Salvation - Nailing Down What it Really is
Message 1 of the ‘Heavenly Certainty’ series
This series of three messages will be about how to have complete assurance and confidence about your eternal destiny. If you’re already thinking, “Oh, I don’t need this one.” stay tuned for a moment and hear me out. There’s a very disturbing fact that we know from scripture, from Jesus’s very own words. It’s the fact that many people who are very confident they have eternal life and will go to heaven, are being deceived and will not. This is how Jesus put it:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7: 21-23)
Jesus also said:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
If you grew up in the church or even just have a Christian heritage, please listen to this whole series. The requirements for salvation are indeed simple. There are only two, however, you must be absolutely genuine in them. This is where you can so easily be deceived. Careful self examination is essential on these points to ensure that you truly are on the ‘narrow road.’ Sadly, in their zeal to make disciples, many churches have over-simplified to such an extreme that they are mass producing ‘false converts’ just as Jesus describes.
We will take an in-depth look at what ‘salvation’ is according to the Bible. Then we’ll carefully examine how salvation is attained. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, “You must be born again.” But what exactly does that mean and how does it come about? Last, we’ll explore the many characteristics the Bible gives of someone who has been born again, so that you can ‘examine yourself to see if you are in the faith’.
Only you can do this for yourself. It’s between you and God. So I’ll ask that you ‘draw a circle around yourself’ and not think of others. It’s never our job to attempt judgement about the salvation of others. However, it is completely legitimate to be concerned for others and sometimes there are good and obvious reasons for that concern. Perhaps you can pray about how to gently and wisely guide those people to this message so that they can also test their own faith. This series allows anyone to do so privately.
As we go, keep in mind that no matter where you find yourself in this process, the solution is surprisingly simple. People often realize much later when their rebirth actually occurred. Knowing when you were reborn is not vital. What is vital is that you are reborn and are certain. Having complete certainty on this point enables you to grow in your faith with enthusiasm and gives you the confidence to boldly tell others about Jesus.
I'm very passionate about this because I was at one time, without a doubt, a ‘false convert’. If I had died and stood before Jesus before realizing this, late in my high school years, I would have certainly heard Him say those terrible words, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoer!’ Consequently, as I’ve read through the bible many times and studied it, this has been a topic foremost in my mind. I’ve since met and heard the stories of many others who were just like me.
Next, before we define salvation, let's identify a few things that salvation is NOT.
What salvation is not
I have spoken with many people over the years about salvation. It’s amazing how alive and well many of these false beliefs are, even within the church—to the devils delight! These false beliefs produce a false sense of security about a person’s eternal destiny.
I’ve always had God in my life
Um, no, you haven’t, at least not according to Jesus and so many passages in the New Testament it would be impractical to list them all.
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, “You must be born again”. Ephesians 2 explains:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:1-5)
You were born into sin (Romans 5:13), have willfully chosen sin (Romans 3:23) and must be reconciled to God.
But I get it. You said that prayer they told you to in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Christian or Catholic school or wherever (so did I). You’ve gone to church ever since, have never been involved in any really bad stuff so your feeling quite offended at this point. You’re ready to bail on this message. Please don’t. Can you be born again as a child? Absolutely! And you may pass the test with flying colors. But for the sake of your eternal destiny, please hear me out.
Gradual enlightenment
You consider yourself a Christian because you have a Christian heritage and/or some spiritual experiences along the way and you have been learning and growing all your life. You’ve made some mistakes but know in your heart God loves you. You’re convinced those experiences are from God. They may very well have been. His Holy Spirit is constantly working in the world to draw people to Him but just because you’ve seen Him working or even felt His presence, that does not necessarily mean that you’ve been born again.
Sorry, you’re not saved by ‘osmosis’. It’s a rebirth. Births are not gradual, life-long processes (aren’t you mothers glad!). Births are abrupt, joyful, dramatic events that result in brand new life.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (II Corinthians 5:17)
Being a good person
I’ve heard this one expressed so many different ways besides the obvious statement of ‘I’m a good person.’ Some have been injured by the church. They witnessed some very unsavory if not downright disturbing things within the church (me too). They’ve left it completely and say things like, “I’m just as good as anyone down there in that church, if not better” and that may indeed be the case, but it won’t get you to heaven.
Others say, “I’ve never done anything bad enough to go to hell.” I can understand the reasoning. Hell should be for just murderers, rapists, child molesters and the like, right? When we compare ourselves to others, we look pretty good. But that’s not God’s standard. He is completely holy and righteous. Compared to Him, we are all utterly sinful. No sin at all will be allowed into His presence in Heaven (Revelation 21:27).
Romans says that ‘all have sinned and come short of the glory of God’ (3:23) and that it is ‘God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death’ (1:32).
Doing good works
Many, when you mention heaven or eternity will start listing off all their good works—volunteer work, what a good parent or spouse they’ve been, how they always try to live by the golden rule, positions of service within the church and many others but the Bible is quite plain in explaining that good works won’t do it.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Knowledge of the Bible
Some take great pride in their knowledge of the Bible. They have a position on most every theological debate and enjoy defending it. That’s ok (even though it’s probably not the best use of your limited time on earth) as long as you’re not placing your faith in that to save you. Yes, even the Bible can become an idol to some. The Bible, though it contains the message of salvation, cannot in itself save you. Jesus warned the religious leaders of His day of this:
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40)
From anyone but Jesus
In a recent survey, I read that around 40% of Christians believe that there are different paths to eternal life other than Jesus. This is not surprising to me but very sad. How can you reconcile your claim to being a follower of Jesus while completely rejecting one of His most basic, essential claims. He said:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
The apostle Peter, when questioned by the religious leaders after Jesus’s resurrection said:
Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:11-12)
Many, many other scriptures explain why the atoning sacrifice that Jesus made for us in His death is the only way to forgiveness and reconciliation to God. If there is another way, Jesus’s claims and the whole New Testament are false. It’s completely illogical to consider multiple claims to be true when they completely contradict.
I understand that any type of exclusivity is considered offensive, arrogant, discriminatory or all of the above in today’s culture. So try to view it, not from an earthly perspective but from God’s perspective. Why would God create multiple paths? If he did, would they contradict one another? If God created a way for man to be reconciled to Him, at great expense to Himself - the suffering and death of His only son - and He offered it freely to everyone, is that exclusive or discriminating? Absolutely not! It is ALL inclusive.
Also consider that just before His crucifixion, knowing all that he would have to suffer, Jesus prayed diligently to the Father:
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
If there could be any other possible way, would the Father have required Jesus to suffer that cruel, agonizing death? Absolutely not!
None of these other ways we have discussed are adequate to attain eternal life, a relationship with God or a place in heaven according to the Bible.
So what is the way? First let’s examine how the Bible defines salvation.
What salvation is
In John 17, just after Jesus begins praying for His disciples, He gives us perhaps one of the most poignant definitions of salvation in all of the scriptures. He says in verse 3:
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
If someone comes and knocks on your front door and you open it and they say, “Can I come in?” You will probably respond in one of two ways, either, “No! I don’t even know you!” or “Sure, come on in”. If your response is the latter, it’s probably because you do know them, right?
Think back to the verse we started with. To many, He will say, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” In the same way you would not let someone into your home because you do not know them, Jesus will not let those into heaven who He does not know.
You may think, “Oh, well I know Jesus. I’ve learned about Him my whole life.” Be careful. Knowing someone is not the same as knowing about someone, is it? What we’re talking about here is relationship. Relationships are two-way. It’s different to ‘know about’ someone and to know them and we all understand that difference. If Jennifer Aniston knocked on your front door, you might be thrilled to let her in but if you knocked on her front door, would she let you in? I think not. You’d likely be arrested before you reached the door.
The scripture supports this idea of relationship with Jesus and God the Father through Jesus throughout the New Testament. I’ve chosen a few example verses. Notice that all except the last one include some form of the word ‘know’.
“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:26)
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. (John 1:18)
Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (John 8:19 speaking to religious leaders)
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7 speaking to his disciples)
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27)
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (I John 5:11-12)
In the denomination I grew up in, they had a doctrine they referred to as ‘Eternal Security’ or more commonly as ‘once saved, always saved’. People would say a prayer, walk an aisle or something similar. They might mark that date on their calendar or write it in their Bible. I think of this as ‘doctrinal security’. Now the assurance for my salvation comes from my confidence that I know Jesus—I’m in a two-way relationship with Him. I call this ‘relational security’. I feel much more secure with my faith solidly resting on my relationship with Jesus Christ as opposed to a religious or emotional experience combined with a denominational doctrine.
But how does one come into a genuine two way relationship with Jesus. Jesus said that it begins with a ‘rebirth’. Be sure to read the next message in this series to learn about the rebirth—how salvation is attained.