What does it take to be saved? Acts 16:31 says “…believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved”. It
really is that simple…yet it’s a little complicated at the same time. The question is what do you believe
about Him. The Mormons, as we have seen, believe that a man name Jesus lived and walked the
earth…and that He was special. Islam recognizes a prophet named Jesus. The Jehovah’s Witnesses also
believe He lived. Are those folks “saved”? No. Good people for the most part, but not saved.
Here is the basics of “believing in the Lord Jesus: He is the Son of God, miraculously conceived by the
Holy Spirit in a virgin. He lived a perfect life and then was sacrificed on the cross to atone for our sin. He
was dead but physically rose from the dead and ascended to heaven where He reigns today. But it
entails a little more and for a very good reason. The Bible clearly teaches that if a person truly believes
those things, something happens; something wonderful and life-changing. You will see yourself as a
sinner and will confess and repent of sin and ask Jesus to forgive you. He will. And He will then give you
the gift of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Boom! You are saved…a child of God…a
Saint in His kingdom.
You can do all of that without reading a single word of the Bible. But after you are saved, the Bible must
become your constant companion. For in the Bible you find all the wisdom and knowledge to live a life
that glorifies God and truly satisfies your soul. We must strive to live a sin free life and the only way to
do that is to study the Bible. Understand, we will still falter and fall…but we are still to do our best to
live to please God.
To do that, we must understand what sin is. Here is my definition of sin: “Anything that dishonors the
character and purpose of God”. Here’s the thing, though. The only way to know the character of God
and the purpose of God is to study His Word…the Bible. They are revealed nowhere else. Let me give
you an example.
Christians believe that God is love. The Bible says that, so it’s true. But when we then put the Bible
aside and define love according to human standards we have a very warped view of God because we are
then making love to be God. By making our definition of love to be a character of God, we have
dishonored Him (see my definition of sin, above). We must diligently study the Bible to understand the
character and purpose of God and then that becomes our definition of love. God is, indeed, love but our
understanding of love is not God.
Salvation is simple. And if we study the Bible and learn of God’s character and purpose…living a
Christian life is pretty simple, too.
Say good things about your Savior and about His church here in Bluff Park.
Bro. Tony
really is that simple…yet it’s a little complicated at the same time. The question is what do you believe
about Him. The Mormons, as we have seen, believe that a man name Jesus lived and walked the
earth…and that He was special. Islam recognizes a prophet named Jesus. The Jehovah’s Witnesses also
believe He lived. Are those folks “saved”? No. Good people for the most part, but not saved.
Here is the basics of “believing in the Lord Jesus: He is the Son of God, miraculously conceived by the
Holy Spirit in a virgin. He lived a perfect life and then was sacrificed on the cross to atone for our sin. He
was dead but physically rose from the dead and ascended to heaven where He reigns today. But it
entails a little more and for a very good reason. The Bible clearly teaches that if a person truly believes
those things, something happens; something wonderful and life-changing. You will see yourself as a
sinner and will confess and repent of sin and ask Jesus to forgive you. He will. And He will then give you
the gift of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Boom! You are saved…a child of God…a
Saint in His kingdom.
You can do all of that without reading a single word of the Bible. But after you are saved, the Bible must
become your constant companion. For in the Bible you find all the wisdom and knowledge to live a life
that glorifies God and truly satisfies your soul. We must strive to live a sin free life and the only way to
do that is to study the Bible. Understand, we will still falter and fall…but we are still to do our best to
live to please God.
To do that, we must understand what sin is. Here is my definition of sin: “Anything that dishonors the
character and purpose of God”. Here’s the thing, though. The only way to know the character of God
and the purpose of God is to study His Word…the Bible. They are revealed nowhere else. Let me give
you an example.
Christians believe that God is love. The Bible says that, so it’s true. But when we then put the Bible
aside and define love according to human standards we have a very warped view of God because we are
then making love to be God. By making our definition of love to be a character of God, we have
dishonored Him (see my definition of sin, above). We must diligently study the Bible to understand the
character and purpose of God and then that becomes our definition of love. God is, indeed, love but our
understanding of love is not God.
Salvation is simple. And if we study the Bible and learn of God’s character and purpose…living a
Christian life is pretty simple, too.
Say good things about your Savior and about His church here in Bluff Park.
Bro. Tony