What It Means to be Saved
 
  1. A human being has a two-fold life given by his Creator. Each has a BODY life and a SPIRIT life. The BODY one can see, feel, examine, move, etc. It is an outward manifestation. The SPIRIT life is an inward manifestation. This life consists of the emotions, ability to think, make decisions, remember, etc. The BODY is called a "house" where the SPIRIT of man dwells. When the SPIRIT of man leaves the BODY, it is called "DEATH." The BODY is temporary, but the SPIRIT is eternal. It will never cease to exist.
         
  2. To be "LOST" is to be separated from the fellowship of others and existing in unknown surroundings. As I write this, a small boy is lost in the mountains out West. He is separated from his parents, friends, home, and neighbors. Multitudes are out SEARCHING for him. He cannot find his way back to them. One can be LOST spiritually as well as bodily. To be LOST spiritually means to be separated from one's Creator (JEHOVAH GOD) with no fellowship or communication & apart from the blessings that could be his if he were not lost!
       
  3. When ELOHIM GOD created the one and ONLY MAN, He first formed his physical BODY out of the clay dust of the earth. Then God breathed into his nostrils the LIFE and Man (Adam) became a "living SOUL." (a "soul" is a BODY in combination with the SPIRIT) The man had a two-fold life as it is expressed in the Hebrew PLURAL of Genesis 2:7

Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

life is a Hebrew plural = chay {khah'-ee}=to have life; animation; vigor. "a living soul,"=literally, "a soul of lives," or "a soul of the fullness of life."

soul=nephesh {neh'-fesh}=that which breathes; a living being with life in the blood. {blood is the life principle} This refers to "physical" life.

  1. The Almighty God did NOT create but ONE man. He was called ADAM since he was formed out of the red clay of the earth and because the blood of his body caused him to have a flushed appearance. Adam = 'adam {aw-dawm'} This Adam was in true fellowship with his Creator. A helpmate {a wife} was BUILT from a portion of the flesh of the man and given this same "breath of lives." God, His created man and His built woman, fellowshipped together.

Genesis 2:21-25
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23And Adam said, This [is] now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (KJV)

  1. The man and his wife were given specific instructions by their Creator, thus establishing certain "laws" for their benefit. They were INNOCENT and of the highest INTELLIGENCE, Adam giving names to all of the other creatures. The most important instruction given to the man and his wife was about evil.

Genesis 2:15-17
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But 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. (KJV)

evil = ra` {rah} = wickedness, pain, unhappiness, misery, hurtful, adversity; = distress, injury, wrong, broken fellowship, displeasing.

surely die = literally, "dying, thou shalt die."

die = muwth {mooth} = to die,
= have life taken away; be separated; to fall away from the standing {innocence-fellowship} he had previously had with his Creator.

This was to be a two-fold DEATH, just as he had been given a TWO-FOLD LIFE. The man and his wife would die(be separated from) both spiritually and physically. They would be SEPARATED {= the meaning of death] from God and later they would be separated from their bodies.

  1. The man and his wife (Adam & Eve=the mother of all living) DISOBEYED the specific instructions of their Creator, Elohim God. This is called, "SIN."

sin = H – chata {khaw-taw'} = G – hamartia {ham-ar-tee'-ah} = to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize, or blessing); to forfeit; to sin; offend; to come short of the goal; trespass; to err. The RESULT was that they suffered the consequences of their SIN. This was spiritual death (= separation from God) & later bodily death(= the life was separated from the body). They had "FALLEN" from their HIGH ESTATE of fellowship with God. They had chosen SIN (disobedience) instead of obedience. They had chosen DEATH instead of LIFE. They had chosen SEPARATION instead of FELLOWSHIP. This is HOW SIN entered into the human race, (you and me).

  1. Since ALL OTHER HUMAN BEINGS have come from the LINE of Adam we are ALL born with a SINFUL NATURE. Adam was the ONLY man to have been a RIGHTEOUS person BEFORE he sinned. ALL of the rest of mankind have been born with a CORRUPTED nature.

Romans 5:12
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: (KJV)

Romans 5:13-14
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless 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. (KJV) Adam's sin was different from all others, because he was RIGHTEOUS

BEFORE he sinned; ALL the rest of mankind were born with a SINFUL nature.

Ephesians 2:2-3
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

nature = phusis {foo'-sis} = natural; physical origin; that from which something "springs" from; {each generation comes from lost origins}

  1. ALL mankind are SINNERS; This means ALL ARE LOST; separated from fellowship with our Creator.

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 3:10-12
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (KJV)

  1. SO, the fact of the matter is, UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED BY THE NEW BIRTH, YOU ARE LOST {separated from Almighty God; called being DEAD---spiritual death.} God's Holy Spirit will CONVINCE {convict} you of this truth! ONLY HE is able to do this. You will then "know that you know this." The Holy Spirit convicts you in the inner part of you through the reading or the hearing of the Scriptures.
         
  2. IF you die physically BEFORE you are SAVED, you are LOST FOREVER! You will ALWAYS be separated from God's Presence and fellowship and suffer eternal torment. UNLESS you are truly convinced and honestly admit that you ARE INDEED A SINNER, you will NEVER BE SAVED! One does not see the need for a life preserver in a desert, but only when he sees his life in danger of drowning in water.
         
  3. WHAT DOES IT MEAN "TO BE SAVED?" The Greek word, sozo {sode'-zo} means to rescue from danger or destruction; to rescue from injury or peril; to restore; to reconcile (place back in the same relationship as prior) to make safe and sound; to make whole; to deliver from the resulting judgment of sin.
         
  4. To be SAVED from sin and its resulting penalties is something ONLY GOD is able to do. One CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF! Here are some of the terms given us by our LORD as to what "being saved," means:
  • It is a "new birth."
         
  • It is being born "from above."
         
  • It is being born "of God."
         
  • It is The Creator making you a NEW CREATION.
         
  • It is passing from DEATH into ETERNAL LIFE.
         
  • It is "receiving Jesus as your Savior."
         
  • It is accepting The Sacrifice of the Lamb of God as your Substitute.
         
  • It is being "born of God's Holy Spirit."
         
  • It is being born of God's "Incorruptible Seed."
         
  • It is being "enrolled in the Lamb's Book of Life in heaven."
         
  • It is RECEIVING the free, GRACE GIFT of eternal life with God made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus.
         
  • It is calling upon the Name of Jesus to save you, believing HE is the virgin born Son of God and that HE died on the cross for SIN and was buried and arose on the third day from the tomb.

John 3:3
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. (KJV)

John 3:5-7
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. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (KJV)

John 3:16-18
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. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He 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. (KJV)

John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 1:12-13
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (KJV)

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)

1 Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (KJV)

John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (KJV)

Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (KJV)

Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (KJV) "whosoever" means YOU! HE WILL SAVE YOU!

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME. (KJV)

Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (KJV)

NO ONE shall enter into heaven and dwell eternally with God in the new and holy City of Jerusalem except the SAVED-----

Revelation 21:27
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (KJV)

John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

1 John 5:9-13
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (KJV)

13. This is what God says about the "NEW BIRTH."
 
a. It is a MUST!

John 3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye MUST be born again.

John 3:3
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 3:5-6
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. 6That which is born of the flesh is FLESH; and that which is born of the Spirit is SPIRIT. One cannot SEE nor ENTER INTO God's Kingdom unless a "NEW BIRTH" takes place.

b. Jesus gives a simple illustration about the SPIRITUAL birth by using the PHYSICAL birth experience.
1.) The one that is "born" had absolutely NOTHING to do with it; it was brought about by others. It was something RECEIVED.
2.) No one can possibly SEE nor ENTER into this world without a BIRTH.
3.) There are PAIN & BLOOD that make BIRTH possible.
4.) It is a ONE TIME experience; it can NEVER take place again. This is true of BOTH the birth by flesh & by Spirit. One can NEVER be "unborn." Once born means that one has ETERNAL EXISTENCE.
5.) The one born is ALWAYS the child of the parents. This is true in all of the events of one's life, regardless of what happens in one's lifetime. NOTHING can change the fact that the child is the offspring of those parents. They gave the birth. No one can LOSE one's birth!
6.) The IDENTITY of the child comes from the Father's SEED.
7.) EVERY child born of the FLESH has a "corrupt" nature and when that child gets old enough to make choices, EACH chooses to SIN and disobey the laws that the Almighty Creator established for mankind. This is WHY one MUST have a "new birth" which comes from GOD.

John 1:12-13
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: 13Which were BORN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but OF GOD.

power = exousia {ex-oo-see'-ah} & means, the authority; right; privilege.

c. The SPIRITUAL birth is a REAL "birth." It is "from above," born of God!

James 1:18
Of his own will BEGAT he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (KJV)

d. EACH child that is "born of God," is born of His INCORRUPTIBLE Seed. The child "born of the flesh," is born of a CORRUPTED seed.

1 Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (KJV)

e. EACH birth is that of an INFANT, whether "flesh" of "Spirit." That infant is to FEED on "milk" and GROW to the point where eating "meat" is possible, with the ULTIMATE GOAL being to become MATURE, i.e. to "bring out all the possibilities" that were compacted in the infancy.

1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (KJV)

desire = epipotheo {ep-ee-poth-eh'-o} = pursue; greatly desire; greatly long for. An infant pursues the milk of the mother's breast.

sincere = adolos {ad'-ol-os} = guileless; unadulterated; unmixed; pure; real thing.

word = from the Greek, logos = God's full & complete truth.

1 Corinthians 3:2
I have fed you with MILK, and not with MEAT: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. (KJV)

f. WHEN one experiences the SPIRITUAL birth, that new nature does NOT sin. It is of "The Incorruptible SEED." (JESUS) But the "old nature, flesh" does continue to sin, so that there is a "warfare" that goes on in EACH child of God as long as that one is living on this earth. (see Romans 7)

1 John 3:5-6
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6Whosoever abideth in him SINNETH NOT: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. (KJV)

1 John 3:9-10
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (KJV)

Galatians 3:16
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Galatians 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

Galatians 3:29
And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (KJV)

g. The child of God is to bring the FLESH under the control of the Holy Spirit Who abides in the BODY of each person that is being saved. EACH one born again is to "put off" the "works of the flesh," and to "put on" the characteristics of a "new creation." The Holy Spirit will then PRODUCE in that born again person, the FRUIT of the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:22-24
That ye PUT OFF concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye PUT ON the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (KJV)

Galatians 5:16-17
[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (KJV)

Galatians 5:19-25
Now the WORKS of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the FRUIT of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

h. THE STEPS THAT BRING ONE TO SALVATION (in order):
1.) Hearing the Word of God = (The Bible-Scriptures) to hear = with understanding. This may take place by reading The Bible or from one preaching or teaching from it, or one testifying as to what it says. It is the Holy Spirit that uses The Scriptures to convict of it's truth.

Romans 10:17
So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (KJV)

John 16:8
And when he is come, HE (The Holy Spirit) will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (KJV)

John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (KJV)

2.) Receiving the FREE grace gift of salvation made possible by Jesus Christ when HE became SIN for you on the cross. HE took your SIN DEBT and paid it IN FULL as your substitute. HE did this "in your stead." Either you MUST receive this Substitute that God provided, or you must pay your own sin debt which is ETERNAL death (separation from God) in hell fire.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

Wages you work for; Gift you receive.

a.) "Receiving" this GIFT is to truly believe (in your heart = innermost part) the good news (= the gospel) hear from the Bible and ASK the Lord for this GIFT of salvation.

Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (KJV)

Romans 10:13
For whosoever (this means YOU) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (KJV)

b.) The LORD knows your heart (sincerity) and the very instant you truly call upon Him to receive this great salvation, YOU HAVE IT! You pass out of death (separation from God) INTO eternal LIFE. It is a birth! You have a new life, a new beginning. You are born of God's Incorruptible SEED.
c.) In calling upon the LORD, there is a two-fold response you need to make. You REPENT of your sins(this is toward God, The Father, because ALL sin is against God) and RECEIVE Jesus, God the Son, as you SAVIOR. HE is the only ONE that the Father provided to pay our sin debt.

Acts 20:21
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)

2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (KJV)

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new CREATION old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)

In salvation you have something you never had before, a NEW LIFE in fellowship with your Creator. You can NEVER be the same again. This NEW LIFE in Christ Jesus is forever, it will NEVER pass away.

d.) SALVATION is faith in the PERSON of Jesus Christ. (It is not in your good deeds or what you do that you think merits you favor with God).

Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (KJV)

Romans 3:12
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (KJV)

Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. (KJV)

Romans 4:3-5
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (KJV)

e.) WHEN may one be saved? NOW! TODAY! When you are convicted of the TRUTH about your being a SINNER & that Jesus took your place as a sinner, being separated from God The Father "in your stead." When you believe "with all of your heart, you may!" (Acts 8:37)

2 Corinthians 6:2
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, NOW [is] the accepted time; behold, NOW [is] the day of salvation.) (KJV)

Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (KJV)

ASK HIM TO SAVE YOU RIGHT NOW!


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