Sermon
#1345 Miscellaneous
Notes
Title: WHEN IS A PERSON SAVED?
Text: Acts
Subject: The Time When God Gives
His Salvation
Date: Sunday Morning -
Tape # V-26a
Introduction:
My text this morning is Acts 11:14. In Acts 11 the
Apostle Peter explains what the Lord did for Cornelius and those people of his
household in the tenth chapter. In verse 14, he tells us how that an angel of
the Lord told Cornelius to send men to Joppa to fetch Peter to Caesarea to
preach the gospel to them, assuring him that Peter, the messenger of God, by
the preaching of the gospel, would show them the way of salvation in Christ.
Now look at how the angel of the Lord described Peter’s work, which is the work
of every man who preaches the gospel. God’s messenger to your soul is the man…
Acts
With that as our text, I want, by the power and
grace of God the Holy Spirit, to answer one question in this message. It is a
question that I am asked over and over again, as I travel around the country
preaching the gospel, a question many of you have asked me to answer. Here is
the question I want to answer in this message from the Word of God. – When
Is A Person Saved?
1. We know that Salvation
is Of The Lord. Salvation is, in its entirety, from start to
finish, the work of the triune God (Eph. 1:3-14).
2. We also know that CHrist
Alone Is Our Savior.
All the grace of God flows to believing sinners
through the merits of Christ’s shed blood and righteousness. In the matter of
salvation, Christ is all. If you have not yet learned that, you have not
learned the gospel (1 Cor.
1
Corinthians 1:30-31
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made
unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He
that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
3.
God’s saving grace, that redemption and salvation which was purchased
and obtained for God’s elect by the blood of Christ at Calvary is Effectually
Applied To and Wrought in Chosen Sinners by the Almighty, Irresistible Power and Grace of God The Holy
Spirit.
“It is the
Spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profitteth nothing. It is God the Holy Spirit
who…
·
Gives life to dead sinners.
·
Creates a new heart within.
·
Brings faith, conviction, and repentance
4. We also know, from the Word
of God, that Salvation Is Wrought in The Hearts Of
“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” In order for Cornelius and
his household to know the way of salvation, they had to have a gospel preacher
proclaim it to them. By his wise and holy design, “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe.”
The gospel we preach is “the power of God unto salvation.” It is written, “The preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is
the power of God.”
5. I will tell you something
else. Salvation is something a person experiences in his heart and soul.
We do not build our hopes upon feelings and
experiences; but a would not give you a plugged nickel
for a salvation that is not felt and experienced in the depth of a man’s soul.
Life, freedom, pardon, forgiveness, and freedom are things we feel and
experience. We do not all experience God’s grace the same way (Paul, --
Yet, even when these things are known with certainty,
this question keeps coming up. – When Is A Person Saved?
1. Some tell us that God’s
elect were saved from eternity.
There are many who teach that election is itself
salvation; but that is not so. Election is unto salvation (Eph. 1:4-6; 2 Thess.
2. Some imagine that a child is
saved when it is brought by its parents to a priest or a preacher to have a
little water sprinkled on its head.
3. Others tell us that children
are saved when they acknowledge the truth of the catechism and are confirmed in
the church as Christians.
4. In many churches, people are
taught that a person is saved when he or she makes a decision for Jesus and
professes faith in him.
A profession of faith is not the possession of
faith. A decision for Jesus is not saving faith. Saying “the sinners’ prayer”
is not calling n the name of the Lord.
5. Multitudes imagine that a
person is saved when he reforms his life and starts living right, starts living
for the Lord.
Satan is a master deceiver. His ministers transform
themselves into ministers of righteousness. If you think living a good life is
salvation, or imagine that a person is saved because he quit some bad habits,
you do not know what God’s salvation is.
·
Saul Of
·
The Pharisees
·
Judas
·
Demas
Bro. Donnie Bell once said, “Satan's master
plan is to get man religious without Christ. He would rather you be WHITEWASHED
than WASHED WHITE in the blood of the Lamb. White washing will not save! I must
be washed white in the BLOOD OF CHRIST.”
6. Many believe a person is
saved when he is baptized and joins the church.
7. Then there are some who tell
us we cannot know God’s salvation on this earth at all, that we will not be
saved until judgment day and find out who was chosen and who as not chosen.
None of those notions about salvation are true. They
are totally without foundation in the Word of God. If all these opinions are
wrong, if they are all false, what s true? WHEN
IS A PERSON SAVED? Will you listen to the Word of God? Will you hear
the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ himself? Let us say with the prophet, “Let God be true and every man a liar.” This
is what our Master said…
Matthew
Matthew 18:3 "And said, Verily I say unto
you, Except ye be converted, and become as little
children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Luke 13:5 "I tell you, Nay: but, except
ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
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
But when is a person saved? That is the question I
want to answer. I have searched the Scriptures and found seven plain answers to
that question.
I. Galatians 1:15-16 – A person
is saved When God Is Pleased To Save Him.
Galatians
1:15-16 "But when it pleased God, who separated
me from my mother's womb, and called me by
his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in
me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with
flesh and blood."
“The salvation
f the righteous is of the Lord.” If ever you are saved, you
will be saved at the time appointed by the will and pleasure of God; and you
will be saved by God graciously revealing his Son in you. Salvation does not
come by man’s decision, but by God’s revelation. It is God who chose who would
be saved. He regenerates. He calls. He gives life. He gives faith. He pardons.
He justifies. He saves. It is by his grace and power that we are born again. Has God revealed his Son in you?
·
Who he is?
·
What he has done?
·
What he did it?
·
Where he is now?
II. John 16:8-11 – A person is
saved When He is Convicted and Convinced By God the Holy Spirit of Sin,
Righteousness, and Judgment.
John 16:8-11 "And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on
me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go
to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
Holy Spirit conviction is more than legal fear, the
dread of God’s wrath, or the terror hell. Holy Spirit conviction is being
convinced by the power and Word of God of…
A. SIN.
·
My Nature
·
My Deeds
·
My Heart
·
My Unbelief
B. RIGHTEOUSNESS.
·
The Divine Nature
·
The Divine Requirement
·
The Divine Work
C. JUDGMENT.
·
Justice Satisfied
·
Judgment Finished
Have you experienced Holy Spirit conviction? Has God
the Holy Spirit convinced you of your sin, God’s righteousness, and the
judgment of sin in Christ?
III. Romans 10:9-11 – A person is
saved WHEN HE BOWS TO AND
COMES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The Bible knows nothing of a door-mat named “Jesus,”
or a fire-escape from hell called “Jesus”. This Book teaches the Lordship of
Jesus Christ. The Word of God demands that you and I bow to the authority of
the Son of God. It knows nothing of a salvation which allows a person to accept
Jesus Christ as his Savior while refusing to bow to him as his rightful,
sovereign Lord and Master.
Romans
10:9-11 "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. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on
him shall not be ashamed."
Salvation is nothing less than the bowing of my
heart to the dominion of Christ. Faith’s first, constant, and last act is
surrender to Christ. Where there is no submission to the Son of God, there is
no faith in him. Believers are people who willingly surrender themselves to…
·
His Word.
·
His Sovereignty.
·
His Righteousness.
·
His
All to Jesus I surrender.
All to Him I freely give.
Humbly at His feet I bow.
Matthew
10:37-39 "He that loveth father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And
he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose
it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
IV. 2 Corinthians 4:6 – A person
is saved When He Sees The Glory Of God In The Face Of Jesus Christ.
2
Corinthians 4:1-6 "Therefore seeing we have
this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking
in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation
of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of
God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it
is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For
we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants
for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Psalms 143:2 "Enter not into judgment with
thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified."
Job 25:4 Bildad asked, "How then can man be justified with God? or
how can he be clean that is born of a
woman?"
How can God be just and yet justify
the ungodly? How can he both forgive sin and punish it? How can he be both
merciful and true? How can justice be completely
satisfied and yet grace be freely granted? Find the answer to those questions,
and you have learned the gospel.
There is only one answer. It is found in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sin-atoning sacrifice of God’s dear Son. Here
we see both the wisdom of God and the power of God. It is in the cross of
Christ that the redemptive glory of God is revealed.
Romans
3:19-26 "Now we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 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. 21 But now the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto
all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God; 24 Being
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in
his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To
declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus."
No one is saved until he is made to see, by divine
revelation, the glory of God in saving sinners through the substitutionary
sacrifice of his Son at
Psalms
85:10-13 "Mercy and truth are met
together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and
righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the LORD shall give that
which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. 13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps."
Proverbs 16:6 "By mercy and truth iniquity
is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men
depart from evil."
How can God in justice forgive sinners and save them
by his grace? -- Substitution!
2
Corinthians
Through the sacrifice of his
dear Son as our propitiation, to make atonement for our sins, God is as just as
if he never showed mercy and as merciful as if he had no justice. He is both
just and the Justifier, or as he says in Isaiah 45, “A JUST GOD AND A SAVIOR.” “Thanks be unto God
for his unspeakable gift!”
V. Isaiah 45:22 - A person is
saved When He Savingly Looks to Christ By Faith.
Isaiah 45:22 "Look unto me, and be ye
saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am
God, and there is none
else."
John 3:14-16 "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."
This is God’s remedy for sin – LOOK! Look away to
Christ and be saved!
A. What does it mean to look?
1. To look to Christ is to
acknowledge my guilt and sin, and my need of a Savior.
2. To look to Christ is to
acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the only one who can save.
3. To look to Christ is to
trust him.
B. What must we look to Christ for?
·
Faith.
·
Life.
·
Atonement.
·
Forgiveness.
·
Righteousness.
·
Peace.
·
Acceptance With God.
·
Sanctification.
·
Assurance.
·
Perseverance.
B. When shall I look to the Son of God?
1. Look to Christ now. –“Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden
not your heart.”
2. Salvation begins in looking
to Christ.
3. Salvation continues as we
look to Christ (Heb. 12:2).
4. Salvation is consummated
looking to Christ (1 John 3:2).
Do you look to Christ? May God give you grace to
look away from yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ, --away from religious
feelings and doings to Christ, --away from religious customs and traditions to
Christ. Look to Christ and live forever.
VI. Luke
Luke
There’s never been a sinner in the history of the
world who needed grace who didn’t get grace. There has
never yet been a sinner who need salvation who was not
saved. Never yet was there a sinner who looked to Christ who was not saved by
Christ.
If you leave here today without Christ, lost, under
the wrath of God, it will be because you have no need of him, you do not want
him. It will be because, in your proud, smug self-righteousness, you have no
need of healing.
VI. Matthew
Matthew
11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Come, ye sinners, poor and
wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and
sore;
Jesus ready stands to save
you,
Full of pity joined with
power.
He is able,
He is willing, doubt no more.
Come, ye needy, come and
welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify!
True belief and true
repentance,
Every grace that brings you
nigh;
Without money, Come to Jesus
Christ and buy.
Let not conscience make you
linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream:
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you, --‘Tis
the Spirit’s rising beam.
Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and mangled by the
fall;
If you tarry ‘til you’re
better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, sinners
Jesus came to call.
Jesus Christ, the risen
Savior,
Pleads the merit of His
blood.
Venture on Him, venture
wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.
None but Jesus can do
helpless sinners good.
VII. John
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: 13 Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God."
All who trust Christ confess him, and confess him in
the way he has prescribed.
Matthew
10:32-33 "Whosoever therefore shall
confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in
heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny
me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
Application:
How can I reason with your soul? How can I persuade
you now to flee away to Christ? God help you now to fall before him and sue for
mercy. Else you will fall before the dreadful sword of his wrath forever.
Jeremiah
AMEN.
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