Category: Salvation

In this video, Stan affirms that we are saved by the grace of God, but notes that God has placed conditions upon receiving that great gift of salvation.

Stan uses the Bible claims of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to argue He is the annointed of God, the Savior of the world.

Most people are familiar with the GPS which we can use to help us get to our destination. In this article, we will make comparisons between the man made GPS and our spiritual GPS which guides us to eternal life.

Are the Scriptures cited sufficient to show one that he must believe before he can be saved (Mk. 16:16)? If those verses are able to lead one to understand that he must believe and repent in order to be forgiven and saved, why are they not complete enough to teach him that he must be baptized, too?

The Old Testament tells us about a preacher (prophet) who lied to a younger man (1 Kings 13). The lie was told in all good conscience. It was told with the intent of helping the young man (1 Kings 13:11-19). The young man believed the lie, benefited in an earthly way, but ended up losing his life (1 Kings 13:20-28). Thus, we know that religious leaders will sometimes tell a lie with the best intentions. We also know that religious followers will sometimes believe a lie.

Can you see the Promised Land? That hope will only be fulfilled when Jesus returns and the final judgment has occurred.

This is written to communicate with you concerning the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Have you accepted Jesus by faith (Hebrews 11:6)? Have you repented of your sins (Luke 13:3)? Have you confessed your faith in Jesus (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10)? Have you been baptized for the remission of your sins (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-7)? Are you following Jesus as a faithful disciple (Revelations 2:10)?

Once the Ethiopian had obeyed, he went on his way rejoicing. We also can go rejoicing in salvation if we will follow the pattern for conversion revealed in the word of God. Regardless of the different messages taught by men today, the gospel of Christ remains the one and only message bringing salvation through Christ to obedient believers.

One must hear the gospel, believe it, repent of his sins, be baptized and continue to do all things commanded by Christ through His apostles. The one who meets those conditions is a disciple of Christ, saved and enjoys the remission of sins.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently (and erroneously) concluded that “Jews can be saved without coming to faith in Jesus Christ.”

Before one can trust in Christ and be saved, he must hear the gospel (Ephesians 1:13). That faith comes by hearing the word of God as found in the New Testament. It can be received in no other way (1 Corinthians 4:6, 15; 15:1-4, 11).

The only way to be complete and to be saved by the finished work of Christ is to be “in Christ.” Scripture says we are “baptized into Jesus Christ.” If one is not baptized, he is not “in Christ,” for we are “baptized into Christ.” Thus, one must be baptized to be complete in Christ and to have the benefits of the finished work of Christ.

Baptism upon a confession of faith, brings conversion to fruition and automatically places one in the church for which Jesus died (Acts 2:47). Paul called this assembly the church of Christ in Romans 16:16 and it is purely necessary to the scheme of salvation as the household of God in which the redeemed dwell while on Earth.

One must hear the gospel, believe it, repent of his sins, be baptized and continue to do all things commanded by Christ through His apostles. The one who meets those conditions is blessed by God to be a disciple of Christ, saved and remitted of sins. Very simply, those are the conditions and blessings laid down by Christ in His will.

Seeing the manifold grace and power that God has extended to us in the gospel, let us strive to be more diligent each and every day to make our calling and election sure. Let us run the race that has been set before us, seeing that Christ has so run. And let us study to show ourselves approved unto God, a people that not only know the word but who are also not afraid to teach it.

Let us all remember as we go forth to teach others the gospel that many religions are preaching their own teaching on salvation in Christ. Stories of conversion, like that of the Ethiopian Eunuch, help us to show the lost the way of salvation in truth.

For over 2,000 years now, the Lord has been calling people by the same gospel as Peter here preached and as he preached in the house of Cornelius. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He and He alone has the right to direct our lives. He is Lord. He is Christ, God’s own anointed. Based on who He is, and what He has done, we owe our allegiance to Him in all things.

Do trips to the doctor exasperate you as much as they do me? It seems like there is something wrong when you pay a guy fifty dollars to tell you that you are too fat! Even though it is the truth, it seems to me that I should not have to pay fifty dollars to hear a doctor tell me what I could have told him by looking in the mirror.

During my last doctor visit, the nurse was somewhat more kind in breaking the news. Her way of expressing it made me consider the problem from another angle. She looked very surprised when she had to adjust the balance weights upward and then said, “You hide your weight well.” I had never heard that before, nor do I believe she looked very closely or she would have discovered where I was hiding it. But it did make me think about something. Let us suppose that one could “hide the weight” from others, would it change the weight total? Would it change the effects of the added weight? No, the effects remain the same whether hidden or obvious. There is no relief from the effects of the physical burden by hiding the problem. Whether the nurse, the doctor or the patient think the burden is hidden, it still exists and the effects remain.

Anyone who shares my problem of being overweight can understand how you can bear a burden everyday, but fail to think about it in that light until forced to do so. The extra weight has its effect upon one every day, but we just fail to think about it until we look in a mirror, step on scales or face reality due to some other factor. Whether conscious of the problem or not, the need for relief from the ill effects remains.

There is a parallel to be drawn between a burden often present on the spiritual man. Just like the physical body can be quietly burdened by a load, so can our soul. The effects of a burdened soul, however, are far worse than the increased risk and fatigue associated with a physical burden of added weight. The burden associated with the spiritual man may have eternal consequences.

The Bible teaches us that our sins are heavy burdens upon our soul. David spoke of such saying, “For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me” (Psalm 38:4). Other passages refer to sin in the same way. Sin is a burden too heavy for any person to lift from the soul.

But the burden of sin is not always apparent to the sinner or those surrounding the sinner. Sometimes the sinner is deceived by sin (Hebrews 3:13). Some sins are kept secret (Psalm 19:12; 90:8). Some people conceal their sins from others (Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 29:15). Does that change the effect of the sins? No, the wages of sin is still death (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

However, the Word of God also makes plain the means by which we can find rest from the heavy burden of sin. When we look to Jesus, we find the needed help in taking our sins away. Notice His promise of help:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Paul told the Christians to whom he wrote that they were dead spiritually as a result of their sins, but were made alive by the grace of Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). Salvation is not earned by man. Regardless of what one does, he does not merit forgiveness. Man is not strong enough to lift the load of sin himself, but Christ can and will.

The fact that Christ promises to lift our burden of sin by His grace does not free us from meeting the conditions He commands. Grace may well be extended conditionally.

If a speaker offered a $1000 to each person in the audience who got out of his seat, walked to the front, and took the money from the speaker’s hand, would the recipients have earned the $1000 by meeting those conditions? Obviously not, it was still a gift! That gift was conditional, but it was no less a gift.

So it is with Christ and the gift of salvation. He says, “Come to Me” and “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.” Those are conditions for us to meet in order for Jesus to lift our burden of sin, but His cleansing is still by grace. In order for us to understand what is entailed in those conditions, we must see what else the Bible says about the subject.

Immediately before He ascended to heaven, Jesus spoke of the conditions upon which He would save us. At that time, He laid down in plain terms how we “come,” “learn,” and take His “yoke” upon us in obedience. Christ says it this way:

“And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

When we come and learn of Christ through the Gospel and take His yoke in obeying that Gospel, we meet the conditions of Christ and we receive the gift of salvation from our sins. We do not merit salvation by meeting those conditions any more than the people earned $1000 by meeting the speaker’s conditions. It is still a gift of grace!

Some today question the conditions of faith and/or baptism set by Jesus as being essential. When one teaches that both conditions are essential to receive salvation, some accuse that one of teaching that we merit salvation by works. Why would they so misrepresent simple, plain, Bible teaching?

If Jesus had said, “He who believes and is baptized will receive $1000,” I doubt that anyone would question either condition as essential to receive the $1000. Why do some reject the conditions when something far more valuable, salvation, is at stake?

Jesus’ offer still continues as it was originally given. He will lift the load of our sins and give us salvation if we will but respond to Him in obedience to His will, meeting His conditions for gracious pardon.

For every soul burdened down with sin, there is rest in Christ. The dreadful toll of sin can be exchanged for the joy of salvation in all who will obey Him. Though some may doubt it, the conditional offer of rest from the burden of our sins constitutes the only way to salvation offered by the grace of God. Failure to realize that our burden of sin is the root problem for our spiritual ills does not change the effect. Whether we, a nurse, our friends, a loved one or anyone else think we hide our burden well, the problem and its effect remain until we receive the gracious gift of forgiveness and rest for the soul found in Christ.

All we need is preaching coupled with good and faithful hearts. The combination is unbeatable. It is the only scriptural combination that works. Shall we follow the example of this foreigner’s conversion and learn to put things in their proper place? May God bless you as you “study to show your self approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15).

As Jesus walked among men, He knew of the eternal realm and He knew the identity of the rich man and Lazarus. No mere man on time’s side of eternity could testify of the life and destiny of these two, but Jesus could. As the omniscient and pre-existent Word, he knew of their earthly lives and their destiny in the spiritual realm. That knowledge was yet with Him as the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In this story, Jesus warns us that we might live in such a way as to meet Lazarus in that eternal day and never need to know the rich man. One day, we will be joined with one or the other. Which will it be?