To deal with this issue, I will pose several questions and scripturally answer them as we go –
First,
What is the world’s condition without Christ and how were you before Salvation?
Psalms
51:5
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me.
1
Corinthians 2:14
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
Second,
What happens when a person becomes born again?
Ephesians
2:1
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins;
Ephesians
2:5
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Colossians
2:13-15
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision
of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was
against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to
his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a
shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Now, as plants need water and fish need water – we being
spiritual beings need God
1.) So, just how does one become Saved – and what is the
process?
Romans
10:9
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.
·
Confess (Greek) means to come in
agreement with who He is. Use your created
force (your tongue); see Proverbs 18:21
o
The LORD JESUS (Master, Ruler, Controller) Adonai – But then you are
obligated to relinquish to him. (Luke 6:46)
·
Believe in your heart
o
The Resurrection
·
Then…“Shalt Be” = Future Perfect =
Saved
2.)
Who saves you and - Is there another
way? (Islam? Budhism? Hinduism? Shintoism? JESUS!
Romans
5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John
14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts
4:12
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Sooooooo, where do most people go wrong? Many
people have not discovered the bible usage of Salvation mentioned in three
different tenses.
Salvation Past……….Salvation
Present……….Salvation Future
I.
Salvation
Past is Saved from the Penalty of Sin
The LAW in regards to sin was already established. But JESUS paid it all.
Romans
6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
With
this quickening – Salvation Past at this point is Satisfied
Ephesians
2:1-8
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that
now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times
past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding
riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:
PLEASE NOTE HOWEVER: This
does not approve you whole-heartedly, without doing anything else, a place
around the throne of an all Holy God!
II.
Salvation
Present is Saved from the Power & Dominion of Sin
Here
your Entire Past is forgiven and now you’re starting over as a brand-new
creature with abilities you never had before.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
Now,
Paul admonishes “don’t let it {sin} rule you!”
“Reign means to Rule”
Romans 6:12
12 Let
not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the
lusts thereof.
Galatians 5:1
1 Stand
fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not
entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
“Those
whom the Son makes free – are free indeed!!!” Now, don’t you allow
anything to put you back in bondage again!
Know
that God has now called you to a Holy Calling:
2 Timothy 1:9
9 Who
hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began,
Now, don’t
you be found guilty of being an “abuser of the grace of God!”
Romans 6:1-2
1 What
shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God
forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know
that no “Flim Flamsy Excuse will do.”
He’s given you everything you need to live a victorious life
Revelation 1:18
18 I am
he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and
have the keys of hell and of death.
Matthew 16:19
19 And I
will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou
shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose
on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Keys =
Authority & Dominionship = The Right to Rule
Hebrews 4:15
15 For
we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Now,
WHAT? What is God’s expectation of you?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 What?
know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For
ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God's.
Ephesians 5:1-21
1 Be ye
therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And
walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But
fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named
among you, as becometh saints;
4
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient:
but rather giving of thanks.
5 For
this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is
an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no
man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath
of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not
ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye
were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of
light:
9(For
the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And
have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For
it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But
all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever
doth make manifest is light.
14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give thee light.
15 See
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And
be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ;
21
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
III.
Salvation
Future is saved from the Presence of Sin
This is the time that we look forward to that sin will not
even be present. Satan and all those
that rejected the Lord Jesus will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Revelation
20:10-15
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake
of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be
tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it,
from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no
place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and
death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged
every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire.
New Heaven – New Earth – New Jerusalem
Revelation
21:1-7
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall
be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there
be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all
things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain
of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will
be his God, and he shall be my son.
So, now if anyone asks you are you
Saved, You know that you are enjoying Salvation Past, Salvation Present, and
looking forward to Salvation Future – GLORY!
3)
So, what’s the assurance in the word of God that he gives
us concerning out blessed hope?
It’s all wrapped up in LOVE:
Romans
13:8-11
8 Owe no
man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath
fulfilled the law.
9 For this,
Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other
commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love
worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 And
that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now
is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
And…if we
got it all at once, there wouldn’t be a need for this scripture:
Philippians 2:12
12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling.
And of
course the evidence of complete salvation (Past, Present & Future), can
only be experienced in a life-style of Holiness.
Romans 6:22
22 But now
being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life
2 Corinthians 7:1
1 Having
therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
4.) Final Note:
Not everyone who starts is guaranteed to finish…
Revelation
2:5
5 Remember
therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or
else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his
place, except thou repent.
Luke 8:13
13 They on
the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these
have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
1 Corinthians 9:27
27 But I
keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when
I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
2 Peter 2:20-22
20 For if
after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of
the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and
overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it
had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than,
after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto
them.
22 But it
is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his
own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Hebrews 6:4-6
4 For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly
gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have
tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they
shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
LASTLY,
Revelation 22:18-21
18 For I
testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If
any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that
are written in this book:
19 And if
any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall
take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from
the things which are written in this book.
20 He which
testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord
Jesus.
21 The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
So, Will you allow people to pull you off
course? Will you start and not finish? Understand something, gays,
lesbians, drunkards, liars, jealous folks, evil folks, adulterers, fornicators,
haters and backbiting folks will not inherit the New Jerusalem.
(Revelations 21:8)
REMEMBER: Righteousness is a Gift but Holiness
is the way of Life – that leads to Everlasting Life.
You Must Relinquish Your Will to this Ability.
You call him LORD and now it’s Time to go to Work!!!
Apostle Peebles/Minister Rickey E.
Macklin