THINGS PEOPLE MUST HAVE TO BE SAVED 1. People must have understanding that they are lost. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We sin by transgression (I John 3:4); by Omission (James 4:17); and by rebellion (Romans1:21). "For there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." (Ecclesiastes 7:20). "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (I John 1:10). "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:14, 15). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus said, "I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins; whither I go, ye cannot come." (John 8:21). He was speaking to some who were rejecting Him and he said, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not I am he, ye shall die in your sins." (John 8:24). Jesus went to heaven. If we die in our sins we cannot go to heaven and be with Jesus. Realizing that one is lost and in an undone condition before God is a most sobering thought. To die in that condition is to be hopelessly lost. This is described in the scriptures as being "having no hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12). Lost people who die in that condition only look forward to an eternal hell. A terrible description of hell is given in Mark 9:43-48. Here the Lord is telling men that they need to get rid of those things that will cause them to be cast into the fires of hell. When one realizes he is a sinner and is lost he is in position to want to be saved. No sane person wants to go to that outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30). Hope is in Christ. "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made night by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13). 2. People must have a desire to be saved. God will not save a man against his will. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel." (Ezekiel 33:11). God pleads with the sinful people to turn but those people have to do the turning themselves. People must realize the jeopardy of hell and in contrast the wonders and blessings of heaven. They must realize that they are lost and want to come to God. Then they will be pricked in their hearts and cry out, "What must we do" (Acts 2:37). Peter told them in Acts 2:38 to repent and be baptized. In verse 41 it is stated, "they that gladly received his word were baptized". They were eager to be saved. All must have a strong desire to be saved. 3. People must realize that they cannot save themselves. Some people clean up their lives from a moral standpoint but they still are guilty of those sins done before the changes took place in their living. Men find themselves described in Romans 7:21-24 - "I find then a law, that, when I would do good evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I Am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Then in Romans 7:25 he states, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Then in Romans 8:2 he explains, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hat made me free from the law of sin and death." Man cannot save himself. He must come to Christ. 4. People must have a willingness to learn God's Will to be saved. We are told to study to show ourselves approved of God (2 Timothy 2:15). The Bereans "Received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). As a result, "many of them believed." (Vs. 12). Unless people search the scriptures they will never really know what is the will of God . It is knowing the truth that will make us free (John 8:32). How can we know it if we do not learn it? "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6). 5. People must have the integrity to accept what God says. In Mark 4:24 Jesus said "Take heed what you hear". We need to really hear what God says instead of what some man said that He said. In Luke 8:18 Jesus said, "Take heed how ye hear". If one really wants to be saved he will be honest enough to accept true to the Bible teaching. We realize that many people are reading the Bible but they are perverting the passages they present. Instead of taking things in their context and really showing what the Lord says, too many are fitting the scriptures to their own preconceived ideas. We must "search the scriptures... whether those things were so." In Acts 16:31 they said, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Ask what it means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then find out who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us and come to an acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior. Then ask what will my faith in the Lord lead me to do? You will learn to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Saving faith is active faith. It is much more than mental assent. (James 2:24). 6. People must have humility enough to submit to the truth to be saved. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6). The Eunuch is a good example of this. When asked "understandest thou what thou readest?" instead of answering "sure I do" he said, "How can I except some man should guide me?" (Acts 8:30,31). When he was taught he desired to be baptized and thus submitted to the will of God (Acts 8:32-38). "Submit yourselves therefore to God." (James 4:7). We must draw near to God so God can draw near to us (James 4:8). This is done by cleaning up the life and obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. "Let us draw near with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22).
|
|