Who Can And Cannot Be Saved

This verse of scripture sounds simple enough, but often even a familiar text needs some explanation.

Something needing an explanation makes me think of the following little story:

Illus: There was a criminal who was put in prison. The prison life had many new and different aspects. One of the things he noticed about the prison life, was that often a prisoner down the row would call out a number such as "38", and everyone would laugh.

Things would get quiet and some¬one else would call out another number such as "18", and then all the other prisoners would laugh again.

He kept hearing them call out, "23", "35", "74", and each time laughter would follow.

He turned to his cell¬ mate and asked, "Can you please explain to me what the numbers stand for and what is so funny?"

The cell mate said, "You see, we have been here so long that we have told the same old jokes over and over. Now, rather than to tell them over again we decided to number them and every time they call a number we know what the joke is for that number and we laugh."

This sounded like a pretty good system to the newcomer. Every¬thing got real quiet again so he thought he would try his hand at it. He called out, "13!", but no one laughed. He called out “57” and no one laughed.

He once again turned to his cell mate and said, "Why didn't they laugh?" The cell mate said, "Some people just don't know how to tell a joke."

Our scripture text probably sounds like something you have heard many times before. But just in case you don't know the contents by number, please let me explain.

I. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT EVERY¬ONE CAN BE SAVED

There are many wonderful scriptures in the Bible that tell us that everyone in this congregation can be saved. Not just some, BUT EVERY ONE OF US!

There is a group called the Hyper-Calvinists that say that is not so. They actually believe and teach that that God created some people for Heaven and some for Hell.

How could anyone love a God that would be so wicked and cruel as to create someone for eternal damnation? And if this was true, how could God claim to be a God of love?

The Bible clearly teaches that God intends for everyone to be saved.

• Look at Romans 10:9, we read, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

• Look at John 3:16, we read, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God’s Word teaches clearly that everyone can be saved.

Romans 10:13 is the clearest of all the verses in the Bible. We read, “For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The word “Whosoever” means exactly that, “Who-so-ever”.

But there is something else in Rom. 10:13 we need to look at. We need to consider these words, “…shall be saved.”

SAVED FROM WHAT?

(1) SAVED FROM HELL

Hell was never prepared for mankind. The Lord Jesus came to save everyone so they would not have to go to that terrible place.

The Bible teaches that Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. Look at Matthew 25:41, we read, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Hell was not prepared for anyone here, but God created us with the ability to CHOOSE and if a person chooses to go there it is THEIR CHOICE. Hell was prepared for the DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS.

If anyone goes there they are going to have to walk on the blood of Jesus to get there. The Lord Jesus came to save everyone from this terrible place called Hell!

I can assure everyone here that if you are one of those who go there, there is not one thing about that place you will like.

Illus: As my grandmother and I were walking towards the United Nations Building in New York City, we came upon a street evangelist who was trying to get the attention of passersby. He urged those near him to flee from the wrath to come.

• "I warn you," he roared, "that there will be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth!"

• An old woman in the crowd shouted snidely: "Sir, I have no teeth!"

• "Lady," the evangelist retorted, "teeth will be provided!"

(Matthew Thomas, Jr., Lynchburg, VA. Christian Reader, "Lite Fare.")