Those have been born again are saved by the grace of God, through faith. Simply put, we place our faith in Christ, and He does the saving.
Every Christian needs to answer the following question clearly: "How does a saved person become lost?" It is in the attempt to answer this question where many Christians stray. This is the point where many begin to believe and preach a works-based salvation. Most Christians will readily tell you that they do not believe in a works-based salvation. Then, they will make a statement similar to this: "Jesus Christ will save you, but if you're going to stay saved, you have to...do this...do that...etc...etc..." WHOA!! Wait a minute. Let me ask a simple question. If works can't get you saved, how can works keep you saved? This is the third myth concerning salvation - that we are saved by grace and kept by works. It is not right.
I heard a man preach on CD nearly two years ago. During the entire message, he made it sound like salvation was so hard, and he wasn't sure if even he himself was keeping all the commandments necessary to be saved. Finally, at the end of his message, he made the following statement (I am quoting, not paraphrasing) - "Folks, I really don't know what it takes to go to heaven." As I was listening to the CD in my car, I said out loud - "Sir, you need to sit down and let someone up there who does know!" Now before you criticize this man, he is not the only preacher who does not know what it takes to go to heaven. How did this man come to this conclusion? He had made salvation so difficult, with so many rules, that he lost track of them all. This man is of the mindset that if we do one thing wrong, we become lost. As a result, this man didn't even know if he was walking the line close enough himself.
Some boast that they do not believe in once saved, always saved, but they'll turn right around and believe in one sin, lost again. Consequently, they believe in this mess of people being saved fifteen or twenty times. God the Father does not cut off one of His children just because they sin. According to Hebrews 12, He chastises them. He deals with them. Many of you fathers won't throw your children out of the house the first time they break the rules, but many Christians think our heavenly Father does so.
Friend, we are not saved by works; neither are we kept by works. The Galatian church was a church that was "fallen from grace." They fell from grace, not because they went back to committing evil works; but they rather went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS! In Galatians 2, Paul makes clear that "by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." In Galatians 3, Paul asked the backslidden church, "Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" He was asking them, "You mean to tell me that you started this race trusting the Spirit, and now you're going to rely on your works???" Listen to me closely. Let me answer the question I asked earlier - "How does a saved person become lost?" The same thing that got you saved will keep you saved. Friend, if you are not trusting Christ for your salvation, you are lost. When your faith is placed in anything other than the work of Christ, you are lost. Ephesians 2:8 says plainly that we are saved by grace, THROUGH FAITH (not works). I Peter 1:5 states just as plainly that we KEPT by the power of God THROUGH FAITH (not works). It is the act of placing our faith in the work of Christ that saves us; it is the act of placing our faith in Christ that keeps us. I am not kept saved by praying so much per day. I am not kept saved by dressing a certain way, or wearing my hair a certain way. Many Christians have made these standards their salvation. I believe whole-heartedly in living by the Bible. But living by the Bible doesn't save or keep me - the blood of Jesus and the power of God saves and keeps me.
It's very simple - we are saved by faith in Christ; and we are kept saved by faith in Christ. If my faith is in Christ, I belong to the Father. The devil can't haul my soul to hell. Man can't pluck me out of the Father's hand. I am kept, not by my works, but by the power of God. And friend, God's got power! I'll lose no sleep tonight worrying over my salvation. I am hid with Christ in God!
Every Christian needs to answer the following question clearly: "How does a saved person become lost?" It is in the attempt to answer this question where many Christians stray. This is the point where many begin to believe and preach a works-based salvation. Most Christians will readily tell you that they do not believe in a works-based salvation. Then, they will make a statement similar to this: "Jesus Christ will save you, but if you're going to stay saved, you have to...do this...do that...etc...etc..." WHOA!! Wait a minute. Let me ask a simple question. If works can't get you saved, how can works keep you saved? This is the third myth concerning salvation - that we are saved by grace and kept by works. It is not right.
I heard a man preach on CD nearly two years ago. During the entire message, he made it sound like salvation was so hard, and he wasn't sure if even he himself was keeping all the commandments necessary to be saved. Finally, at the end of his message, he made the following statement (I am quoting, not paraphrasing) - "Folks, I really don't know what it takes to go to heaven." As I was listening to the CD in my car, I said out loud - "Sir, you need to sit down and let someone up there who does know!" Now before you criticize this man, he is not the only preacher who does not know what it takes to go to heaven. How did this man come to this conclusion? He had made salvation so difficult, with so many rules, that he lost track of them all. This man is of the mindset that if we do one thing wrong, we become lost. As a result, this man didn't even know if he was walking the line close enough himself.
Some boast that they do not believe in once saved, always saved, but they'll turn right around and believe in one sin, lost again. Consequently, they believe in this mess of people being saved fifteen or twenty times. God the Father does not cut off one of His children just because they sin. According to Hebrews 12, He chastises them. He deals with them. Many of you fathers won't throw your children out of the house the first time they break the rules, but many Christians think our heavenly Father does so.
Friend, we are not saved by works; neither are we kept by works. The Galatian church was a church that was "fallen from grace." They fell from grace, not because they went back to committing evil works; but they rather went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS! In Galatians 2, Paul makes clear that "by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." In Galatians 3, Paul asked the backslidden church, "Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" He was asking them, "You mean to tell me that you started this race trusting the Spirit, and now you're going to rely on your works???" Listen to me closely. Let me answer the question I asked earlier - "How does a saved person become lost?" The same thing that got you saved will keep you saved. Friend, if you are not trusting Christ for your salvation, you are lost. When your faith is placed in anything other than the work of Christ, you are lost. Ephesians 2:8 says plainly that we are saved by grace, THROUGH FAITH (not works). I Peter 1:5 states just as plainly that we KEPT by the power of God THROUGH FAITH (not works). It is the act of placing our faith in the work of Christ that saves us; it is the act of placing our faith in Christ that keeps us. I am not kept saved by praying so much per day. I am not kept saved by dressing a certain way, or wearing my hair a certain way. Many Christians have made these standards their salvation. I believe whole-heartedly in living by the Bible. But living by the Bible doesn't save or keep me - the blood of Jesus and the power of God saves and keeps me.
It's very simple - we are saved by faith in Christ; and we are kept saved by faith in Christ. If my faith is in Christ, I belong to the Father. The devil can't haul my soul to hell. Man can't pluck me out of the Father's hand. I am kept, not by my works, but by the power of God. And friend, God's got power! I'll lose no sleep tonight worrying over my salvation. I am hid with Christ in God!
