*
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.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
The believer should understand that at salvation, he could not be the one giving. Jesus’ words in the texts above clearly specifies who did the giving- God. He gave His son.
The believer could not have given his life as the scriptures affirm a man without the gospel as dead.
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Thinking you gave your life to Christ already starts the Christian experience on the wrong footing because you have a false sense of accomplishment. It is God that gave and you are the receiver from start to finish.
How then did you get saved?
James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
It is key to note that salvation is not believing in one God. There is nothing spectacular about believing there is one God or not. Believing in God is not salvation. Salvation is not to believe in God Salvation is to believe in Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:6-12
Paul states it simply as believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus that God raised him from the dead.
The word “confession” means to say something in two places;
a repetition of something. It is to believe in your heart and say that which you have believed in your heart with your mouth.
Luke says it well in the book of Acts:
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Vs 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
That ability of God that saves is present only in the gospel. It is not present in your works, not present even in your confession;
It is present only in the facts of the good news of what Jesus has done unto you. When a man then believes the Gospel, he is a son of God.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Vs 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
The only information that a man needs to be saved is the Gospel. It is not about somebody's vision / experience, etc.. The only information that brings salvation is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
*CONFESSION: I believe the gospel (of Jesus Christ) therefore I am saved; I am a son of God.*
