GIL’S GENERAL COMMENTS: This study is predicated on my firm belief in the truth and veracity of The Holy Bible as The Inspired Word of God Breathed by The Holy Spirit through men who were willing instruments or vessels. The True Writer of The Holy Bible is God, The Holy Spirit. Therefore, I accept The Biblical Account of the creation of man, the fall of man, and the subsequent Redemption Plan of God as fact. If you disagree with these beliefs, then you are wasting your time in read this material. I stand upon God’s Word.
All Men, Women, and Children Need Salvation
Yes, this is a true statement, everyone needs Salvation. But Why? Why do all people need Salvation? The answer to this question can be found in the first chapters of the Book of Genesis in the Holy Bible. In Genesis 2:15-17, we find God’s commandment to Adam to not eat of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil.” (15) “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Note that in verse 17, God warns Adam of the fatal consequences of disobedience.
Then we read the account of the devil’s successful temptation of Eve in Genesis, chapter 3:1-7 (1) “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”
Yes, Adam and Eve sinned and because of their sin (disobedience to God) physical and spiritual death entered the human race. As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit the seeds of this sin and the physical and spiritual death that goes along with it. Just as genetic traits are passed on to offspring, Adam and Eve passed on their acquired sinful nature to all descendents.
Therefore, we all are born into a “state” or “condition” of sin. We didn’t chose it. We “inherited” it. It is a deadly condition resulting in physical death and spiritual death. And, we can do nothing to save ourselves. Man’s religions for eons have tried unsuccessfully to offer man’s solution to this deadly condition. Every religion of man focuses on man lifting himself up – saving himself, by his works – his good living! These efforts have always been (and will always be) doomed to failure. It is interesting to note that man’s efforts at “self-salvation” follow the original lie of the devil as recorded in Genesis 3:4-5, (4) “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” The devil continues to deceive many into believing, as Eve believed, that we can ignore God’s directives and “become as god” by our own efforts. As Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And again in Romans 6:23 we read, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This
Because we cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we try, we need “A Savior.” There is only One Cure – There is Only One Savior – The Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh yes, there are many false cures – many false religions, but, there is only One Cure. According to God’s Word in The Holy Bible, that “Singular Cure” is Jesus Christ.
Why is Jesus Christ the One and Only Way to salvation? The Bible gives us a clear answer, only Jesus Christ was the “Perfect Sacrifice” needed to pay sin’s debt for us. He was “The Lamb of God” slain from the foundation of the world. Yes, it was God’s Plan from the beginning to “Provide a Savior” for mankind. God is Omniscient, meaning that He is “All-Knowing.” God knew from the beginning of time that mankind would sin, would fail, and be unable to keep His commandments. Therefore, from the beginning of time, God provided “A Perfect Lamb” – His “very Own Son” as the “Perfect Sacrifice” – Without “Spot or Blemish.”
In Romans 5:8-12 states, (8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (11) And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (12) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” By Adam sinned entered into the world but, by “The Man, Jesus Christ,” payment for all sin was made. This point is made forcefully in Romans 5:14-19, (14) “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (15) But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (16) And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. (17) For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
You see, it was for one purpose that Jesus Christ was born into this world as a tiny baby in Bethlehem. That purpose was to go to the Cross of Calvary and lay down His Life as “The Perfect Sacrifice” for the sin of all mankind. Jesus Christ took all of our sins upon Himself almost 2000 years ago at the Cross of Calvary and He paid for all of them with His Life and His Blood. Repeat this sentence to yourself so you can hear yourself say it. “JESUS CHRIST PAID FOR ALL SIN, FOR ALL MANKIND, FOR ALL TIME ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY.” “JESUS CHRIST PAID FOR ALL MY SIN!” In Philippians 2: 5-11 we read, (5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus Christ, who was and is God, laid aside His Glory for a time and took upon Himself the “form of man” so that He could go to the Cross and Pay sin’s debt for mankind.
John The Baptist states in John 1:32-36, (32) “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. (33) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (34) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (35) Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; (36) And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”
Yes, Jesus Christ was The “Lamb of God” – The “Perfect Sacrifice” and He fully paid sin’s debt for all of us by laying His Life down and shedding His Blood upon The Cross of Calvary. As a result we read in the Words of Jesus Himself in John 3:14-18 (14) “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” This beautiful scripture is God’s greatest “News of Salvation” that we could possibly hope to hear. Note the “WHOSOEVER” statement. Salvation is available to everyone who will receive it and believe in (and receive) Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord! God excludes no one! Remember, JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR ALL SIN, FOR ALL MANKIND, FOR ALL TIME (past, present, and future). When Jesus Christ stated on the cross, “It is Finished,” He was making a statement of victory! He had fully paid sin’s debt. He had won His victory over the devil, over demons, over death and over hell itself!
For us to “participate in this victory,” we must become a “Christian.” To become a “Christian” – a “True Believer” – “A Child of God,” we must accept and receive this free “Gift of Salvation” offered in Jesus Christ! It is not forced upon us! We must make Jesus our choice by the exercise of our “free will” to believe in Jesus Christ and to receive Him into our heart and life as Savior and Lord! Again, God always honors our ability of free choice that He instilled in us. He will never violate our ability to make “our choice” of our own “free-will.”
Let me use an illustration. If I made a $100,000.00 deposit in the bank in your name and tell you that it is available to you to draw out at any time and your refused to believe me and took no action to withdraw the money, then it is of no value to you. Now, let’s suppose that some “evangelical” person came to you and said yes it is true, there is $100,000.00 deposited in the bank in your name, you should go and accept it. Still, you refused to believe it and refused to take any action about it. Even though the money is there in the bank in your name, it is of no value to you because you do not accept it.
God’s Plan of Salvation is like this. He has “put on deposit” Salvation “in your name” and it is available to you free of any charge. All you have to do is believe that it is true, accept it, and receive it – to accept and receive the Person of Jesus Christ. Please keep in mine that it is not enough to believe that it is there “in the bank” so to speak. For it (salvation) to be of value, you must believe, AND ACCEPT, AND RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR LIFE! Sadly, as Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7:14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” This must be among the saddest statement of all time, ”few there be that find it.” And, these Words come from the Mouth of Jesus Himself. GOD DESIRES THAT EVERYONE COME TO ACCEPT JESUS!
God desires that everyone (all) come to a saving knowledge of JESUS CHRIST. In 2 Peter 3:9 we read, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Yes, God desires that everyone come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. But, not everyone does! This is because when God created man, He made Him with the ability of “Free Choice” and God will never interfere with man’s free choice. Therefore, man is free to choose to accept Jesus Christ or to reject Him. And, Therefore, it is the person (every human being) who by choosing Jesus Christ or rejecting Him, chooses Eternal Life (Heaven) or Eternal Death (Hell). God sends no one to hell!! We all choose either heaven or hell.
GOD PROVIDES THE ONE AND ONLY ONE WAY TO SALVATION!
In the Words of Jesus Himself, we note that He is the Only Way to Heaven – to gain Eternal Life.” Jesus said in John 14:6, (6) “Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” KJV
Again, in the Words of Jesus Himself, we find that only a few choose The Way of Salvation (Jesus Christ). In Matthew 7:13-14, we read, (13) “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” KJV
And once again, in the words of Jesus in John 10:7-11 we read, (7) “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (8) All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. (9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
In John 10:27-30 Jesus states clearly that eternal Life is found only in Him and He alone gives Eternal Life. In these verses Jesus states, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; (28) and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (29) "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (30) " I and the Father are one." NASU
And finally, The Holy Spirit bears witness to the fact that Jesus is the only way to salvation in Acts 4:10-12 where we read, (10) “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. (11) This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. KJV
Yes, dear one, salvation can be found in Only One Person – The Person of The Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus, ALONE, is The WAY, The DOOR, The NARROW WAY, The SAVIOR OF MANKIND!
As The Holy Spirit spoke through the Apostle Peter in I Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” KJV
By Choosing Jesus Christ and receiving Him into our heart and life, we become “Christians,” “Children of God,” “Citizens of Heaven,” As Peter declared in I Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” KJV
Finally, one may well ask, If Jesus paid for all sin, for all men; if salvation is available to all; if God desires that everyone come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; then why isn’t everyone saved? The answer is very simple yet very sad. Remember, that God created man with the freedom to choose. Therefore, every person must choose or reject Jesus. By not choosing Jesus, one rejects Jesus. Choosing Jesus must be a positive, conscious, deliberate choice of each person in order for that person to become a Christian (a True Believer in Jesus Christ – A Child of God) and thereby gain Eternal Life in Jesus and a Home in Heaven for Eternity. Failure to choose Him is a choice to continue in one’s state or condition of sin and thus spend an eternity in Hell!
Allow me to point out a common stumblingblock. Salvation does not “come from Jesus,” “Salvation is found IN JESUS! We don’t “get salvation from Jesus” as one would receive a nicely wrapped gift from a friend and go home, open it, and enjoy it. As pointed out in scripture in numerous places, we must “BE IN JESUS – ABIDE IN JESUS.” In John, Chapter 15, Jesus gives us a clear analogy of this necessity. In John 15, Jesus states, (1) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (3) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (9) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. (10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. (11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (12) This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” In this passage, we have a clear statement by Jesus Himself, that we must be “In Him” – “Abiding in Him” as a “branch” abides in “The Vine.” The point is this, “We must have Jesus Christ in order to have “Eternal Life.” Salvation is found “IN HIM” and IN HIM ALONE! To stress this point, allow me to state it another way – Salvation does not come from Jesus. Instead, SALVATION IS IN JESUS. So, we must be “IN JESUS AND HE MUST BE IN US” FOR US TO BE SAVED OR TO “HAVE SALVATION!”
Before I leave this subject, I feel the need to point out that the Bible says that many will be deceived into “thinking” that they are saved and on their way to Heaven when in fact, they are headed straight for hell! Again, in the Words of Jesus Himself in Matthew 7:21-23 (21) “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. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” KJV Amazingly, these people (sinners) who try to defend themselves at the Great White throne Judgment, point to their “works” done in the “name of Jesus.” Jesus doesn’t argue with them, He simply says, “I never knew you: Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” These poor deceived souls thought their “much works” would get them to heaven. Note the use of the word, “many.” Also, remember that in verse Jesus said, “and few there be that find it.” (The Narrow Way that is Jesus Christ!) This gives us much cause for concern to make sure – to make certain, of our Salvation “IN” Jesus Christ!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Pastor J. Gilbert Hammond