Oct 20
Submitted by Mike on 10/20/2024 09:11 AM as 2024


  As we started last week, we will be talking in depth about salvation. We will take our time on this subject, for there is not other subject in the Bible that is as important than this. Questions we hear often, is How do I get to heaven? Depending on what you believe, i.e. religion/ denomination, etc., answers may vary. The Bible is completely clear though on the subject. Me personally I do not consider myself any denomination, though other may look at me as Protestant/Pentecostal, I personally do not want to be labeled into a religion. I believe in relationship, not religion when it comes to Christ. I classify myself as a child of God.

 

John 1  (6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. (9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

Galatians 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus

 

 Let’s look back at the question: How do I get to heaven? That can almost be a loaded question. I will say this, if your end goal is to get to Heaven, you are actually missing the point and may be missing getting there. I know this is a tough subject and some things here might rub some people the wrong way.

 

Let’s start here.

 

Romans 3:23  for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

 

Romans 6:23   For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

  Every person born on this Earth has sinned. There are no ifs ands and butts.  And because we all have sinned, we all must die. Jesus Himself would be the only person that did not willingly sin, but remember, He became sin, he bore all our sins, therefore He was subject to death. (which is why He became flesh to begin with). He was supposed to die.

 

1st Peter 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 

2nd Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him

 

 Those last 4 verses set up the foundation of Salvation. But it will go deeper than that. There will need to be a relationship tied to that. From the very beginning God was about establishing a relationship with each and every one of us. Starting with Adam and Eve.

 

Genesis 1:  (27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (29) And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (30) And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

 

 As soon as God created man, He started talking and establishing a relationship. Yes, God did talk to the animals and tell them to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:22), but with man, God gave dominion over all the animals of the Earth. God now was establishing a relationship with man by giving man authority. At this point "how to get to Heaven” was not even in the equation. They had a direct relationship with the creator, that question was null and void. In Genesis chapter 2 we see God establishing more of the relationship by placing Adam where He wanted Adam in the Garden of Eden. Adam now had a job, that was to keep the Garden. God also was concerned for Adam in needing help, so woman is created. We cannot get much clearer on the relationship God and Adam had with each other.

 

In Genesis chapter 3 we will see a very distinct change in God and Man’s relationship. You know the story, Eve eats the fruit of the tree and gave to Adam also to eat. After they ate the fruit, they noticed they were naked and made clothing out of leaves.

 

Genesis 3: (8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. (9) And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? (10) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (11) And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

 

Here we see the very first sin here on Earth. Can we simply define sin as doing something God told us not to do?

 

Genesis 3: (22) And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (23) therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (24) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

 

  Let us simply recap here. God created man, established a relationship with man, man sins, God separates man from Himself. Looking back at the verses we quoted at the beginning, all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death. Death not so much in physical form but death being separated from God. Adam and eve were now separated from the relationship they had with God because of their sin.


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COMMENTS


[ posted by Cindy, 10/29/2024 08:54 PM ]

Salvation is defined several ways: the deliverance from the power and effects of sin, liberation from ignorance or illusion, or preservation from destruction or failure.

Doesn't that sound like us? Mankind? What we all need being saved from?
I think the first mention of the word salvation is in Gen 49:18 by Jacob. "I have waited for thy salvation, oh Lord."
We are spiritually dead because of sin, we are deceived and tempted by Satan every day, and disobedient to God.
If Adam and Eve had not sinned we would not be in this kind of world at all. They were in paradise, had all the ever needed, had a world without sin, hunger, violence and wars....sin has been the downfall of people since then.
God created man and woman to have a personal relationship and holiness with Him. And, we ruined it. Our days were now numbered, we labored, we suffered from sicknesses and diseases and because a whole range of people who are wicked, cruel, greedy, warring, sinful, idol worshipers.....the list would be long. We have never been able to escape the clutches of sin since then.
Read Romans 3:9-20. We are "all guilty before God."
The only way God could bring us back into His presence was to offer us His Son as the sacrifice.
Salvation is God's grace. We are so unworthy that He had to send someone who is worthy, Jesus Christ.
His punishment was OUR sins. He paid the penalty for our sins we could never repay, because we are and always will be sinful.
Our faith in Jesus assures us of our salvation. 
2 Peter 1:10-11 ...brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
 When we are born physically, that is our first being born. When we are saved thru Jesus we are born again, (a second birth, so to speak) the spiritual birth into our relationship with Jesus as our intercessor to the Holy Spirit and God.
We are called to repent of our sins, accept Jesus as His Son who came here as a man and died on the cross for our sins that we deserve death for. Jesus paid the penalty and cleared us from that 'eternal death penalty.' And believe that He died and was resurrected 3 days later.  
For our salvation we confess our sins, acceptJesus Christ, we have the conviction of the Holy Spirit that changes how we feel about sinning, and a conversion to a more Godly life that God wants for us.
Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve, and grace is God giving us what we don't deserve.
 We cannot 'earn' salvation, it is a free gift from God.
Eph 2 :8-9 For by grace ye are saved through faith; and not if yourselves: it is a gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 1:7
Eph 1: 13-14
Eph 2: 1-10
I already mentioned about 2 'births.'
I thought I would repeat this because I heard David Jeremiah say it in one of the Bible Studies I had done, and had to search for the wording again...
" In order to live forever in the presence of God you have to have 2 birthdays. A physical one (when you are born from your mother) and a spiritual one
( born again being saved thru accepting Jesus).
If you are only born once, you will die twice. Physically and spiritually/eternally. But if you are born twice you will only die once, a physical death.

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