing to God, and we will be walking in His righteousness, if we obey.

How do we receive salvation?

Supernaturally, in a moment of time, we are translated out of Satan's kingdom into God's, by a sovereign act of God when:

We hear the "gospel" of salvation in Jesus Christ and;

2. believe it as truth, not just in our minds but deep in our heart.

3. We must then act on our belief by confessing with our mouth out loud that Jesus Christ is Lord.

4. We humbly ask HIM into our hearts and,

5. laying down all of our own striving for righteousness we simply receive HIM (as small children).

God's Part

Salvation is from the Father                                          Ps. 3:8; Ps. 37:39

It is eternal                                                                                  Is. 51:6

Through Christ                                                         Rom. 6:23; Gal. 1:3-5

by Christs' blood sacrifice                                   Col. 1:21,22; 1 Tim. 2:4-6

and resurrection (rising from the dead)                                   Rom. 5:10

By the Word of God                                                               James 1:21

By the grace of God                                                    Eph. 2:8; Titus 2:11

By the gospel                                                          Rom. 1:16; 1Cor. 1:21

By the power of God                                              1Cor. 1:18; 1 Peter 1:5

Salvation is a mystery.                                                          Col. 1:26,27

5. Who may be saved?      A L L   M E N

Acts 2:21 - And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Joel 2:32 - And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said,

and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

1 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1 Timothy 2:4 - who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times;

Ezekiel 33 :11 Say unto them, 'As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?'

The invitation that was once open only to the Jews, is now open to all through Christ Jesus.

Eph. 2:14-19 - For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us, by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled}; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace. And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end. And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who where afar off and [peace] to those who were near. For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him]. Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself): and you belong to God's [own] household.

6. Conditions of salvation -

Seeking the Lord

          God seeks us,                                                              Ps. 65:4

          We seek the Lord,                                 Amos 5:4; Deut. 30:19

Repentance

          From all known sin

2 Cor 7:10 - For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

1 Cor 6: 9-11 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Fear of the Lord,                                                    Pr. 16:6; Acts 13:26

Pr. 16:6 - In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

Acts 13:26 - Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent.

7. For what purpose does God save us?

We are part of God's great expression of Himself. Just as each of us love to express ourselves in the many avenues open to us, so it is with Him. It brings great glory to HIM for us to choose of our own free will, to honor the Son (Jesus); just as the Son will honor the Father, by turning back to Him (Father) a redeemed creation (1 Cor. 15:20-28) so that the Father can again honor the Son with a new creation.  Rev. 21:1; Rev. 21: 9-11

The Bible stops here, but not our God. For it is life itself that causes the expressing and honoring to go on and on. I so desire to be able to live a life like that in this world. Don't you? It is for this higher purpose that the arts should be appreciated and entered into by all mankind. Not for the expression of the lower fleshly nature, but as the continual creating and expressing of honor to our maker. When we do this in worship, we get to enter into God's purpose.

In conclusion, our salvation in Christ provides us the means to divine favor (justification) Rom 4:5;

the setting apart of ourselves to and for God and from sin (sanctification) Ex 33:16; 2 Tim 2:21;

and our glorification 2 Tim 2:10. Glorification is promised to us ultimately in being made perfect (Heb 12:33 and Rev 6:11) with new bodies to show for it. Until that time, we are being prepared for it Rom 9:32 by the trials and afflictions 2 Cor 4:16l-18 that will produce for us eternal glory. 2 Thes 2:13,14 says this perfectly, even telling us how it is done. I will end with it.

2 Thes 2:13,14 - But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.