Salvation

Text—Acts 4: 12

Introduction

A. Definition of Salvation—Easton’s Bible Dictionary

This word is used of the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians Ex. 14:13 and of deliverance generally from evil or danger. In the New Testament it is specially used with reference to the great deliverance from the guilt and the pollution of sin wrought out by Jesus Christ, "the great salvation" (Heb. 2:3)

1. Signifies one is in danger—Matt. 5: 22

2. Also implies deliverance

a. Israel’s deliverance from bondage—Ex. 14: 13

b. Our deliverance from Sin—Col. 1: 13; 1 Thess. 1: 10

I. Importance of Salvation

A. Salvation from any danger—fire, flood, poverty, sickness, death—Important!

B. Importance shown by its cost—Heb. 9: 28

1. Life of an innocent man given up for thousands of guilty

2. Returns to collect us for eternal salvation

3. Would we do same? Jn. 15: 13, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.”

C. Importance shown by limits placed on it—Only in Christ (Acts 4: 12)

1. Not in the name of the “Virgin” Mary or one of the saints

2. Not in man’s wisdom—Matt. 15: 8-9

3. Turning backs on God—Ezek. 8: 16 (Sun Worshippers)

4. One way—Jn. 14: 6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

D. Rescues us from death—Jas. 5: 19-20

1. Erring brother—Matt. 18: 15-17 (READ)

a. Go and speak to him

b. Take 2 or 3 with

c. Take to congregation

2. To the non-Christian

a. Reasoned from scriptures—Acts 17: 2

b. Paul became all things—1 Cor. 9: 19-22 (READ)

E. Without salvation we are lost—

1. Lk. 19: 10, “seek and to save”

2. Jesus to the Pharisees—Jn. 8: 21, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

a. Similar phrase in Ezek. 3: 18, 19

"When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. (Ezekiel 3:18-19 NKJV)

b. Those who reject Jesus look for another way; another Messiah

c. They will not find one and will be lost

II. Elements of Salvation

A. Perfect in Nature

1. Law made nothing perfect—Heb. 7: 14-19 (vs. 19) (READ EACH)

2. Salvation under it was temporary and partial—Heb. 10: 1-4

a. If perfect—only sacrifice once

b. Continual—remembrance of sin year by year

3. Deliverance is complete under the gospel—Heb. 8: 12-13

B. Personal in Application (REFERENCE ALL)

1. Must bear own individual sin—Ezek. 18: 20

2. Each must account for “himself”—2 Cor. 5: 10; Rom. 14: 12

3. Must work out “own salvation”—Phil. 2: 12; Acts 2: 40

a. You must be the one to decide you need saving

b. No one will do it for you.

c. God did his part already; Now it’s your turn

C. Present in Obligation

1. May be freed from the sin of this world—Rom. 6: 17-18; 8: 2 (READ ALL)

2. Must prepare before Lord returns—

a. Parable of Faithful and Wise Steward—Lk. 12: 42-47

b. “No one knows…”—Matt 25: 13

D. Free in Bestowal

1. A gift from God—Rom. 5: 15-18; 6: 23 (READ)

2. Shall never merit salvation—Lk. 17: 10

a. David’s Car Wash Example

i. On table—$5 million dollars

ii. To obtain, wash car

iii. Is it worth the money?

iv. Neither is salvation, but is given anyways

b. Wash his car, not someone else’s

c. Wash only his car, not others in addition.

d. Conditions to the money, conditions to salvation

E. Conditional in Reception

1. Must do His will— (REFERENCE ALL)

a. Not belief only—Mat. 7: 21

b. Author of Eternal Salvation—Heb. 5: 8-9

c. Wash their robes (cleanse from sins)—Rev. 22: 14

2. Must “work out” salvation—Phil. 2: 12; Acts 10: 35

3. Must order lives aright—Ps. 50: 23

Ps 50:23 “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” (NKJV)

Ps 50:23 “Whoever makes an offering of praise gives glory to me; and to him who is upright in his ways I will make clear the salvation of God.” (BBE) (Bible in Basic English)

4. His conditions:

a. Belief—Acts 16: 31; Mk. 16: 16

b. Repentance—2 Cor. 7: 10

c. Confession—Rom. 10: 9-10

d. Baptism—Acts 2: 38

e. Perseverance—Matt. 24: 12-13; Rev. 2: 10

F. Universal in Provision (EVERYONE)

1. “Whosoever will”—

a. Everyone that believes—Jn. 3: 16

b. Everyone that desires and comes—Rev. 22: 17

c. Everyone who believes and is baptized—Mk. 16: 15

2. Christ died for all—

a. “taste death for everyone”—Heb. 2: 9

b. “propitiation for the whole world”—1 Jn. 2: 2

3. Able and willing to save all—

a. “desires all men to be saved”—1 Tim. 2: 3-4

b. “those who come to God through him”—Heb. 7: 25

4. A common salvation—Jude 3

G. Great in Value

1. Called “a great salvation”—Heb. 2: 3

2. Other salvations great; Noah, Israel, Daniel—None like this.

3. It’s greatness emphasized by torture in Hell—Rev. 14: 9-11

4. Also by the bliss of Heaven—Rev. 21: 4

H. Eternal in Duration

1. Other salvations were temporal; Noah, Moses

2. This one is eternal—

a. Author of eternal Salvation—Heb. 5: 8-9

b. 2 Tim. 2: 10

c. 1 Jn. 2: 25

Conclusion

A. No man can be saved who rejects—

1. Read: Jn. 5: 38-40

2. Jn. 12: 48, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”

B. Neither those who neglect—Heb. 2: 3

C. Commentary: (ACTS 4: 12) When the Apostle speaks of eternal salvation as attainable by Jesus Christ only, he is not so to be understood as if Christ brought any man to heaven at once, without first leading him in the way thither. For the salvation here spoken of begins in this life. Christ first saves us from our sins, both from the guilt and the power of them. He gives us repentance and grace to love and serve and honour God truly and faithfully in our generation; He applies the merits of his death to us for the pardon of our sins, and for our reconciliation with God: He makes us pure and humble and holy, every way meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; and then, and not till then, He brings us to it. So that the whole of our salvation, from first to last, is begun, continued, and perfected, only by Him; none of us being able to do anything towards it to any purpose, much less to attain the end of our faith, even the eternal salvation of our souls, without Him.

**Sermon outline based on W. Curtis Porter

SONG SUGGESTIONS—“Rescue the Perishing”

“Name above all Names”