Category Archives: salvation

Willing to Do God’s Will – John 7:17

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“If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority” (John 7:17, ESV).

In this verse the teaching of Jesus is clear. To be His disciple requires a conscience act of one’s own will–a personal decision–to believe in Him and obey Him.

No one can make the decision for you. You can’t inherit salvation. Each person must come to the place in his or her own life where it is your will to do God’s will. Those whose will is to do God’s will, then comprehend the reality and truth of the teachings of Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins and are saved. Be willing to do God’s will!

Receiving is Believing – John 1:12-13

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“He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Have you ever tried to give someone advice and they were not interested in your help? You give the advice but it is not received. And if your advice is not received, then it must not have been believed in the first place. Although a person may know about Jesus, that person must receive Him to become a child of God. Whether or not John is saying in these verses that “receiving” is the same as “believing,” the point is that the right to become a child of God is bestowed by Christ based on an act of faith—believing that Jesus is God and that He came into this world as a human being and died as payment for your sins and was raised from the dead to eternal life so that you can receive eternal life.

God’s Good Intentions- I Timothy 2:1-6

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God wants more than universal salvation–He wants everyone to accept the free gift of salvation. This passage teaches us the free and universal offer of the gospel is to all human beings. This offer is a bona fide expression of God’s good intentions toward all human beings. First, the Apostle Paul urges that prayer and supplication be made for all people so that Christians may lead a peaceful and godly life (vs. 1-2). Then Paul declares that God desires for all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (vs. 4). Finally, Paul proclaims that Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all people (vs. 6). God has good intentions toward all people, but some people do not receive God’s salvation because they do not accept the free gift of salvation that has been offered by God. While God’s salvation is intended for all people, some people accept the free gift of salvation and some people reject God’s good intentions.

The Biggest Sinner – 1 Timothy 1:15

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“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15, ESV).

There was a popular television show called The Biggest Loser in which contestants compete to see who can lose the most weight in a certain period of time.

The Apostle Paul said that he could not imagine anyone being a bigger sinner than himself, possibly because of his previous persecution of the church.

Because Paul was a big sinner, when God saved him all of Paul’s sin was forgiven, which allowed him to serve as an example of the extent of God’s grace: “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost [sinner], Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life” (vs. 16).

The Holy Spirit’s powerful conviction of sin cause most people who have received the saving grace of God to be predisposed to think of themselves as the biggest sinner.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24, ESV)

A Clear and Present Expectation – Hebrews 9:26

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“But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Christ has appeared at the end of the ages to sacrifice Himself once, for all, to take away the sins of many people. Christ’s sacrifice of Himself is sufficient for all His followers and for all time. The end of the ages has been inaugurated by Christ’s sacrificial death, even though it still awaits its consummation at Christ’s second return. The Hebrews writer says that to fulfill this salvation Jesus will appear a second time to gather those who are waiting for Him (vs. 28). The final judgment will take place when Christ comes again. If you are a follower of Jesus, then you should persevere expectantly. In other words, you should have a clear and present expectation of His future return because He saves all who are eagerly anticipating His return.

I Pledge Allegiance to Jesus – Colossians 1:13-14

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“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV).

Just as God rescued his people from slavery in Egypt under the old covenant, He has now delivered us from the domain of darkness, that is, from the realm of Satan and the powers of evil.

The moral dilemma each of us must confront is not how sinful we are but whose side we are on. You are either a citizen of the evil kingdom or a citizen of God’s Kingdom (unfortunately, the default is the evil kingdom).

While this conflict between good and evil is of cosmic proportions, its legal resolution is individually transacted when one transfers citizenship from the evil kingdom to God’s Kingdom as a result of God’s redemption and the forgiveness of one’s sins through God’s Son, Jesus.

There is no middle-of-the-road, no opting out, no riding-the-fence in the matter of your eternal destination.

Your citizenship is either in the evil kingdom or God’s kingdom.

So, don’t put Kingdom citizenship off any longer. Take the pledge!

Swear allegiance to Jesus and become a citizen of God’s Kingdom today!

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return. To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance. (Isaiah 45:22-24, ESV)