Salvation
The stark reality about life is that it ends at death. No amount of wishful thinking can change that fact without the intervention of the creator of life
DISOBEDIENCE
The freedom of choice, which mankind cherishes, allowed Adam and Eve to disobey and flout the authority of God and to "do things their way". Because of that disobedience, the Almighty God declared...."By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Gen 3:19)
Wise King Solomon wrote "..for what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath. (Ruach = Spirit or breath)..." ( Ecc 3:19). To further emphasise the finality of death, Solomon also declared in Ecclesiastes 9:5...."For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward".....What a devastating prospect! To be released from such a 'dead end' is SALVATION......WHAT THEN?
EVERLASTING LIFE
John 3-16 records Jesus' words which are so well known..."For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." So there is introduced an alternative to perpetual death (perishing), which is ETERNAL LIFE.
The prospect of eternal life can be the lot of all who truly believe in Jesus,THE SON OF GOD. We must beware however, for we note the words of Jesus. "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."...(Math 7:21) .......HOW DOES ONE DEMONSTRATE BELIEF IN JESUS?
THE SON OF THE HIGHEST:
In an obvious reference to His death, Jesus declared..."Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." He (Jesus), then identifies his friends, saying..."You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14). Before His birth, the angel of God confirmed Jesus' Name and mission.. "and you shall call his name Jesus (margin: Saviour), for he will save his people from their sins.".(Matt 1:21) The writer then points out that this event was as prophesied (citing Isaiah 7-14), and that Jesus was also to bear the name "Immanuel (which means, God with us)" (Mat 1:23) NOTE WELL...NOT GOD, but GOD WITH US; in other words. God's representative. Luke, also writing of this event records the angel as saying...."He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High." (Luke 1:32), and..."...the Son of God.".V.35.
JESUS THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION:
We have further scriptural evidence that the Father will "SAVE" men and women through Jesus His Son, in whom He, God, has vested HIS AUTHORITY.."But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." (Heb 2:9) The writer goes into great detail in order to reveal the humanity of Jesus and it's relevance to the salvation of mankind, and continues ... "he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." (Heb 2:14-15). "He, (Jesus) became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him." (Heb 5:9)
BELIEF AND BAPTISM:
Jesus commissioned His disciples..."Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved." (Mark 16:16) The Gospel then is the vehicle though which the plan of SALVATION is explained and it shows that SALVATION IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO, HEARING THE GOSPEL, BELIEVE AND ARE BAPTISED. The Gospel, or 'the good news', is variously referred to as ...the Gospel of the Kingdom in Math 4:23;....the Gospel of Christ, in Rom 1:16; the Gospel of YOUR SALVATION in Eph 1:13; and the Gospel of the Grace of God, in Acts 20:24.
The Apostle Peter speaks of "his precious and very great promises" (2 Pet 1:4) which were made to Abraham. These will be shared by Jesus Christ and His brethren and with those "who put on Christ" (Gal 3:27), for ..."then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise", (Gal 3:29). The promise being, "in you (Abraham) all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen.12:3)...and, "in your offspring (Jesus) all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen.26:4). The Apostle Paul confirms that Jesus is the seed of Abraham...(Gal.3:9,16), and that those who have accepted the Gospel and have been baptised.. (Gal.3:27), and "which sleep in Jesus" (1 Thess.4:14), "shall rise first." (1 Thess.4:16). The prophet Daniel, writing about resurrection declared..."..many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."...(Dan.12:2)
CHRIST THE FIRSTFRUITS:
The Apostle Paul takes up the theme of resurrection, saying in 1 Cor 15:22-23..."For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ."
MY REWARD IS WITH ME:
We wait therefore , the imminent return of Jesus Christ and acknowledge that..."...For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God"...(Eph 2:8) Even so, Paul stressed the need for an active faith, saying in Philippians 2:12...."Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling", confident in the promise that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Heb 11:6) Salvation may come to you and me when Jesus returns. "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done." ...(Rev 22:12)
DISOBEDIENCE
The freedom of choice, which mankind cherishes, allowed Adam and Eve to disobey and flout the authority of God and to "do things their way". Because of that disobedience, the Almighty God declared...."By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Gen 3:19)
Wise King Solomon wrote "..for what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath. (Ruach = Spirit or breath)..." ( Ecc 3:19). To further emphasise the finality of death, Solomon also declared in Ecclesiastes 9:5...."For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward".....What a devastating prospect! To be released from such a 'dead end' is SALVATION......WHAT THEN?
EVERLASTING LIFE
John 3-16 records Jesus' words which are so well known..."For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." So there is introduced an alternative to perpetual death (perishing), which is ETERNAL LIFE.
The prospect of eternal life can be the lot of all who truly believe in Jesus,THE SON OF GOD. We must beware however, for we note the words of Jesus. "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."...(Math 7:21) .......HOW DOES ONE DEMONSTRATE BELIEF IN JESUS?
THE SON OF THE HIGHEST:
In an obvious reference to His death, Jesus declared..."Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." He (Jesus), then identifies his friends, saying..."You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14). Before His birth, the angel of God confirmed Jesus' Name and mission.. "and you shall call his name Jesus (margin: Saviour), for he will save his people from their sins.".(Matt 1:21) The writer then points out that this event was as prophesied (citing Isaiah 7-14), and that Jesus was also to bear the name "Immanuel (which means, God with us)" (Mat 1:23) NOTE WELL...NOT GOD, but GOD WITH US; in other words. God's representative. Luke, also writing of this event records the angel as saying...."He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High." (Luke 1:32), and..."...the Son of God.".V.35.
JESUS THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION:
We have further scriptural evidence that the Father will "SAVE" men and women through Jesus His Son, in whom He, God, has vested HIS AUTHORITY.."But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." (Heb 2:9) The writer goes into great detail in order to reveal the humanity of Jesus and it's relevance to the salvation of mankind, and continues ... "he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." (Heb 2:14-15). "He, (Jesus) became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him." (Heb 5:9)
BELIEF AND BAPTISM:
Jesus commissioned His disciples..."Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved." (Mark 16:16) The Gospel then is the vehicle though which the plan of SALVATION is explained and it shows that SALVATION IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO, HEARING THE GOSPEL, BELIEVE AND ARE BAPTISED. The Gospel, or 'the good news', is variously referred to as ...the Gospel of the Kingdom in Math 4:23;....the Gospel of Christ, in Rom 1:16; the Gospel of YOUR SALVATION in Eph 1:13; and the Gospel of the Grace of God, in Acts 20:24.
The Apostle Peter speaks of "his precious and very great promises" (2 Pet 1:4) which were made to Abraham. These will be shared by Jesus Christ and His brethren and with those "who put on Christ" (Gal 3:27), for ..."then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise", (Gal 3:29). The promise being, "in you (Abraham) all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen.12:3)...and, "in your offspring (Jesus) all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen.26:4). The Apostle Paul confirms that Jesus is the seed of Abraham...(Gal.3:9,16), and that those who have accepted the Gospel and have been baptised.. (Gal.3:27), and "which sleep in Jesus" (1 Thess.4:14), "shall rise first." (1 Thess.4:16). The prophet Daniel, writing about resurrection declared..."..many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."...(Dan.12:2)
CHRIST THE FIRSTFRUITS:
The Apostle Paul takes up the theme of resurrection, saying in 1 Cor 15:22-23..."For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ."
MY REWARD IS WITH ME:
We wait therefore , the imminent return of Jesus Christ and acknowledge that..."...For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God"...(Eph 2:8) Even so, Paul stressed the need for an active faith, saying in Philippians 2:12...."Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling", confident in the promise that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Heb 11:6) Salvation may come to you and me when Jesus returns. "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done." ...(Rev 22:12)
Complete a free Online Bible Course