The Word on Salvation - Part II

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The sermon is the conclusion of a message started last week concerning the biblical message of salvation. This segment talks about the assurance of salvation and the extent of salvation. The speaker continues to follow an outline that comes from the preaching and teaching of John Wesley.

Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 10:22 ^(NKJV) let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Introduction:

Last Sunday I spoke to you about the plan of salvation as presented in the Bible. I told you about an outline someone created to summarize John Wesley’s preaching and teaching, and we used that outline to guide us through several Scriptures on the topic of being saved. 

If you were here last week you might remember that we talked a little in the very beginning of the message about the words “salvation” and “saved,” and tried to explain what they mean.

Repeat last week’s explanation:

When we used the word “saved” in everyday life it often refers to various experiences that people have.

Lost > saved = found.

Imminent danger (e.g. fire, drowning, storms, etc.) > saved = rescued.

Serious health issues (e.g. imminent death) > saved = spared from death and health restored.

In regards to spiritual matters, all analogies apply.

Saved = no longer lost in life without direction and purpose.

Saved = rescued from sin and its consequences.

Saved = spared from eternal death and restored to a right relationship with God.

Last Sunday I had originally intended to cover three main points in the outline that described John Wesley’s summary of salvation, but we only had time to cover two of the points. Today we will pick up with point #3 and continue.

I.       All people must be saved.

II.     All people may be saved.

III.    All People May Know Themselves Saved.

A. This principle speaks of having assurance for present salvation.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess, God WILL forgive.

Look at Eph. 2:1-8

2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV) For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Romans 8:16 (NKJV) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Hebrews 10:22 ^(NKJV) let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Look back to verses 15-17)

Assurance for salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit based on our faith or trust that God will keep His word and do for us exactly what He said He would do. 

Many Bible scholars believe that there are three components to genuine faith.

- An intellectual component. Process the claims of Christ and the Bible and make an intellectual decision to accept.

- A volitional component. The choice of the will to believe, embrace and follow through with actions.

- A spiritual/emotional component. The Holy Spirit witnesses to our hearts with the assurance that God has done what He said.

The witness of the Spirit comes after the mind has examined the claims of the gospel, and the will has chosen to believe and respond or act upon the truth that is believed. In a book I published on the topic of faith, I described the assurance that comes by the witness of the Spirit in this way:

So it is with Christian faith. Once our minds and hearts agree to embrace the truth of the gospel and we confirm it by making decisions and taking actions to implement the truth in practical ways, then the Holy Spirit brings the kind of assurance expressed by the hymn writer, Clara T. Williams,

Hallelujah! I have found Him,

Whom my soul so long has craved.

Jesus satisfies my longings;

Through His blood I now am saved!”

B. This principle speaks of having assurance for future salvation.

Not only may we have the assurance that we are presently saved from our sins and are in a right relationship with God, but we may also have the assurance that we will be saved eternally after this life has ended.

Titus 1:2 (NKJV) [After introducing himself to his readers, Paul speaks about having]   hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

1 John 5:11-13 (NKJV) And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Again, this assurance is completely based on the character of God whom we trust to keep His promises given in His Word for all who believe the gospel.

IV.    All People May Be Saved to the Uttermost.

There is a message in Scripture that was emphasized strongly by the Methodist revival in England. It is the message of transformation in personal life and in society.

Some of you have heard me say many times that there are plenty of professing Christians who are only interested in confessing faith in Christ and making a decision to accept Him, so they can “get their ticket to heaven” and obtain their “fire insurance against hell.” For them, being a believer is only a transaction that provides the main benefit they’re after – getting to heaven and avoiding hell. They do not seem all that interested in letting the truth of the gospel penetrate their whole being and make a complete transformation in their lives.

But the message of Jesus, the Apostles and saints of God ever since is that the gospel is expected to have a transforming effect on every believer as we allow the Spirit of God to conform us into the image of Christ, rather than remaining in our former life of selfishness. When individual believers are being transformed, it ultimately has an effect upon society as more and more people become followers of Christ.

Look at Hebrews 10:19-25 for an example of how this knowledge and assurance the apostle has just mentioned is supposed to affect not only our hearts but our conduct. The whole emphasis in Scripture on sanctification and holiness for believers is for our transformation and development as disciples.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ^(NKJV) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

When a faithful study of Scripture is done it is evident that the norm of the Christian life is depicted like this:

There is a moment when the person recognizes his/her sinful condition and the judgment they deserve for violating God’s commands. There is sorrow, repentance, surrender and faith in Christ that brings spiritual life and forgiveness. We talked about this last Sunday as “being saved,” or being “born again.” Following the new birth, the believer is learning more and more what being a Christian is all about and striving to conform his life to the principles in the Bible that he is learning. Eventually, as spiritual growth and development continues, there is a moment of complete and total abandonment to God’s control and God’s will as the Spirit cleanses away the self-will and brings committed love for God and love for people. Then, growth and maturity in grace is an ever-living and dynamic principle that continues to control the life of the believer until he comes to the end of life and goes home to glory.

Conclusion:

John Wesley truly believed that all “men” (people) could be saved to the uttermost. He believed that people could be completely transformed by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit. So, he developed intentional discipleship classes and accountability groups to help believers inspire and encourage one another to further development in spiritual grace.

His emphasis in preaching and his method of developing serious disciples of Jesus spread all across England and brought about a revival that not only gave thousands of people faith, but it completely transformed the nation.

I’ve said before, if we were truly seeing people turning to Christ and experiencing spiritual revival like some have claimed we are, then the social and moral climate of our communities and our nation would be different than it currently is.

But, it is not hopeless! God still changes lives and changed lives can change culture. It is imperative for all of us to not only be saved, but to seek all God has for us each and every day so we are completely transformed into the image of Christ.

Let’s close the service by singing the hymn listed in the bulletin.

Saved to the Uttermost