Salvation: What Does It Mean To Be “Saved?”

Hello Friends!

 

What does it mean to be“saved?” And what must a person do to be saved? We here at Encouraging Concepts commend you for taking the time to seek answers to these eternally important and impactful questions. If you have struggled with similar questions, please read through all of the following Scripture references and consider them very seriously. What you believe about these precious Words of God will affect your life – forever…

 

Salvation: What Does It Mean To Be “Saved?”

 

The need for salvation is literally “for all the earth.” Looking around us, at the many wars, diseases, poverty and miseries that afflict both man and beast, it is not hard to imagine why salvation is necessary. In the Old Testament, God says to all the earth:

 

Look unto me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else – Isaiah 45:22

 

The Bible teaches in Romans 8:22 that we live in a fallen world, and that the whole of creation “groans and travails” awaiting a time of redemption. Since the beginning of the creation, God has promised “by the mouth of all His holy prophets” a time of the restoration of all things to a perfect order as spoken in Acts 3:2.

 

But the Scriptures also take on a very personal note, revealing that each individual is also in need of salvation:

 

Have mercy upon me, O Lord… deliver my soul: oh, save me for thy mercies’ sake – Psalm 6:2 & 4

 

Above all else, the Bible assures every man that those who in sincerity and truth, cry out to God, shall be heard:

 

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles – Psalm 34:6

 

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved – Romans 10:13

 

The next logical question is: Who is the Lord? There are so many religions that are taught in society today; and as America teaches “tolerance”for all faiths, it is commonly given out that there are many paths to God. How can a person know which of these to trust? Are they all trustworthy? As one pastor puts it, if you dial any phone number will the same person answer?

 

In contrast to the many-paths theology, we find the words of Jesus Christ in the New Testament:

 

I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? – John 11:25-26

 

The above verse contains, in our opinion, the most important question facing any person. Do you believe in Jesus? Do you have faith that He is the Son of God? Do you believe the things the Bible says about Him? Do you know that He died for your sins; and that God has raised Him from the dead; so that if you believe in Him you will not be condemned for your sins but will be passed from death unto life? If you do not believe these things, then you have much to be concerned about, for Jesus also said:

 

…he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God – John 3:18

 

Perhaps you are full of doubts and questions. Why Jesus? Why not Buddha, or Mohamed? Aren’t they all basically the same? This is a popular teaching, and because of it, many people who want to know the truth are confused. But what does the Bible say? Do the Scriptures teach that there are many ways to God? On the contrary! In fact, Jesus said:

 

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me – John 14:6

 

Some have argued that figures such as Buddha, Krishna or Zoroaster pre-date Christ and therefore should be equally accepted. But Jesus directly addressed the idea of other “Messiahs” or would-be saviors that had come before Him:

 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…– John 10:7-9

 

In society today, most people seem to hold the view that there are many paths to God, and that each of the world’s religions is simply “another way” to get there. Jesus confronted this issue when He said:

 

...He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber – John 10:1

 

Jesus warned that the path most people will take actually leads to destruction:

 

Enter in at the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in that way; because narrow is the gate, and hard is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it – Matthew 7:13-14

 

Jesus also gave us the true definition of how to attain life eternal. Even in the world, there is the saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you knowthat counts.” This is definitely the case when it comes to salvation. Jesus said:

 

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent – John 17:3

 

After He taught these things, Jesus was crucified on Calvary. His life and death were actually the fulfillment of prophecies which God had given long before. As people are reminded every Christmas, the birth of Christ was foretold by the prophet Isaiah who set down this prophecy in the 8th century BC – 800 years before the birth of Jesus Christ:

 

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel – Isaiah 7:14

 

Some people wonder why Jesus wasn't named "Immanuel," but this is because the name describes His character, which is explained in the Gospel of Matthew:

 

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is God with us – Matthew 1:22-2

 

"God with us" describes exactly who Jesus is, and what He represents. The Bible states in 1 Timothy 3:16 that Jesus is "God... manifest in the flesh" and the beginning of the Gospel of John tells us:

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was Go... All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made... And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...– John 1:1,3 & 14

 

Now, some have wondered if Jesus Himself ever claimed to be the Messiah. The answer is a resounding "YES." While many Scriptures could be referenced, the clearest comes from the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus was on trial before His death:

 

...the high priest asked him and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am... – Mark 14:61-62

 

Meanwhile, the prophet Daniel wrote in the Old Testament – 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ – about the death of the Messiah, saying:

 

And after… shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself… – Daniel 9:26

 

The phrase “cut off” in the Old Testament was used to indicate capital punishment, or a death sentence of some sort. Daniel writes that Messiah would be cut off …but not for himself. In fact, He died for the sins of the world. He took the punishment that we deserve for our sins upon Himself. The prophet Isaiah – 800 years before the birth of Jesus Christ – also wrote of the sufferings of Christ, saying:

 

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all – Isaiah 53:4-6

 

In another passage, God foretells through the prophet Isaiah of how the Messiah would be crucified among thieves:

 

…he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors – Isaiah 53:12

 

In the Psalms, King David prophesied of the Messiah and how men would pierce His hands and feet, and part (divide) His garments by lots:

 

…the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet… They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture – Psalm 22:16,18

 

And when Jesus cried out from the cross at His crucifixion, He was actually quoting from Psalm 22:

 

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou who inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee; they trusted, and thou didst deliver them – Psalm 22:1-5

 

Reading the above Psalm, one might wonder why Jesus suffered so much, and how He could have felt so far removed from God the Father. There are a number of clues as to why. The Bible teaches in Hebrews 5:10 that Jesus is the great High Priest of our faith as believers and that He suffered so that he might help us in our trials:

 

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to help them that are tempted – Hebrews 2:18

 

For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points, tempted like as we are, yet without sin – Hebrews 4:15

 

The concept of the “suffering Messiah” was known centuries before among the Jews, because He is so clearly defined in the writings of the prophets. Consider these other Scriptures that foretell, centuries beforehand, what Jesus would endure for your sake:

 

He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not – Isaiah 53:3

 

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth… For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken – Isaiah 53:7-8

 

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin… by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities – Isaiah 53:10 & 11

 

The fact that these scriptures were written centuries before the birth of Christ, is God's assurance to mankind that the Gospel comes from Him. This is why in the New Testament, we read that:

 

…those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled – Acts 3:18

 

And again we read in 1 Corinthians 15:3 that, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” … Three days after He was crucified, Jesus was raised up from the dead to demonstrate the promise of God toward those who put faith in His Son. This is why the scriptures tell us in Acts 17:31 that God "has given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him [Jesus] from the dead." Once He was raised, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said to them:

 

These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me... Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission [forgiveness] of sins should be preached in his name among all nations... – Luke 24:44, 46-47

 

InMatthew 28:19-20 Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go ... and teach all nations ... to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you ..."As such, the apostles were careful to teach not only the forgiveness of God, but also that salvation comes through Jesus alone. When the apostles were questioned about healing a certain lame man, the Jewish leaders asked them, “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” The apostle Peter answered them, saying:

 

Be it known unto you all… that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole… Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved – Acts 4:7-8,10 & 12

 

 

Like Jesus and Peter, the apostle Paul taught that the only communication men can have with God comes through His Son, Jesus Christ:

 

…there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus… – 1 Timothy 2:5

 

Paul also confirmed the severe consequence of rejecting Jesus and the message of the Gospel. He writes about the second coming of the Lord:

 

…when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power… – 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

 

Now, in Galatians 1:11-12, Paul did not preach this of his own wisdom, but was only teaching what he learned from Jesus Himself. While the compassionate, loving side of Christ is often portrayed in many Christian movies and on TV, Hollywood has a strange habit of omitting the Lord’s severe warnings. In Matthew 4:17, Jesus began His earthly ministry preaching repentance from sin and in Luke 13:5 saying, "...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

 

Many people do not realize that Jesus spoke about hell more than anyone else in the Bible – about 16 times. And those are just the warnings that specifically use the word "hell." There are other passages, such as Luke 13:28 that speak of being "thrust out" of God's Kingdom. Mark 24:51 speaks of being "cut asunder" and Luke 19:27 speaks of being "slain"as an enemy, or in Matthew 22:13, being "cast into outer darkness" where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth."To ancient Capernaum, Jesus spoke in Luke 10:15 of the entire city being"thrust down to hell."

 

When the Lord returns, Matthew 25:32-41 describes as He divides the nations, "as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats." The sheep on His right hand are blessed and enter into God's Kingdom; but Jesus says to the goats on His left hand: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels..." There is also the Lord's warning about the final judgment of the wicked in the lake of fire:

 

But the fearful [cowardly], and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death – Revelation 21:8

 

 

Jesus warned that whatever might cause a man to sin, he should put away from him to avoid going to hell. Furthermore, He reveals that hell is an eternal punishment:

 

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter lame into life than, having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out; it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched – Mark 9:43-48

 

 

Jesus warned those who outwardly appeared to be righteous, but inwardly, full of hypocrisy and wickedness. He said to them:

 

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? – Matthew 23:33

 

In1 Samuel 16:7, Jesus made reference, was speaking to the fact that while men judge by the outward appearance, God looks upon the heart. The Bible also warns in Jeremiah 17:9 that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked..." Because of this, Jesus had many teachings on the heart of man. In Matthew 15:19-20 He said, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man..."Along these same lines, Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 that "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

 

If God were to judge you according to the thoughts of your heart, how would you be judged? Would you be found guilty of "evil thoughts" in the sight of God? Jesus said in Luke 8:17, "nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest; neither is anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad". The scripture says in Romans 2:16 that in the Day of Judgment, "God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ", and 1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us that God "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts". If you were judged tomorrow, would the thoughts of your heart send you to heaven or to hell?

 

Now, there are people who believe that “hell” is something a person experiences on earth; a consequence for sin that only lasts for this lifetime. But, according to Jesus, hell is a place that sinners are sent to after they die. He made this very clear when he told the story of Lazarus – a beggar – and a certain rich man:

 

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments… – Luke 16:22-23

 

This contrast between those who are saved and those who are damned is one found throughout the Bible. Heaven and hell are the only options. There is no neutral ground. Jesus said in Matthew 12:30, “He that is not with me is against me…” A person either serves the Lord, or is counted as an enemy. In the very last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi wrote:

 

Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not – Malachi 3:18

 

Along these same lines, the apostle Paul wrote:

 

God … will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth…indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil… – Romans 2:5-9

 

To“obey the truth” as Paul tells us, is to obey Jesus, who in John 14:6said, “I am the way, the truth…” Furthermore, Jesus said:

 

The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

 

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation – John 5:25-29

 

A few verses later (v. 34), Jesus says, “…these things I say, that ye might be saved.” The purpose for the Lord’s warnings about hell is so that a person might be warned of the danger, repent of their sins, and look to the Son of God for forgiveness. God’s purpose in sending His Son was not to condemn men, but lead them to salvation – John 3:17.

Right now, you might be saying in yourself:“But don’t the other religions make similar claims? If men make good, moral choices, isn’t that enough? Won’t God allow all the good people to get into heaven, even if they don’t necessarily believe in Jesus?” This is a fair question. But then we have to ask: What does it mean to be good? Just how good does a person have to be in order to get into heaven? The Bible gives us an insight with this warning:

 

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death – Proverbs 14:12

 

According to the Bible, there is no such thing as a “good” person – apart from God. The reason for this is because the heart of man is corrupt and full of evil. While the evil in men's hearts might be worse for some and better for others, God's standard is perfection as we find in Matthew 5:48. Man, by his very nature is imperfect – sinful. This is why Jesus Himself taught that:

 

There is none good but one, that is, God… – Matthew 19:17

 

Therefore, God requires that mankind submit to His idea of goodness, not their own. The Apostle Paul confirmed this teaching and explains why – from God’s perspective – there is no such thing as a good person. He begins by referring to Psalm 14:1-3:

 

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one… For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God… – Romans 3:10-12, 23

 

The presence of sin in a person’s life negates the possibility of them being “good” in God’s sight. Paul later explains that, because of sin, all men eventually die:

 

…death passed upon all men, for all have sinned – Romans 5:12

 

God warns not only of a physical judgment for sin – the death of the body – but also the death of the soul. He makes it clear that ultimately all souls belong to Him and that He will judge them:

 

Behold, all souls are mine... the soul that sinneth, it shall die – Ezekiel 18:4

 

The Bible teaches that the ultimate death of the soul takes place on the Day of Judgment, where all the dead, small and great, will stand before God. This is after the famous battle of Armageddon, and the Lord Jesus Christ returns. The Scripture says in 2 Timothy 4:1 that Jesus "shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom...” In the Book of Revelation, we read about the fate of those who refused to receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved:

 

And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

 

And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead that were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. 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 – Revelation 20:12-15

 

 

The "second death" mentioned above is the death of the soul. This is the fate of those who reject the Gospel. Notice that the reason men are cast into the lake of fire in that final verse: "...whosoever was not found written in the book of life..." Revelation 13:8says this same book is called "the book of life of the Lamb", and John 1:36 refers to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

 

While the dead are judged according to their works – deeds – ultimately what matters is whether or not a person's name is found written in the Lamb's book of life. Having your name written in heaven keeps you from the lake of fire. This is the deciding factor, and the difference between heaven and hell. Remember the story of Lazarus and the "rich man" in Luke 16:19-31 we discussed earlier? Review the story, and notice how Jesus recalls the name of Lazarus – who went to heaven – but the name of the rich man, who went to hell, is not mentioned!

 

The only way a person's name will be found in the Lamb's book of life is by trusting in Jesus Christ Himself. Later, Revelation 21:27 tells us: "And there shall no wise enter... anything that defileth... but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Notice how it does not say that people who "did good deeds" enter, or those who gave money to charity and committed no major crimes against humanity. While those who are trusting in Jesus Christ will certainly walk in love and faithfulness, they get into heaven because of the finished work of Christ upon the cross – not because of their good works. They are entered into God's Kingdom because they "know" the only true God, and His Son Jesus Christ.

 

Revelation 7:17 & 14:4 tells of those who enter into God's Kingdom "follow the Lamb" and Revelation 14:13 says "their works do follow them." Notice that their works do not precede them. Their works are not as a trumpet that goes before them, opening the gates of heaven. The Lamb of God is before them, not the good things they have done. This is an important principle because the scripture says in Ephesians 2:8-9we are saved by God's grace (a free gift) through faith (believing on Jesus), not of works (good deeds, religious behavior), lest any man should boast. As the apostle Paul wrote:

 

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us... – Titus 3:5

 

No man will be able to stand before the throne of heaven and tell God about his good deeds, expecting to be "justified" because of them. God will not excuse the evil men are guilty of just because they have done some good. James 2:10 is clear: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." And so, a person's good works or behavior cannot pay the debt for their sins. The only payment God will receive is the atonement of His Son upon the cross at Calvary; the death of the Just for the unjust. But the Bible says in Romans 5:8 that “God commends his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

The Bible also says in Hebrews 10:10-18that beyond the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, there is no other forgiveness available for the sins of mankind. This is why the apostles taught in Acts 4:12 that "neither is there salvation in any other..." Jesus is the only way, and nobody gets to heaven or avoids hell – but through Him alone!

 

Right now, you might be thinking, what should I do? If so, please know that you are not alone. Let's look at some scriptures where others have asked exactly that question in times past. In the book of Acts, we read about the Philippian jailer who was convicted by the power of God, and asked:

 

Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... – Acts 16:30-31

 

This is, perhaps, the most straight-forward explanation of salvation. We get some further insight when we read:

 

 

...if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved – Romans 10:9-10 & 13

 

When the Gospel was first preached by the apostle Peter, we read:

 

Now when they heard, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:37-38

 

Notice, the first thing Peter tells them they must do is "repent" of their sins. Repentance from sin is an important part of believing on Jesus Christ. This word from Peter is identical to the witness of Jesus who, in Matthew 4:17 began by preaching repentance. The word "repent" simply means to turn away, and signifies a change of mind, a change of heart. It does not mean you will obey God perfectly, but it does mean you will turn away from sin and seek to obey the commandments of Jesus Christ.

 

The second thing Peter told them was to be "baptized" in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus told the apostles in Matthew 28:19 to, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..." It is important to consider that baptisms usually take place in public, and result in an open confession of Christ. This is important because Jesus said in Matthew 10:32,"Whosoever therfore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." Nevertheless, please know that you can also receive Jesus Chrsit, even in private. The Lord says in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

 

While most teachers agree that "water" baptism is not necessary for salvation, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit certainly is. Jesus said in John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," while Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." In other words, a person must be reborn of God's Holy Spirit. The scriptures tell us clearly in Romans 8:9 that "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

 

When Jesus spoke about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, one of the disciples asked Him:

 

Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said ... If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him – John 14:23

 

And so the apostles taught in Acts 5:32 that "God hath given [the Holy Spirit] to them that obey him."

 

Our hearts desire here at Encouraging Concepts is best defined by the apostle Paul who wrote:

 

Wherefore, also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ – 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

 

The Lord Jesus Christ will grant you wisdom and guidance as you earnestly seek Him and His Truth. With this promise, I close this article with the following scripture:

 

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent – John 6:28-29

 

It is only Jesus Christ that truly changes a life! He is found in the true Gospel. He alone saves man. His Word exposes the sinful heart of man, resucing souls from an eternity without God the Father... Only true Christian faith and the power of the Holy Spirit changes lives and save souls! Please repent before it's too late...

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Todayis the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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