In our text this morning, it seems that Jesus is saying that it is nearly impossible for a rich man to get saved. It's not that Christ does not love and that He will not save rich men, but that they will not do that which is required of them to be saved. The N.T. tells us that Christ came and died for all men. No one was excluded in God's plan of salvation. Every person can be saved.
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men," (Titus 2:11)
Saving grace has been made available to all mankind. Yet all of mankind cannot and will not be saved. Why? There are perhaps many reasons why a person cannot be saved, but we want to consider just a few of them today.
I. A PERSON WHO WILL NOT BELIEVE ON CHRIST CANNOT BE SAVED
A. Paul Instructed The Jailer To Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ.
1. The jailer had an option.
a. To believe on Christ and be saved.
b. To reject Christ and be lost.
2. In either instance it was the jailers decision.
3. Christ did not overpower the man.
B. What Does "Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ' Mean?
1. It is more than believing that Christ existed.
2. It is more than believing that Christ died for our sins.
3. It is more than believing that Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
4. It is more than believing that Jesus is the Son of God.
C. A person can believe all of these and still miss heaven by 100,000 miles.
1. The devil believes all of these, yet he is not saved, neither can he be saved.
2. So what does it mean to "believe."
3. Believing that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died to make our atonement for sins...
4. But we must also trust (believe) Christ with our own personal salvation.
a. It means that we are willing to totally trust Him.
b. We must be willing to leave everything concerning salvation, forgiveness, going to heaven, in the hands of Jesus.
c. We no longer hold on to anything in the matter.
d. It is all up to Christ.
e. He will save us.
f. He will take us to heaven.
Note: If you go to the bank and open an account with 1000 dollars you exhibit two kinds of faith or belief.
(1) You believed that the bank would take care of your money.
(2) When you actually opened the account, you trusted the bank to take care of your money.
(3) Trust puts your belief into action.
D. When a person believes in Christ for salvation:
1. He is believing that Christ would save him and take him to heaven.
2. Also, he is trusting Christ to save him and take him to heaven.
3. Many people who want to get saved, they even come to Christ for salvation, yet they do not get saved.
4. Why? because they do not believe and trust.
"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." (2 Tim 1:12)
Note: If I ask you today, "Do you believe that Jesus Christ would save you?" and you answered "Yes", but did nothing about it you would not be saved! Then I see you again tomorrow and I ask you the same question, and again the next day, and the next. Sooner or later you are going to die and go to hell. Why? Because believing without trusting, or without putting that belief in action will not save you.
E. Paul believed and was persuaded. That is belief and trust.
1. For one to be saved, he must believe that Christ is able to save him and then he must actually trust Christ to save him.
2. So a person who will not believe cannot be saved.
3. I have had people say, "I just cannot believe." No, they will not believe.
II. A PERSON WHO WILL NOT REPENT CANNOT BE SAVED
"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3)
A. Repentance must be "toward God."
1. It is God who is the Law-giver.
2. It is His law that man has broken and toward Him man must exercise repentance.
3. Repentance is absolutely necessary.
4. Repentance is a N.T. teaching from front to back.
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness... (Acts 17:30-31a)
B. A person cannot be saved who won't repent.
C. There are three elements of repentance: Conviction, Contrition, and Conversion
1. Conviction.
a. Conviction means that a person comes to realize, to understand, that he is wrong in his attitude toward God and in his treatment of God's law.
b. In other wards, he sees himself a sinner before God.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Rom 3:23)
c. Without the knowledge of sin one cannot be saved.
2. Contrition.
a. Contrition means to be sorry.
b. Not sorry in that we got caught in a certain sin, but that we are sorry in the that we have sinned.
c. We must not only recognize that we have sinned against God, but there is a deep sadness in our soul because we have violated God's law.
d. To sin means to sin against God.
e. We must have a contrite heart because of our sin.
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psa 51:17)
3. Conversion.
a. Conversion means that a change takes place within the person.
b. This change will affect the life of the individual.
c. It will be visible to all who know him or her.
III. A PERSON WHO SEEKS SALVATION IN ANY SOURCE OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST CANNOT BE SAVED.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
"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." (Mat 7:21)
A. The Lord is talking about a person who is looking to two lords for salvation.
1. That is Jesus plus something else.
2. Anyone who adds anything to salvation other than Jesus cannot be saved.
3. It's not Jesus plus... Its Jesus only and only Jesus.
B. People can't be saved:
1. As long as they look to baptism to save them.
2. As long as they look to speaking in tongues.
3. As long as they look to works or religion, because works or religion cannot save a person.
C. If there is anything that I add to salvation other than faith and repentance in Jesus Christ, then I am adding to salvation and I cannot be saved.
IV. A PERSON WHO PUTS OFF UNTIL TOMORROW CANNOT BE SAVED
A. When should a person be saved?
1. God warns us not to put it off.
2. Throughout the Scripture the call to be saved is for today!
a. 2 Co. 6:2b, "... behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
b. "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (James 4:14)
c. Prov 27:1, "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
d. Heb 3:15a, "...To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts..."
B. A person who puts off until tomorrow will never see the need of being saved today.
A PERSON WHO WILL NOT BELIEVE ON CHRIST CANNOT BE SAVED...
A PERSON WHO WILL NOT REPENT CANNOT BE SAVED...
A PERSON WHO SEEKS SALVATION IN ANY SOURCE OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST CANNOT BE SAVED...
A PERSON WHO PUTS OFF UNTIL TOMORROW CANNOT BE SAVED...