Salvation

Introduction: This is the starting point of our faith. Therefore, it is the proper starting point for this class. It is imperative that we put first things first, and the first thing spiritually is a proper understanding and personal experience of salvation through Jesus Christ.

I) How to be Saved

1) What is salvation? Salvation is to be delivered or rescued from something. Spiritually speaking, it is the deliverance from sin and spiritual death and the deliverance into eternal life that comes through Jesus Christ (Example - a drowning person who is totally hopeless and helpless being rescued).

2) Why do we need salvation? There are at least five reasons why we need salvation:

A) Because we are sinners (Romans 3:23)

B) Because sin brings spiritual death (Romans 6:23)

C) Because sin brings eternal death (Revelation 20:11-15)

D) Because our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2)

E) Because we cannot save ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9) {If we could have saved ourselves,

Jesus would not have died on the cross.}

3) How do we receive salvation? Salvation is a free gift of God. As Pastor Jim Fanning said, "Salvation is by grace through faith, plus nothing, minus everything." We do not deserve it. We cannot earn it. We can only receive or reject God's offer to come to Him and be saved. How do we receive the gift of salvation?

A) By Acknowledging Our Need For Salvation (Isaiah 59:2)

1. Admit we are sinners (Romans 3:23)

2. Acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9, Isaiah 64:6)

3. Ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9)

4. Actually repenting (Acts 3:19)

B) By Believing in Christ (John 6:29)

1. Jesus is God who became man also (John 1:1, 14)

2. Jesus died on the cross for our sins in our place (1 Peter 3:18)

3. Jesus was raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

C) By Calling Upon Jesus (Romans 10:13)

1. Must be done in sincerity

2. Must be done in repentance

3. Must be done in faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)

4. Must confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9)

*If you have never received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do that. If you are willing to repent of your sins and confess the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, I encourage you to pray a prayer something like this:

Dear God, I know I have sinned, and I ask you to forgive me. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead. Please save me. I confess that Jesus is Lord and give Him control of my life. In Jesus' name, amen. *

4) What Happens to Us When We Receive the Gift of Salvation? The following are a few of the blessings that come to us when we get saved:

A) The forgiveness of all our sins and redemption from our previous spiritual condition (Ephesians 1:7).

B) Justification (Romans 5:1) {Means that we are given a righteous standing before God through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ; Billy Graham says it means "just-as-if-I-had-never-sinned"}.

C) Peace with God (Romans 5:1) {We can also have the peace of God (along with the other fruit of the Spirit) if we will walk in the Holy Spirit.}

D) Adoption into the family of God as His sons and daughters (Romans 8:15-16) .

E) God becomes our Father (Galatians 4:6) .

F) We become joint-heirs with Christ who receives an inheritance from God (Romans 8:17) .

G) We receive eternal life (Romans 6:23, John 10:10) .

H) We are indwelled and sealed by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13-14) .

I) God gives us every spiritual blessing through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3) .

J) We will spend eternity in heaven with God (John 14:1-3) .