What must I do to be Saved

What must I do to be Saved?

JESUS MADE THE CLAIMS OF BEING DIVINE (GOD)

John 10:1-8

10:1 He claimed all other ways to be false.

10:7 He claimed to the door of the sheep.

10:7 He claimed to be able to save you personally.

10:11 He claimed to be able to give His life for you.

10:14 He claimed to be the Good Shepherd

10:17 He claimed to have the power to lay down His life and raise Himself up again.

10:18 (A) He claimed no man had the power to take His life.

(B) He repeated the claim to be able to lay down His life.

(D) He claimed to be in direct communication with the Father (God).

John 14:6

He claimed to be the one and only way to the Father. (Psalms 16:11; Proverbs 4:18; Isaiah 35:8; Jeremiah 32:39; Matthew 7:13-14.

Now there only three possibilities:

1) What He said is a lie. Then He would be a false prophet. But much more, He would be the worse of all false prophets – worse than Hitler – because He taught men to trust their souls to Him. Is His teaching the teaching of a false prophet or does it make your heart burn. (Luke 24:32)

2) He is crazy. If He was crazy He was crazy enough to die for His madness, so where is His body? Could the Jews have produced a body,

They could have stopped Christianity cold at any time. Is this the teaching of a mad man?

3) What He said is true. This is the only other possibility – the inescapable

conclusion that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God to whom all

the prophets bear witness.He

Mark 16:15-16

Jesus gives His marching orders to the Apostles …Go preach the gospel!!!

I Corinthians 15:1-4

(A) The gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the focus point of the universe. A point in history in which God intervened in the affairs of men in order to save humanity by paying the full price of -SIN-DEATH-for us. The just for the unjust.

(B) What is the Gospel? This is a simple question where you can try the spirit as I John 4:1 teaches us to do. This is so simple, so elementary that if a teacher or preacher can’t tell you what the Gospel is, then he can’t tell you anything else either and is a false teacher.

(C) We have asked hundreds of preachers: What is the Gospel? All but a few said: The Good News. We know that it comes from the Greek word evaggelion (yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on) meaning a good message but what did Jesus mean when He said Go preach the Gospel? That is when you will get every answer under the sun but the right answer.

(E) Every sermon found in the book of Acts revolves around the Gospel – The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Example: Acts 2:22-39. The Apostles certainly knew what Jesus had in mind when He commanded ...“preach the gospel… (Mark 16:15)

Galatians 1:6-9

There is a terrible curse upon any man or even an angel from heaven if they preach any other gospel.

Romans 1:16

Because the Gospel is God’s Power to save.

Romans 1:17

And in the Gospel the very rightousness of God is revealed.

BELIEVE

In the English language we understand the word believe to mean: to believe with our minds or accept with our minds something as a fact, such as Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. (such is the concept found in Acts 8:36-38).

The Greek word for believe is pisteuo (pist-yoo’-o) and it means to believe, to commit to trust, especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ”. It comes from the very same Greek word that faith comes from, only it is not just quite as strong of a word as faith. (John 8:23-24). So our believe must be focused towards Jesus Christ, to His person …who He is… and must involve a commitment to personally trust in Him to save us.

Either you believe or you don’t believe!!

Now is the time for you to settle once and for all in your own mind and heart.

If you don’t believe, do not go on with this study! Go back and read the books of Mark, Luke and John and then come back to this point of the study and continue.

On the other hand, some people seem to be wedded to their sins, they forever stand at the gate…but just won’t go in. Settle the matter and believe or know why you don’t believe. Make a decision!

Every one of us will someday die and then be judged. Hebrews 9:27. We will all live forever, the only question is – where? Heaven or Hell? Be not deceived by the New liberal modernists. The very same Jesus who promised His sheep Heaven (Matthew 25:31-40), also promised Hell for the goats in His very next breath. (Matthew 25:41-46)

Be not deceived, 9God is not mocked: Galatians 6:7-8). If you want to know what it’s like in Hell for those who fail to believe, study Psalms 88:1-18.

If you believe and have decided to trust Christ alone to save you, then you have taken the very first step! There is all the difference between Heaven and Hell, in believing about Jesus and believing in Jesus. Throughout this study we have seen the vital importance of our being in the Seed or In Him.

John 1:12

This verse does not say that they became the sons of God…but rather –

You now have the power to become the sons of God.

Acts 16:31

This is another misunderstood verse. This verse does not say believe and thou are saved. It says shall be, future tense. It has not happened yet but it will happen because if you really do believe, you will continue on with the whole council of God. You won’t just stop here…

James 2:19

Are the devils saved? Certainly not!

John 3:15-16

(A) Twice Jesus says you must be in Him and believe. He says nothing about believing on Him.

(B) Twice Jesus says should not perish. He says nothing about shall not perish.

(C) You see, you should not perish. There is absolutely no reason for you to perish, but, will you perish? It’s entirely up to you! God loves you and He does not want you to perish!

You must understand that the New Testament has many partial revelations about salvation, but it’s the sum total of everything God has to say regarding salvation that saves us. An example would be: The New Testament says: Red = Black. And in another place the New Testament says: Green = Black. Both are true, but the whole truth is that if you take a bucket of red paint and pour it into a bucket of green paint, stir well and you have 2 buckets of black paint because Red + Green = Black. So it is with our salvation…it is the whole council of God of which, as we will see, to believe is the very important first step.

CONFESS THE LORD JESUS

Romans 10:9

(A) This verse teaches that we must confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus. So, to

our belief, we must add confession of Christ. An example being Acts 8:36-38.

(B) Now, we also know that we must believe in our heart, not just our minds. An

example is in Acts 8:37) To the Hebrews, the heart was understood to be the mind, the emotion and the practice (daily life). Our belief in Jesus must thunder through all aspects of our being in order to be heart belief.

Romans 10:10

(A) Heart belief is still unto righteousness, not into righteousness. It is in or into

righteousness where all the promises of God are to be found.

(B) Confession is still unto salvation not into.

Matthew 10:32

Jesus’ confession of us before the Father is of eternal importance to our souls.

Timothy 2:5

Because Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and men.

REPENT

Acts 17:30

We are commanded by God to repent.

II Peter 3:9

Because God is not willing that you should perish.

Luke 13:1-5

And Jesus warned except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

II Corinthians 7:10

Godly sorrow for our sins works repentance.

Psalms 51:1-19

This is an example of the attitude of Godly sorrow for our sins.

I Thessalonians 1:9

Repentence involves a turning from sin to serve God, but just turning towards God with a desire to serve Him is not enough.

Acts 26:20

We must do something about our desire to turn towards God. There must also be the corresponding action of works and deeds of repentance. For example: If you are stealing, you stop stealing; if you are beating your wife, you stop beating your wife; and if your wife is beating you, you get her to stop beating you. Simply put a stop to whatever you are doing that offends God and your fellow man. But deeds and works will never save us. These things are still not enough!

Acts 20:21

We must repent by turning towards God and having faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ to save us!

FAITH

Even though faith can and does cause an emotional feeling, Bible faith is not a feeling or a blind leap into a void. Faith, in English, we understand as trust and reliance especially upon God in Christ to save us. Because He said in His Word He would save us in Christ, then we bring forth the corresponding actions of acting upon what God says. A perfect example of faith in action is baptism! Jesus said: do it (Mark 16:15-16), we believe what he said and submit to it.

Faith comes from the Greek word pistis (pis’-tis) which means conviction of the truthfulness of God, especially, reliance upon Christ for salvation, credence, assurance and trust.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Faith is a gift (the Greek word is dp’-ren meaning a gift or present) of God. But how does God present this gift…does He zap you like a lightening bolt? Certainly not!!

Romans 10:17

Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. God has given us His Word as a gift or present and if you are to have the Bible kind of faith, it will come about by you hearing the Word of God, believing what you hear and acting upon it.

Hebrews 11:1

I personally like the Phillips translation of this verse: Now faith means putting our full conficence in the things we hope for; it mens being certin of things we cannot see. And also the RSV: Now faith is the assurance ofthings hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

The 11^th chapter of Hebrews has been called The Roll Call of the Heroes of Faith. In this chapter we see many examples of what the Bible kind of faith is like. In each and every example, the person:

First, hears the word of God. Such terms as: word of God; God testifying; testimony; warned; called; promise; promised; promises; tried’ recompenc rof the reward, etc. all describe hearing the word of God.

Second, the person believes what he hears. Such terms as: moved with fear; not knowing whether he went; he looked for a city; she judged Him faithful who had promised; but having seen them afar off; were persuaded, and embraced; accounting that God was able, etc. show belief.

Finally, the person took action when they believed what God said – they did what He said!!

Such terms as: Abel offered…a more excellent sacrifice; he pleased God; prepared an Ark; obeyed and he went out; dwelling in tabernacles; received strength to conceive seed; offered up Isaac; was hid three months; choosing rather to suffer affliction; kept the Passover; passed through the Red Sea; compassed (walked around) about seven days. …on…and…on…describes faith in action. Study Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:6

…without faith it is impossible to please Him…

Romans 5:1

(A) Justified is a judicial ruling by God, the Judge, that a person is to be counted or reckoned as if righteous because of their standing in Christ. The very righteousnesness of God is imputed (Romans 4) to the person instead of their own righteousness which is filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) because they are in Christ and the full price of their sin

has already been paid by Him in His death on the cross. Justification is when God …calleth those things which are not (righteous) as though they were (righteous). Romans 4:17

(B) Many Scripture twisters add the word alone to this verse and have it read: therefore being justified by faith alone, which is a lie!

(C) The verse before says: we are justified by Jesus’ resurrection. (Romans 4:25) Romans 5:9 says that we are justified by His blood;

Romans 3:24 says that we are justified freely by His Grace

D) So plainly, we are justified by faith and not by faith alone!

Faith can be summarized as being: when we trust the propositional promise of God enough to take action upon the proposition. We hear, believe and do!!!

BAPTISM

After He arose from the dead, Jesus told His Apostles that along with the Gospel message of His Death and Resurrection (Luke 24:46) two additional things were to be preached in His name (authority), repentance and remission of sins (Luke 24:47) … beginning in Jerusalem . (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8)

On the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ crucifixion on Passover, the Apostles are all together (Acts 1:26-2:1) and they are baptized in the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the prophecies of Joel 2:28-32; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16 & John 1:33.

Who was to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? –!! The Apostles. (Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:1-8) This baptism of the Holy Spirit enabled the Apostles to preach the Word of God with power (Acts 1:8) and without error. (John 14:26; 16:13) But Peter standing up with the eleven…(Acts 2:14) preaches the Gospel (the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (I Corinthians 15:1-4) just what he was commanded to do. (Acts 2:22:16) The people are convicted by his preaching and said: Men and brethren, what shall we do? Acts 2:47 So, in the next verse, Peter sets forth the conditions of salvation on the day the Church began.

Acts 2:38

This verse contains two imperatives and two promises.

IMPERATIVES PROMISES

Repent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remission of sins

Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The gift of the Holy Spirit

A man who is drowning in the middle of the ocean does not care if his saviour comes in a canoe, rowboat or an ocean-liner. All he cares about is being saved. I submit to you that any person who argues or debates how he is to be saved, is not ready to be saved.

The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) But that is a vicarious (separate and apart from us) historical event. We must (#1) find some way to get in Christ as we have seen throughout our study.

Romans 6:3-6

6:3 (A) Immediately this verse tells us we are baptized into Jesus Christ.

This is what we have been looking for!

(B) This verse also teaches us we are baptized into His death which is the first part

Of the Gospel.

6:4 (A) We are buried with Him by baptism. The second part of the Gospel.

(B) Into death. Jesus’ death where the blood is!

The third part of the Gospel.

Summary of verses 3 & 4: Just as Jesus died on the cross, God wants us to propose in our minds and hearts that we will die to sin. Just as Jesus was buried in a grave, God wants us to be buried in the watery grave of baptism. Just as Jesus arose from the grave, God wants us to arise to walk (live) a brand new life!! (Colossians 3:1)

6:5 What does the word if mean? What if we haven’t? Then we are just like Paul, still in our sins, no matter how much we believe, confess Him as our Lord, repent, fast for 3 days and nights and pray…the man who was to become Paul the Apostle had done all these things but still had his sins. (Acts 22:16)

6:6 Die with Jesus and don’t be a slave to sin! Do you wonder why sometimes we sin compulsively? It’s because we have not yet obeyed the Gospel by dying to sin, being buried with Jesus in baptism and rising to walk a new life. This is the subject of the next group of verses. (Romans 6:7-23)

Romans 6:17

(A) That form of doctrine (teaching) is baptism, the subject matter of this chapter.

(B) Obeyed from the heart. If you are baptized and it is not from the heart, then you go down a dry sinner and come up a wet sinner. There is absolutely no magic in the water!

(C) But it is in the water that God meets your heart belief, repentance, confession of Christ as Lord and faith upon God in Christ to save you.

(D) If you really believe, you will do what He says. If you do not do what He says, you do not believe. You have hindered the Word of God, you

I Peter 3:21

False teachers and false prophets – today’s new liberal modernists tell you that baptism doesn’t save. Who are you going to believe? The Apostle or them

The most common objection:

Question: How did the thief on the cross go to Paradise without being baptized?

Luke 23:39-43) The unlearned and unstable say as they twist and wrestle also the other scriptures unto their own destruction. (II Peter 3:16)

Answer: The thief on the cross died under the dispensation of the Law of Moses where baptism was not an ordinance or commandment. Christ was not yet dead when He said: ...today thou shalt be with Me in Paradise. The change of the Law took place when Christ died. (Col. 2:13) and the entire subject matter of the book of Hebrews.

Galatians 3:16

(A) This is where we started this study

(B) Now to Abraham and his Seed (child/descendant).

(C) …were the promises made. All of God’s promises were made to the Christ and to those who are In Him (II Corinthians 1:20)

(D) …He (God) saith not, and to seeds (children), as of many descndants).

(E) …but of one (child), and to thy seed, which is Christ.

Paul now enters into a discussion of why the Law was given until Jesus the Christ came (Galatians 3:17-25).

Galatian 3:26

We must be in Christ and have faith. But again, how do we get Into Him?

Galatians 3:27

We are baptized into Christ!

Galatians 3:28

There is no place in Christ found for racism of any sort.

Galatians 3:29

(A) And if ye be Christ’s. How? He just told you – vv. 26-17.

(B) Ye are Abraham’s child. God promised that He would multiply that seed (child) as the stars of heaven. (Genesis 15:3-4; 22:15 & 26:1-4) And every time a person is baptized into Christ from the heart, another star is added!!!. (Romans 2:28-29 & Galatians 3:7)

(C) And heirs according to the promise. You become an heir and receive the promises. What promises? All o the promises of God (II Corinthians 1:20).

As you will see in the next lesson IN CHRIST or IN HIM when we study what the New Testament has to say about the benefits of being in Christ.

Now is the time for you to make a decision!!! We will close with the words of Ananias to Saul who was to become the Apostle Paul.(Acts 22:16)

And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the NAME OF THE LORD.