Salvation 101 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. -2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 This passage is a simple explanation of how salvation works: 1) God in eternity past chose you to salvation. This selection is unknown to any human being, and since it was done in eternity past, it was done without any relationship to human merit. 2) Two participants are involved at the moment in time when a man comes to Christ. The most important is God, seen in this passage in two phrases, through sanctification by the Spirit, and to this He called you through our gospel. Scripturally, unless God works in my heart, I would not know Im a sinner, or that Jesus Christ is the only Way to be saved; unless the Spirit convicts me and draws me toward God, I would not be saved. To this SALVATION HE CALLS YOU. Is He calling you today? 3) The second of two participants in salvation is me, seen in the phrase, through ... belief in the truth. No one has ever been saved apart from FAITH! The Bible uses many terms to describe my necessary participation: faith, believe, trust and variations of these words. Again, no one in all human history has ever been saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ! 4) Salvation is good for this life. Paul calls the recipients of this letter, brothers beloved by the Lord. Those who are saved by the grace of God are placed in Christ, we are part of Gods family, we are brothers with others who are likewise saved. 5) Salvation is good for the life to come. Paul declares that salvation qualifies the believing sinner so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the future promise of spending life forever in the presence of our Savior, the LORD Jesus Christ! And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would come to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. -Hebrews 11:6 But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: -John 1:12
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 23:55:35 +0000
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