ACT II: What About Salvation?
I.The Role of Jesus
A. Why did Jesus come?
Two words are very important:
Incarnation: Coming in flesh as a man
Atonement: Redemption or purchase of salvation for lost humanity through the death of Jesus Christ
The Incarnation was for the purpose of the Atonement
B. The Gospel
The gospel, or the “good news,” is the
1. death
2. burial, and
3. resurrectionof Jesus Christ. (See I Corinthians 15:1-4.)
C. Why Do We Need the Gospel?
God is holy
Sin is dirty
The penalty for sin is death(Ezekiel 18:4, 20; Romans 6:23).
“For all have sinned , and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
This means that unless something is done to take away our sins, we will be eternally separated from God!
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood ; and without shedding of blood is no remission ” (Hebrews 9:22).
In the Old Testament, God’s people offered blood sacrifices to cover their sins, but these did not actually take away their sins permanently.
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin” (Hebrews 10:4). We are created in the image of God; therefore, it took something especially appropriate to remit (take away) our sins!
The birth and the death of Jesus was necessary for our redemption because of:
1. The sinfulness of all humanity
2. The holiness of God
3. God’s law requiring death as the penalty for sin
4. God’s desire to provide salvation for sinners
So God came in human form and nature, and as the Son of God, He shed His blood and gave His life so that you and I could escape the penalty of sin.
“We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Because Jesus Christ died on Calvary and shed His blood to save us, we can call upon His name for salvation.
D.Blessings We Receive from the Atonement:
1. Freedom from condemnation(Romans 8:1)
2. New spiritual life (11 Corinthians 5:17)
3. Power over the devil(Luke 10:19)
4. Healing for the body(Isaiah 53:5)
5. Ultimate liberty from sin’s curse(Romans 8:21)
6. Eternal life(Romans 6:23)
II. Salvation According to the New Testament
In the Scriptures, salvation means deliverance from all the power and effects of sin , and It has past , present , and future aspects.
A.Salvation by Grace through Faith
“For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works , lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We cannot earn salvation! The only way to receive salvation is to believe in Jesus and His sacrifice for us.
If we believe in Jesus, we will believe and obey His Word. Faith means complete trust and commitment Saving faith consists of two things:
1. Accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ as the sole means of salvation
2. Obeying that gospel
B. Obeying the Gospel
According to I Corinthians 15:1-4, the gospel contains three elements. According to Acts 2:38, we obey and apply this gospel to our lives as follows:
1.Christ died. We die with Him in repentance
2.Christ was buried. We are buried with Him in baptism
3.Christ rose again. We rise to new life with Him through the
infilling of the Spirit
Jesus said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). (See also Acts 2:14, 38; Romans 6:1-7; 7:6; 8:2.)
C. The Three Major Elements of the New Testament
1. Repentance. A turn from sin to God (Acts 26:18-20).
Repentance has three essential aspects:
a.An intellectual change (change of views)
b.An emotional change (change of feelings)
c.A volitional change (change of purpose)
To repent, we must:
a. Recognize sin (Mark 2:17).
b. Confess our sins (I John 1:9).
c. Feel sorry for our sin (II Corinthians 7:10).
d. Decide to forsake sin (Luke 3:7-8).
Without repentance, baptism is not effective, and without repentance a person cannot receive the Holy Ghost.
2.Water Baptism. Water baptism is an essential of the New Testament salvation experience.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us” (I Peter 3:21).
The biblicalsignificance of water baptism is as follows:
a. God washes away all sins at water baptism (Acts 2:38, 22:16).
b. Baptism is part of the new birth (John 3:5).
c. Baptism identifies us with Jesus’ burial (Colossians 2:12).
d.Baptism identifies us with Jesus and is part of our entrance into His family (Galatians 3:27).
How should we be baptized?
a. Repentance must precede baptism
b.The name of Jesus should be orally spoken (Acts 4:12; 22:16).
c.Baptism should be by immersion in water (Matthew 3:16, Acts 8:36 -39 ).
3.Gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Ghost is an essential part of the New Testament salvation experience.
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
After we have repented (committed our past and future to God) and been baptized (received remission of sins through Jesus’ blood applied to our lives, then we are to be filled with the Spirit of God(the Holy Ghost).
a. According to the accounts in the New Testament, those who received the Holy Ghost experienced a
sign as confirmation of the gift of the Holy Ghost!
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tonques , as the Spirit gave them utterance “(Acts 2:4). “And they of the circumcision which believed [Jewish Christians] were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost . For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God” (Acts 10:45-46).
“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost…. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:2, 5-6).
b.Best of all, the Holy Spirit is a gift promised to all who will believe!
“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).
Bonus: The Spirit of God gives us power over sin!
D.Conclusion
1.The Bible is the sole authority for salvation,
2.The basis of salvation is Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
3. Salvation comes only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
4. The application of grace and the expression of faith come as a person obeys Acts 2:38, thereby receiving the new birth of John 3:3-5!
