Bible Foundations: Subject: SALVATION Lesson 4 part 1
Salvation is where it all begins with God. Each of us begins our walk with God by the New Birth of the Holy Spirit.
The average Christian of today does not comprehend the fullness of this “Great Salvation” spoken of in Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.”
Man tries to find a way to God and he searches for what sounds right and good; but man's way is futile.
Once we invite Jesus into our live, The Holy Spirit reveals to us God's way which brings us His everlasting life.
Everyone of us begin our lives with a natural birth. Jesus referred to this as being “born of water.” To begin our Christian life, one must also be born of the Spirit.
John 3:1-9 Jesus explained to Nicodemus that there is a natural birth and also a spiritual birth. He continued to reveal that God loved the World so much that he sent his only begotten son so that we might be saved. Jesus continued that the Son of God would be lifted up (on the cross) but everyone who believes on Jesus would receive eternal life and not perish.
In our natural birth, there is no hope to find a way to God, because of the sin factor from Adam.
Romans 5:12- - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
We are all about the same, and each of us think we have it all figured out, we think we know where we are going.
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus was the only man born into this world that did not have the sin factor in his life and blood. His birth differed from ours. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and His father was God. His nature was of his Father God. His walk was always in the direction and leading of God.
Paul
reminded us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him sin, who knew no sin so that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him. (Sinless Jesus on the cross; on our behalf, he took our sin, our sickness our pain on his body.)
Jesus was
speaking in John 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me;
He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are
pleasing to Him.” (Jesus was speaking about His Father God and always seeking to do his Father' Will.)
When we come to the Lord Jesus Christ and believe on Him, God demands that we repent; (Change of mind and purpose, and turn from a previous path and follow Jesus.)
When we turn to God and repent, he no longer holds our sins against us.
Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will forgive and I will remember their sins no more.”
We become partakers in the “New Birth” and are born of the Spirit.” We take on the nature of our new Father, God. He is Merciful, Forgiving, Loving, Kind, and Just.
2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Our lives are now directed by God and our walk is with Jesus.
1 John 2:5-6 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
John 14:10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
John 15:10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
Acts 16:30-31 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Acts 2:36-38 “Therefore let all know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 26:20 The Gospel was declared first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
Psalms 119:59 “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”
As
Christians we begin to walk in the Spirit. We learn to be directed
by the Holy Spirit and to understand that we are dependent upon Jesus
to do His works through us.
This is the reason it is so important to
abide in Christ, to meet with him daily in the secret place (a quiet place) to read your Bible and to pray for direction for each day. Our daily prayer should be; "What would you
have me do this day?"
~ We will continue our study of Salvation next week with part 2. ~
Wonderful teaching be blessed
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