Salvation

1. Grace

Grace: 1. The unmerited love and favor of God; 2. A state of reconciliation with God.

Reconciliation- the restoration of friendly relations

Great Redemption At Christ’s Expense 

Romans 3:23-24– “23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Titus 2:11– “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men”

Ephesians 2:5- “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

We are not saved without the grace of God, and we are also not saved without God’s chosen way of grace. 

Ephesians 2:8- “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”

2. Faith

Faith- 1. Confidence or trust; 2. Spiritual acceptance of truth; 3. Belief in God.
Ephesians 2:8-” …by grace ye are saved through faith.”
1 Peter 1:8-9- “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
We must have faith in God.

Hebrews 11:6- “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Mark 16:16-”He that believeth not shall be damned.”
James 2:19-20- “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”

When people say: “I believe,” it does not necessarily mean they are saved, because devils also believe. There is more to salvation than saying “I believe in God.”
Romans 10:10- “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

3. Confession

Confession- 1. To disclose sins or faults to God; 2. To unburden the conscience; 3. To acknowledge guilt, wrong-doing or sinfulness; 4. To admit to unbecoming deeds. 

Romans 10:10- “…with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Someone said, “ Confession is good for the soul.” 

What are some things in your life that you know displeases God? 

1 John 1:9-10- “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

James 5:16- “Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed.”

Confession requires you to be honest with yourself. Be careful who you confess to. Remember everyone has fallen short of His glory. So if you’re judging someone’s sins, you’re being a hypocrite. Proverbs 28:13- He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whosoever confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

4. Repentance

Repentance- 1. To change one’s mind; 2. To turn around. (make a 180 degree turn); 3. To forsake sin; 4. To make an about-face
Proverbs 28:13- “Whoso confesseth and forsaketh them (his sins) shall have mercy.”
It is not enough to merely confess our sins; we must also turn from sin.
2 Corinthians 7:10- “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation.”
God I’m not just sorry because I got caught, I’m sorry from my heart. God I’m sorry, now change me.
Luke 13:3- “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
2 Peter 3:9- “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Repentance is more than being sorry for our sins-it involves a lifestyle/mindset adjustment.

We must not stop here though. Acts 2:38- “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you…”

5. Baptism

Baptism- 1. To dip, plunge, or submerge; 2. A religious ceremony, signifying spiritual purification by immersion in water. 

1 Peter 3:21- “ Baptism doth also now save us.”

Mark 16:16- “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”

Acts 8:16- “They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Acts 10:48- “He commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”

Acts 22:16- “Why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” 

Acts 10:43- “Through His name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” 

Luke 24:47-”Remission of sins should be preached in His name.”

Acts 2:38-”Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

6. Holy Ghost

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? (John 3:4). Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). 

Romans 8:9- “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” 

Romans 8:14- “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

What is the initial physical evidence of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost? 

Acts 2:1-4: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” 

Acts 10:44-46- “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles (Anyone who is not a Jew) also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” 

Acts 19:1-6- “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

7. Endurance

Endurance- 1. The act, quality, or power of withstanding hardship; 2. The state or fact of persevering; 3. Continuing existence ; duration

The writer of Hebrews referred to the Christian life as a race. 

Hebrews 12:1- “…let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

To finish the Christian race we must continue to run. It is not enough to begin by having faith, confessing sins, forsaking sins, being baptized in Jesus’ name and receiving the Holy Ghost; We must endure. 

Matthew 10:22- “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” 

Matthew 24:13- “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

2 Timothy 2:3- “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

James 1:12- “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”