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Steps to Salvation We must first HEAR the word of God. Without first hearing the word of God we would never know we were sinners and that the result of our sin is spiritual death. Please notice what Romans 3:23 says about our condition "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Now consider what Romans 6:23 says - "For the wages of sin is death..." Taken together, these two Bible verses tell us we are in trouble. We've sinned, and the penalty of our sin is spiritual death (separation from God). Without hearing we wouldn't know of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins and our need for Him. Notice what the apostle Paul says in Romans 10:17 - "So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Believe Merely hearing the word of God
doesn't save. We must believe what we hear or we are not likely to obey the Bible's
commands. In John 8:24 Jesus says - "...if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." But belief is not enough! Notice what Jesus said in John 1:12 - "But as many
as received (believed) him, to them gave he power In other words, belief allows us "to become" children of God but does NOT by itself accomplish the task. In Matthew 7:21 we learn that just declaring our belief is not enough - we must DO what God requires of us - "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Repent Sin may be attractive, but it is what separates us from God according to Isaiah 59:2- "...your iniquities (sins) have separated between you and your God." Therefore, if we want God's forgiveness, we must be willing to repent of our sins. Repentance means "turning away from sin." We must do this and make the constant effort to sin no more. In Luke 13:3 Jesus said this about the need for repentance- "...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Please notice also what is said in Acts 17:30 - "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent." Are you willing to turn away from
sin? To renounce sinful behaviors and thoughts and turn to the Lord? If so, then you are
on the road to salvation, but you have not done all the Lord commands. Confess Those who wish to be saved must confess their faith in Jesus. It was Jesus himself who said in Matthew 10:32- "Whosoever
therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also Later, the apostle Paul said in Romans 10:10- "For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the Finally, notice the Ethiopian eunuch's confession when Philip asked if he believed (Acts 8:37)- "I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Remain Faithful We must still be obedient and faithful to God, otherwise, we will lose our souls. The Bible tells us of the reward awaiting those who are faithful in Revelation 2:10 - "...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Some people believe that once a person is saved, he cannot be lost. This contradicts what the Bible says in Hebrews 6:4-6 - "...for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. In the above verses, the Hebrew writer is describing those who "fall away." If they never truly believed and were never truly obedient, then they could not fall away! Clearly the writer is speaking about true believers who first had and then abandoned their faith thereby putting Christ to open shame. Finally, Jesus himself warned of following Him and then later abandoning Him when He said in Luke 9:62 - "...No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." |