Salvation - Plain and Simple

Salvation: Plain and Simple
Eph. 2:1-6

v. 1-3 Past Guilt
4-5 Present Grace
5 Future Glory

H.A. Ironside followed R.A. Torrey as pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago. One day he rode a passenger train/gypsy woman sat down beside him, and said, sir, if you cross my palm w/ some silver, I’ll tell you your future!/he said, before you do that, let me show you what God says about my future…opened Bible/she said, that’s ok, I’ve had quite enough/he grabbed her arm: no, I want you to see this/past guilt/quite enough/present grace/quite enough/future glory/quite enough!!…ran down the train crying out, I picked the wrong man!

You can call Madame Zonga, Dionne Warwitch and the Psychotic Friends Network if you want to, but when it comes to my future, I prefer the Word of God!

Salvation exists in the past, present, and future.
(penalty/power and pollution/presence)

Being “saved” is not a Baptist thing/Pentecostal…not a term we’ve made up…it’s a Bible term!

No other Name given under heaven among men whereby we must be _________ (saved!)
Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be _______
Have you been saved? How do you know? Put it into words…what’s the answer (predominantly I or God?)

Salvation is of the Lord…too many people are trying to save themselves/trying to earn it/be good enough/save themselves! It’s not about us…it’s about God!

2 of the most precious words in scripture, v. 4: “but God”
Ps 49:15 -
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
Mr 2:7 - … who can forgive sins but God only?
Lu 16:15 -
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Ro 5:8 -
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1Co 3:6 -
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Eph 2:4 -
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us…

It doesn’t say “but you”, it says, “but God!”

Ill.—garden of Eden/adam and eve sinned…lost innocency, realized they were naked/tried to cover it w/ fig leaves (a picture of man trying to cover his own sinfulness)/but God came along and shed the blood of an innocent animal and clothed them w/ the skin of it (first demonstration of blood being shed for sin/innocent dying for guilty)

Are you trying to cover yourself? You cannot do it. Our righteousness is as filthy rags.
Are you wearing fig leaves?
Baptism/confirmation/church attendance/offerings/good works/keeping 10 commandments/mommy told me I’m saved/asked Him in my heart??

“but I’m a good person”… “no, but God”

Not but baptism (etc.)

Salvation is of the Lord…you cannot save yourself
(may as well try to blow back a hurricane w/ an electric fan/dam up Niagara falls w/ toothpicks)

1. Who Saves? God alone!

2. Why does God save us?
v. 4 love and mercy!
Hard to understand the depths of His love!
(easy to love someone who’s lovable/loving/lovely…but God loved us while we were yet sinners!)

May not understand it, but let’s thank God for it!

Ill.—P.P. Bliss wrote many hymns including “O How I Love Jesus”… “because He