Salvation seems to be the most confusing part of Christian belief.
Remember the last newsletter when we talked about the recent survey that 72% of Christians believe that there are many was to heaven. That would indicate that their idea of salvation is not based on the Bible, but on what people have heard. A lot of what we think comes from people we trust.
Let’s look at what the Bible says and let us study what it says.
What is it that you believe? Can you prove it by finding the scripture to back up you belief? You could say; well that is what my Church believes, so that is what I believe. Think about that statement. I think most of us would believe that is a cope out to keep from dealing with the truth and spending the time to verify your beliefs.
What do you believe?
1. Do you think that Water Baptism is part of salvation?
2. Do you think that you have to do something for that salvation?
3. Do you think that all the good things you do need to out weigh the bad things to get you in?
4. Do you think in the end God will accept you no matter what you have done?
5. Do you think that going to church plays a part in you salvation?
Do you really know that you will be welcomed into Heaven?
It’s like having a ticket for a trip to Boston and that when you get to the plane and present the ticket, they say to you this ticket is a fake. I hope you are not waiting with a ticket to heaven without checking to see if is a fake. Let look at the condition for salvation.
What does the Bible say?
The apostle Paul said in;
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
Let’s look at some key points;
1. In verse #1 and #2 Paul declared to us” the gospel” which we can be “saved” unless we believed in vain!
2. In verse #3 Paul was given the opportunity to receive the same message of salvation first!
3. There are 3 point to what we must believe;
a. Christ died for our sins.
b. Christ was buried.
c. He rose again the third day. (by the power of God
not man)
Did you see that there is no mention of works for your salvation except to believe?
You ask, what is works? Anything that you do to receive salvation, it may be one of the five things I mentioned at the beginning of the newsletter, let’s look at the following verse together.
Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV) 8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” Can you see what it says …. Not of yourselves. No works!
Grace is a free gift; it is an act of God, not of man. Do you ever remember receiving a gift and then having to work to receive the gift It very difficult to understand that Salvation is free if you believe, really believe.
So it comes down to what truth you will believe.
How do we receive truth? Look at this verse!
(Romans 10:17 (NKJV) 17 so then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God). And remember the Holy Spirit is the teacher, not the opinion you received from others;
And always remember that God must be part of our learning, check out this verse;
1 John 2:27 (NKJV) 27 But the anointing (those that believe) which you have received from Him (God) abides in you (the Holy Spirit), and you do not need that anyone teach you; (that’s part of the relationship you have with God thru Jesus) but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
So what is the definition of believe?
Believe is “To have confidence in the truth, the existence, or thereliability of something, although without absolute proof thatone is right in doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully”.
So it comes down what you really believe;
• He died
• He was buried
• He rose again
No religion has ever claimed, except Christianity, that their God was raised from the dead! Only a true God could do that!
Really think about what you believe?
Look up the verses in this newsletter, asks God to help you understand and believe!
1 Cor. 15:1-5; Eph. 2:8; Rom. 10:17; 1 John 2:27
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