Foundations of the Faith
Lesson
5 Salvation
Introduction
The very purpose of the work of Christ was that He
"
came into the world to save sinners" (I Timothy 1:15).
Because of sin man is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1)
and in need of God's life, but Christ paid the price for sin for those who
would receive His free gift of salvation.
How Do We Receive the Gift of Salvation?
Admit your need
You must admit that you are a sinner and realize that
sin is an offense to a holy God. Romans 3:23a
. . . for all have sinned . . .
Sin is simply missing the mark of glorifying God. It is anything contrary to God's nature in
thought, word, or deed.
Romans 3:23b . . . and fall short of the glory of God, . .
.
Repent
In Jesus' first message He said, " Repent for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).
Peter preached, " Repent, and let each
of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
" (Acts 2:38).
Repentance is one aspect of faith. It means to change your mind about the
direction your life is headed and to turn toward God, seeking His salvation
from the penalty and power of sin.
Repentance begins as an attitude of the heart, and it will manifest
itself in a changed life.
Believe on Jesus
Acts 16:31 says, " Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you shall be saved
" You believe that Jesus (who was God in the
flesh) died for your sins (Romans 5:8) and that God raised Him from the dead
(Romans 10:9).
The Greek word ("pisteuo") that is
translated "believe" means to be fully persuaded that something is
true and to fully rely upon it. You must
believe that Jesus is the only way of salvation and trust God to save you. The Bible calls this faith. We are saved by God's grace through faith
(Ephesians 2:8-9).
Believe on Jesus
Believing involves faith, trust, and commitment. Romans 10:9 says, "
If you confess
with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead you shall be saved." You must not only believe that Jesus is
Lord, but you must confess Him (out of a sincere heart) as the Lord (boss,
master) of your life.
Receive Jesus
John 1:12 But as
many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name, .
. .
Receiving Jesus may begin by praying to God, indicating
your commitment to trust Christ.
Receiving Jesus means submitting yourself to His lordship.
How to Know If You Are a Christian
Just as there are signs of having physical life
(heartbeat, breath, etc.) there are also signs of having spiritual life.
A Christian is one in whom God has birthed His
life.
God's life is described as eternal life. Eternal life is Christ's life (I John 5:20).
One major evidence of being a Christian is that you
have Christ's life in you (I John 5:10).
A Christian Practices Righteousness
1 John 3:9-10 No
one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he
cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the
children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness
is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
A Christian Practices Righteousness
Righteousness is the right attitudes, actions thoughts,
and words which come from a heart which
is devoted to God.
Obedience will not be the perfection of your life, but
it will be the direction of your life.
Obedience is an expression of your faith and of your love for the Lord
Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey
me" (John 14:21). The result of salvation is a changed life.
A Christian Sets His Mind on What the Spirit
Desires
Romans 8:5 says, "For those who are according
to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those
who are according to the spirit, the things of the spirit."
Christians possess the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9)
and are led by the same Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). The Holy Spirit bears witness to us that we
belong to God (Romans 8:16).
A Christian Has an Appetite for the Bible
The Bible
nourishes him spiritually. 1 Peter 2:2 says like newborn babies, long for the
pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation
The believer is
able to understand spiritual things because he has the Holy Spirit to teach
him.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15 But the natural man does not receive the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges
all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
A Christian Has a Desire to be with Other
Christians
A Christian is a member of Gods family. It is natural
to want to be with other members of the family of God. Love for other believers
is one biblical sign of being a Christian.
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death
into life, because we love the brethren.
A Christian Continues in the Faith
John 8:31 . . . If you continue in My word then you
are truly disciples of mine.
Perseverance in following Christ is a sign that we have
Christs life in us. Those who fall away
prove they were never saved.
1 John 2:19 They
went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us,
they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are
not of us.
Biblical Terms for Salvation/Justification
The sinner stands before God as the accused and is
declared righteous.
Romans 8:33 Who
will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; . . .
Redemption
The sinner stands before God as a slave to sin and is
granted freedom by ransom.
Romans 6:17,18,22
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became
obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. . . . But now having been freed from sin and
enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the
outcome, eternal life.
Forgiveness
The sinner stands before God as a debtor, and the debt,
having been paid by Christ, is forgotten.
Ephesians 1:7 In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of His grace.
Hebrews 8:12 . .
. for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.
Reconciliation
The sinner stands before God as an enemy and becomes a
friend as peace with God is made.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their
trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as
though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God.
Sonship
The sinner stands before God as a stranger and is made
a son.
Ephesians 1:5 He
predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the kind intention of His will, . . .
John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He
gave the right to become children of God, even
to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the
will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Characteristics of Salvation
Initiated by God and not by man
John 3:16 For
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He
loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together
with Christ ( by grace you have been saved), . . .
A Work of the Holy Spirit
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which
we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of
regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, . . .
The regenerating
work of the Holy Spirit is described as being born again or born of the
Spirit.
John 3:3,
5b-6 Jesus answered and said to him,
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.
and unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is
flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Delivered from Eternal Death
Hebrews 2:14b-15
He Himself likewise also partook
of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power
of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death
were subject to slavery all their lives.
Saved From Gods Wrath
Romans 5:9
Much more then, having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
Set Free From Sins Dominion
Romans 6:6
. . . knowing this, that our old
self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away
with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; . . .
Past, Present, and Future
Been saved from penalty of sin (Justification)
Being saved from power of sin (Sanctification)
Will be saved from presence of sin (Glorification)
Romans 8:30 . . . and these whom He predestined, He also
called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He
justified, He also glorified.
Salvation is Secure
An act of God whereby He has sealed us with His Spirit
Ephesians 1:13-14
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of
your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy
Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to
the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
The Purpose of Salvation To Bring Us to God
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also died for sins once
for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been
put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
To Live a Righteous Life
1 Peter 2:24
. . . and He Himself bore our sins
in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
To Glorify Him
Ephesians 1:12
. . . to the end that we who were the first to
hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
Isaiah 43:7
Everyone who is called by My name,
and whom I have created for My glory,
whom I have formed, even whom I have made.
Conclusion
Christ has redeemed us, delivered us, saved us, and
translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. We are
accepted in the beloved, and have been made children of the Most high. We have
been wonderfully reconciled to our holy heavenly Father. He has saved us from
death. Truly, salvation is eternal life.