Salvation is the work of God
alone. It is from Him, by Him and to Him. It is
God's gift to man. Man’s responsibility is only to
receive it by faith.
The salvation of man is the
display of the power of God for His glory alone. No
part of our salvation is dependent even in the
slightest degree on human effort.
Only God can perform what He
requires of man to be saved. We are blind to
spiritual truths (2 Cor. 4:3-4). He requires a new
creation because man is dead in trespasses and sins
(Eph. 2:1-2). God requires a spiritual birth, which
only He can perform (Jn. 3:3). We are powerless to
bring about such a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
Moreover, because we are
sinners, we cannot produce in our sinful nature a
righteousness that is pleasing to God (Rom. 3:9-20).
We cannot merit by our virtue a right relationship
with God. The salvation God demands and provides is
wrought for sinful man wholly apart from man’s
efforts.
Salvation is provided only
through the person and work of Jesus Christ (Acts
4:12). We cannot resolve our sin problem, but Jesus
Christ went to the cross and died for our sins (Rom.
5:6, 8; 2 Cor. 5:21).
What God requires of the sinner
is to simply trust in Jesus Christ as one’s Savior
(Jn. 3:16, 36). Believing on Christ makes the sinner
available to receive the infinite power and grace of
God. All that the sinner can and must do to be saved
is “believe” on Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). Such a
personal faith in Christ is a definite decision on
the part of the individual.
“He who believes in Him is not
judged; he who does not believe has been judged
already, because he has not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment,
that the Light has come into the world, and men
loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their
deeds were evil” (John 3:18-19).
Saving faith is to rely on
Christ alone, to depend on His saving grace, and to
receive Him. It is to believe the record God has
given concerning His Son as true and reliable.
God invites us to believe what
Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. God took the
initiative and provided all we need to be saved. The
only requirement God places on the individual is to
believe or rely on Christ. He requires us to believe
what He has done for us.
I often illustrate this great
truth in the Scriptures by holding up a New
Testament or beautiful pocket Gospel of John and ask
my audience if they would like to have it. I stress
that it is mine and that I paid for it. No one can
buy it or do anything to merit it. All the
individual can do is receive it trusting me to give
it to him. I choose an individual from the audience
to come forward, and they receive the gift from me.
God has given us a far more
expensive and precious gift, paid for in fully by
the blood of Jesus Christ. All that is required on
our part is to believe on Him and receive the gift
of eternal life (Jn. 5:24). A simple faith in Christ
opens the way into the infinite power and grace of
God in the individual’s life.
“With the heart man believes
unto righteousness” (Rom. 10:9-13). The only
condition on which a person may be saved is to
believe on Christ.
In the New Testament, there are
115 passages of Scripture where the word “believe”
is used alone from every other condition as the only
way of salvation, observed Chafer. There are 35 more
verses that use the synonym “faith.” In the Gospel
of John, “believe” in its various forms is used 86
times. “These have been written so that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;
and that believing you may have life in His name”
(John 20:31).
To “repent” and “believe” is
one all-inclusive act. When we believe on the saving
work of Christ there is a “change of mind” that is
included as an essential part of believing in Him.
It is impossible for a person to believe who does
not repent. When we believe on Christ we experience
a change of mind which turns from all else to Christ
as the object of our trust.
The message to be believed is
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins that
alone satisfies God. The only good work that
satisfies God is the finished work of salvation He
accomplished on the cross for us.
To reject Jesus Christ is to
remain under the full condemnation of your sin of
unbelief. “Men and women are saved and kept in
sovereign grace through simple faith in Christ
alone” (cf. John 10:27-30).
God’s invitation is, “Whosoever
will may come.” Will you come today and believe on
Him and receive His gift?
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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