Salvation

Salvation
The need for salvation is not apparent to most people. They are oblivious to the spiritual world around them. And, the material world provides them with an adequate life on its own. “Religion” provides some moral and ethical guidance and with social constructs society functions well enough for most people to get along.
Science divides reality into two simple divisions.
Natural Materialism
Metaphysical Phenomena
Since we have no tools to measure data from the metaphysical realm – science reduces truth to only that which can be observed and tested. Often rejecting or ignoring the metaphysical. Rejecting the metaphysical as superstition. myth or ignorance – has led to a culture where science has to be right – regardless of truth.
This creates the dilemma – God can not be observed or tested; therefore, everything must have a naturalistic / materialistic explanation. Which in turn leads to the question: Saved from what?
What does it mean to be “saved” ?
To answer that question, we must first determine if everyone is going to be saved or are some destined to destruction.
“God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:4
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 7:21
“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” – John 8
Scripture clearly states that God desires all to be saved; however, not everyone is willing to do the will of the Father. Further, scripture suggests that not every human will be “saved” and that only a remnant will endure.
22 …God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with great patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction?
God was willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known but – He endured them with patience.
“THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL MAY BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, ONLY THE REMNANT WILL BE SAVED;
(Remnant = a small remaining quantity)
Romans 9
Jesus refers to those He was given …
“Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” – John 18
And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” – John 6:65
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22
“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20
If some will be destroyed and some will remain – how do we know who they will be? And, if man cannot search for God with tools of our own devise, how can we ask?
Fortunately, God has chosen to reveal Himself.
Nature: The physical world shows God’s power and beauty.
Romans 1:20: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”
The Bible: Scripture tells us about God’s character and love.
Hebrews 1:1–2: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”
Jesus Christ: Jesus is God in human form who shows us who God is.
John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The Holy Spirit: The Spirit helps believers understand spiritual truths
1 Corinthians 2:10: “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”
The Truth is simple
At issue is the fact that man (Adam) placed his will above God. He in essence said I will be like God vs I will be the image of God. The problem was that there is only one God. Adam (humanity) was expelled from Gods presence and that separation leads to death.
The solution is simple – restoration!
There is a separation in scripture of man (often illustrated as sheep vs goats) divided into two groups:
⦁ The Chosen (Those whose names are in the Book of Life)
⦁ The Dead (Those who are already spiritually “dead”).
So the real question is not “Am I going to hell?” but, “Is my name written in the Book of Life?”
Recognition of Christ and His atonement is the key issue.
“12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
30 “He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved Acts 16:30-33
9 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9-10
Satan wanted to be like God. So did Adam. And in the same pattern, everyone wants sovereignty over their own life, Everyone wants to be their own god and determine what is “right” for themselves. However, when God opens the “eyes” of a person and reveals the truth about Himself, then the opportunity for repentance is present.
5 He said to them, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16
In order to be “saved” (Born again) a person must “spiritually” do the following:
⦁ Recognize God
⦁ Recognize Jesus
⦁ Recognize yourself
⦁ Recognize your sin
⦁ Recognize atonement – Jesus is the only one who atoned for your sin
⦁ Accept guilt
⦁ Repent – Stop saying “my right”
⦁ Accept redemption
⦁ Submit to regeneration – Start saying “Thy will be done.”
⦁ Obedience to God’s will – Growth
⦁ Have faith that God will fulfill His promise
It is possible to do all or most of these with the mind, but not from the spirit. The classic example of such a person is Judas Iscariot, who sat at the feet of Jesus for 3 years. It is possible for man to learn Scriptural truth, make professions of faith, and experience the wonder of the Holy Spirit. Yet, not spiritually be “Born again.”
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. – Hebrews 6:4-6
The key word is “enlightened.” It does not say – once those who have been saved (or their names were written in the Book of Life). This is action in the mind “enlightenment.” They understand it all, but they do not want to “repent” and voluntarily return God to His rightful position.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins – Hebrews 10:26
If a person understands the truth and continues to live a willful life (aka making himself to be god), then there is no other plan. There will be no more sacrifices. Jesus death was once for all (all time and all persons).
(Hebrews is not saying that those whose names are written in the book of life, can sin and fall from grace.)
The purpose of the Holy Spirit “indwelling” is…
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3
to replace the corrupted spirit (nature) that we had when we were born. This is the fulfillment of:
“Let us make man in Our own Image” We will fully reflect God’s righteousness for eternity. We will be like God in character, but not in position or power. We will follow the HS guidance with a free will and desire.