WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT SALVATION? (NKJV)
By Pastor Steve Carr
http://www.covenantkeepers.org
1. How Does a Person Get Born Again? How Can a Person Be Saved From the Results of the Fall of Man?
1.1. Salvation is of God
1.2. Salvation is received by men
1.3. The results of salvation and the new birth
2. The Assurance of Salvation and Eternal Life
2.1. How may we know that we have eternal life?
2.2. How can you obtain this assurance?
3. The Future Destiny of Those Who Are Saved
3.1. Where has He promised to take you?
3.2. What will it be like?
3.3. How long will the saved be with the Lord?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT SALVATION?
1. How Does a Person Get Born Again? How Can a Person Be Saved From the Results of the Fall of Man?
1.1 Salvation is of God
(1) God purposed and promised to save men from their sins. “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."(Gen. 3:15) “Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” (Is.45:21-22) "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech. 9:9).
(2) God provided the way of salvation, Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”(John 3:16) "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12). "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”(John 14:6) “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)
(3) God saved us by His choosing. “who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”(John 1:13) “But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble.” (Psalms 37:39).
(4) God saved us by His free gift “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9).
(5) God saved us by His mercy “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5).
(6) God saved us by His love “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8).
(7) God saved us by making known His will and our need “having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,” (Eph. 1:9). “Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 16:17)
(8) God saved us by drawing each of us unto Himself "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)
1.2. Salvation is received by men
(1) Men must come to see their need to be saved “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’" (Acts 2:37) "So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God." (Acts 10:33).
(2) Men must call upon the name of the Lord “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." (Rom. 10:13).
(3) Men must confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God has raised Him from the dead “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom. 10:9-10) "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18)
(4) Men must receive Jesus personally “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12).
(5_ Men must confess their sin “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
(6) Men must turn and forsake their sin “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:7-9). (Note: the word sin in each of these verses is in the present tense, referring to the continual practice of sin “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Prov. 28:13).
(7) Men must be willing to practice righteousness by denying themselves, taking up the cross and following Him “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’” (Matt. 16:24-25).
1.3. The results of salvation and the new birth
(1) The Spirit of God dwells in you “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19).
(2) You have passed from death to life "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24).
(3) Your life will be outwardly transformed and inwardly renewed “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:2).
(4) You experience victory over the world “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith.” (1 John 5:4).
(5) You will not practice sin anymore “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:7-9).
(6) You will now practice righteousness “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. “(1 John 3:10)
(7) You will love the brethren “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7).
(8) The old things are passed away and all things become new “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17).
2. The Assurance of Salvation and Eternal Life
One of the great encouragements to your Christian walk, is to know that you have eternal life before you die. This assurance is the purpose for the entire Epistle of 1 John. "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you might know that you have eternal life.”(1 John 5:13)
2.1. How may we know that we have eternal life?
2.1.1. Because we have fulfilled the conditions God has required to be saved. (to believe!).
a. Believe in Jesus' name “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
b. Personally receive Jesus “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12).
c. Repent and believe the Gospel “and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’" (Mark 1:15).
d. Call on the name of the Lord “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’" (Rom. 10:13).
e. Confess and forsake sin “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:9) “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Prov. 28:13).
2.1.2. Because the Word of God asserts that, if we believe, we are justified from all things "and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39).
2.1.3. We may know we have eternal life through what is written. The testimony of Scripture is the testimony of God “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13).
2.1.4. We may know we have eternal life by the results in our life.
a. Because we love the brethren “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.” (1 John 3:14)
b. Because of the infilling of the Holy Spirit “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24).
c. Because we have the witness and testimony of the Holy Spirit with our spirit, that we are children of God “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” (1 John 5:9-11) “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,“ (Rom. 8:16).
d. Because we experience His life in us “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12).
e. Because we don't love the world anymore “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15)
f. Because we have turned from practicing sin to practicing righteousness “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.“(1 John 2:29)
g. Because we keep His commandments “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” (1 John 2:3).
2.2. How can you obtain this assurance?
(1) Fulfill the conditions to be saved.
(2) Believe the testimony of His Word and not just your feelings.
3. Look for the results in your life.
3. The Future Destiny of Those Who Are Saved
God has made many promises to those who are saved. There are glorious promises to those who believe and overcome. May these promises instill hope and faith in our hearts, as we look to that which is not seen, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrew 11:1).
3.1. Where has He promised to take you?
(1) A place prepared for you "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2).
(2) You will be with Christ "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (Jn. 14:3) “For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.” (Phil. 1:23-24).
(3) If you are alive and remain unto the coming of Christ you will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:17)
(4) You will then live and reign with Christ here on a renewed earth for a thousand years “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:4) "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'; as I also have received from My Father;” (Rev. 2:26-27) "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev. 3:21) “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6).
(5) If you die before the coming of Christ, you will wait in the presence of Christ until He returns “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:1-8) “For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. “(Phil. 1:23-24) “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?’ And I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’" (Rev. 7:13-17).
(6) Christ will then bring you with Him when He comes again “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” (1 Thess. 4:14) “ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” (1 Thess. 5:10)
(7) After the thousand years are over then we will dwell in the New Heaven and the New Earth in the New Jerusalem “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.’” (Rev.21:1-7).
3.2. What will it be like?
(1) We will have a new body like His “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Phil. 3:20-21).
(2) We will be like Him “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2).
(3) We will neither hunger nor thirst anymore "They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;”(Rev. 7:16).
(4) Jesus will shepherd us and lead us into living fountains of water "for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters." (Rev. 7:17).
(5) God will wipe away all tears from our eyes "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Rev. 7:17).
(6) We will see God face to face and know all things in a perfect way “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (1 Cor. 13:12).
(7) We shall receive our eternal inheritance “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (I Peter 1:4-5)
(8) Rewards will vary in proportion to the faithfulness of our service to Him "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'” (Matt. 25:21) “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”(1 Cor. 3:11-15)
3.3. How long will the saved be with the Lord?
(1) They will never see the second death "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." (John 8:51) “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6)
(2) Their inheritance can never be corrupted or defiled “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;” (1 Peter 1:4).
(3) They will abide forever “ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:17).