SALVATION AND WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
Salvation and what the bible says is very simple. Then man gets involved, it gets so complicated and confusing I believe most people turn there back and walk away in confusion. Let us go to the Bible for a simple answer we can understand. Take your bible and turn to the Gospel of John chapter 3 verses 15 thru 18. Here Jesus teaches us about salvation and how to receive it.
VERSE 15. That whoever BELIEVES in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
1. It does not say join a church, attend regularly, give your thighs, volunteer for everything. It says believe! All these things are good to do, but will not get you to heaven or any closer to GOD! You must believe in GOD!
VERSE 16. For GOD so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever BELIEVES in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1. This is the gospel ( Good News)! GOD loves us so much HE sent HIS one and only SON to sacrifice HIS life for our sins. When I think of my children, I think I love them too much to send them to die for someone else. GOD’S love is far beyond my understanding and comprehension. GOD does not ask anything else other than to believe. You will notice, there is no exception, there are no degrees of sins or unforgivable sins! JUST BELIEVE! In these passages, JESUS never mentions or say sin, only BELIEVE!
Verse 17: For GOD did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be SAVED.
1. JESUS did not come to point HIS finger at us and accuse us of our sins. But out of love for us and the FATHER to be our sacrifice for our sin, paying our sin debt. In Mark 10:45 it says ” For even the SON of MAN did not come to be served, but to serve, and give HIS life a ransom for many.”
VERSE 18: He who BELIEVES in Him is NOT condemned, but he who does not BELIEVE is condemned already because he has not BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten SON.”
1. JESUS would never send anyone to hell! He loves you too much! He left that decision up to you! Remember why HE came to earth, not to condemn, but to take your sins upon HIMSELF and die for you on the cross. JESUS made HIS choice at the cross, He died for all!! Now HE is waiting for you to make your choice. To either believe or not to believe
Salvation comes from BELIEVING in Jesus Christ and only thru him. (CHRIST means: our savior or messiah) The pathway to salvation leads us to another aspect of salvation, that is repentance of our sins. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 ” For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD.” The keyword in this verse is “all”. You are not the only person to have sinned. No sin is greater or lesser than any other sin. For this is why Jesus left heaven and was born of the virgin Mary. Jesus the Son of GOD became a mortal man! Think for a minute Why would Jesus leave Heaven. HE lives in Heaven, never to want for anything, He has it already, no sickness, no pain or suffering, He lives in heaven. Why would you leave? Because HE LOVES us!
SALVATION, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Remember JOHN 3:16 ‘For GOD so loved the world”. It is because of “LOVE”. GOD the Father and his Son LOVED us so much, Jesus was willing to leave heaven, become a man, to suffer and die on the cross for our sins
The Bible teaches that only through the shedding of blood can our sins be washed away. Never to be remembered by GOD again!!!!
In the Old Testament times ( this was before Christ came to earth) this was done through animal sacrifices. When Jesus came to earth, He went to the cross to pay our sin debt of the world. By sacrificing his life and shedding his blood for our sins. This sacrifice was the greatest thing to ever happen in all the universe. Jesus came and paid our sin debt in full. Why would he do this? Because of” LOVE” !!!!! Jesus loved us with a love so great it is beyond our understanding. At the cross, Jesus died for all sin, past, present, and future. When Jesus died on the cross, we had not been born yet, our sins had not been committed yet. Now that is a “LOVE ” that surpasses all our understanding. We can’t do anything to earn salvation! It is a free gift from Jesus to us. We must either receive it as a gift or reject it! The greatest blessing we receive is when we come to realize we are lost! GOD can do nothing for us as long as we think we are sufficient in and of ourselves. The choice to accept or reject Jesus is for you to make alone!!!!!!
SO, WHAT HAS THE BIBLE TAUGHT US ABOUT SALVATION?
1. GOD IS LOVE! HE LOVES US WITH A LOVE SO GREAT IT IS BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING.
2. YOU MUST BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST TO RECEIVE SALVATION.
3. WE MUST ACCEPT HIM AS OUR SAVIOR, FOR WHAT HE DONE FOR US ON THE CROSS.
4. WE HAVE ALL SINNED, YOU ARE NOT THE EXCEPTION!
5. YOU NEED TO REPENT AND CONFESS YOUR SINS TO JESUS CHRIST,( HE IS EAGERLY WAITING TO FORGIVE YOU).
6. THEN WE WILL RECEIVE THE FREE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE FROM JESUS CHRIST!!
7. Remember salvation is what GOD has done for sinners, rather than what you have done for GOD
8. Salvation belongs to those who simply BELIEVE.
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