THE SECURITY OF YOUR SALVATION"
1 Peter 1:3-5
May 12, 1991
INTRODUCTION:
1 Peter is a book about suffering. Through our first two
messages in this book we have learned about, "The Trinity
In Your Salvation." The entire first section of this book, 1
Peter 1:1-2:12, we are studying about "The Power Of Salvation."
Peter instructs us about the power of salvation so we will
prepare our hearts spiritually for suffering in life.
How secure is your salvation? Ifow do you even know it is
secure? If it is secure, who secures it for you?
T.S.:
This is a dynamic passage from God's Word. Look with
me as we study it.
I. THE SOURCE OF YOUR SALVATION. (1:3a)
Explain:
"Blessed" - this is the word where we get our word for
eulogy, which means to be well-spoken of or praised.
"Be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" what
Peter is telling you is to "Praise God." Speak well of
God!
"WVho according to His great mercy" - God's great
compassion and love.
"Has caused us to be born again" - notice the words
"has caused us" which means God has done it - drawn
us in an unbelievable way.
This is the second time that Peter has called us to seeing
that God alone saves us!
Illustration:
1 Peter 1:1-2; Ephesians 1:3-6
Application:
The security of your salvation is dependent totally on
the source of your salvation which is God.
If you saved yourself there would be no security - If
I saved you there would be no security. The source
of your salvation is God or you do not have salvation.
II. THE SPIRIT OF YOUR SALVATION. (1 :3b)
Explain:
"To be born again" - to regenerate, to give new life
to, by the new birth divine life is infused into us.
Therefore, since we are newborn, we are babies.
Only two times in Scripture is this term used in this
exact manner. One here in verse 3 and the other in
verse 23.
To be born again we are talking about the Spirit of
God giving you life.
"To a living" - meaning it grows. It is sure, certain,
real. ...
NO EXCUSE ANYMORE
Saved and Sure
Dr. Ernest L. Easley
John 5
February 19, 2006
For the last few Sundays .. we have been thinking about salvation .. and more particular the assurance of it! And yes .. I'm talking about the Bible doctrine of the Security of the Believer. That once you are saved .. you are saved forever!
And that is a wonderful truth taught in the Bible. But just as there is the Security of the Believer .. there is also the Security of the Unbeliever. That's the doctrine that says that a person can walk an isle .. say a prayer .. get baptized and join the church and then walk out of the building and live like Hell.
That's not taught in the Bible! There is no salvation without repentance. Conversion brings change! You cannot meet Jesus and be saved and then live like the world. If there are no evidences of righteousness and godliness in you .. if there is no fruit of the Spirit in your life (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control) .. it's because you have never been born again. In talking about those that are saved .. Jesus said in Matthew 7.20, ".. by their fruits you will know them." There is no such thing as a fruitless saint.
God wants you to know that you are saved! God wants you to know that your sins have been forgiven! God wants you to know that you're on your way to Heaven as though you were already there! The Bible says in 1 John 5.13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."
There is something that God wants you to know as a fact: that you have eternal life. And having assurance of salvation will eliminate fear and liberate your life. Back in 1937 when the Golden Gate Bride was being built in San Francisco .. it was so tall that when the people doing the iron work looked down .. they got so dizzy that 23 of them fell to their deaths.
So ..to help eliminate their fear .. a large safety net was built under the bridge. Now let me ask you a question: after the safety net was in place .. do you think more fell or less fell? Less fell and do you know why? They said that with the safety net in place .. that they could concentrate on what they were doing. Once your future is secure .. you can handle to present. And you can have your future secure. You can be saved and sure and that's what I want to talk to you about this morning.
Now look with me to John 5. Beginning in verse 24 ... I want to give you three bible reasons why you can be saved and sure. Three bible reasons that will give you a "know-so" salvation rather than having a "hope-so" salvation.
Now in John 5.24 Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from (lit. the death) death into (lit. the life) life."
No ...
Dr. Ernest L. Easley
John 5
February 19, 2006
For the last few Sundays .. we have been thinking about salvation .. and more particular the assurance of it! And yes .. I'm talking about the Bible doctrine of the Security of the Believer. That once you are saved .. you are saved forever!
And that is a wonderful truth taught in the Bible. But just as there is the Security of the Believer .. there is also the Security of the Unbeliever. That's the doctrine that says that a person can walk an isle .. say a prayer .. get baptized and join the church and then walk out of the building and live like Hell.
That's not taught in the Bible! There is no salvation without repentance. Conversion brings change! You cannot meet Jesus and be saved and then live like the world. If there are no evidences of righteousness and godliness in you .. if there is no fruit of the Spirit in your life (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control) .. it's because you have never been born again. In talking about those that are saved .. Jesus said in Matthew 7.20, ".. by their fruits you will know them." There is no such thing as a fruitless saint.
God wants you to know that you are saved! God wants you to know that your sins have been forgiven! God wants you to know that you're on your way to Heaven as though you were already there! The Bible says in 1 John 5.13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."
There is something that God wants you to know as a fact: that you have eternal life. And having assurance of salvation will eliminate fear and liberate your life. Back in 1937 when the Golden Gate Bride was being built in San Francisco .. it was so tall that when the people doing the iron work looked down .. they got so dizzy that 23 of them fell to their deaths.
So ..to help eliminate their fear .. a large safety net was built under the bridge. Now let me ask you a question: after the safety net was in place .. do you think more fell or less fell? Less fell and do you know why? They said that with the safety net in place .. that they could concentrate on what they were doing. Once your future is secure .. you can handle to present. And you can have your future secure. You can be saved and sure and that's what I want to talk to you about this morning.
Now look with me to John 5. Beginning in verse 24 ... I want to give you three bible reasons why you can be saved and sure. Three bible reasons that will give you a "know-so" salvation rather than having a "hope-so" salvation.
Now in John 5.24 Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from (lit. the death) death into (lit. the life) life."
No ...
NO OTHER WAY THAN JESUS
Why Jesus Is the Only Way to Salvation
Eddie Snipes
In our post modern culture, the question frequently arises, "Why do you say Jesus is the only way?" or "Who are you to say Jesus is the only way?" We can expect the culture to ask questions like this, but in the last few years the Christian church itself has begun to ask these same questions. I watched an interview on MSNBC with a very prominent ex-politician who has always claimed to be a Christian. In an answer to a question he stated that all religions served the same God in different ways.
We have all heard similar statements -- all roads lead to the same God and all religions worship the same God in different ways. One illustration was made popular a few years ago by a Buddhist parable. Men who were blind from birth were gathered together in a room with an elephant. Each man was led to a different part of the elephant -- one felt the head, one the legs, tail, ears, and trunk. Afterward they were asked, "What is an elephant"? They began arguing when one claimed it was a plowshare, or a tree trunk, a brush, etc. The conclusion is that they all saw one part of the greater whole. In other words, we who argue about truth are arguing about the same god that has been revealed to us in different ways.
It is a very clever parable but holds one truth that I'm sure the author did not intend. Each one of these men was blind and each one was wrong. Until God reveals Himself to us, we all grope around in the darkness vainly searching for some semblance of truth. However, as long as we are blind, we remain in the darkness and what seems true is complete error. In Christianity, God reveals Himself to us and we receive His truth and experience a relationship with our Creator. In world religions, man seeks his own truth and creates his own god. He may call the thing he worships a god, but that does not make it God. As we will see shortly, the Bible gives concrete pointes of reference that place it squarely in contradiction with all world religions. Two contradicting points cannot be one in truth. Let's take a moment to look at three points which show scripturally that Jesus Christ alone can offer salvation.
All sin is against God alone. There is not a religious leader on earth that can forgive sins. Only God can forgive because we only sin against Him. Look at Psalm 51:
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight -- That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
This is the prayer of King David who was mourning over his own sin when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed to cover his transgressions. God sent Nathan the prophet to confront David and he repented. Even though David committed the transgression against Uriah, the Bible makes it clear that the sin was against God a ...
Eddie Snipes
In our post modern culture, the question frequently arises, "Why do you say Jesus is the only way?" or "Who are you to say Jesus is the only way?" We can expect the culture to ask questions like this, but in the last few years the Christian church itself has begun to ask these same questions. I watched an interview on MSNBC with a very prominent ex-politician who has always claimed to be a Christian. In an answer to a question he stated that all religions served the same God in different ways.
We have all heard similar statements -- all roads lead to the same God and all religions worship the same God in different ways. One illustration was made popular a few years ago by a Buddhist parable. Men who were blind from birth were gathered together in a room with an elephant. Each man was led to a different part of the elephant -- one felt the head, one the legs, tail, ears, and trunk. Afterward they were asked, "What is an elephant"? They began arguing when one claimed it was a plowshare, or a tree trunk, a brush, etc. The conclusion is that they all saw one part of the greater whole. In other words, we who argue about truth are arguing about the same god that has been revealed to us in different ways.
It is a very clever parable but holds one truth that I'm sure the author did not intend. Each one of these men was blind and each one was wrong. Until God reveals Himself to us, we all grope around in the darkness vainly searching for some semblance of truth. However, as long as we are blind, we remain in the darkness and what seems true is complete error. In Christianity, God reveals Himself to us and we receive His truth and experience a relationship with our Creator. In world religions, man seeks his own truth and creates his own god. He may call the thing he worships a god, but that does not make it God. As we will see shortly, the Bible gives concrete pointes of reference that place it squarely in contradiction with all world religions. Two contradicting points cannot be one in truth. Let's take a moment to look at three points which show scripturally that Jesus Christ alone can offer salvation.
All sin is against God alone. There is not a religious leader on earth that can forgive sins. Only God can forgive because we only sin against Him. Look at Psalm 51:
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight -- That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
This is the prayer of King David who was mourning over his own sin when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed to cover his transgressions. God sent Nathan the prophet to confront David and he repented. Even though David committed the transgression against Uriah, the Bible makes it clear that the sin was against God a ...
RAPTURE
THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
Jesse M. Hendley
II Corinthians 5:10
Friends, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Second
Corinthians 5:10, and today we are studying one of the
most important truths that come to the human mind, The
Judgment Seat of Christ, when Christians shall stand
before the Lord Jesus to give an account of their
lives since they were saved.
There is confusion in the thinking of people about
this matter of "Judgment." When judgment is mentioned
in the Word of God, most people think of only one
judgment, when the saved and unsaved shall stand
together. But that is not true. They shall never be
judged together. The Christian has already been judged
for sin AT THE CROSS, where Jesus took his judgment
for him. The matter of salvation (whether he is going
to heaven or not) has already been settled and he
cannot "come into judgment" (John 5:24) for that
because he has passed from death unto life. The word
judgment there in John 5:24 means condemnation; he
cannot come into condemnation. Romans 8:1 assures the
believer that "there is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION
to those who are in Christ Jesus." But there IS
condemnation for those who are out of Christ Jesus,
the unbelieving. So Christians will not stand with the
unsaved about the matter of SALVATION. Whether or not
you are saved is determined in this life.
The other Sunday I tuned in on a preacher and caught a
few of his words. He seemed to be an able speaker. He
enunciated clearly. It was a delight to hear his
voice. But you can imagine my surprise when he made
the statement (quoting another preacher) that "on the
Day of Judgment" the "one question" that God will ask
"everyone" is this: "What did you do with YOUR
POSSIBILITIES?" My heart began to sink within me. That
is error!
There are two common errors in the statement. The
first is that ALL would stand together. He was
preaching to an audience composed largely of
Christians. He himself was a Christian, and he was
quoting a preacher who was a Christian. But,
evidently, they were not careful students OF THE
BIBLE, because the Bible says there is more than one
judgment and they take place at different times, for
different purposes, and different people are involved.
We must understand the Bible teaching on Judgments if
we are to understand the Mind of God on this subject.
The Bible does not teach that all of us will be in
judgment together.
The second error was that "The Judgment Day" involved
the matter of salvation, whether or not the person
would be saved. He implied that Salvation was
dependent on the results of the question, "What did
you do with your possibilities?" As a matter of fact,
the one great question that will face the unsaved at
the Judgment Bar of God, will be: "What did you do
with My Son?" not "What did you do with your
possibilities?" Now, for CHRISTIANS at the Judgment
Seat of Christ that WILL ...
Jesse M. Hendley
II Corinthians 5:10
Friends, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Second
Corinthians 5:10, and today we are studying one of the
most important truths that come to the human mind, The
Judgment Seat of Christ, when Christians shall stand
before the Lord Jesus to give an account of their
lives since they were saved.
There is confusion in the thinking of people about
this matter of "Judgment." When judgment is mentioned
in the Word of God, most people think of only one
judgment, when the saved and unsaved shall stand
together. But that is not true. They shall never be
judged together. The Christian has already been judged
for sin AT THE CROSS, where Jesus took his judgment
for him. The matter of salvation (whether he is going
to heaven or not) has already been settled and he
cannot "come into judgment" (John 5:24) for that
because he has passed from death unto life. The word
judgment there in John 5:24 means condemnation; he
cannot come into condemnation. Romans 8:1 assures the
believer that "there is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION
to those who are in Christ Jesus." But there IS
condemnation for those who are out of Christ Jesus,
the unbelieving. So Christians will not stand with the
unsaved about the matter of SALVATION. Whether or not
you are saved is determined in this life.
The other Sunday I tuned in on a preacher and caught a
few of his words. He seemed to be an able speaker. He
enunciated clearly. It was a delight to hear his
voice. But you can imagine my surprise when he made
the statement (quoting another preacher) that "on the
Day of Judgment" the "one question" that God will ask
"everyone" is this: "What did you do with YOUR
POSSIBILITIES?" My heart began to sink within me. That
is error!
There are two common errors in the statement. The
first is that ALL would stand together. He was
preaching to an audience composed largely of
Christians. He himself was a Christian, and he was
quoting a preacher who was a Christian. But,
evidently, they were not careful students OF THE
BIBLE, because the Bible says there is more than one
judgment and they take place at different times, for
different purposes, and different people are involved.
We must understand the Bible teaching on Judgments if
we are to understand the Mind of God on this subject.
The Bible does not teach that all of us will be in
judgment together.
The second error was that "The Judgment Day" involved
the matter of salvation, whether or not the person
would be saved. He implied that Salvation was
dependent on the results of the question, "What did
you do with your possibilities?" As a matter of fact,
the one great question that will face the unsaved at
the Judgment Bar of God, will be: "What did you do
with My Son?" not "What did you do with your
possibilities?" Now, for CHRISTIANS at the Judgment
Seat of Christ that WILL ...
FAITH
Faith In Faith? Faith In Jesus? The Gospel Message
Last week in my message I spoke on the Gospel. I began with who God is, and moved on to talking about who we are, our sin, and the judgment it requires. Then I began to speak of Jesus. I told of who He is, of His divine nature, of His life, of His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. And then I spoke of our response to this: faith.After the service, one man spoke to me and said: "You know, a lot of times when people are teaching the Gospel, they speak about faith, but it's hard for people to understand what that means exactly. But you told us all the story of Jesus, and asked us to believe that story. It was so clear what you meant by 'faith'."
That comment confirmed to me something I had been thinking about, and that I had recently been discussing with a friend. In many cases, the church has lost its understanding of what the Gospel is. We have stopped having faith in Jesus, and instead have "faith in faith". Our faith is not placed in Jesus, but in the fact that we have faith. Does that sound confusin
TO HELL WITH GOD ?
God Doesn't Exist
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists.""Why do you say that?" asked the customer."Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.
The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens, is people do not come to me."
"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
WILL YOU REJECT HIS SON !
Who'll Take the Son?
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this." The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what
your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."
But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came for the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters." $10 is the bid won't someone bid $20?"
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going one, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"
God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
JESUS THE LOVING-FATHER
Love of a Father
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend.With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak, "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.
He continued, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life....to which boy he would throw the other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' he threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth.
"The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us."
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story," politely started one of the boys, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."
"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me. You see....I was the son's friend.
RUBY'S SERMON
RUBY'S PRAYER
Ruby Hamilton, a businesswoman in her fifties, was stunned at the loss of her husband of 32 years in a car accident. Her anger and disappointment went deeper than a more typical expression of grief though. She had become a follower of Christ in her late twenties, but her husband didn't share her newfound interest in spiritual things. Nonetheless, she had set about praying for him feverishly and unceasingly that he would come to know the Lord. And one day when she was praying, she felt a wave of peace wash over her, and that still small voice assuring her that her husband would be okay. She eagerly awaited the day when her husband surrender his life to Jesus. And now this.
What do you do when faith doesn't make sense? When God doesn't seem to be answering or opening doors or being found? Ruby Hamilton stopped living for God.
Roger Simmons was hitchhiking his way home. He would never forget the date - May 7th. His heavy suitcase was making him tired and he was anxious to take off that army uniform once and for all. Flashing the thumb to the oncoming car, he lost hope when he saw it was a black, sleek new Cadillac. To his surprise the car stopped.
The passenger door swung open. He ran toward the car, tossed his suitcase in the back and thanked the handsome, well-dressed man as he slid into the front seat. "Going home for keeps?"
"Sure am."
"Well, you're in luck if you're going to Chicago."
"Not quite that far - do you live in Chicago?"
"I have a business there, the driver said. My name is Hamilton."
They chatted for a while, and then Roger, a Christian, felt a compulsion to share his faith with this fiftyish, apparently successful business man. But he kept putting it off, till he realized that he was now just 30 minutes from his home. It was now or never.
"Mr. Hamilton, I would like to talk to you about something very important." Then he simply told Mr. Hamilton about the plan of salvation and ultimately asked him if he would like to receive Jesus as his savior and Lord.
The Cadillac pulled over to the side of the road. Roger expected that he was about to get thrown out of the car. Instead, the businessman bowed his head and received Christ, then thanked Roger "This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."
Five years went by. Roger married, had a couple of kids and a business of his own. Packing his suitcase for a trip to Chicago he found a small white business card that had been given to him by Hamilton five years previous. In Chicago, he looked up Hamilton enterprises. The receptionist told him that it was impossible to see Mr. Hamilton, but he could see Mrs. Hamilton. A little confused, he was ushered into a beautiful office where he found himself facing a keen-eyed woman in her fifties.
She extended her hand "You knew my husband?"
Roger told her about how Hamilton had picked him up while he was hitchhiking home after the war. "Can you tell me what day that was?"
"Sure it was May 7th, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army."
"Anything special about that day," she asked.
He hesitated, not knowing if he should mention how he shared the message of Jesus with her husband. "Mrs. Hamilton, I explained the gospel to your husband that day. He pulled over to the side of the road and wept against the steering wheel. He gave his life to Christ that day."
Explosive sobs shook her body. Finally getting a grip on herself, she sobbed, "I had prayed for my husband's salvation for years. I believed God would save him."
"Where is your husband, Ruby?"
"He's dead. He was in a car crash after he let you out of the car. He never got home. You see, I thought God had not kept his promise. I stopped living for God five years ago because I thought God had not kept his word!"
(Considerable influence for this message came from John Piper's "The Spring of Persistent Public Love", DesiringGod.org. From a sermon by Bret Toman, Power to Live the Golden Rule, 1/3/2011)
Ruby Hamilton, a businesswoman in her fifties, was stunned at the loss of her husband of 32 years in a car accident. Her anger and disappointment went deeper than a more typical expression of grief though. She had become a follower of Christ in her late twenties, but her husband didn't share her newfound interest in spiritual things. Nonetheless, she had set about praying for him feverishly and unceasingly that he would come to know the Lord. And one day when she was praying, she felt a wave of peace wash over her, and that still small voice assuring her that her husband would be okay. She eagerly awaited the day when her husband surrender his life to Jesus. And now this.
What do you do when faith doesn't make sense? When God doesn't seem to be answering or opening doors or being found? Ruby Hamilton stopped living for God.
Roger Simmons was hitchhiking his way home. He would never forget the date - May 7th. His heavy suitcase was making him tired and he was anxious to take off that army uniform once and for all. Flashing the thumb to the oncoming car, he lost hope when he saw it was a black, sleek new Cadillac. To his surprise the car stopped.
The passenger door swung open. He ran toward the car, tossed his suitcase in the back and thanked the handsome, well-dressed man as he slid into the front seat. "Going home for keeps?"
"Sure am."
"Well, you're in luck if you're going to Chicago."
"Not quite that far - do you live in Chicago?"
"I have a business there, the driver said. My name is Hamilton."
They chatted for a while, and then Roger, a Christian, felt a compulsion to share his faith with this fiftyish, apparently successful business man. But he kept putting it off, till he realized that he was now just 30 minutes from his home. It was now or never.
"Mr. Hamilton, I would like to talk to you about something very important." Then he simply told Mr. Hamilton about the plan of salvation and ultimately asked him if he would like to receive Jesus as his savior and Lord.
The Cadillac pulled over to the side of the road. Roger expected that he was about to get thrown out of the car. Instead, the businessman bowed his head and received Christ, then thanked Roger "This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."
Five years went by. Roger married, had a couple of kids and a business of his own. Packing his suitcase for a trip to Chicago he found a small white business card that had been given to him by Hamilton five years previous. In Chicago, he looked up Hamilton enterprises. The receptionist told him that it was impossible to see Mr. Hamilton, but he could see Mrs. Hamilton. A little confused, he was ushered into a beautiful office where he found himself facing a keen-eyed woman in her fifties.
She extended her hand "You knew my husband?"
Roger told her about how Hamilton had picked him up while he was hitchhiking home after the war. "Can you tell me what day that was?"
"Sure it was May 7th, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army."
"Anything special about that day," she asked.
He hesitated, not knowing if he should mention how he shared the message of Jesus with her husband. "Mrs. Hamilton, I explained the gospel to your husband that day. He pulled over to the side of the road and wept against the steering wheel. He gave his life to Christ that day."
Explosive sobs shook her body. Finally getting a grip on herself, she sobbed, "I had prayed for my husband's salvation for years. I believed God would save him."
"Where is your husband, Ruby?"
"He's dead. He was in a car crash after he let you out of the car. He never got home. You see, I thought God had not kept his promise. I stopped living for God five years ago because I thought God had not kept his word!"
(Considerable influence for this message came from John Piper's "The Spring of Persistent Public Love", DesiringGod.org. From a sermon by Bret Toman, Power to Live the Golden Rule, 1/3/2011)
SIMPLEST BUT MOST-VALUABLE
During the Spanish-American War, Clara Barton was overseeing the work of the Red Cross
in Cuba. One day Colonel Theodore Roosevelt came to her, wanted to buy food for his sick
and wounded Rough Riders. But she refused to sell him any. Roosevelt was perplexed. His
men needed the help and he was prepared to pay out of his own funds. When he asked someone
why he could not buy the supplies, he was told, "Colonel, just ask for it!" A
smile broke over Roosevelt's face. Now he understood--the provisions were not for sale.
All he had to do was simply ask and they would be given freely...
ALL YOU NEED FOR SALVATION IS TO ASK, AND YOU WILL GET IT..
ALL YOU NEED FOR SALVATION IS TO ASK, AND YOU WILL GET IT..
SIMPLE STEP TO SALVATION
WHAT
MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?"
1. Admit you are a sinner. The Bible tells us, ALL HAVE SINNED, AND
COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD-Ro 3:23. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH-Ro
6:23.
2. Be willing to change, to forsake all sin, and live for Jesus.
Repent. Be willing to ask God for His help, to help you make that
change. The Bible tells us, EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE
PERISH-Lk 13:3. WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD
IS THE ENEMY OF GOD-Ja 4:4. Jesus tells us, HE THAT IS NOT WITH ME
IS AGAINST ME-Mt 12:30.
3. Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son and
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Believe that He died for your sins.
Believe on Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation. As it is written,
THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE
SAVED-Acts 4:12.
If we rob a bank, we have to go to jail. Jesus never sinned. When
He died on the cross, He did not die for the things He did. He died to
pay your jail sentence.
4. Ask for forgiveness. Ask for God’s mercy. By faith,
receive Jesus Christ as your only hope of being saved and do not be
ashamed. Confess Him openly as your only hope of salvation. As it
is written, BE READY ALWAYS TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERY MAN THAT ASKETH YOU A
REASON OF THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU WITH MEEKNESS AND FEAR-1 Pe 3:15.
The Bible tells us, GOD IS GREATLY TO BE FEARED IN THE ASSEMBLY OF THE
SAINTS-Ps 89:7. WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US-1 Jn 4:19.
"After" we believe on Jesus Christ, "after" we have
repented of our sins, we are commanded to be baptized by full immersion in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It is written,
HE THAT BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED; BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT
SHALL BE DAMNED-Mk 16:16. Note, believing on Jesus comes
"before" water baptism. Baptism prior to repenting and
believing on Jesus has no meaning. You cannot be baptized into One whom
you do not believe on. It is written, FOR AS MANY OF YOU AS HAVE BEEN
BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST-Gal 3:27. Water baptism is by
full immersion. As it is written, BURIED WITH HIM (with Jesus) IN BAPTISM
(or buried in the water)-Col 2:12.
WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM (with Jesus) BY
BAPTISM (or buried by water)-Ro 6:4. Jesus commanded, GO YE THEREFORE,
AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE
SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST: TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I
HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE
WORLD. AMEN-Mt 28:19,20.
Surrender means "you give up." You stop putting your will
before God’s will. You allow Jesus (God’s Word) to reign over you.
You submit to Jesus and let Him become the Lord of your life.
If you have never humbled yourself, and totally surrendered to Jesus, and
become as a little child (ref Mt 18:3), and continued steadfast in the faith, I
BITTER TRUTH
Deception ?
If
you have received Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, as your Lord and Savior,
it is because God, in His mercy, has opened your understanding. As it
is written, FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES:
IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. FOR WE
ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH
BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM-Eph 2:8-10.
Christian by mouth?
Are you saved? It is not a question of how
good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you
will go to Heaven when you die?
God says in order to go to Heaven, you must
be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born
again."
In the Bible, God gives us the plan of how to
be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved
today. How?
First, my friend, you must realise you are a
sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23).
Because you are a sinner, you are condemned
to die. "For the wages [payment] of sin is death" (Romans
6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.
"... it is appointed
unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews
9:27).
But God loved you so much he gave his only
begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. "For he
hath made him [Jesus, who knew no sin] to be sin for us ... that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus had to shed his blood and die. "For
the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11) "... without
shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]" (Hebrews 9:22).
"But God commendeth
his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us" (Romans 5:8).
Although we cannot understand how, God said
my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and he died in our place. He became
our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.
My friend, "God ... now commandeth
all men every where to repent" (Acts 17:30).
This repentance is a change of mind that
agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for
us on the cross.
In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked
Paul and Silas: "... Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... ."
Simply believe on him as the one who bore
your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected.
His resurrection powerfully assures that the
believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Saviour.
"But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name" (John 1:12).
"For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved"
(Romans 10:13).
Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means
not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.
Surely, you realise you are a sinner. Right
now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.
In Luke 18:13, a sinner prayed: "God
be merciful to me a sinner."
Just
pray:
"Oh, God, I know I am a sinner. I
believe Jesus was my substitute when he died on the cross. I believe his shed
blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive him as my
Saviour. I thank you for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and
everlasting life, because of your merciful grace. Amen."
Just take God at his word and claim his
salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no
good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!
God's simple plan of salvation is: You are a
sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus who died in your place, you will
spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on him as your crucified, buried, and
risen Saviour, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and his gift of
eternal salvation by faith.
You say, "Surely, it cannot be that
simple." Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God's plan. My friend,
believe on Jesus and receive him as Saviour today.
If his plan is not perfectly clear, read this
tract over and over, without laying it down until you understand it. Your soul
is worth more than all the world.
"For what shall it
profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
(Mark 8:36).
Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul,
you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment.
God's power will save you, keep you saved and
enable you to live a victorious Christian life. "There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who
will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it"
(1 Corinthians 10:13).
Do not trust your feelings. They change.
Stand on God's promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are
three things to practise daily for spiritual growth: Pray you talk to God. Read
your Bible God talks to you. Witness you talk for God.
You should be baptised in obedience to the
Lord Jesus Christ, as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with
a Bible-believing church without delay. "Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord ..." (2 Timothy 1:8).
"Whosoever therefore
shall confess [testify of] me before men, him will I confess also before my
Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32).
Additional
Helpful Verses
- John 3:16, 1 Peter 2:24
- Isaiah 53:6, James 1:15, Romans 10:9-10
- Ephesians 2:8-9, Proverbs 27:1
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, John 10:27-31, 1 John 5:13
MAKE
THE DAY OF YOUR SINCERE SALVATION (NOW) WHEN YOU STILL HAVE THE BREATH IN YOU,
THE TIME IS COMING WHEN YOU SHALL WITH YOUR TEARS AND BLOOD SEARCH FOR
IT.....
SALVATION A MUST !
Salvation is deliverance from danger or suffering. To save is to deliver
or protect. The word carries the idea of victory, health, or
preservation. Sometimes, the Bible uses the words saved or salvation to refer to temporal, physical deliverance, such as Paul’s deliverance from prison (Philippians 1:19).
More often, the word “salvation” concerns an eternal, spiritual deliverance. When Paul told the Philippian jailer what he must do to be saved, he was referring to the jailer’s eternal destiny (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus equated being saved with entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-25).
What are we saved from? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.
Who does the saving? Only God can remove sin and deliver us from sin’s penalty (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).
How does God save? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has rescued us through Christ (John 3:17). Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7). Scripture is clear that salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Ephesians 2:5, 8) and is only available through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
How do we receive salvation? We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel—the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe—fully trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19), and calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13).
A definition of the Christian doctrine of salvation would be “The deliverance, by the grace of God, from eternal punishment for sin which is granted to those who accept by faith God’s conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus.” Salvation is available in Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) and is dependent on God alone for provision, assurance, and security.
Recommended Resource: Salvation: God's Marvelous Work of Grace by Lewis Sperry Chafer.
More often, the word “salvation” concerns an eternal, spiritual deliverance. When Paul told the Philippian jailer what he must do to be saved, he was referring to the jailer’s eternal destiny (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus equated being saved with entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-25).
What are we saved from? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.
Who does the saving? Only God can remove sin and deliver us from sin’s penalty (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).
How does God save? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has rescued us through Christ (John 3:17). Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7). Scripture is clear that salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Ephesians 2:5, 8) and is only available through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
How do we receive salvation? We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel—the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe—fully trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19), and calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13).
A definition of the Christian doctrine of salvation would be “The deliverance, by the grace of God, from eternal punishment for sin which is granted to those who accept by faith God’s conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus.” Salvation is available in Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) and is dependent on God alone for provision, assurance, and security.
Recommended Resource: Salvation: God's Marvelous Work of Grace by Lewis Sperry Chafer.
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