Rogersville Baptist Temple

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Salvation
Do You Have Questions Such As...

What is salvation? Why do I need salvation? Who can give me salvation? What is the true salvation experience? These are the questions every person should want the answers to. The answers are found only in the Word of God, The Holy Bible. Salvation comes only from God the Father through the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for all sin. God has done the giving, but we must believe on and in Jesus the Christ.


First, what
is salvation?

Salvation is a gift from God. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." You see salvation is payment for your sins by someone other than yourself. You can not pay for your own sins, for the simple reason that death is the payment for sin. How many sins have you committed? If you were to pay for your own sins you would have to die for each one and then you would have to bring yourself back to life each time for your sin. As dumb as this sounds, you and I both know this is an impossibility. Jesus Christ has paid for your sins! Romans 3:25 "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" and I John 2:2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." What does the word salvation mean? "The Hebrew root word yesha (basis for the name of Joshua and Jesus) signifies freedom from what binds or restricts and thus effects deliverance; the Greek word is soteria, meaning to cure, to provide recovery, to rescue, to effect ones welfare." "Salvation: the saving of man from the power and effects of sin, something that saves from danger or difficulty: a source, cause, or means of preservation."
      Now that we know what salvation is, let us look at what it is not. Since we know that salvation is not something that we can give to some other person or something we can give ourselves for the simple reason that we are all sinners. Salvation is not a knowledge of God; it is not keeping the ten commandments; it is not church membership; it is not baptism; nor is it doing good works!

Second, why do
I need salvation?

There are two very simple reasons. According to the Bible, You are a sinner and Judgment for your sin is coming. The book of Romans shows we are sinners. Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:". Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". The book of Revelation shows the judgment for sin. Revelation 20:11-15 "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Third, Who can
give salvation?

God gives salvation through the death of His Son Jesus Christ. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." and John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." God gives this salvation to us by Jesus dying on the cross of Calvary. This is the death of a perfect sacrifice, He who knew no sin became sin for us. Phil.2:8 "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Lastly, what is the true
salvation experience?

There are three instances that I want us to look at. First, the Ethiopian eunuch. Acts 8:35-39 "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." According to this portion of scripture the man simply believed. Second, the Philippian jailor. Acts 16:30-34 "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." Once again the man simply believed. The last example I want us to look at is Paul speaking to the Romans. Paul says in Romans 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." And Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved."
      There is nothing fancy to be done, simply believe on the name of Jesus and what He has done for you on the cross of Calvary to pay for your sin, and call upon Him for Salvation. If you have done this, the Bible states that a change should come in your life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

If you have accepted Christ today, a change should take place in your life. You need to get into a good, Bible believing church, read your Bible, and begin to grow in Christ Jesus.

Content © Canaan Baptist Church


For more information go to Pastor's Preaching and check out Pastor Barry Rackley's "Examination Of Salvation Series".

Rogersville Baptist Temple. GPS Location Only: 148 Burton Road, Rogersville, TN 37857. (423) 272-8501
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