ASK THE PASTOR: What Does It Mean To Be Saved?
Acts 16:31: Romans 10:5-13
INTRODUCTION:
I want you to think of one event that happened in your life which changed everything for you. ( First car; first apartment; marriage; when children were born)
The most life transforming event that ever happened in my life, was not when I got my first car. It was not when I was married, although that was really great. It was not being present at the birth of my children; even though that was pretty awesome.
All of these life events, pale in comparison to one Sunday night during an evangelistic service at Sheppard Gospel Temple, in 1969 as a 9 year old boy, I knelt and prayed and asked Jesus Christ to forgive me of my sins, come into my life and be my Lord and Savior.
That night changed my life forever. I was saved.
And most of you here today can also testify to having that experience.
For some of you it was in a Sunday school classroom where a teacher taught you about Jesus and you received Jesus as your Savior.
For others it may have been the result of the faithful witness of a friend who introduced you to the Lord.
Or you may have watched a Christian TV program, and something happened during the broadcast where you felt strangely warmed inside. You wanted whatever it was the hosts and guests were talking about. So, you called a prayer line and someone on the other end helped to introduce you to Jesus.
At the time you did not understand all of the theological ramifications of your decision, all you know is that you were saved and your life has never been the same.
What does it mean to be ‘saved”?
In our culture it means to be rescued from danger, harm or loss.
Our environmentally conscious society urges us to conserve energy so we can save our environment.
Our unstable economy is causing people to reconsider how they are saving for their future. This past summer I experienced new lessons in shopping and saving money by shopping in second hand stores.
In sports when a goalie prevents the puck from going into the net it is called a SAVE.
Today we are talking about more than just avoiding waste, economizing, avoiding spending too much money or keeping a person from physical harm.
What exactly does it mean to be saved?
I read a cute story this week which illustrates the confusion there is today about what it means to be a Christian.
A group of four year olds were being questioned by their Sunday School teacher on Palm Sunday. The teacher asked this question: Does anybody know what today is?
A little girl held up her hand and said, ‘Yes, today is Palm Sunday.’
“That’s fantastic”, the teacher said. “That’s wonderful. Now does anybody know what next Sunday is?”
The same little girl lifted her hand. “Yes”. She said, “next Sunday is Easter Sunday.”
The teacher was all smiles. “Oh, very good.” Now…does anybody know what makes next Sunday Easter.” On a roll, the little girl responded,
“Yes, next Sunday is Easter because Jesus rose from the grave.” Before the impressed teacher could congratulate her, however, the girl added, “But if he sees His shadow, He goes back in for seven weeks.”
(Greg Laurie, 10 Things You Should Know, p.12)
It’s clear that many people really don’t have a grasp on what it means to be a Christian.
When you ask someone if he or she is a Christian, one of the most common responses you get is,
“Of course I’m a Christian. I go to church don’t I?”
That’s like saying I am a golfer because I own a set of golf clubs. Or I am a mechanic because I own some tools stored in the garage.
What does it mean to be saved?
Maybe you have heard someone say something like, “When I get my life straightened around, then I’ll get right with God”. Listen if you are waiting for the right time to be good enough, you will be waiting a long time. The truth is, no one is or can ever be good enough.
Wait, a minute pastor, I volunteer at the community care, teach Sunday School, serve on the church board. And I’ve even been baptized.
I commend you for your good works and volunteering spirit. We need more of it in our church and community. However, Performing good works, being actively involved in church, is not a guarantee of being saved either.
“Pastor, I remember that I was baptized in water. Water baptism is right but it is not what will guarantee your salvation. Baptism is an act of obedience by which we publically profess our decision to live our lives wholly and solely for Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to be saved?
The initial answer most people offer is, “Only believe…”
When you read some polls and studies you may think that we are in the midst of the greatest spiritual revival in history.
I was surprised to read the following statistics regarding religious beliefs in Canada
MORE THAN a few Canadians will be surprised to learn Canada ranks third in the world with the largest evangelical population, behind the USA and South Africa. … in 1993, 11 percent of Canadians were identified as evangelical Protestants with another 5 percent as evangelical Catholics for a total of 16 percent. By 1996 the evangelical Catholic figure had moved up to 6 percent for a total of 17 percent. This fall’s latest Ipsos-Reid figures are evangelical Protestant 12 percent and evangelical Catholic 7 percent for a total of 19 percent. In other words, roughly one of every five Canadians is an evangelical Christian as defined in this survey.
Now you may be wondering, WHERE ARE THEY? Another eye opening stat is that the same survey revealed that 20 percent of Canadian evangelical have lived or are living in common law relationships for six months or longer… ( Canadian Christianity.com, October 1 2009)
South of the border, Christian Sociologist and pollster, George Barna produced a study among teenager which related that 86 percent claiming to be Christians. At the same time, however, Christian teenagers are rapidly distancing themselves from the truths of the Bible.
Teens are more likely to reject the existence of Satan, to believe in salvation by good deeds, and to reject the idea that Jesus was sinless. Only one third described themselves as ‘absolutely committed’ to Christianity, only half say they are moderately committed, and the remaining one fifth are even les committed. ( Greg Laurie, 10 Things You Should Know p.11)
To simply say that I believed, or repeated a ‘sinners prayer’ at a Franklin Graham festival does not necessarily mean a person is saved.
You may say you believed, but what did you believe?
James gives us a somber reminder about the deception of belief
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.[a] Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.(James 2:19)
I have heard people say that, Love is the key. Love is all you need. Love God. Love others and that is enough.
I heard a story of a seminar that took place at a major university. The topic was, “what makes Your religion different”
There were representatives from the worlds major religions; Jewish, Islam, Hindu, Athiest, Buddhist and a Christian.”
After each person took time to explain the main tenets of their respective faiths, questions were invited from the audience.
An elderly gentleman stood to ask a question of the Christian professor. HE said,
“You say that God is love. And you say that God so loved the world he gave his only son to die. I had a son who served in Iraq A grenade was thrown into his bunker. My son sacrificed his life by jumping on the grenade and saving the lives of his fellow soldiers. What’s the difference between what my son did and what you say Jesus did?”
‘The difference’ , responded the Christian, “Is that Jesus would have jumped on a grenade to save the terrorists.”
Listen to what the Bible says about God’s love,
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
This is what God’s amazing grace is all about. You and I deserved punishment, but God gives us forgiveness and grace. The cross is God’s extension of love to those who least deserve it. The Bible says that, ‘At just the right time, at the point of our greatest need, while were weak and powerless Christ died for you and me.
The character of love is demonstrated by Jesus,
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us…This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[a] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[b] our sins. ( 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10)
Jesus did not simply talk about love; He died to prove it. Jesus was not killed as a martyr, He willingly gave up His life for you and for me. Jesus died so that we might live through Him. His death was the propitiation or the sacrifice to take away our sin. His death was not an accident it was an appointment. He did not die as a weak martyr but a mighty conqueror.
The word propitiation means to be a sacrifice. It can also mean to buy back.
I remember as a boy in church my pastor telling us this story that illustrates for us what it means for Jesus to buy us back.
A little boy worked side by side with his father learning how to build a tiny boat. Later the young builder sat next to the lake on their farm and clapped with glee as he launched the boat and it floated. One big push, however, sent the boat out of the boy’s reach and he sadly watched it sail out of sight. The father promised to take him to a nearby town to buy an even better boat.
The next day, the little boy looked in the window of a small pawnshop and exclaimed, "That’s my boat!" Upon approaching the shop owner, the child was told he must pay for the boat, and he reluctantly gave a few coins to the man. The lad clutched his boat and said, "You belong to me twice. Once ’cause I made you. And twice ’cause I bought you back." God was prepared to pay whatever price to buy us back. And He did. Paid in full.... "It is finished." [John 19:30]
What does it mean to be saved?
Perhaps to better understand the answer we first of all need to ask, What are we saved from? We find this answered in verses Eph 2:1-3.
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
We are saved from spiritual death. As a sinner God views us as spiritually dead. Without the presence of Jesus Christ in our hearts we are spiritually dead.
The Bible indicates we will face the possiblity of three deaths.
(1) The first death is spiritual death. This occurs while we are still physically alive.
(2) The second death is physical. In Heb. 9:27 it is stated that "And as it is appointed for men to die once." This refers to the time when we will draw our last breath.
(3) The third death is eternal. For those who do not know Jesus Christ they will face an eternal death, separated from God. We find this recorded in Rev. 20:14.
2. The next question is: What are we saved by? (4-9)
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) … 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
We are saved by the grace and love of God.(vs. 5)
We are saved by our faith. (vs. 8)
- We are not saved by works.
- We are not saved by our religious affiliation
- We are not saved by our good deeds.
We are saved by being "in Jesus." At least four times in these verses Paul refers to being "in Christ"(5,6,7,9,10).
3. The third question is: What are we Saved to?
We are saved to reflect the handy work of God in our lives. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (vs. 10) God saves us to reflect His glory and to bear fruit to Him.
So, then How can be saved?
God has made salvation simple. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) Your salvation experience will be the beginning of your relationship with Jesus Christ. Understanding salvation is as simple as "A.B.C."
1. Admit you are a sinner in need of the Savior, Jesus Christ:
Your sin separates you from having fellowship with God.
A relationship with Jesus Christ begins with your admission that you need God. You must admit you need God to do three things:
1). You need God to forgive you of your sins, those attitudes or actions that don’t meet God’s standards. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess ours sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:8,9)
2). You need God to give you eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
3). You need God to show you His purpose for your life. “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
2. Believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins:
The word "believe" in the Bible means more than simply agreeing in our minds that something might be true. Billy Graham says It means "trust"—that we believe so strongly in God that we are willing to commit our lives to Him and live the way we know He wants us to live.
Suppose you were walking along a path and you came to a bridge which crossed a deep canyon. You might look at it and believe that it would hold you, and you might even see other people walking across it so you knew it would hold our weight. But so far your "belief" in the bridge is only in your head. When do you really believe the bridge will hold you? You only really believe it when you are willing to commit your life to it and actually walk across it.
It is the same way with Christ. Yes, we can believe that God exists, but God wants us to come to know Him personally. And He has bridged the gap between us by sending His Son to remove the barrier of sin and become that "bridge." To believe in Christ is to commit our lives by faith to Christ—to trust Him personally as our Lord and Savior.
3. Call upon Jesus And Confess Him as Lord and Savior of your life:
Confessing Jesus as Lord means to commit total control of your life to Christ. Receive as your personal Savior and Lord. Jesus said, "But as many as receive Him. To them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. “ (John 1:12,13) You give him the ownership of your life. He becomes your new boss. If you confess Jesus as Lord of your life, the Bible says you will be saved. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. (Romans 10:9,10)
This will involve repenting of our sins and asking Him to forgive you.
What is repentance? In short it is change. It involves a change of the mind, direction and will.
Repentance is a choice we make, but we do it because we want to get right with God not because we don’t want to be in trouble or face consequences.
Repentance is a one hundred and eighty degree turn or an about face, or a change of direction. With repentance the idea is that you were headed in the wrong direction and you turn around and head in the right direction. My favorite definition of repentance is that repentance is a change of the mind, a change of the heart, and a change of the will that leads to a change in action.
Repentance begins with recognition that I am a sinner. Repentance continues with confession. Repentance isn’t complete until I change my behavior.
The word the Bible uses for repentance is Metanoia. This is turning away from one object to another. Repentance is turning away from sin to God.
As we prepare to receive communion together , I want to ask you are you saved?
Paul wrote to the Corinthians and gave them this soul searching command,
5Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.(A) Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that(B) Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
Check up on yourselves, Paul was saying. Are you actually a believer? Do you pass the test? Or are you just preteding to be or hoping to be a Christian when actually you are not one at all?
What does it mean to be saved? It is not by good works or ritual. It is a relationship you have with God because you have turned to Him and asked Him to forgive your sins, you have trusted completely in His work on the cross and resurrection from the dead, and you have claimed Him and confessed him as your personal savior and Lord.
The following prayer is one you can use to confess Jesus as Lord and ask Him to save you: “Jesus, I want to know you. I want you to come into my life. I’m sorry for the things I’ve done that have broken my relationship with God. Thank you for dying on the cross so that this relationship could be made right. I believe You are the only One who can do this. Only You can give me the power to change and become the person You created me to be. Thank you for forgiving my past mistakes and for giving me eternal life with God. I give my life to You. Please do with it as You wish. Amen.”
