What Does it Means to be Saved?
Argument: Salvation is not only believing in God. Salvation involves God’s part and ours. To be
saved means that a person acknowledges their sins before God, repents, believes on the name of
Jesus Christ, and is baptized.
A man was on the mourners’ bench. One deacon told him to “let go brother.” Another deacon
told him to “hold on.” A third deacon told him, “Don’t move until you see the light.” When the
brother finally did give his life to Jesus, he said, “Between holding on, letting go, and seeing the
light, I almost didn’t make it.”
We are not saved by a feeling. And we are not saved without acknowledging our sins before
God. If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). Heb 7: 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the
uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
God is committed to keeping us:
- John 6: 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out.
- John 6: 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I
will raise him up at the last day.
- Phil 1: 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
- Phil 2: 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Can a person loose their salvation?
Only if after they have accepted Christ, they deny Christ.
- 2 Tim 2: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
- Matt 10: 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my
Father which is in heaven.
- 1 John 2: 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Other than that, we have His record:
- John 15: 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
- 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather
them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
- 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be
done unto you.
Man should not require what’s necessary for salvation other than what the Bible says.
To that, we must be careful not to limit the Bible by buying into the grace vs. works arguments.
Some try to put Paul against James.
Some try to use Calvin’s argument vs. the Catholic church.
o “Faith alone justifies, but the faith that justifies is never alone.” (John Calvin)
In salvation, there is our part and there is God’s part. Our part is the sinning and God’s part is the
saving.
Let's allow the scripture to tell us.
- John 5:24
- 1 John 5:13
- Ephesians 2:8, gift of God. By grace and faith.
- Romans 10:9, confession, and belief.
- Acts 2:38, 3:19, repent and baptism.
- Mark 16:16, baptism.
- Acts 16:30, 31, 33, believe and be baptize.
Illustration: A boy in the process of accepting the Lord as his Savoir. He was sitting on his bed
reading John 5:24. After a while the devil started telling him that he was not saved. The boy
began quoting scriptures to the devil. After a while, he felt the devil under his bed. The boy
through the Bible under his bed and said, “Hear devil, read it for yourself.”
Results of this changed life:
1. Convicted
2. Repentant
3. Committed
4. Spirit filled-led life.
Christ’s Example: (Hebrews 5:8)
- He Submitted
- He Suffered: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim 3:12.
Also see 1 Pet 3, 4.
- He was Separated
5. Forgiving: Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God
for Christ sake has forgiving you. Eph 4:32
6. Giving: Give and it shall be given unto you…Luke 6:38
7. Loving: Love ye one another, as I have loved you. John 13:34. By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, If ye have love one to another. John 13:35
8. Rejoicing: Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say rejoice. Phil 4:4
9. Praying: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which
passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil
4:6, 7.
10. Enduring: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. I
Cor 13:7.
11. Expecting: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let
us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto 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. Heb 12:1-2.
- For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in
this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:12-13).
12. Study: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned
them; (2 Tim 3:14).
13. Growing: But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Pet 3:18.
Side questions:
1. Is baptism essential to salvation?
2 Is a person saved before or after baptism?
3. Is only one of these scriptures sufficient for conversion like as some have used Romans 10:9?
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