Salvation Invitation

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:8-10

What is the gospel?

The gospel is the “good news,” which is the message of forgiveness for sin through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and it is for those who will believe through faith that God sent His one and only Son (a sinless Man) to shed His blood on a cross to save us of our filthy sins. For it is by God’s grace and mercy through our faith that we believe and trust that God’s plan is truth. Jesus said in Mark 13:10, “And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. He was speaking about the signs of the times and the end of the age.”

What is salvation?

Salvation is God’s restoration plan for sinful mankind, by redemption through the death of Jesus Christ. Peter 1:19-22 says, “But with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for you.”

How you receive salvation:

First, you must come to the Father with a broken and contrite heart. It is also known as godly sorrow. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented (regretted) of, but the sorrow of the world worketh (produces) death.” You live in the world, but you are not of the world because the world’s ways produce death not eternal salvation. You mourn your sin, meaning because you have committed sin against God and you are looking for Gods forgiveness for it and the effect of doing this leads to permanent changes in your life. You see sin as God sees sin. However, you can be remorseful or sorry without it leading to true repentance. A person can have sorrow and not repent. For example, look at Judas. He was remorseful, but he never repented; (Matthew 27:3). We know Peter’s story. He denied Jesus three times, but he was truly remorseful and it was evident from the fruit he produced afterward; (Matthew 26:75). True repentance brings change. Throughout the Old Testament It speaks of being broken and contrite; Psalms 34:15-18 says, “The eyes of the lord are on the righteous; His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth; and deliver them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh (near) unto them that are of a broken heart: and save such as be of a contrite spirit. this is a person that is crushed in heart and spirit.” Many churches today play on the emotions and never explain that true repentance has to come from a broken place, not from manipulation in the moment in order to get you to come to the front. Second, salvation comes from faith. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:8 -11 says, “But what saith it? The word is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is the word of faith which we preach (the good news or the gospel), that if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart, that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved.” “For with the Heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed.” 1 Peter 1:21-22 “Who by him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of you the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” 1 Peter 1:2 says, We were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood. Romans 8:29 says, “Whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate (us), to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” In verse 30 it states, “Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.”

Life after salvation:

1. You are a new person in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.”

2. Ephesians 5:1-4 says, “Be followers of God, as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. But fornication and all uncleanliness or covetousness, let it not be once named amongst you, as becoming saints. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking even in jest.

3. 1 Peter 1:13 says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust, in your ignorance: But as He that which has called you is holy, so you be holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be holy, for I am holy.”

4. 1 Peter 2:1-2 says, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile (deceit), hypocrisy, and envy and evil speakings, as newborn babes desire (crave) the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow by it.

5. Faith is obedience to the word. Not only did you hear the word, but you obeyed it. Galatians 3:2.

6. True faith always leads to works. James 2:17-20 says, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone. Yes, a man may say he has faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Thou believe that there is one God, thou does well, the devil also believes, and tremble. But will thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

7. We are to also love our brethren 1 John 3:14-15. Love like God, love deeply and love like family, Mark 3:33-35, 1 Timothy 5:1-2, 1 John 4:8 and Galatians 6:2.

8. James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Meditate on the word. Joshua 1.

9. Prayer! James 5:16 says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed, the effectual fervent prayers of a righteous main avail much. 1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. John 14:13-14 says, “And whatsoever you shall ask in My name that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever desire when you pray, believe that you receive them, and ye shall have them.

10. Preach the Gospel. Matthew 10:7. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Says, “First of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day according to the scriptures.” Second, you must understand that the person and work of Jesus are indisputable components of the gospel. Jesus is God and man, (Colossians 2:9) For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily: and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

How To Study Your Bible

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2:15