Salvation in a Nutshell
by Stan Hallett
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared FOR
THEM THAT LOVE HIM" - II Corinthians 2:9
Note that they are "prepared for them that
LOVE HIM".
Jesus said; "IF YE
LOVE ME, keep my commandments." - John 14:15
COMMANDMENT:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the NAME of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" -
Matthew 28:19
Notice that the word
NAME is singular . . . one name. The words Father,
Son and Holy Ghost are titles, not names.
Also notice that Jesus said; "GO".
He didn't say it "would be nice if you did", or "you might
think about it". It was a direction, a commandment to GO do
it.
EXPLANATION on HOW to
OBEY (What is the NAME?):
Peter was given the keys of the kingdom of
heaven. (Matthew 16:19) Many people picture Peter at heavens
gate because of this. But these were not physical keys!
Peter shared these same keys with us. . .
In Acts 2:37 They asked the Apostles what
they should do, and Peter said: "REPENT,
and be BAPTIZED every one of
you in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST
for the remission of sins, and ye shall
RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST."
- Acts 2:38
What is the NAME
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost? Peter
knew, and the other Apostles standing there with him knew.
This NAME is
JESUS!
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were
BAPTIZED into
JESUS Christ were baptized into
his death?" - Romans 6:3
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do
all in the NAME of the Lord
JESUS.." - Colossians 3:17
What happens if you do not
OBEY? - "And to you who are
troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that
OBEY NOT the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the
glory of his power;" - II Thessalonians 1:7-9
Don't fall for the lie that you need not
obey or do anything to be saved because some doctrine has
labeled them "works". Salvation IS a gift. We do
NOT deserve it and
CANNOT EARN it through "works
of righteousness" (Titus 3:5).
Works of righteousness are feeding the
hungry, sheltering the homeless, etc., etc. You cannot earn
salvation by doing good works.
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is
dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and
I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I
will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that
there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe,
and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith
without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified
by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works
was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled
which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto
him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by
faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified
by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent
them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is
dead, so faith without works is dead also." - James 2:17-26
Obedience to God's word is a requirement!
If you do not OBEY His
commandments you are none of His.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the WILL of my Father
which is in heaven." - Matthew 7:21
Believing IN the Lord is
NOT enough . . . "Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils
also believe, and tremble." - James 2:19
We however, should believe
ON Him (John 1:12, John 6:29,
John 7:39, John 9:35, John 9:36, John 11:48, John 17:20,
Acts 16:31, Acts 19:4, Romans 14:24, Philippians 1:29, 1
Timothy 1:16, 1 John 3:23, 1 John 5:3). To believe
ON Him is to put ALL your trust
in HIM and to Let Him be the
Lord over your life. For if He is truly our
LORD and Saviour we should
OBEY Him and put all of our
trust in Him.
HOW CAN YOU BE SAVED?
HERE ARE THE "KEYS"
REPENT
of your sins. This means to earnestly turn away from all
sin, asking His forgiveness. It does not mean to confess
your sins then go right back to doing the things you've
always done.
"The sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not
despise." - Psalms 51:17
BE BAPTIZED IN JESUS
NAME
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a MAN
be born AGAIN, he cannot see
the kingdom of God." - John 3:3
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a MAN be
BORN OF WATER and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5
"BORN OF WATER"
is water baptism in JESUS NAME
just as stated in Matthew 28:19 and Acts 2:38. It does not
mean natural child birth as some foolish people suggest.
Note that he says " Except a MAN",
He is talking about a man, not a baby. Then He says "born
AGAIN" (a second time).
"...while the ark was a preparing, wherein
few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like
figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us. . ." I
Peter 3:20,21
"He that believeth and is baptized shall
be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." - Mark
16:16
BE FILLED WITH the
HOLY GHOST.
This is being born "of the Spirit". There is
a marvelous evidence of this infilling of the Holy Ghost.
Read of the accounts in the book of Acts. It's happening
that same today as it did then. Don't let anyone fool you
and cheat you out of your salvation at any cost.
"And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4
"For the promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the
LORD our God shall call." - Acts 2:39
"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be
given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he
that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a
father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will
he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg,
will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know
how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that
ask him?" - Luke 11:9-13
"Let God be true, but every man a liar" -
Romans 3:4 |
