How To Be Saved

How to be Saved

Romans 10:1

By: JB Hall

Introduction: Paul’s desire for Israel here is God’s desire for every person.

In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

So, the reason that Jesus came into this world, died on the cross, resurrected from the dead, and ascended back into Heaven was for the express purpose of saving lost people.

To understand how to be saved, we must first understand what it means to be lost.

1. What does it mean to be lost?

A. Ephesians 2:12 says, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”

B. Being lost means to be without Christ; strangers (or non-recipients) of God’s promises; without hope; and without God.

C. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

D. It is your sins that have come between you and God so that you are separated from Him; and they are keeping Him from hearing you.

E. So, to be lost means you are cut off from God; there is a barrier between you and God – your sins.

F. Therefore, you are incomplete.

G. Speaking of Jesus, Colossians 2:9 & 10 say, “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

H. So, when you are lost you are without Christ and without God, and are therefore, incomplete.

I. You are only part of what God designed you to be.

J. A sense of emptiness, lack of fulfillment, purposelessness, incompleteness, confirms the truth of this scripture.

K. What does it mean to be lost? It means you are cut off from God.

2. What are the consequences of being lost?

A. Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death…”

B. Since God is the Source of life, being lost or cut off from God, means you are spiritually dead.

C. Ephesians 2:1 tells us that when you are lost, you are “…dead in trespasses and sins;”

D. The Bible teaches that when you come into existence, you will never cease to exist; but will exist forever; so death doesn’t mean that you will cease to exist.

E. It means that when you die physically, your spirit (the living part of you) will simply separate from your body and will go to 1 of only 2 places.

F. All of humanity will go to either heaven or hell.

G. If you are lost, you will go to a place called hell.

H. This happens instantaneously.

I. In Luke 16:22b & 23a Jesus tells of a lost rich man who died; here is what He said, “…the rich man also died, and was buried;” “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments…”

J. When he died, his spirit was still conscious; he still existed; and he immediately found himself in this place called hell.

K. In Luke 16:24 the lost rich man begs that Lazarus be sent; he pleads, “…that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”

L. In Mark 9:45 Jesus talks about being “…cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:”

M. The Bible also teaches that one day your body will be resurrected and changed into one that will exist forever; and your spirit will be reunited with your body; and then spirit and body will placed into an eternal lake of fire to be tormented forever and ever.

N. Revelation 20:14 & 15 say, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

O. The consequences of being lost are that you are spiritually dead, and will be separated from God and His goodness, in a lake of fire and brimstone to be consciously tormented forever and ever; and will never be able to escape.

3. How do I know if I’m a sinner; if I am lost?

A. First, you know you’re a sinner because the Bible tells you, you are.

B. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

C. Romans 3:10 says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

D. So, it’s very clear that every one of us have sinned, including you.

E. Some are great sinners; some are not as great sinners; but all have sinned; and all have come short of God’s glory, or His perfection.