"Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee."
Believers use the term ‘saved’ quite a bit. Sometimes we get so use to the terminology that we forget that the lost person doesn’t know what we mean. Then I believe there is also the danger that a term is used by folks who do not understand the meaning. This happened with the term "born again". To understand the term, we must look at it in context. This morning I want us to consider from what a Christian is saved.
I. Saved from Sin.
A. The penalty of sin.
1. Ro. 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death..."
2. "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
1 Pet. 3:18, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
3. Christ . . . suffered for our sins.
4. He took our place on Calvary
5. He did it to reconcile us unto God.
B. Saved from the power of sin.
Rom. 6:7, "For he that is dead is freed from sin."
1. When a slave died he was freed from his master's service.
2. So when one has died to sin, he is no longer the slave of sin, and is freed from his service.
3. Sin is a problem that only Jesus can handle in our life.
a. Sin is powerful.
b. It will pull you in the wrong direction.
c. The believer is saved from the power of sin in their life.
d. Without Christ sin rules and reigns in the life of an individual.
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Ro. 3:23 e. Trusting Jesus to completely deliver us from the sin is the only answer to the sin problem.
C. One day the believer will be saved from the presence of sin!
II. Saved from the Power of Satan.
ACT 26:18, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."
A. Satan Turns People from God.
1. Satan is alive and well on planet earth.
2. He is doing everything to turn people into hell.
3. He knows that his time is short.
4. He knows that he is going to have to get to people fast.
5. He is turning people from God.
B. Paul’s commission was to turn people from the power of Satan.
1. To open eyes.
2. Turn from darkness to light.
3. To turn them unto God.
4. That they may receive forgive- ness of sins.
5. And that they may inherit eternal life.
C. That is the responsibility of believers today as well.
III. Saved from Wrath.
Note: 1 Thess. 1:9-10
A. For Christians there is a Heaven to gain.
1. See your loved ones Again.
2. See Jesus in person, face to face.
3. Walk the streets of gold.
4. Go through the gates of pearl.
5. A place where there is no more suffering, no more pain, no more heartache.
B. There is wrath to come for those who do not know Christ.
Note: the example of the rich man and Lazarus. cf Luke 16:19-31
1. This is an account of contrasts.
2. The believer will be comforted and blessed in death.
3. But the lost will spend an eternity of torment in hell separated from God!
"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 3:36)
This morning, are you saved? I mean, do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? Have you come to Christ in faith and repentance?
There is no reason for a person to go to hell. God has made a way for you to be saved today! If someone goes to hell it will be their own choice; not because God wants it to be that way. He is not willing that any should perish but that all might come to repentance.
Rev. 20:14-15 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."