How are we saved?
Are you saved? Do you have an assurance that you have salvation that is promised by God?" For you to be able to answer confidently it is important we understand what we mean by "being saved" and Salvation
How are we saved?
What is sin?
Who needs to be saved from sin's penalty?
What are the consequences of sin?
What does God offer to save us from death?
What's the first thing we must do to obtain Salvation?
What in Hell would you want?
As you read through the article below, it is our intention to enable you to know how to answer the question and clearly know what "saved" or "salvation" means. You may have heard different teachings from various sources, the only place where we can find the correct answers is the Bible.
Only God Himself can provide the truth about this subject; so in this study we will attempt to determine from God's own Word what salvation is and how to obtain it.
What is sin?
Romans 6:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
The word "sinned" in Romans in the Greek is "hamartano" and is spoken as (ham-ar-tan'-o; perh); meaning to "miss the mark" (and so not share in the prize). Imagine if you are an archer, you shoot your arrow at the bull’s-eye; you either hit it or miss it.
Well, that's what it is too sin, God has set the standard of life which by man can be right with him, and no one has hit the bull’s-eye.
There are some very clear guidelines within the Old and New Testament. Laying out for mankind the benchmarks (base lines), which mankind should conduct their life by; they are known as absolutes from God. Boundaries set by God Almighty, to live our lives outside of these boundaries is sin.
Then there is the personal instructions God may give to and individual whilst on the journey of life here on earth; to disregard these would be sin. i.e. missing the mark God has set for you as an individual.
Who needs to be saved from sin's penalty?
Romans 6:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
We see clearly from the bible Gods perspective. All have sinned! This does not leave anyone out so we can safely say you and I do.
What are the consequences of sin?
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
A wage would indicate payment for work. The pay packet being Death (separation from God). This is what we "earn" because of our missing the mark (sin).
What does God offer to save us from death?
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
John 3:15 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Therefore, salvation is process of us being delivered from the consequences of sin and receiving the gift of eternal life.
What's the first thing we must do to obtain Salvation?
Acts 3:19 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
Mark 1:15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
John 3:18 "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
John 8:24 "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
John 20:31 "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
Acts 16:31 "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household.""
Romans 6:8 "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him."
Romans 10: 9 - 10 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
1 Timothy 1:16 "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."
1 John 5:13 "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
John 1:12 - 13 "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
Our first step is to believe the message of Jesus Christ; the second is to embrace the message as being for you personally; and thirdly, following actions of changing life directions towards God and living according to His ways must follow.
The Bible describes this in the word (repent) from sin.
Belief without corresponding actions is purely mental accent, an academic position, the biblical impact of believe will compel the "believer to act or react" to sin, the desire to disobey God should no longer be part of the believers life, in fact the consequence of becoming a believer is a desire to obey.
Can salvation be obtained by simply repenting and deciding to obey God's laws?
Romans 3:20-24 "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Keeping the law will not make us righteous in his sight (God's) if the Law was able to do that then what point would there be for God to send His only Son to be crucified on the cross for our sin?
What in Hell would you want?
> What did Jesus say would be the punishment of unrepentant sinners?
Mark 9:43- 44 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Here Jesus plainly states that the unrighteous will be punished by being put into "hell," which He describes as a fire that will not be quenched. In this scripture, the word "hell" in the Greek is (geenna) Spoken as (gheh'-en-nah)
This word means "Valley of Hinnom," a valley on the south side of Jerusalem where refuse was continually burned. Jesus used this area as a type of the place where the wicked will receive their final punishment.
> Will hellfire cause the death of the wicked?
Revelation 21:8 "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The Bible describes the "hellfire" into which the wicked will be cast as a lake of burning fire and brimstone. Some have pictured this Lake of Fire to be like an active volcano spewing out molten rock. Into such a fiery liquid the incorrigible will be thrown.
After having died once and been resurrected to judgment (Hebrew 9: 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,), they will die the "second death" by being burned up in the Lake of Fire.
> Will the wicked be completely burned up by this Lake of Fire?
Malachi 4:1 "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them."
The ultimate fate of the wicked will be total annihilation.
Body, mind and spirit will be destroyed.
They will cease to exist.