The Gospel of JC, and the simple ABC’s of Salvation (Author Withheld)
The Good News: Your sin debt has been paid. You are free to go.
The Bad News: We were all born sinners, and all must be born again.
The worse the Bad News, the better the Good News is!
Jesus Christ died for us, instead of us. He defeated death and is coming back for us
In speaking of “The Rapture” - I go to prepare a place for you, so that when I come back I will take you there. That is the good news!
In John 14:1-6 Jesus Comforts His Disciples:
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
The Simple ABC’s of Salvation
We are all sinners! If we are not a sinner, then we are not in the market for a Savior.
God knew that we needed a Savior (not a lawyer).
His greatest deed was my greatest need – a Savior!
You as an individual might be a good person, and you probably are!
But being a good person is not the litmus test.
There are lots of good people that will be in hell; and lots of bad people that will be in heaven.
We say, “Oh, but they have a good heart.” Jerimiah tells us, “The heart is deceitfully wicked”
We are wrenched to the core; we are rotten through and through.
Without admitting you are a sinner; then you have no need for a Savior!
Romans 3:23 and 6:23 (see below) package the bad news (the penalty) with the good news (the free gift)
I Corinthians 15:1-4 Gives The Gospel; The Good News:
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (underline added)
Okay, What Do We Do In Response?
“A” = Admit that you’re a sinner (Romans 3:10, 23: 6:23)
Rom. 3:10-11
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;”
Rom. 3:23
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“B” = Believe in your heart (Romans 10:9-10)
The B is central! Believing in your heart that God raised JC from the grave, and He is Lord.
Rom. 10:9-10
“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (underline added)
“C” = Call upon the name of the Lord, or confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart (Romans 10:9-10; 10:13)
The C is an expression and response to “B” (Believe in your heart).
Romans 10:9-10
“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (underline added)
Romans 10:13 Seals the deal!
“for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
Other Salvation Related Passages:
Ephesians 1:7-8
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.”
Ephesians 2:1-10
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (underlines added)
We Are “Sealed” Upon Believing:
Ephesians 1:13-14
“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (underlines added)
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”
Ephesians 4:30
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”