With all the babble, confusion, and religious nonsense there is in this world, – in this age when the house of God seems to lie in a heap of ruins, – in this day of obvious divine judgment – in this day in which we and our fathers have been kindling the wrath of God for generations, burning incense to other gods, I wonder if it might not be wise for us to go through all the ruins of God's house, like Hilkiah the high priest during the days of Josiah, and search for the Book of God. Like that faithful man, pick it up, dust it off, and read it. Then, after reading it, like that godly young king, we would be wise to inquire of the Lord concerning the words of this Book.
I think it would be both wise and profitable for us to lay aside our church creeds, catechisms, and confessions of faith, all of them! Lay aside our theology books, religious papers, religious traditions, customs, and even the opinions of great men of the past. How I wish we could do that! How I wish I could get men and women to simply hear what God says in his Word about his salvation!
Let's try to forget, for just a little while, to forget what Calvinism says about salvation, what Arminianism says about salvation, and what Catholicism says about salvation. I want us to try to find out what God says salvation is.
Can we do that? Can you lay aside everything you have ever thought, heard, and learned about salvation from all other sources, and look with me into the Word of God to see what God has to say about this thing called salvation?
Let's begin in Ephesians 2:8-9. At the very outset I want you to see that everywhere salvation is spoken of in Holy Scripture, everywhere it is illustrated, everywhere it is explained, it is presented to us just as it is right here in Ephesians 2:8-9.
(Ephesians 2:8-9) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Here God the Holy Spirit tells us four things about God's salvation. These four things are always characteristic of God's saving operations. Wherever salvation is found, wherever salvation is experienced, these four things are both obvious and gladly acknowledged.
Be sure you hear what I am preaching to you. We are saved without works! Our relationship with God certainly determines what we do; but what we do, either good or bad, has absolutely nothing to do with our relationship with God.
Proposition: This is the doctrine of Holy Scripture – Salvation is the work of God alone, a gracious work of God wrought for and in chosen sinners, without their aid or assistance, through the mediatorial work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the gracious, irresistible operations of the Holy Spirit.
Divisions: I want us to look at seven passages of Holy Scripture that we may see GOD'S DESCRIPTION OF SALVATION. Here are seven Bible descriptions of salvation. It is not my purpose in this message to expound these various texts of Scripture in their context. I simply want to use them to show you how God himself has described his great work of salvation in his Word. Salvation, as God describes it, is called…
The very first time the word "salvation" is used in the Word of God, it was used by Jacob in his prophetic words to his sons regarding the twelve tribes of Israel in Genesis 49:18.
(Genesis 49:18) I have waited for THY SALVATION, O LORD.
If I had nothing else to go on but the law of first mention, this is enough to teach us that whatever the Bible teaches about salvation, it is talking about something that is the particular property and prerogative of God alone. "Salvation is of the LORD!" And "salvation is the LORD'S".
(Exodus 12:13) And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
(2 Chronicles 20:15) And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
(2 Chronicles 20:17) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
(Isaiah 41:10-11) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. {11} Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
(Isaiah 41:13-14) For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. {14} Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Salvation is God's work alone, God's possession alone, and God's prerogative alone. He gives it to whom he will. Tom Skinner, who has become a very popular heretic, said, "Since salvation is essentially the work of God alone, everything must depend upon man's willingness to allow God to save him". That is not the language of the Bible.
(John 1:11-12) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. {12} 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:
(Romans 9:16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
Whenever we think of salvation, we ought to remember these two words – "Thy Salvation". "Salvation is the Lord's" It belongs to him, comes from him, and goes back to him.
(Hebrews 5:9) And being made perfect, he became the author of ETERNAL SALVATION unto all them that obey him;
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the author of an "Eternal Salvation". Listen carefully. Though it was purchased at Calvary by the precious blood of Christ, though it is wrought in the hearts of chosen sinners by God the Holy Spirit at the appointed time of love in regeneration, salvation is an eternal work of God. It was devised and secured, predestinated and purposed, and, in the mind of God, it was performed, finished, and perfect in the covenant of grace before the world began. Read your Bible and you will see that this is so. I am not talking to you about what Calvinism says, or even what logic necessitates. I am talking to you about what the Book of God states, and states as plainly as it does, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth".
(Ephesians 1:3-6) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: {4} According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: {5} Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, {6} To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
(2 Timothy 1:9-10) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, {10} But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Our salvation in time is neither more nor less than the outworking of our "eternal salvation" in Christ.
III. "THE COMMON SALVATION" – (Jude 1-3)(Jude 1:1-3) Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: {2} Mercy unto you, and peace and love, be multiplied. {3} Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of THE COMMON SALVATION, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Certainly, Jude does not mean for us to think of God's salvation as something that is ordinary and cheap. Not on your life! But he does mean for us to understand that salvation is the same wherever it is found. It is the same in the experience of all who are saved. Every true child of God has experienced and possesses the same common salvation. All are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
A. We do not all experience grace the same way. 1. Paul's experience was not the same as Lydia's.(Mark 8:22-25) And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. {23} And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. {24} And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. {25} After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
(Mark 10:51-52) And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. {52} And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
The experience of grace is not always the same. Our needs are the same. The grace is the same. The results are the same. But the experience of grace varies greatly.
B. Still, all who are saved possess and enjoy "the common salvation".(Philippians 2:12) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out YOUR OWN SALVATION with fear and trembling.
I like that! If you are saved, the salvation you have is "your own salvation". God devised it for you. Christ purchased it for you. The Holy Spirit brought it to you and wrought it in you. It is yours forever! If you trust the Lord Jesus Christ, all that is included in that word "salvation" is your personal property and possession forever! It belongs to you by the gift of the grace of God! A. Here is an admonition. – Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
That does not mean, "Work that you might be saved". It means, "Work outwardly what God has worked inwardly."
(Philippians 2:1-5) If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, {2} Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. {3} Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. {4} Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. {5} Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
(Matthew 5:16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
(Titus 3:8) This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
(Titus 3:14) And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
B. Here is an assurance. – "For it is God which worketh in you both to will(to desire) and to do of his good pleasure!"(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. {24} Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
If you are saved, the salvation God has wrought in you is "your salvation". V. "SO GREAT SALVATION" – (Heb. 2:3)(Hebrews 2:3) How shall we escape, if we neglect SO GREAT SALVATION; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?
That is a good description of salvation – "So Great Salvation!"
A. It comes from the great God.Yes, indeed, God's salvation is "so great salvation". No words can adequately describe it!
VI. "EVERLASTING SALVATION" – (Isa. 45:17)(Isaiah 45:17) But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an EVERLASTING SALVATION: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Salvation is eternal both ways. It is from everlasting and to everlasting. If salvation is God's work, it is an everlasting work (Eccl. 3:14).
Sinners saved by grace shall never perish. We are saved beyond the reach of condemnation, or even danger!
(Revelation 7:9-12) After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; {10} And cried with a loud voice, saying, SALVATION TO OUR GOD which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. {11} And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, {12} Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Application:With this great salvation, we have the promise, "Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end"
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