Simple Truths Regarding Salvation

1. Man is lost because of his sin. Sin is the transgression, or breaking, of God’s law (I John 3:4). Even before a person commits a sin on his own, every person is a sinner from the time of his birth (Psalm 58:3). Although all have sinned (Romans 3:23), you did not become a sinner when you sinned; you became a sinner when Adam (the first created man) sinned (Romans 5:19).
2. Man, on his own and at his best, is completely lost and unable to save himself. His best works, the sum of all his righteousnesses, are as filthy rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). Man, without having to do anything, is by nature a child of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3).
3. Because of his lost condition, man is on his way to a literal, burning, eternal hell. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and the Bible teaches that the lake of fire is called the second death (Revelation 20:14).
4. Because man is completely incapable of saving himself, man must depend upon an outside source to save him. Consequently, God, in his love for mankind (John 3:16), provided a plan to save mankind from the penalty, practice, and presence of sin. We call this plan “salvation.”
5. God’s loving act of providing salvation for mankind is called grace. Man has broken God’s laws, and the penalty of death and hell is just and fair. God could have provided no salvation whatsoever for mankind, and His righteousness would not have been diminished in the least. However, God provided salvation for mankind. When God provided a plan of salvation, every lost individual was “without strength,” or “unable to save himself” (Romans 5:6); every lost individual was a sinner (Romans 5:8); and every lost individual was an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). Hence, man did absolutely nothing to earn salvation. The only thing we earned as lost individuals was a place in hell. When God devised a plan to save man, this plan was not provided because of what man had done; it was provided rather in spite of what man had done. Grace, defined as “the unmerited, or unearned favor of God toward man,” was shown to mankind when God presented a salvation plan to fallen man.
6. God’s plan of salvation is in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. In order to save man, God sent His only begotten Son into the world (John 3:16-17). Jesus Christ lived as a man, yet he lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He never broke a single law of God. Christ never sinned in word, in thought, or in deed. This point is of absolute importance. If Jesus Christ were to save mankind from sin, it was necessary that Christ have no sin whatsoever. And though he was tempted in all points as we are, yet he was proven to be absolutely sinless.
7. Because Jesus Christ, as a man, never committed a single sin, God the Father laid upon Jesus every sin you and I ever committed or ever will commit (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus then paid the penalty of sin, which is death. Jesus died a horrific death upon an old, rugged cross. At the moment of His death, Christ declared “It is finished,” indicating that the penalty of our sins had been completely paid in full (John 19:30). It was very important that Christ be sinless upon the earth. Had Christ committed any sin of His own, He would not have been able to pay for my sins; He would have rather died for His own sins. But since He had no sins of His own for which to die, He could rightfully die for my sins and yours. And He did just that. Christ’s death is sufficient to save the whole world from sin. Absolutely nothing else needs to be done to pay for our sins. To prove that Christ's death was indeed a sacrifice that was holy, without blemish, and accepted by the Father, God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Romans 1:3).
8. Although God showed grace by sending His Son to save us from sin, and although the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to save the entire world (I John 2:2), not everyone will be saved. This is because God’s salvation is not “by grace alone.” In other words, just because God showed grace to you by sending Jesus to die for your sins does not mean that you are saved. Titus 2:11 tells us that God’s grace that brings salvation has appeared to everyone. But everyone will not be saved. Even though Christ died on the cross, some men are yet lost (II Corinthians 4:3). If salvation were “by grace alone,” then the whole world would be saved because God’s grace appeared to whole world when Christ died for all (II Corinthians 5:14-15).
9. The salvation that God provided is “by grace,” but it is also “through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). “By grace” speaks of what God did when He sent Jesus to die upon the cross. But you are not saved until you place your faith in Jesus Christ to save you. When you realize that you are hopelessly and helplessly lost, and you understand that Christ’s death upon the cross is completely sufficient to pay for your every sin, you must then place your faith in Christ and in Him alone to save you. Jesus repeatedly stated and the scriptures continually declare that all you must do to have everlasting life is to “believe” on Jesus Christ (John 1:12; John 3:14-18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:28-29; John 6:35; John 6:40; John 6:47; John 7:38; John 8:24; John 11:25-26; John 12:44-46; John 20:31; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:39; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 1:16; Romans 3:21-22; Romans 10:9-13; I Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 3:22; I Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 10:39; I John 3:23; I John 5:1; I John 5:4-5). When the Bible says to “believe” on Him, it is not talking about believing in God’s existence, or even believing that Jesus died on the cross. “Believing on Jesus Christ” means that your faith is in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:25). You trust nothing and no one except Jesus Christ to save you.
10. To have your faith in Christ means that your faith is in absolutely nothing else outside of Christ to save you. If you think you are saved because you have been baptized, then your faith is in baptism, not in Christ, and consequently, you are lost. If you believe you are saved because you have spoken in tongues, then your faith is not in Christ. If you are trusting sacraments to save you, then you are not believing on Jesus Christ. If you think you are saved because you keep certain standards of dress or standards of separation, then your faith is not in Christ. When Jesus said “No man cometh to the Father but by me” (John 14:6), that’s exactly what He meant.
11. The salvation that God provided is not only “by grace” and “through faith,” but it is also completely “apart from works” (Romans 3:20-21; Romans 4:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). There is not a single work you can do to save yourself, and there is not a single work you can do that will keep you saved. Many admit that salvation is by grace, through faith, and apart from works initially, but “in order to keep your salvation,” they claim, “you must do this, do that, or do the other…” Romans 11:6, however, completely contradicts this. According to Romans 11:6, if a man is saved by grace, then his salvation is no more of works. And if a man is saved by works, then his salvation is no more of grace. You are not granted the privilege to claim to be saved by grace, and then demand certain works to be done to keep your salvation. You are saved either by grace and completely apart from works, or else you are saved by works and completely apart from grace. You cannot mix grace and works into salvation.
12. The act of believing on Jesus Christ for salvation is not a work of the man doing the believing; it is rather the work of God (John 6:29). God has given to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Thus, the faith to believe on Jesus Christ is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
13. Through prayer, a lost man desiring to be saved may express to God that his faith is in Christ. Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Please note that a person’s prayer does not save him; he places his faith in Christ, and Christ saves him. If a man is not fully trusting Christ for salvation, then he may pray all day long, and yet be lost. There is no “sinner’s prayer” recorded in the Bible. There are no certain words to say. You simply must express to the Lord in some way that all of your faith is in Christ and Christ alone. The thief who died upon a cross beside our Lord’s cross said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom.” The Lord promised him, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43). A tax collector simply prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” And the Bible said he went home justified (Luke 18:13-14). Saul of Tarsus simply prayed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” He was saved immediately (Acts 9:6). Salvation is not wrapped in certain words; it is rather received by faith. When you simply express to the Lord in prayer that you are trusting Him completely to save you, placing yourself only at His mercy, He will save you the very instant you believe on Him.

Righteousness Forever - Part 2

The Need for Righteousness

We have clearly understood from the scriptures that, first, man has no righteousness of his own; and second, that whatever may be referred to as the righteousness of man is actually filthy rags; and third, that however much of man’s righteousness we may possess, it is always insufficient.

These truths put us in a bind. The scriptures cannot be clearer than they are regarding the need for righteousness. If a man does not possess righteousness, he is as hell-bound as he can be. A man must possess righteousness, a specific righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees – the righteousness of God. There are many today who possess some type of righteousness – their own righteousness – a mere form of godliness – but they are as ignorant as can be regarding the righteousness of God.

Romans 10:3 – “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

The need for righteousness is stated in so many ways in scripture. First, it is plainly taught that the UNRIGHTEOUS shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

I Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

We are further exhorted by the apostle John that nothing that defiles will enter into the holy city.

Revelation 21:27 – “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Even a casual reader can see the evident truth that only complete perfection is going to heaven. There is most definitely a need for righteousness. Without it, we are eternally and hopelessly lost.

How Do We Become Righteous?

This brings us to the all-important question. It is completely unprofitable to discuss righteousness in detail if we do not present the truth regarding HOW to become righteous. I would be a poor insurance agent if I told you everything about insurance except how to obtain it.

First, in examining how a person becomes righteous, let us at the very start admit that there are some ways in which we are NOT made righteous.

We are not made righteous by doing righteous deeds. This is a shock to some readers, but, however shocking, it is undeniable Bible truth. A man may “repent” as far as the word is taught by some Bible teachers, and still be unrighteous. A man may cease from his habits of smoking, drinking, and drug abuse, and yet be as lost and unrighteous as he can be. A man may reform his ways so that he ceases from profanity, adultery, and pornography, and yet be unrighteous.

So let me say it again. We are not made righteous by performing deeds of righteousness. While it is true that a person who is truly righteous will do righteous deeds (I John 3:7), it is not the righteous deeds that make a man righteous. The Bible is clear that conformation to any righteous law cannot make a person righteous.

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Galatians 3:21 – “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Since we are not made righteous by doing righteous deeds, or by keeping laws or commandments, then the question must be asked, how DO we become righteous?

One must understand that the reason that the performance of righteous deeds will not make us righteous is because the performance of sinful deeds did not make us sinful. You were not made a sinner the first time you sinned. When were you made a sinner? Let us let the scripture answer for us:

Romans 5:19 – “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

The Bible cannot be clearer. “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” You became a sinner when Adam sinned. The parallel is then made. “So by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous.” Just as the disobedience of Adam made us sinners, the obedience of Christ made us righteous. If you are sinner (the “if” is hypothetical; all have sinned), you are a sinner because Adam sinned. If you are righteous, you are righteous because Christ became obedient in dying upon the cross.

So, how do we become righteous? The blood of Jesus Christ makes us righteous! Until you are washed in the blood of Christ by placing your faith in Him, you are unrighteous, regardless of how much reformation you have sustained. Before we can do any righteous deeds that are truly righteous in the eyes of God, we must first be MADE righteous. This is where so many seem to err. Many well-meaning ministers place so much emphasis on DOING righteousness that they forget that one must first be MADE righteous! Until we are MADE righteous, all our performance of righteousness is really not righteousness at all – it is merely filthy rags. We must be made righteous by the blood that our Lord shed upon the cross of Calvary.

II Corinthians 5:21 – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God in him.”

Being Made Righteous Produces Righteous Living

I most certainly believe in righteous living. But I believe in living righteous as a RESULT of being made righteous, not as a REQUIREMENT to being made righteous. To get these truths out of order is to preach a gospel foreign to that of scripture.

In the last verse of Romans 5, Paul the apostle teaches that our righteousness comes solely by Jesus Christ. Look at what he wrote:

Romans 5:21 – “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“Righteousness unto eternal life,” Paul says, is “by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Some may object to this, stating that if righteousness is indeed gained because of Christ and Christ alone, then one may continue to live in sin while claiming grace. One may say that he is righteous because of Christ while persisting in a sinful lifestyle. Paul must have sensed this objection. Look at the very next verse, the first verse of the sixth chapter:

Romans 6:1-2 – “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

Paul then expounds upon the fact that he who is first made righteous solely by Christ then lives righteous. In the sixth chapter of Romans, Paul proceeds to expound upon HOW to live the overcoming life – the life that conquers sin.

You see, if you preach that we are MADE RIGHTEOUS by Christ, but do not emphasize the resulting holy life, your doctrine is incomplete. The same power that makes you righteous in God’s sight can make you righteous in man’s sight. The same blood that cleanses the inner man cleanses the outer man. The wicked religious generation of our day says “God looks on the heart.” While that is true, it is only a half truth. The same verse (I Samuel 16:7) that states that God looks upon the heart also states that “man looketh on the outward appearance.” We are not to let our light shine before God; we are called to let our light shine before MEN – and man most certainly sees the outward man. Man sees my deeds, my dress, my dedication, my devotion, my attitude, my words, my work ethic, my enthusiasm, my zeal, my teaching, my preaching, my business ethics, and my morals. Any so-called righteousness that cleanses in inner man, but does not touch these outward aspects of our life – this is not the righteousness of God!

Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”