Institution and Culmination of Salvation with Guidelines

Chapter 3

Day 4

In today’s study we are going to look at the scriptures concerning salvation. In John 3:3 Jesus tells us we must be born again. In our first (fleshly) birth there were three stages; Copulation, Gestation, and Delivery. So too are there three stages of being born again clearly stated in the bible. We will call them Institution, and Culmination of Salvation with Guidelines. Let us now discuss the three parts so we may learn to recognize them in the bible.

Institution: Starting of something: the act of initiating or establishing something: long-established person or thing:established practice: an established law, custom, or practice. (Encarta encyclopedia)

We know that God initiated salvation before the foundation of the world and established that Jesus would die on the cross for the sins of the world (Ephesians 1: 1-12; John 3:16). However, salvation must also be initiated by us. We must get rid of our sinful attitude (Matthew 1: 1-3); we must repent. To repent means to be sorrowfully ashamed and turn around and go the other way. Do a 180 degree turnaround and go make our lives the opposite of what it was (Ephesians 4: 17-24).

Culmination:  Highest point: the highest, most important, or final point of an activity: Act of culminating: the arrival at, or the bringing of something to a climax. (Encarta encyclopedia)

Culmination, in itself, is a two step process. Although these two events occur at different times, they are the same. You can make this change (of repentance) only if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour. You must be repentant and surrender your life to Jesus. You must allow Him to make the necessary changes in your attitude and heart to effect this 180 degree change. (John 3: 10-21).

To try and explain the second part of culmination, let’s look at (Luke 24:44-49; John 14: 15-31). We must also receive the Holy Spirit. Some denominations believe when we accept Jesus, we automatically receive the Holy Spirit. I find that nowhere in the bible. In Luke 24, Jesus was not just talking to the Apostles, there were about 138 disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost and about 138 people received the Holy Spirit. That was not a special endowment to the Apostles as many preachers would have you believe.

We find in Acts 8: 14-17 and Acts 18: 24-28 that the Holy Spirit is received by the believer at a distinctly different time.

Guidelines:  Official advice: an official recommendation indicating how something should be done or what sort of action should be taken in a particular circumstance: line marking correct position: a line that shows a correct position, route, or alignment. (Encarta encyclopedia)

In recent years satan has tried to destroy the credibility of the bible, but he will never succeed. Every time he tries, God allows us to uncover one more thing that proves the bible. The evolution worshipers can only say maybe, presumably, could have, or if my calculations are correct. We can state positive that creation is real because there were hundreds of writers who wrote about it. We have historical documentation from Godly and ungodly writers alike

In one of these historical documents (the New Testament) we find quite a few scriptures that would qualify as Guidelines. These scriptures were inspired for our use in governing our daily lives. Remember, the Holy Spirit was sent to Help us not to run our lives. We as Christians must trust the Holy Spirit to help us learn the things we should do daily (not sin) that will be pleasing to God.

Daily Bible Readings:

Read Psalms 51