The Truth About Salvation

Great job, Brian, and a great song.

You know, that is our testimony as Christians, isn't it?

I mean, I know it's mine.

I am in so, just every day in great need of God's grace,

His undeserved favor.

I love that.

In 2013, Billy Graham concluded his long public ministries of 60 plus years

at his 95th birthday party.

He was unable to preach.

There was a video made instead that was distributed nationwide.

But that night, he was able to give what I think is one of the best final statements

that any Christian leader could give when he said this,

with all my heart, I want to leave you with truth.

When I read that in the Greenville News the next day,

I thought that's how I would like to conclude my ministry one day.

Well, here it is almost eight years later, and that day has come.

I am concluding 25 years as your pastor next Sunday.

As I've said three weeks ago,

that is the theme for my final messages here as your pastor.

We looked at the first week the truth about the Bible,

then the truth about the church,

and last week the truth about today's key cultural issues.

Today I want us to look at the truth about salvation,

which will also prepare us to observe the Lord's Supper together.

You know, whenever we come to a worship service like this,

and you walk in the room,

if you are a Christian,

if you're familiar with what is on this table here,

when you come in and you see these elements,

the thought ought to come to your mind,

that represents what Jesus did for me on the cross.

He died.

He paid the penalty for my sins.

To put it another way,

the Lord's Supper should cause us to think about the gospel,

the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.

One of the clearest expressions of the gospel found in the New Testament

is 1 Corinthians chapter 15,

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

and I want you to turn with me this morning and look at it.

1 Corinthians 15.

That's the great chapter on the resurrection of Jesus.

Paul was dealing with a problem in the church,

false teachers,

some believing that some false teachers teaching the resurrection didn't really happen,

denying its reality.

And so Paul introduces the resurrection by talking about how it took place

in the context of explaining the gospel,

trying to set the record straight.

The resurrection is the key part of the Christian faith.

Without the resurrection, there is no Christianity.

There is no salvation.

Let's read it together.

1 Corinthians 15, beginning in verse 1.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you,

which you received, in which you stand,

and by which you are being saved,

if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,

unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received,

that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,

that he was buried,

and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,

and that he appeared to Cephas,

that's Peter,

then to the twelve,

then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time,

most of whom are still alive,

though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James,

then to all the apostles,

last of all,

as to one untimely born,

he appeared also to me.

Now, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel,

that he had preached to them,

that he explains in basically three statements in verses three and four.

I want you to look at them with me as we prepare the way for looking at the aspects of salvation.

First,

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures.

The first statement of the gospel,

Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures.

Look at that first phrase,

Christ died for our sins,

points out that Jesus died in our place

to pay the penalty for our sins.

Jesus was sinless.

He lived a perfect life.

But he came into this world to go to the cross and become our substitute,

to take our sins upon himself,

to suffer the penalty,

the punishment,

the wrath of God that we deserve.

Christ died for our sins.

It says,

in accordance with the scriptures.

That means the Lord's death was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophetic scriptures.

This was always God's plan,

and he had revealed it much in advance.

One of the best statements in the Old Testament,

describing the death of Christ for our sins,

is in Isaiah 53.

I'd encourage you to read that later on.

Second statement he makes about the gospel,

that he was buried.

Now that emphasizes that Jesus really did die.

That was important in what he was trying to tell or convince the Corinthians of,

refuting those who denied the reality of the resurrection.

Jesus was buried.

He died.

He was placed in a tomb.

But three days later,

that tomb became forever known as the empty tomb,

because he arose.

Third statement,

that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.

The gospel is good news,

because Jesus was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.

If Jesus did not arose from the grave,

he would have just been another Jew executed by Romans.

The gospel message,

certainly the centrality of the cross,

what Jesus has done for us through his death on our behalf,

is vital.

But it would not be,

if Jesus was not who he said he was,

the Son of God.

If he had not done what he said he would do,

rise from the grave.

And Paul is just emphasizing,

this is true.

Now, if you go on and read verses 5 through 8,

that's the most detailed list in the New Testament,

of who the resurrected Lord appeared to.

All those people.

Now, let's look back at how the Corinthians responded to this gospel,

in verses 1 and 2.

That's where we're going to look at the truth about salvation.

Look at this again.

Now, I would remind you, brothers,

of the gospel I preached to you,

which you received,

in which you stand,

and by which you are being saved,

if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,

unless you believed in vain.

Let's look first at the truth about salvation

is that it is more than a transaction.

Salvation is not a deal that you do.

Salvation does not involve checking a box

of something that you have believed.

Based on nearly 40 years of pastoral ministry,

and by the way, I started when I was 10.

But based on 40 years of pastoral ministry,

excuse me,

I think many, if not most,

church members across this country

don't fully understand the truth about salvation

or the full meaning of the gospel.

Now, I'm hoping you do.

I'm trusting that you do.

But there are many church members

in this county,

in this state,

in this country.

They don't really understand the truth

about what salvation involves.

They don't understand the real meaning of the gospel.

Now,

some Christians,

many church members,

think of the gospel simply as good news that,

quote,

Jesus died on the cross

to pay the penalty for our sins

to save us from hell.

And some would probably add

and to take us to heaven when we die.

There's a problem of thinking just only that.

That's not an incorrect statement.

But the problem of thinking of the gospel

only like that

is that it makes salvation more of that transaction.

I believe it's over and done with,

deals done,

go on your merry way.

Let me ask you a question.

There can be two questions on the board.

If you are a Christian,

which best describes the way that you,

right now,

think about,

understand salvation?

Now,

don't,

as you look at this,

don't think about the words,

have I ever said this?

Think about what is being said there.

Is that how you think?

Is that what you believe about salvation?

First,

look at this.

Does this describe you?

I believe that Jesus died on the cross

to pay the penalty for my sins.

Therefore,

I am now saved.

Everything is settled.

That's all I need to be concerned about.

I move on with life.

Or,

is this next statement

more along the line of how you think and believe?

I believe that Jesus died on the cross

to pay the penalty for my sins.

I also believe that He arose from the grave

and I am following Him right now

as my Savior and Lord.

Jesus died to save me from sin and death

and to enable me to have a relationship with Him

and God as my Heavenly Father

now and forever.

You see the difference?

That first statement

is more like that transaction.

You jump through the hoops, so to speak.

You've got a profession of faith.

In some churches, you walk down an aisle.

In some churches, you get baptized.

It's a done deal.

I go on with my life.

Or,

do you think of salvation in terms of,

yes, you put your faith and trust in Jesus,

but He is the living Lord Jesus Christ.

And you love Him and serve Him

and seek to follow Him.

And in this way,

you think of salvation more in terms,

not a transaction,

but a relationship

that begins when you trust Jesus,

but it continues throughout your life.

The second statement,

I hope,

is what you think,

how you believe.

Now, let's move on

and look at what Paul actually says

about this salvation.

Number two,

the truth about salvation

is that it involves

an ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ.

This is the fact.

This is the truth.

These verses describe salvation

as a past,

present,

and future experience.

Look at it quickly.

Salvation is a past experience.

He says,

now I would remind you,

brothers,

of the gospel I preached to you,

which you received.

Paul uses that word

in terms of

which you believed.

You embraced

the good news

that Jesus had died

for your sins.

He's talking about people

who truly did

trust Jesus

as their Lord and Savior.

He's talking about people

who initially

when a person

initially believes

the gospel.

If you have received

the gospel this way,

if you are truly

trusting Jesus,

then you can say

with confidence,

I have been saved.

The New Testament word

for that is justification.

Justification means

when you put your faith

and trust in Jesus,

God looks at you

and declares you

by virtue of your faith

in Jesus,

your union with Jesus,

God declares you

righteous

or right with Him.

It's a declaration

God makes

right then and there

because of what Jesus

has done

and you trust Him,

you are declared

right with Him.

The Bible makes this clear

in many places.

Here's a good example.

Paul wrote,

therefore,

since we have been

justified by faith,

declared right with God

by faith,

we have peace with God.

We're no more enemies.

We're no more strangers.

We have a relationship.

We have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When you trusted Christ

for your salvation,

I want you to think,

God declared you

at that moment

not guilty

of all your sins.

When you put your faith

and trust in Jesus

for your salvation,

at that moment,

God forgave you.

He wiped the slate clean.

He gave you

a fresh start.

You think,

how could God do that

when I,

I've still done those things.

They're still on my record.

Well,

I want you to think

of it this way.

When you put your trust

in Jesus,

you became one

with Him in faith.

Paul likes to talk about,

if we're Christians,

we are in Christ.

We are united to Jesus.

We are one with Him

through faith in Him.

Now,

when that happens,

we become one

with Christ through faith.

From that point on,

when God looks at you,

He doesn't just see you,

He sees you united to Jesus.

And what that means is,

He sees you united to Jesus,

and He sees that Jesus

lived a perfect,

sinless life,

and so the Lord's righteousness

is credited to you.

When He looks at you,

you're united to Jesus,

He sees Jesus paid the penalty

for His sins.

You're forgiven.

It's all because of your union

with Jesus.

You're united to Him.

You are one with Him.

Here's a way to think about it.

Suppose you have a daughter

who marries a man

that you consider

unworthy of her.

Some of you are saying,

I do.

Some of you are saying

it's the man,

but I'm not going to use it.

I've got boys.

I've got two daughters-in-law

sitting here right now.

And I don't want to use it

to talk about man

that other way

because I don't want them

to think

that I just accept them

only because

of who they married.

See,

I've got wonderful,

loving,

sweet,

kind daughters-in-law.

And I say all that

to lay the groundwork

for them to take care of me

when I'm old.

You know?

But let's use

the way I said it.

Suppose you have a daughter

who marries a man

that you consider

unworthy of her.

Even though

he is unworthy,

you know him.

You don't like him.

You would never

have chosen him

to be your son-in-law.

But you receive him

into your family

because of your daughter.

He's married to her.

And because he's married to her,

you start looking at him,

not that unworthy guy

I don't like,

you start looking at him

as your daughter's husband.

Here's a little

parenthetical statement.

That's a smart thing to do.

Whoever your son

or daughter married,

it wasn't your choice.

You gotta live with it.

Why not make the best of it

and just embrace them

because they're married

to your son or daughter.

Love them like they are.

It'll make life

a whole lot better

in your family,

in your family gatherings.

But going back to the point,

you start looking at this guy

you consider unworthy

as your daughter's husband.

Your focus then

becomes on your daughter.

The guy is not accepted

because of who he is

or what he's done.

He's still not worthy.

He is accepted

because he is united

to your daughter.

She makes him worthy.

As Christians,

we're not worthy

to be called children of God.

But we are accepted

as God's children.

We are right with God.

Not because of who we are

or what we've done,

but because of who Jesus is

and what he's done.

And by trusting him,

we're one with him.

That makes us acceptable to God.

But this is just a part of salvation.

Here's what I want you to understand.

What we're looking at now,

this is the first part

of the salvation experience.

Number two,

salvation is a continuing experience.

Look back in the verse one.

Now I would remind you,

brothers,

of the gospel I preached to you,

which you received,

in which you stand.

Talking about where they are now.

This is a description of the way

Christians continue

to believe the gospel.

A true Christian continues.

They stand firm

in their trust of Jesus

as their Savior

and the Lord of their life.

You know,

if you've received the gospel,

you truly have trusted Jesus.

And you're standing firm

in that belief,

that commitment

to Jesus right now.

You can say,

I am in the process

of being saved.

I mean,

the process of being saved

from the power of sin

so that I can

become more like Jesus,

my Savior.

The New Testament

uses the word

sanctification

to describe

this process

as we are growing

in our salvation.

Sanctification

is a lifelong process

in which God works in us

to make us

more like Jesus.

You know,

I hope

I hope you can

illustrate that

for yourself

with at least

two verses of Scripture

that we have looked at

many, many times

over the last 25 years.

I want to look at them

one more time.

Romans 8, 29.

Here's what God's doing

in every person

He has saved.

For those

whom He foreknew,

He also predestined

to be conformed

to the image

of His Son.

In order that He might

be the firstborn

among many brothers.

Salvation

is the work of God.

God chooses us.

God regenerates us.

God puts His Spirit

within us.

God gives us

the ability

to see our sin,

repent of our sin,

trust Jesus

as our Lord and Savior.

Well, when God

begins this work,

He's going to

never give up on us,

but work in all kinds

of situations

in our lives

to shaping

and molding

our character,

making us

more and more

like Jesus.

Here's another example

and hope it is even

more near and dear

to you.

Philippians 2.

Therefore,

my beloved,

Paul's writing to a church,

as you have always

obeyed,

so now,

not only as in my presence,

but much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation

with fear and trembling,

for it is God

who works in you

both to will

and to work

for His good pleasure.

Every person

who is truly a Christian,

the Spirit of God

works in them,

and the Spirit of God

gives us the desire

to please God.

The Spirit of God

works in us

to give us the ability

to please God.

If you're a Christian,

let me say it this way,

if you are a Christian,

then you know all this.

If you're a Christian,

you know from experience

that God has been working

in your life

through His indwelling Spirit

since the day you were saved.

You know what it's like

to have this heartfelt desire

to overcome sinful habits

and to develop

Christ-like character.

If you're a Christian,

you know from experience

because God's been working

in you,

you know what it's like

to resist temptation.

None of us do it

all the time, do we?

But if you're a Christian,

the Spirit of God

living within you,

He has been working in you

and you have seen

some good results

in being able to say no

to some sinful habits,

resist temptation,

and actually overcome

some things.

And you can see

in your life now

far from perfect,

but evidences

of Christian fruit,

character of Jesus

type qualities like

love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness,

and self-control.

I've said on many occasions,

like the Chuck Swindoll book title,

in this process of growing,

sometimes we make

three steps forward

and then two steps back.

But three steps forward

and two steps back

is progress.

That's what I want us

to see here.

All of us have a long way

to go in becoming

more like Jesus.

But if we're truly Christians

and have been

for any length of time,

we should be able

to see signs

signs of progress.

Not perfection,

but signs of progress.

Salvation is a lifelong process.

It will continue

until the Lord calls us

home to heaven.

But on that day,

it will be complete.

Look at this,

one more.

Salvation is a future experience.

Now we're going to go

into verse two.

Now I would remind you,

brothers,

of the gospel I preached to you,

which you received,

which you stand,

and by which you are being saved.

This last phrase

underlined there

describes salvation

as an ongoing process.

Now since it will not

be complete

in this life,

it won't be complete

until we meet the Lord

after death

or at His coming.

It points to the future

of when our salvation

will be complete.

Now the New Testament word

that describes

our salvation being complete

after life in this world

is the word glorification.

That's the final step

in the process of salvation.

It will take place

not in this life,

but when we see Jesus,

however that happens.

When that happens,

we will be set free

from all the sinful desires

of our sinful nature.

We'll be set free

from all the temptations

of the world

and the devil himself.

You know,

there's a lot we don't know

about what's going to be like

because we don't know anybody

that has arrived

to that point yet.

You've got to be dead

in terms of this life

and this world

to experience glorification.

So we don't know anybody.

We don't know a soul

except Jesus,

what it will be like.

But John, the apostle,

he lets us know

looking at Jesus is enough.

Look at what he says

about what things

are going to be like one day.

Beloved,

we are God's children now

and what we will be

has not yet appeared,

but we know

that when he appears,

we shall be like him

because we shall see him

as he is.

This passage we're looking at

this morning

helps us see the truth

about salvation.

As we now prepare ourselves

to observe the Lord's Supper,

understand that

if you are truly a Christian,

you should think

of the salvation

that Jesus secured

through his death

and resurrection

like this.

Think like this.

My salvation began

at a moment in time

when God called me

to turn from my sin

and put my trust

in Jesus

as Savior and Lord.

Therefore,

I can say right now,

I have been saved.

But that's not enough.

That's not the whole gospel.

That's not the full truth

about salvation.

That's just the beginning.

If you're a Christian,

you should be able

to say right now,

my salvation has continued

ever since my conversion.

God has been working

within me.

Enabling me

to continue to believe,

to love him more and more,

to want to obey,

put forth the effort

to obey.

If you're a Christian,

your testimony

would be right now,

while I am,

I've got a long way to go

to truly be like Jesus.

By God's grace,

I can see progress.

Therefore,

if you're a Christian,

you can say right now,

I am actually being saved.

I'm in the process

of being saved.

And then one more.

If you're a Christian,

you should be able

to say right now,

my salvation

will be complete

when God calls me home.

I won't be,

I won't have any more problems

with temptation and sin.

Then I'll be like Jesus.

I will be fully mature

as a Christian.

And at that point,

I will be able to say,

I am saved.

But until then,

we say,

I will be saved.

Final thought.

Paul makes it clear

that saving faith

is continuing faith

in verse two.

Look at this.

And by which you're being saved,

if you hold fast

to the word I preach to you,

unless you believed in vain.

I've said this many times

and we're closing with this.

Saving faith continues.

When God begins a work,

he's going to bring it on

to completion,

Philippians 1, 6 tells us.

So I want you to understand,

look at that verse.

By which you are being saved,

if you demonstrate

that you still believe,

that you still love the Lord,

that you still are seeking

to follow the Lord.

Only God can do

that kind of work in us

to cause that to be true.

Only God gives us

the desire and ability

for that to be true.

But if you're a Christian,

that will be true.

I want us to spend

the next few minutes

examining ourselves,

thinking about what the Lord

has said to us

through this message,

and prepare to observe

the Lord's Supper.

Would you pray with me now?

Father,

please work right now

in the lives

of every person

in this room

to show them

where they stand

before you.

Father,

I pray that every

true Christian,

you will give them

assurance.

Help them to understand,

dear God,

that salvation

is your gift

through faith in Jesus.

but Lord,

help them to see

that saving faith

is continuing faith.

And I pray, dear God,

that you will

dispel the lie

if anyone believes

it this morning

that simply because

they mouthed words

of confessing Jesus

or walked an aisle

in a church

and were baptized,

and they think of that

as their salvation,

a transaction,

a done deal.

Help them to see,

that's wrong,

that's a lie of the devil,

that's deception.

Help all of us

to understand,

dear God,

that when you save,

you never leave us alone.

Help us to see,

dear God,

that even times

when we fall away,

you bring us back.

You make our lives

miserable

until we confess our sin

and come back to you.

So, dear God,

drive home the point

in everyone's life

this morning,

the truth about salvation.

There is a beginning,

but it continues.

Don't let anyone

leave here today

thinking

that a mere profession

of faith

with no evidence

of a changed life,

no desire and ability

to please you.

Don't let them think.

That's what

biblical salvation is.

Help us,

Lord,

also now

to prepare ourselves

through confession,

through commitment,

through whatever

needs to be done.

We might observe

the Lord's Supper

in a way

that would honor you,

that would be

meaningful to us.

and just,

let's all now

just an attitude of prayer.

Heads bowed,

eyes closed.

Listen to the Lord,

respond to Him,

and prepare for the Lord's Supper.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.