Salvation God’s Way—What Must WE Do?
 
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). When God sent His Son to the world to die for our sins, He did everything HE COULD DO to save us from our sins.
 
But do WE have any part to play in being saved? If you ask five different people, you might hear five different answers, including the following:
“Everyone will be saved, regardless of what they do!”
“Every good person will be saved.”
“Everyone that believes in Jesus will be saved!”  
“Everyone that keeps the 10 Commandments will be saved.”
“Everyone that prays for salvation will be saved!”

Clearly, these cannot ALL be correct. So how can we know for certain what God expects us to do in order to be saved? Jesus once said,  "Sanctify (cleanse, purify) them by Your truth. Your WORD is truth” (John 17:17). To know what God expects of us, we must turn to God’s word – the Bible.

If we approach God’s word without preconceived ideas on the subject of salvation, it will be relatively easy to ascertain what He expects us to do to be saved. Moreover, our goal should be to examine EVERYTHING God says concerning man’s role in salvation. If we only focus on PART of what God says, we might end up “partially saved", which is not to be saved at all.

So, what does God require of us in order to be saved from our sins?  
We must Hear (or read) the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16; 10:14,
17).
We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 3:16 &  
18; 8:24).
We must repent of our sinful ways (Luke 13:3 & 5; 2 Peter 3:9).
We must openly confess our faith in Jesus (Matt. 10:32; Rom.
10:9-10)
We must be baptized (Mark 16:16) for the remission of our sins
(Acts 2:38, 22:16).

These are the conditions God has set down for us to comply with in order to be saved. Who are we to question Him?

When the most important subject in Scripture is studied—salvation—let us ignore all man-made doctrines, listen to God, and obey.

Jesus, always Jesus,

Dennis

WHO can Be Saved?  
   
If you were to ask three or four random people about the subject of salvation, you might hear three or four different answers. Since salvation is the most important subject of all, this is both amazing and frightening.  
   
In regards to this vital subject, some actually teach that God never intended for some people to be saved. This doctrine, known as “limited atonement”, is associated with the teachings of John Calvin. It essentially asserts that Christ only died for the “elect of God”, not for all men. But is this what the Bible says?  
   
First, the Bible clearly states that ALL men are in need of salvation. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:23, 10). That being true, would God intentionally offer salvation to a select few, while unconditionally condemning all others to hell?  
   
Second, the Bible affirms that God wants ALL men to be saved. The apostle Paul made this crystal clear in 1 Tim. 2:4, God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. The apostle Peter added, “The Lord…is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). God desires for everyone to be saved.  
   
Third, the Bible reveals that Jesus died in order that ALL men might be saved. The New Testament reveals that, “God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). Moreover, “He died for all”(2 Cor. 5:15; 1 Tim. 2:6), that He “might taste death for everyone”(Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2), and “draw all peoples to” Himself (John 12:32). By Jesus “the free gift came to all men” (Rom. 5:18).. There is no doubt about it – Jesus died for everyone.  
   
Fourth, the Bible states that Jesus invites ALL men to be saved. “Come to Me, ALL you who labor and are heavy laden” (Matt. 11:28). The invitation to be saved is for “WHOEVER desires” (Rev. 22:17).  
   
As we continue to study the most important subject of all – salvation, we must ignore man-made doctrines, and rely on the Bible exclusively to determine the truth – John 17:17.  
   
Jesus, always Jesus,  
   
Dennis

Salvation God’s Way—WHO Is Lost?  
   
The Gospel of Luke uses the word “lost” more than any other book in the New Testament. In chapter 15, for example, Jesus mentions a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son (prodigal). And in Luke 19:10 He said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”.  
   
Speaking of which, WHO IS LOST in God’s eyes?  
   
Through the centuries increasing numbers of church “authorities” adopted the position that everyone is lost from the moment of birth. According to them, we enter the world totally depraved and separated from God because we somehow inherit the sin of Adam at conception. In other words, newborn babes are morally filthy and entirely sinful in God's sight. (By the way, this erroneous doctrine gave rise to the equally flawed practice of infant baptism.)  
   
Careful and unbiased Bible study, however, proves that God does NOT consider infants as morally filthy, sinful and lost. Nor does He transfer the sins of Adam to newborn babies. Ezekiel 18:20 states, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father…the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”  Moreover, Jesus told his followers, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as LITTLE CHILDREN, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this LITTLE CHILD is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3-4).   
   
Some people cite Psalm 51:5 in an effort to prove that all men born of women are sinful at birth. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” If David literally meant that he was born a sinner, the same would apply to Jesus Christ, Who was also “born of a woman" – Gal. 4:4.  
   
So, who is actually lost? Although the following is not an exhaustive list, it provides an idea as to those who are lost. Those who do not know God (2 Thess. 1:8-9); those who do not believe in God (Heb. 11:6); those who do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24); those who do not repent of their sins (Luke 13:3, 5); those who do not confess faith in Jesus (John 12:42-43); those who do not obey the gospel, including baptism (2 Cor. 4:3-4; Mark 16:16); believers who return to their worldly ways (2 Pet. 2:20-22); and believers who leave their first love or are spiritually lukewarm (Rev. 2:4, 3:14-19).   
   
When we consider the aforementioned souls, it becomes clear that the lost have reached sufficient age and maturity to make such choices for themselves. Babies and small children are incapable of doing so.  
   
As we continue to study the subject of salvation, may we determine to ignore man-made doctrines, while relying entirely on the Bible to determine the truth – John 17:17.  
   
Jesus, always Jesus,  
   
Dennis

Salvation God’s Way (Part 1)


Jesus once rebuked some of the Jewish leaders of His day as “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). Unfortunately, this practice has not ceased. In fact, the doctrines of men create significant confusion in our current religious world. Tragically, this occurs in connection with the most critical of all subjects—salvation. Examples include: (1) identifying those who are lost, (2) designating who can be saved, (3) specifying what man must do to be saved, (4) understanding what is required to remain saved, and (5) ideas related to the possibility of falling away.


The most serious consequence of man-made doctrines is that they frequently mislead those who are sincerely seeking to be saved. Jesus referred to such things in Matt, 23:15, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”


Every true Christian should be deeply concerned about the liberties that some preachers and teachers have taken with the most important subject in the Bible. Although some matters pertain to  “secret things” that “belong to the Lord” (Deut. 29:29a), salvation is NOT one of them (Deut. 29:29b). And while Paul wrote of some things “hard to understand” (2 Pet. 3:15-16), salvation is NOT one of them. Yet some men (and women) today pervert the subject of salvation by misapplying or misusing Scripture (2 Pet. 3:16).


The Bible says that God “desires ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). That being true, doesn't God have the ability to reveal in plain, understandable language HOW to be saved and go to heaven? If the Almighty, All-Loving God has that ability, then we should approach His Scriptures with full expectation of finding (and sharing) His plan.


Over the next few weeks, my articles will examine fundamental matters regarding our salvation. May God help us to lay aside man-conceived doctrines, go back to the Bible, and find (and comply with) God’s clear teachings.


Jesus, always Jesus,


Dennis