Salvation with Security

[larry]

SALVATION WITH SECURITY

by larry

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

To the reader of this material, you must be born again! In (John 3:3), "Jesus answered and said unto him (a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Unless you are born again, you may not be able to see, understand, and believe things written here.

You may ask: how can I know whether I'm born again or not? It is said in (1 John 5:1): "Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:" (Christ: the Anointed one or Messiah - The promised Savior of mankind)

In (John 1:1, 3, 10, 14), Jesus is shown as God, (3) "All things were made by Him;" (10) "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not," and (14) declares that God became man and lived among us. (Matthew 1:23) says: "His name shall be called Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

You may have had someone ask you: "Are you saved?" This term is saying that you are saved from condemnation (Romans 8:1), death, hell, and the lake of fire. (Revelations 20:11-15) "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: (Showing these being judged were not written therein) and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books (Not the book of life), according to their works.(13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it (Dead bodies in the sea); and death (Dead bodies that were in the grave) and hell (Souls in hell awaiting judgment of those dead bodies in the grave and the sea) 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."

Judgment will come upon all who do not accept Jesus as their savior, and consequently do not have their names written in the book of life. They are the dead who will be judged.

"Verily, verily, I (Jesus) say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him (God, the Father) that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24).

You might think you are good enough and don't need a savior. You haven't killed anyone. You once gave money to United Way to help some cause or the other. You even received a gift Bible for perfect attendance at Sunday school and may even teach Sunday school. I believe I have done more good than bad and God is a God of love and wouldn't punish anyone. (Proverbs 14:12) says "There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Surely you realize that the entire world doesn't believe doing bad is the way to please God, or there wouldn't be so much religious activity and sacrifice going on.

On the other hand, you may think you're too bad to be saved; that Almighty God would never accept you. You have done everything wrong and there is no reason trying to get right with God, especially with all those rules and laws.

Both are wrong. Those who believe they are doing alright have become self-righteous, and are in effect saying; we didn't need Jesus to die for us; we can make it by ourselves. The other thinks they are too bad to come to Jesus, and believes that Jesus' dying on the cross was not enough, or they're just plain ignorant of the facts of the matter.

All: The immoral person who believes he is too bad to be saved or just don't care, the moral person believing he is doing more good than bad, and the religious person without Christ that believes he is doing the will of God are all condemned and in the same condition. They all are judged as unfit and will come into judgment, for in (Romans 3:23) "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." This is God's judgment of all mankind. It means that whatever condition you are in when you compare yourself with God, you come up short of His glory, and God states that the wages you will receive for the sin are death (Romans 6:23).

Some may ask: but why did Jesus have to die for my sins for me to be saved? (Romans 3:10-12) "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one" (Romans 3:23). "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

Now when there seems to be no way to get out of the trouble you're in, (Romans 5:8) says: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Love found a way. I believe Brother D.E. Hill put it best when he said: Jesus didn't spill His blood which would suggest that it was accidental, but He came to this world to pour out His blood to pay the penalty for our sins.

Then, just how do you get saved? First of all, it isn't by following the Ten Commandments. In (2 Corinthians 3:7) the law is called "The ministration of death, written and engraven in stones," and (Galatians 3:24-26) tells us that "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith, but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster (No longer under the law). For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." If you rightly judge, are truthful and examine yourself by the Ten Commandments, you must come to the conclusion you aren’t totally obeying every aspect of the law at all times. If you found yourself hanging over a deep chasm by a chain of ten links, how many links have to break before you fall to your death? (Romans 7:8) explains how the law worked. "But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (Desire or lust). For without the law sin was dead." and (Romans 4:15b) says "Where no law is, there is no transgression." Without a speed limit, you don't break any speeding laws and haven't got the urge to do anything but to drive the speed at which you want to drive. Having a rule or law to live by is akin to telling a child he is not allowed to play with a certain toy, and I'll guarantee it's the one thing that child will want the most. The law was like a carpenter using a level to determine whether a wall is plumb; it won't square the wall, but will tell you it is out of level. The honest person will finally admit they can't obey all the law and they need help.

"There are none that doeth good, no not one." You need a savior; you need Jesus! (Isaiah 1:18) put it like this "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." In more familiar language, you can get rid of your sins and God will accept you. (2 Timothy 1:9) "God 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,"

Ephesians 2:8, 9. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Now, if salvation is a gift, we can't do anything to earn it, but you read in (Philippians 2:12) that you must work out your own salvation with all fear and trembling. If God has provided this salvation as a free gift, how am I to add anything to that? There are many different ways that the word salvation is used in the Bible, such as safety from enemies, but I will limit this booklet's teaching to four aspects concerning salvation of the soul.

First - It is provisional. If you accept Jesus as your savior, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) "If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Second - When you become saved, it is at this time that you are born again and have overcome the penalty of sin, or become saved from the great white throne judgment and the resulting lake of fire. (Repeating John 5:24), "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." In (Romans 8:1) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

Third - The working out your own salvation referred to in (Philippians 2:12) is learning to overcome the habit of sin in our lives. This is the experiencing part of our salvation and is another step in our growth as a Christian. (2 Peter 1:5-7) tells us to "Add to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity." To realize this growth in our lives, we must learn to begin counting our old man dead. (Romans 6:6) "Knowing this, that our old man (The Adamic nature) is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Ephesians 4:22) “That ye put off concerning the former conversation (Manner of life) the old man who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” (Colossians 3:9) “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." We all have an old man we should count as dead that still wants to rule our lives. Even though the Apostle Paul knew he was saved, he experienced all kinds of problems with the old man trying to control his life. (Romans 7:14-25) states that (15) he ends up doing that which he hates. In (16,17), Paul realizes that if he agrees that the law is good, then it is no more him that was responsible, but sin that was in him. In looking for an answer he says (24) "Who shall deliver me?" (25) "I thank God through Jesus Christ"

(Romans 8:1). "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." And in (Romans 8:4) it says that "The righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us (Not by us), who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Fourth - We will be saved from this corrupt world. In (Romans 8:18-23), Paul states (18) "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (21) Because the creature (Creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." John states in (1 John 3:2) "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

Once I'm saved or born of God, can I still go to hell if I mess up? Consider the following.

John 6.44. "No man can come to me (Jesus), except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 10:27-29. "My sheep (Believers in Christ) hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (Notice here that we've been given to Jesus by the Father)

John 6:37-40. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (Jesus won't cast us out regardless of our failures) (38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (39) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (40) And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

Eph. 4:30. "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

In the above verses, we have been given eternal life (That is God's own life without beginning or end from the moment we're born again), and Jesus says He will not let any one take us out of his hand. The Father will not let anyone take you out of His hand, and the Holy Spirit has sealed us until the day of redemption. How much more secure can we be than God telling us in His word that He is totally for us?

1 John 3:9. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (Practice) sin; for his seed (Jesus) remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (Our new Christ nature can't sin.)

Romans 4:7-8. "Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (8) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

1 John 5:1 (Repeated). "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."

1 John 5:4. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

1 John 5:5. "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

1 John 5:18. "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God (Jesus) keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not."

Revelations 3:5. "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

Philippians 4:3. "And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life." (This is to show that we are in the book of life in present tense).

Romans 10:13-14. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?"

1 John 5:11-13. "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

John. 6:28. "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? (29) "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

Hebrews 13:5. "Let your conversation (Manner of life) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Colossians 3:3-4. "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20. "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.”

Isaiah 49:14-16. "But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. (15) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. (16) Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." Dear reader, you can believe and trust God because He cannot lie (Titus 1:2). He gave Jesus' life for us and promises He won't fail us. In (Luke 23:42-43) all that the thief next to Jesus on the cross said was; "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." That thief didn't repent, obey any laws, become baptized, and get filled with the Holy Spirit, or attend church to be with Jesus in paradise! His statement that Jesus was going to His kingdom was acknowledging the fact he believed that Jesus was the Christ; he was saved at that moment. On this booklet's cover, there are only two crosses shown: Jesus' cross where He gave Himself for me, and the believing thief's cross. Like the believing thief, "I am crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). By accepting Jesus as my savior, my old man or Adamic nature was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6-10), died with Him that day and I am free from sin and death. The other thief's suffering on his cross that isn't shown wasn't the end of his trouble, and is in a place you don't want to be. Read (Luke 16:19-31).

If you haven't accepted Jesus as your savior yet, you can be saved this very moment by asking Jesus into your life. Please don't put it off any longer, because you aren’t guaranteed one more moment of life. (John 3:15-18) says "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This doesn't say conditional life as many try to persuade you, but guarantees that you have everlasting life. (17) "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

To repeat (Romans 10:9 & Isaiah 1:18), "That if you shalt say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, you shalt be saved." and "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

It's time for you to make the most important decision of your life! (2 Corinthians 6:2. RSV). God says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Today is the day for you to become saved! Don't use the excuse of not accepting Christ because of some hypocritical Christian you've seen (Jesus isn't finished with them yet), I don't have the time right now, my church doesn't teach that, God is a God of love and wouldn't put anyone in hell, is there really a God (Nature itself teaches you there is), and what about the big bang theory and evolution? You may allow other similar reasoning to be the argument you present to God for not taking Christ as your savior when he is available, but you'll be the loser because Jesus is the only sacrifice and means of going to heaven given to man. (Acts 4:12) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Jesus further says in (John 14:6) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

May God bless and show you your need.

[Rick]

That`s a pretty good piece. I enjoyed reading it. I will mention one small point to you though. Christ isn`t the seed, He is the sower. The seed is the word of God that is sown into you.

[the fruit]

The seed conversation is always a good one. Imo, it would seem that in scripture there is a case to be made for...'seed'...having several interpretations depending on the context of it's use.

1. The word of God.
2. Christ(The Word of GOD)
3. The Children of the Kingdom.(The Word/word of God)

As well as relating to faith. Atleast, as in being grown into it.

Blessings

[Rick]

Originally Posted by the fruit

The seed conversation is always a good one. Imo, it would seem that in scripture there is a case to be made for...'seed'...having several interpretations depending on the context of it's use.

1. The word of God.
2. Christ(The Word of GOD)
3. The Children of the Kingdom.(The Word/word of God)

As well as relating to faith. Atleast, as in being grown into it.

Blessings

Opinions vary. For me though, I believe in the interpretation given by Christ and that is the only interpretation given by the scriptures. Everything else is man made speculation.


-
-

-

[the fruit]

[quote=the fruit;803]

1. The word of God.

lk 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
5
A sower went out to sow his seed:...

vs. 11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

2. Christ(The Word of GOD)

gal. 3:16

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Gen 21:12 Rom 9:7 Heb 11:18

3. The Children of the Kingdom.(The Word/word of God)

matt 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

vs. 36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;(Yes, He is the sower.)
38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

[Rick]

[quote=the fruit;814]

Originally Posted by the fruit

lk 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
5
A sower went out to sow his seed:...

vs. 11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.




gal. 3:16

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Gen 21:12 Rom 9:7 Heb 11:18







matt 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

vs. 36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;(Yes, He is the sower.)
38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Good Point. I should have put more thought and study into it.

[Eric Martin S.]

AMEN,
excellent original post.
as for seed....perhaps a few aspects are in His Word. (a short note of One).
The seed fell on fertile soil and produced. (seed fell on other 3 scenario's too).
In these parables, Spirit of Truth (another name for Holy Spirit) OR Seed is spread.
Here is one for ya,
Actually it's Holy Spirit (God) who lives within Us, seals us til day of redemption - Eph. 1:13 & 2Cor. 1:21.
Jesus is currently at Right hand of Father (both are Thee One true God).
....anywho, let's tell others there need for repentance like Christ Jesus and John the Baptist did (plus OT prophets and NT Apostles, etc)
....none of this lukewarm expressions...like welcoming Jesus into your heart, yuk.
No relationship stuff....it ain't about a relationship. (see NIV Rom. 2:17 where the Pharisee's BRAG about a Relationship with God).
IF We must boast, we boast in the Lord (do not use relationship word with salvation statements).
kinda went off on Salvation issue.
lil blunt, gotta go...press on brothers in Him, see ya sooner than we think
1John 4:10 a favored Love verse,
E