09.07.2013

  • The Facts About Salvation

    gospel_salvation

    Salvation

    Author: Carol Brooks
    Source: InPlainSite.org

    You, like every other human on the face of this planet, have one overwhelming and stupendously important need... to be forgiven for the sins you have already been condemned for, and released from the death sentence that you have already been sentenced to.

    [Related Article: Praying for Richmond and the Greater Richmond Area]

    Also See Faith and Facts
    The word "faith" is often deeply misunderstood, often seen as "pie in the sky", totally unsubstantiated by facts. However, what many Christians and non Christians alike, do not always realize, is that while the Bible is very big on faith, it is a faith based on facts. Perhaps the best definition of faith comes from Hebrews 11:1, which says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". The words assurance and conviction are key to understanding Biblical faith. When we are dealing with things that we cannot perceive with our five senses, the only way we can know that these unseen things are true, is by the evidence. If we do not have evidence, then all that is left is hope. However, the Bible provides evidence aplenty that it is the Word of God, and that Jesus did rise from the dead.

    Introduction
    As Tozer once said:

    "We have simplified until Christianity amounts to this: God is love; Jesus died for you; believe, accept, be jolly, have fun and tell others. And away we go--that is the Christianity of our day. I would not give a plug nickel for the whole business of it. Once in a while God has a poor bleeding sheep that manages to live on that kind of thing and we wonder how." [1]

    Abbreviated and Highly Inaccurate Salvation Messages
    A large percentage of the modern church will tell you that in order to receive salvation and life eternal, you merely have to "Believe in Jesus Christ" or "Receive Christ as your Savior". However, perhaps the two most popular instructions on how to be saved are to "accept Jesus as your personal Savior" or "invite Jesus into your heart". Other well meaning Christians urge the sinner to pray some version of "The Sinner's Prayer". All these catch-phrases are so entrenched in evangelical Christianity that few stop to consider whether they are Biblical. They are not. Not only are these instructions conspicuous by their absence in the Bible, but some are actually quite misleading, if not very confusing.

    "Believe in Jesus Christ" Unfortunately, although the words come from the Bible, by themselves these instructions are horribly abbreviated. They neither tell you what you are saved from, and what you gain by being "saved". Nor do they accurately convey all that is involved in a person being saved. And yes, I know that Paul and Silas told the jailor that if he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, he would be saved, but they didn't stop there. The very next verse [Acts 16:31-32] tells us that Paul and Silas then instructed him and all that were in his house, which obviously means that they went into much greater detail.
    [Related Article: The Call to Discipleship]

    "Invite Jesus Into Your Heart" Although the expression is common enough, I am still unsure of what it is supposed to mean, even after well over twenty years of being a Christian. If I am still puzzled by this cliché, I can only imagine the effect it has on a non-Christian adult, leave alone a child... any child.

    One can only imagine what a non believer must think when exhorted to ask Jesus into their hearts?. They must wonder how this works, and whether it is literal, or some kind of metaphysical/ supernatural experience? Is it symbolic? If so.. What is it supposed to mean, and what is it supposed to do? The confusion is completely understandable considering no good clarification of this phrase actually exists. Is it any wonder that so often presented with completely meaningless phrases that communicate nothing intelligible, much of the world dismisses us as a credulous and superstitious bunch?
    [See Why NOT To Ask Jesus Into Your Heart]

    "Accept Jesus as Your Personal Savior" In spite of the fact that the book of Revelation paints a very alarming picture of the Lamb of God who carries the title "King Of Kings, and Lord Of Lords" [Revelation 19:11-16] and at who's word this very earth will be destroyed, we, to paraphrase something Tozer once said, think Jesus is standing outside on the steps, hat-in-hand, like some poor timid fellow looking for a job. He is shifting from one foot to another wondering whether He will be 'accepted'. We look Him over, then read a few more devotional verses, and ask: 'What do you think, Mabel? Do you think we ought to accept Him?"

    Besides which, the very word "accept" conveys the ideas that salvation or the gift of eternal life, is accomplished by a sovereign work of God, and that, to be saved, all you have to do is say "sure, I'll let Jesus be my Savior", after which there is nothing else to be done except hold fast to the belief that He is. Your passive acceptance is both easy and unconditional, with no further demands made of you. Nothing could be further from the truth.
    [See Merely Acknowledging Jesus as Savior is Insufficient]

    "The Sinner's Prayer" is not found anywhere among the cases of conversion in the book of Acts in the New Testament. In fact, there isn't a single instance of any sinner instructed to pray for their salvation. On the contrary sinners were admonished to 'repent and be baptized'. If there is such a thing as a "Sinner's Prayer", it would be a personal prayer of repentance and confession of sin. It is a prayer asking God for forgiveness for your life of rebellion and disobedience. There is NO salvation without a genuine, heart broken repentance. [See Is The Sinner's Prayer Effective?]

    While it is certainly possible to convey Biblical truth without strictly using words found in the Bible, it is imperative that the words we use should accurately convey Biblical concepts, especially since every person's relationship with Jesus Christ is, quite literally, a matter of life or death (If we are in a right relationship with Him we are given the gift of eternal life, and yes, that means never dying. If we are not in a right relationship with Him, we will be judged and condemned to death).
    [Related Article: Is Punishment Eternal?]

    Perhaps part of the problem lies in the fact that, all too often, the term "Christian" is applied to someone who believes in God, has made a one time profession of faith or said the sinner's prayer, and/or who regularly attends church/reads the Bible. Too many people call themselves Christian on the basis that they are generally 'good' people who haven't actually murdered anyone. However, make no mistake, God is not going to allow you into Heaven based on your efforts to live a good life, keep the Ten Commandments, do good, help others, or even go to church or be baptized. If you are trusting in the fact that in the past you prayed a prayer, raised your hand, walked an aisle, or signed a card, your faith is misplaced.
    [Related Article: Concerning Company and Coworkers]

    Nor is being saved a matter of pulling up our socks. If that is all we had to do, Calvary was meaningless. All we would have needed is enough motivation to change both our will and behavior, and we would be saved.

    But, none of these things will save you from the arrow that He has already drawn in His bow, the arrow that is tenuously aimed at every sinner... at you.

    Anyone who tells you, or even implies, that your eternal future hinges on a one time profession of faith, is leading you away from salvation, not towards it. According to the Scriptures, a person's salvation depends on several essential factors. And, since the Bible has so very much to say about this supremely important topic, please note that when space does not permit me to go into great detail, links to more comprehensive articles have been provided. I greatly advise that you read them, open Bible in hand, in order to gain a fuller and more comprehensive understanding of salvation.

    If you are looking for the short and easy answer, you are in the wrong place. But I am afraid that you will be hopelessly deluded if you think you have found one. So lets start with one basic fact... Christianity alone offers the unbeliever something they cannot get anywhere else.

    In the final analysis, virtually all humans have two things in common.

    1) Almost everyone is searching for a 'better life', if not a perfect one, Most people are constantly striving to make their living happier, healthier, and less difficult. We grasp at every shred of happiness we can find, but frequently find that it slips from our grasp, often through no fault of our own.

    2) No one wants to die. Through the centuries men have tried to penetrate the veil of death and find out what, if anything, lies beyond. Simply because our spirit rebels at the thought that no matter what we have accomplished in our seventy odd years here on earth, we are eventually going to become worm food. Fighting the inevitable, most humans will cling to the last shreds of life.... even if that life has been far from perfect.

    The Gospel tells us how we can have both.... A perfect life minus the fear of ever dying. Christianity does not offer only eternal life, but eternal life in the utopia everyone else only dreams of. Eternal life in a sin/crime/disease/disaster free world is NOT an offer you will find anywhere else. Clearly and accurately understanding how this is accomplished is essential to achieving it.

    Why Do We Need Salvation, or What Exactly is It That We Need Saving From?
    Diametrically opposed to most modern methods of preaching the Gospel, the message should begin with the wrath of God. The bad news has to come before the good news. Telling someone that they can be saved is completely ridiculous if they neither know they are lost, nor what it is they need to be saved from. Telling someone that there is a pardon available is an absolute waste of time, if the person does not know they are already condemned.

    So, what do we need to be saved from?

    The short answer is that we need saving from the wrath of the Father Himself.

    The Wrath and Judgment of God
    Today's bumper sticker theology that says, "Smile, God Loves You!" is a deception of gargantuan proportions. Since He has not yet opened fire on His enemies, people, both in the church and without, mistaking His patience for approval, delude themselves that they are at peace with, or are even approved of by Him.

    Yet, in both Old and New Testaments, the Bible labors the point that God is good to those who trust, follow, and obey Him and is terrible to those who do not. Both Testaments emphasize the reality and terror of God's wrath.

    God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day. If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready (Psalm 7:11-12).

    As said by David Servant... "there is not a single case in the book of Acts where anyone preaching the gospel told an unsaved audience that God loved them. Rather, the Biblical preachers warned their audiences that God did not approve of them, that they were in danger, and that they needed to make dramatic changes in their lives" [2]. Yet, today's powerless, sickly sweet, sentimental, Christianity has chosen to babble on and on about the goodness and love of God, but totally ignore (to our peril) His wrath and judgment. [Related Article: The Seeker-Friendly Way of Doing Church]

    It is sad to find so many professing Christians who (perhaps because it makes them uneasy), either completely ignore everything the Scriptures says about the wrath of God, wish there were no such thing, or treat it as something for which they need to make an apology. Their preferred view of God is to see Him strictly as a God of love, always bestowing wonderful things upon us, and never causing any grief whatsoever.
    [Related Article: Nice People Go to Hell!]

    Unfortunately the English words "anger" or "wrath" can imply vindictive personal feeling. However the anger of God is none of these things... His wrath is strictly His response to our sin. [See The Wrath of God]

    God's Wrath Is His Response to Sin
    From cover to cover, the Bible makes it clear that God hates sin and evil...

    For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit. [Psalms 5:4-6 NASB]

    For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, [Romans 1:18 NASB]

    ...for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. [Romans 13:4 NASB]

    Jesus echoed the Father's abhorrence, when He made the point that being maimed is preferable to continuing in sin, which will result in incurring the Father's wrath.

    "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell" (Matthew 18:7-9).

    Unless we are extremely foolish, we would do well to pay close attention to those verses in the Old Testament that tell us that God said that not only would He withdraw from people who practiced evil, and not love them anymore, but He would actually hate them, and would neither pity, nor feel sorry for them. Note that in all cases, the reason given for the Lord's reaction is the evil deeds, or the sins, of the person, or people, involved.

    Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know the Lord. Moreover, the pride of Israel testifies against him, And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also has stumbled with them. They will go with their flocks and herds To seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn from them. [Hosea 5:4-6 NASB]

    All their evil is at Gilgal; Indeed, I came to hate them there! Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house! I will love them no more; All their princes are rebels. [Hosea 9:15 NASB]

    "I, the Lord, have spoken; it is coming and I will act. I will not relent, and I will not pity and I will not be sorry; according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you," declares the Lord GOD.'" [Ezekiel 24:14 NASB]

    Yet, for the most part, the so called "Christian" world today seems to have lost sight of what God thinks of sin. Consequently there is little hatred of it, and little preaching against it.

    God Hates Sin, But what Is Sin?
    For a huge number of people, the concept of "sin" seems rather quaint... remnants of the days of simplistic, and rather naive, religious beliefs. Many of those that do hold to the concept of a higher power, do not believe that there is an absolute moral law. And if there happens to be a God against whom we sin, He is too "loving" to actually hold our 'mistakes' against us, much less punish us for them.

    If pressed, possibly the majority of people in the western world would place themselves in the 'not perfect' category, but a far cry from 'sinners', usually defined as the serial killers, rapists and child molesters of the world. Others believe that, when we die, our good deeds and our bad deeds will be weighed on a pair of divine scales to determine whether we will spend eternity balancing on a white fluffy cloud strumming a harp, or in a blistering cauldron being constantly poked by a guy in a red suit and horns. (According to this almost universal 'Santa Claus' mentality of rewards for those who's good deeds outweigh the bad, and punishment for those for whom the opposite is true, God must be very occupied with His task of keeping everyone's record up to date, carefully making tick marks in either the credit or debit column of everyone's ledger of life).
    The problem is that none of these views come anywhere near agreeing with the Biblical definition of sin, judgment, or even heaven and hell. This is simply because few know, or understand how the Bible defines sin.

    The Hebrew word (chatâ'âh) that the Bible uses, far more than any other, to define sin literally means to miss the mark... to fall short of the perfection God requires. And the standard of perfection that God has set is Himself, or absolute holiness. In other words being completely sinless is an impossible standard for us to meet. It is little wonder then that the Bible says... [Emphasis Added]

    "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) [See Sin]

    The Consequences of Sin is Death
    And, if merely falling short of some mark does not sound very serious to some, then pay close attention to God's words after the nation of Israel made, then proceeded to worship, a golden calf. [Emphasis Added]

    And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned (châtâ) a great sin (chatâ'âh): and now I will go up unto Yahway; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin (chattâ'âh). And Moses returned unto Yahway, and said, Oh, this people have sinned (châtâ) a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin (chattâ'âh); and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned (châtâ) against me, him will I blot out of my book. [Exodus 32:30-33]

    The people who 'missed the mark' did not merely suffer having a tick made in the debit side of their ledger, but were cut out of the book altogether. The book of Romans doesn't mince words. It says if you sin... you die!

    "For the wages of sin is death...." (Romans 6:23)

    In other words, a death sentence has been pronounced on every sinner. The penalty for sin is the shedding of blood... yours.

    But doesn't every one, sinner and saint alike, die? Of course they do.

    Sooner or later, every individual on the face of this planet will find themselves staring death in the face. Because there is we can do no more than, perhaps, temporarily postpone the inevitable, we are gripped by a terrible feeling of hopelessness whenever we are confronted with death. If we think about it at all, many of us will console ourselves with the thought that that day is still in the distant future. Only age and/or disease will force us to confront the stark reality that we are going to cease to exist. The only proof that we ever did so at all will lie only in the memories of others, some photographs that, as time passes no one will look at any more, and on the computer of a government agency. Sadly, in this day and age we will be lucky if our grandchildren remember our name ten years after we have gone.

    Some find a measure of comfort in the hope that a better life awaits them on 'the other side', or that the death is simply part of a recurring cycle. we will live through our progeny, or in the thoughts of those who remember us and tell our stories. As Ray Stedman once said:

    “…All through the centuries, men have tried to penetrate the veil of death, have tried to guess at what lies beyond. Not only Christian writers, but secular writers, and members of other religious faiths have tried to set forth what lies beyond death. Even the most pagan has tried to find at least some hope. For the human spirit resists the idea that all we are will be cut off and ended -- annihilated, exterminated -- at death. Somehow it does not make sense. It insults us. And so the human spirit is always ready to grasp at the slightest straw of hope that there is something beyond the grave.” [3]

    At least in the western world we can distract ourselves with the advice offered by the million and one 'experts' that can tell us how to live a fruitful and healthy life, as we advance in age. While holistic health regimens, well ordered finances, social interaction, and good medical care, can all go a long way towards making our declining years more comfortable, nothing can change the fact that one day, each of us, is going to breathe our last. We are not even in control of when the process of becoming worm food will happen.

    Harsh?

    No!

    Just truth that, in the face of our own helplessness, most of us do not want to think about.

    However, if dying once seems bad enough .. try doing it twice.

    Because should we not accept God's gift of eternal life, the Bible teaches that this is exactly what will happen...

    The Coming Resurrection and Judgment
    No one ceases to exist at the death we are all so reluctant to face, because every single person who lives, and has ever lived will, one day, be resurrected and judged.

    "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment." [John 5:28-29 NASB]

    "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" [Hebrews 9:27 NASB]

    But what we really need to pay attention to is what the Bible tells us will happen to the two groups of people... believers and unbelievers, on the day of judgment:

    Unbelievers:
    "But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."
    [2 Peter 3:7 NASB]

    Believers:
    "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years." [Revelation 2:11. Revelation 20:6 NASB]

    Ungodly men will be destroyed in the second death, but believers will live and reign with Christ.

    Note: If you think the Bible seems too harsh when it says that all sin merits hell and a tiny infraction deserves death, You need for a few moments to envision a world without sin, which is God's plan for the world... also called Heaven. [See Footnote 1]

    Also, it is important to understand that being resurrected to life does not mean we will continue living as disembodied spirits. The Bible does not teach the immortality of the soul, which will be released from the body but, rather teaches that our bodies will one day be raised, although in some way, they will be a little different from how they are now.

    Endnotes

    [1] A. W. Tozer. Rut, Rot, or Revival: The Condition of the Church [Paperback] Christian Publications (December 1992) Pgs. 172-173

    [2] God's Love/Hate Relationship with the World. Shepherd Serve 2013 – The Teaching Ministry of David Servant. Really Long Link

    [3] Ray C. Stedman. The Answer to Death. [http://www.raystedman.org/thematic-studies/christmas-and-easter/the-answer-to-death.] 2010 Ray Stedman Ministries