Another Outline from Brian A. Yeager
Things We Should Know and Be Able to Explain (Part 3)
Salvation in Christ

Introduction:

A. Salvation came and is through Jesus Christ:
1. John 1:29
2. Galatians 1:3-4
3. I Thessalonians 5:9-10
4. I John 4:9-10; 14
B. Most people claiming to have faith in Jesus Christ will readily acknowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
1. Many times people use scriptures they do not understand.
2. This is true when denominational folk use John 14:6.
3. Many that use John 14:6 use it to teach that you must accept Christ as the only way and that alone saves you.
4. Our goal is to understand and be able to show how we obtain Salvation in Christ!
I. Understanding Grace, Faith, and Works
A. We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:5).
1. It is by grace, not our own merit or works, that we are saved:
a. Ephesians 2:8-9
b. Romans 11:5-6
2. The grace of God came through Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-24).
3. Salvation is not by grace alone, seeing that:
a. The grace of God hath appeared to all men (Titus 2:11).
b. All men will not be saved (Luke 13:23-24).
  • Matthew 20:16 “…for many be called, but few chosen.”
    • B. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
    1. Without faith one cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).
    2. A Christian will walk by faith; not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7; cf. Hebrews 11:1).
    3. One will not be saved by faith alone, but needs works as well (James 1:21-25; 2:14-26).
    C. If works are not necessary…
    1. Why will be rewarded or punished based upon them (II Corinthians 5:10)?
    2. Why did Jesus say we must DO the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21)?
    3. Is not faith, studying, worship, prayer, etc. all something we do, thus they are works?
    a. Should we stop studying (John 5:39), praying (I Thessalonians 5:17), worshiping (John 4:24), etc.?
    4. How can we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-8)?
    5. Why do we need the inspired text that equips the Christian unto every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17)?
    D. Using Noah to understand grace, faith, and works.
    1. God extended grace to Noah (Genesis 6:7-8).
    2. Noah had faith in God (Hebrews 11:7).
    3. Noah found grace, Noah had faith, but Noah still had to do something [work] (Genesis 6:14) “Make thee an ark of gopher wood…”
    4. Understanding grace, faith, and works is simple.  We did not earn grace, but we must have faith in it enough to do the things necessary to obtain it.  (i.e. Noah building the ark and doing exactly what God said.  Grace did not build the ark, faith did not build the ark, Noah built the ark.  But, using God’s plan it floated him to salvation.)
    II. God Has Provided a Plan for Man to be Saved
    A. The opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
    1. Mark 16:15-16
    2. John 6:45
    3. Romans 10:13-14
    B. The opportunity through hearing the Gospel then to believe the Gospel:
    1. I Thessalonians 2:13
    2. John 8:24
    3. John 3:16-18
    4. John 11:25-26
    C. The opportunity to repent:
    1. Mark 2:17
    2. Acts 3:19
    3. II Peter 3:9
    D. The faith and conviction to confess Christ:
    1. Acts 8:37
    2. Romans 10:10
    E. The opportunity to have one’s sins removed, be added to Christ, to have a new spiritual life, to be washed, and saved through baptism:
    1. The Baptism of Jesus please God (Matthew 3:15-17).
    2. Jesus told Nicodemus to be born of the water (John 3:1-5).
    3. The Great Commission shows the necessity of baptism (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15-16).
    4. Baptism is unto the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
    5. Water Baptism is done by immersion (Acts 8:38 and Romans 6:1-6).
    6. Baptism will wash away sins (Acts 22:16).
    7. Baptism is a spiritual death and resurrection (Colossians 2:12).
    8. There is one baptism (Ephesians 4:5).
    9. It is water baptism that saves (I Peter 3:20-21).
    10. Baptism clothes you in Christ (Galatians 3:27).
    F. All of these steps are illustrated through examples (Acts 2:37-41, Acts 8:4-13, Acts 8:26-39, Acts 9:1-20, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 16:13-15, Acts 16:25-34, Acts 18:8, and Acts 19:1-7).
    G. God has provided the opportunity for one who has been saved to remain faithful as a Christian must (Revelation 2:10), through the all-sufficient word (II Peter 1:3; Matthew 28:18; and II Peter 3:18).


    III. Knowing That the Saved Make Up the Church of Christ

    A. Upon conversion a person is added to the church of Christ:
    1. Acts 2:47
    2. I Corinthians 12:12-13
    B. The Bible is clear that there is only one church that the saved can and must be a part of:
    1. Jesus built His church [singular] (Matthew 16:18).
    2. The church / kingdom was established on Pentecost (the last days in which power was brought by the H.S.) long before the man-made denominations we see today came to exist (Isaiah 2:2-3, Daniel 2:35-45, Mark 9:1, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4, and Acts 2:16-17).
    3. Jesus is the head of only one body, the only body (Ephesians 4:4), His body the church:
    a. Ephesians 1:22-23
    b. Colossians 1:18
    C. They try to make Jesus the vine and denominations the branches:
    1. Jesus is the vine and we [His disciples] are the branches (John 15:5).
    a. Denominationalism has to make Jesus the vine, denominations the branches, and members of those denominations the leaves or something else that would extend from the branch.
    b. That is conflict with what Jesus said.
    c. The church is made up of many members, not many denominations (Romans 12:4-5).
    2. Paul showed that division and the wearing of other names is sinful (I Corinthians 1:10-13), and those elements are what forms a denomination.
    D. Notice some problems denominations have to see with their practice Paul’s description of the church to the church at Ephesus with the illustration of marriage:
    1. Paul says the husband is head of the wife and shows the relationship of Christ to the church in the same way (Ephesians 5:23).
    a. There can only be one man married to one woman (Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:31).
    b. There is only one Christ.
    c. Therefore, using Paul’s illustration, denominationalism tries to make Christ a polygamist.
    2. The same problem occurs throughout Paul’s description of the church in this context.
    a. How many wives can be submissive (Ephesians 5:22; 24).
    b. How many wives can a man love (Ephesians 5:25), if there is more than one church Paul’s illustration carries inconsistent implications.
    3. The simple truth is that Jesus gave Himself for one church (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25), loves one church, established one church, and will save on church (Ephesians 5:23)!!!


    Conclusion:

    A. Many people are confused on what they need to do to be saved.
    1. Since it is the work of Christians teach the lost, and be ready to give an answer (I Peter 3:15), lessons such as this are needed.
    2. Saving souls was the reason for Christ (Luke 19:10) and it should be our primary work.
    B. It is most important to understand the truth.
    1. Truth sets one free from the bondage of sin (John 8:32).
    2. We obey doctrine (Romans 6:17).
    3. Therefore, it is necessary for us to learn enough truth to effectively communicate it to others.
    4. We need to commit these things to memory so that we can meditate upon them daily (Psalms 1:1-2).


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    2003 by Brian A. Yeager may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.