Sermon Central
-
Week 1 Salvation Series
Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Apr 28, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: First in a series of seven.
SALVATION
I. Introduction
(29) Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell
down before Paul and Silas,
(30) And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
(31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Some of you in this class are recent converts, and some have been saved for some time. The new converts may well think that they have already been saved and why is salvation being discussed, again. The older saints may say that they have heard this a hundred times, so why again?
When a person is saved, they usually have only heard a nugget of the Gospel, which is enough to get them saved from Hell, but are in need of deeper understanding. I have many testimonials of folks that were truly saved years after they thought they had been saved. I know of pastors and pastor's wives who were saved after many years in the ministry. In one Bible College, several men who had grown up in Christian homes and attended Christian Schools from 4K through High School were saved in their fifth year of theology training at that school. Our desire is for the new member to have an unshakeable confidence in their salvation. If there is any doubt, this first lesson provides an immediate opportunity to remove that doubt about your eternal security.
II. Defining salvation
Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
3468 yesha` (yeh'-shah); or yesha` (yay'-shah); from 3467; liberty, deliverance, prosperity: KJV-- safety, salvation, saving.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
4991 soteria (so-tay-ree'-ah); feminine of a derivative of 4990 as (properly, abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally):
KJV-- deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.
As we can see, in both Old and New Testaments, the word salvation means safety or rescue from either physical or spiritual danger. Micah was looking for deliverance or salvation from his enemies. In Acts, Peter was speaking to how we are delivered / saved from the judgment of God.
We all understand escaping from enemies. We have had a few in our lives. They may not have sought our life, but they may have sought to discredit us or cause us to lose our livelihood or even beat us up as kids. But the word escape conveys the idea that some human action was taken to avoid an unpleasant or dangerous situation. When we consider God’s judgment we must think of deliverance and not escape. Only God, through His grace and love, can deliver us from His Judgment. Often this is a new or unclear concept.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
As part of your homework, please read Genesis 1-3. Most people are familiar with this account of Creation, Adam, Eve, and the fruit (probably not an apple), but it will enrich your spirit to sit quietly and let God speak to you through His Word about the beginning of our world and human life. The book of Revelation will be much clearer if you understand the beginning.
This reading in Genesis will provide the details of what the above verse from Romans is describing. Death is a separation of soul from the body. (James 2:26) Spiritually, man was cut off from experiencing God on a daily basis, losing his home in Eden. (Genesis 3:23,24)
Spiritual death is having your spirit separated from God. We are all born spiritually dead. (Ephesians 2:1-5) We will all die a physical death, unless we are alive at the time of the Rapture, which may be discussed at greater length in a future class.
III. What salvation is not.
{A} Salvation is not religion.
Religion is man seeking to please God in order to achieve a place in Heaven.
{B} Baptism does not save.
(44) While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (45) And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. (46) For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, (47) Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? (48) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
