How to be saved from sin

GOD’S SIMPLE WAY OF SALVATION

 

From time to time, at least twice a year, I try to present to my readers God’s amazing, gracious, and simple way of salvation as set forth in the New Testament.  Since it has been several months since I have posted this, I thought that now would be a good time to do so.  Nothing in this will be new to most of my readers, but I hope that they may use it as an evangelistic tool and forward this edition of “Hugh’s News & Views” to friends, neighbors, and family members who are not New Testament Christians.  Think of the joy that would come if just one soul learned the truth, obeyed it, and was saved!  We must all be faithful in sharing the gospel and its saving truth with as many as possible.

 

A number of my readers have never obeyed the gospel and are therefore in a lost state (II Thessalonians 1:6-10).  I have a deep and sincere love for them and their souls and a compelling desire to share God’s wonderful plan of salvation with them.  I want all of them to hear and understand the pure gospel of Christ, as opposed to a perverted gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).  I want all of them to know God’s simple way of salvation as opposed to corruptions of that way by the doctrines, commandments, and traditions of men (Matthew 15:8-9; II Timothy 4:3-5). The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” is a travesty of what God’s word teaches about salvation.  I urge all to read all the passages cited in this essay. 

 

Salvation begins with the recognition that one is a sinner, and therefore lost and in need of salvation (Romans 3:23; Titus 3:3).  God, in His matchless grace (His graciousness), gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as the atonement for our sins (John 3:16; Titus 3:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ died, was buried, and was raised from the dead that we might be saved.  This is the gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-5).  And it is this gospel that is God’s power to save those who will believe and obey it (Romans 1:16-17; Romans 6:16-18).  Now follow these simple Bible steps.

 

HEAR THE GOSPEL.  Christ commissioned the teaching and preaching of the gospel in all nations to every creature until the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).  No one can be saved without hearing the gospel.

 

BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.  The gospel is God’s power to save those who will believe it (Romans 1:16).  Without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who comes to God must believe that He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).  Christ declared, “For if you do not believe that I am He (the Messiah, the Savior of the world, hf) you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).

 

REPENT OF ALL SIN.  God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).  To repent means to change one’s mind, leading to a change of actions and a change of spiritual direction in one’s life.  If one is in Nashville, TN and wants to go to Birmingham, AL but finds himself on I-65 North headed toward Louisville, KY, he must turn around, get on I-65 South, and head in the opposite direction.  Spiritually, one must do this with reference to the direction of his/her life.  That is repentance.  One must turn from following Satan to following Christ.

 

CONFESS FAITH IN CHRIST.  One must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37 [KJV]).

 

BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF SIN.  Christ made baptism a condition of salvation from sin.  He said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16a).  In the New Testament sinners were told, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin” (Acts 2:38).  Baptism is an immersion in water (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12).  Those who have only been sprinkled or had water poured on them (either as infants, children, or adults) have not been scripturally baptized.  Those submitting to human substitutes for God’s divine ordinance and those being immersed to “unite with the church” but not in order to receive the remission of their sins (or some biblically synonymous reason) need to make their calling and election sure (II Peter 1:10-11).

 

LIVE A FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE.  Add to your life the Christian graces (II Peter 1:5-9).  Avoid the works of the flesh and manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).  Continue steadfastly (Acts 2:42).  Do not forsake the assembly of Christians for Bible study and worship (Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:25).  Abide in the doctrine of Christ (II John 9). Always abound in the work of the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58).  Be faithful even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).

 

These are the divine actions that every accountable being must take in order to be saved from sin, enter into a right relationship with God, be added to the one church (body) of Christ, and maintain a right relationship with Him.  Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). I want all to understand and obey God’s simple way of salvation. “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man given in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

 

Hugh Fulford

 

Where were you on 9/11?

"Where were you when the world stopped turnin'
That September day?"
-- Alan Jackson

It's been almost 20 years since that horrific day on 9/11/2001 when two
planes hijacked by terrorists struck the Twin Towers in New York City
causing them to collapse. 2,977 lives were lost that day as a result.

Do you remember where you were that day when you received the news? I was
in a waiting room at Providence Hospital. Everyone in the room was watching
the lone television in the room in horror and disbelief.

Stephen Siller, a firefighter for Brooklyn's Squad 1, had just finished a
shift and was on his way to play golf when he received news of a plane
hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He immediately returned
to Squad 1 to get his gear. He drove his truck to Brooklyn Battery Tunnel,
put on his gear, and got out on foot to help others when he lost his life as
the buildings collapsed.

"He died the way he lived, serving others," said Stephen's brother, Frank
Siller. "If given the choice all over again he would run through that
tunnel and give up his life for others, I have no doubt in my head and my
heart. He would do it again."

Frank, 68, recently began a 500-mile walk in memory of his brother. He is
calling it his "Never Forget Walk." He began his six-week journey at
Arlington Fire Station 5 in Washington, D.C. He plans to travel through six
states ending at Ground Zero to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day,
including his brother's. "My personal goal is to make sure people never
forget," Siller told FOX News.

Frank founded the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in honor of his brother. The
non-profit foundation builds mortgage free homes for injured veterans and
first responders and for families who lost a loved one in the line of duty.

May we never forget another walk that another Person took that culminated in
Him giving His life for others. The walk took place on the road to Calvary.
The One who walked on that road carrying His own cross was Jesus, the
sinless Son of God. The walk ended at the hill called Golgotha, where Jesus
was crucified for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). That place was Ground
Zero where heaven and hell met. Jesus gave His life as payment for the sins
of the world. Three days later, He arose triumphantly from the grave!
Heaven defeated Satan!

Jesus died the way He lived, serving others. "For even the Son of Man did
not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many"
(Mark 10:45). Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection provided our victory
over sin and death, if we will only accept His offer on His terms.

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His
Word (1 John 1:7-9).

There are walks made to never forget the sacrifice of others. May we never
forget the walk that Jesus made to Ground Zero where He gave His life for us
so that we might live.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "Brother of FDNY firefighter who died 9/11 walks
more than 500 miles in his honor" by Jeanette Settembre of Fox News,
www.foxnews.com.

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