Subscribe to our PODCAST here.Man Wants to Be Saved - But...
Intro.
A. The gospel is suitable for all kinds of people - morally good (but lost, Acts 1:1-3; 11:14), ungodly (1 Cor. 6:9-11), religious, but wrong (Acts 2:36; 23:1).
B. The faith once delivered is addressed to all men (Rom. 1:16; Mt. 28:19,20). Most people who believe the Bible to be God’s word would say they want to be saved, but some put conditions.
Body:
A. They want to be saved in their sins, not from them.
1. Repentance involves a turning from sins and to God (2 Cor.7:8-11). (Paul’s first letter worked sorrow which led to action which resulted in clearing their hands, 2:5-11).
2. We cannot enjoy the pleasures of sin and be saved (Heb. 11:24,25).
3. Jesus came to save us from sin (Mt. 1:21; 1 Tim. 1:15).
a. Bible class teacher told story of rich man and Lazarus - which had you rather be? Little boy said “rich man in this life and Lazarus in next.”
b. Many want religion - do not want to be lost eternally, but do not want to be ruined for evil pleasures here.
4. The gospel works a change in life (Rom. 12:1,2 “meta” - change, “morphe” - form).
a. The change is produced by Christ’s appeal through the goodness of God (Rom. 2:4).
b. We must hear and do the will of God (Jas. 1:23-25).
B. They want to be saved, but at not too great a cost.
1. Is it convenient? (Acts 24:25). (We know little of cost - some give up family, legal rights, endure persecution from government).
2. Many are like the rich young ruler - not willing to pay the price (Mk. 10:17-27).
3. Must “hate” his family (Lk. 14:25-33).
a. Antagonism (not this sense), ( Cannot hate and be in the light, 1 Jn. 2:9-11).
b. Aversion from evil (Ps. 119:104; 97:10; Rev. 2:6).
c. Relative preference (Mt. 10:37; Rom. 9:13).
4. The cost of not serving God is greater - eternal consequences. (Atheist said the his corn produced better than his Christian neighbor - but “God doesn’t settle all His accounts in August.”)
C. They want to be saved, but in their own way.
1. God’s way is not man’s way (Isa. 55:6-9; Prov. 14:12).
2. In Orthodox churches - icons are great part of worship. (“Usually painted on a flat surface such as wood or ivory...of Christ, virgin Mary, or the saints...” World Book.).
3. Orthodox man in Romania told me the Council of 787 authorized icons in worship. (They went through a battle over the issue: 754 Council of Hieria made an icon, or worshippping of it, or hiding it in a church or private house was anathematized; 787 restored them; 815 - banned again; 843 brought back - all were human councils subject to error. The Bible nowhere teaches to reverence a picture of Jesus, Mary or anyone else (no one even knows what they looked like!). They are sincere in bowing before those images - their tradition.
4. Jesus - the great physician gave terms of salvation (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16; Lk. 24:46,47).
a. Many “quack doctors” - have their own formulas.
b. “Accept Christ as your personal Savior” (faith only) (Jas. 2:24; Gal. 5:6)
c. “Pray the sinner’s prayer” (Acts 22:16 - Saul had prayed three days).
d. Bogdan (Romania) - “begotten by the word” (1 Cor. 4:15) - so conceived and begins growing (like a child), then when baptized the “old man” dies (Rom. 6) and the new man survives! Sounds good, but the child results from being born (not just conceived by hearing) (1 Pet. 1:22,23). The man who is buried “dies” to sin and arises (Rom. 6:3-4,6,7).
D. They want to be saved in their own good time.
1. Foolish rich man failed to consider time (Lk. 12:13-21). (Woman on train with James and me - from Constanta to Bucharest - said didn’t have time to study the Bible now, “maybe will have time in forty years.”
2. Prov. 27:1; Jas. 4:13-17 “Some who plan to prepare at the eleventh hour, die at ten-thirty.”
3. Story of devil sending angels to deceive man: one said “I will tell them there is no God.” (Too much evidence) Another “I will tell them there is a God but He has never revealed Himself to man - the Bible is not His word.” (Too much evidence) Another “I’ll tell them there is a God and the Bible is His word, but you have plenty of time.” Said GO!
Concl.
There is no other way than God’s (Jn. 6:66-68)
A. The gospel is suitable for all kinds of people - morally good (but lost, Acts 1:1-3; 11:14), ungodly (1 Cor. 6:9-11), religious, but wrong (Acts 2:36; 23:1).
B. The faith once delivered is addressed to all men (Rom. 1:16; Mt. 28:19,20). Most people who believe the Bible to be God’s word would say they want to be saved, but some put conditions.
Body:
A. They want to be saved in their sins, not from them.
1. Repentance involves a turning from sins and to God (2 Cor.7:8-11). (Paul’s first letter worked sorrow which led to action which resulted in clearing their hands, 2:5-11).
2. We cannot enjoy the pleasures of sin and be saved (Heb. 11:24,25).
3. Jesus came to save us from sin (Mt. 1:21; 1 Tim. 1:15).
a. Bible class teacher told story of rich man and Lazarus - which had you rather be? Little boy said “rich man in this life and Lazarus in next.”
b. Many want religion - do not want to be lost eternally, but do not want to be ruined for evil pleasures here.
4. The gospel works a change in life (Rom. 12:1,2 “meta” - change, “morphe” - form).
a. The change is produced by Christ’s appeal through the goodness of God (Rom. 2:4).
b. We must hear and do the will of God (Jas. 1:23-25).
B. They want to be saved, but at not too great a cost.
1. Is it convenient? (Acts 24:25). (We know little of cost - some give up family, legal rights, endure persecution from government).
2. Many are like the rich young ruler - not willing to pay the price (Mk. 10:17-27).
3. Must “hate” his family (Lk. 14:25-33).
a. Antagonism (not this sense), ( Cannot hate and be in the light, 1 Jn. 2:9-11).
b. Aversion from evil (Ps. 119:104; 97:10; Rev. 2:6).
c. Relative preference (Mt. 10:37; Rom. 9:13).
4. The cost of not serving God is greater - eternal consequences. (Atheist said the his corn produced better than his Christian neighbor - but “God doesn’t settle all His accounts in August.”)
C. They want to be saved, but in their own way.
1. God’s way is not man’s way (Isa. 55:6-9; Prov. 14:12).
2. In Orthodox churches - icons are great part of worship. (“Usually painted on a flat surface such as wood or ivory...of Christ, virgin Mary, or the saints...” World Book.).
3. Orthodox man in Romania told me the Council of 787 authorized icons in worship. (They went through a battle over the issue: 754 Council of Hieria made an icon, or worshippping of it, or hiding it in a church or private house was anathematized; 787 restored them; 815 - banned again; 843 brought back - all were human councils subject to error. The Bible nowhere teaches to reverence a picture of Jesus, Mary or anyone else (no one even knows what they looked like!). They are sincere in bowing before those images - their tradition.
4. Jesus - the great physician gave terms of salvation (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16; Lk. 24:46,47).
a. Many “quack doctors” - have their own formulas.
b. “Accept Christ as your personal Savior” (faith only) (Jas. 2:24; Gal. 5:6)
c. “Pray the sinner’s prayer” (Acts 22:16 - Saul had prayed three days).
d. Bogdan (Romania) - “begotten by the word” (1 Cor. 4:15) - so conceived and begins growing (like a child), then when baptized the “old man” dies (Rom. 6) and the new man survives! Sounds good, but the child results from being born (not just conceived by hearing) (1 Pet. 1:22,23). The man who is buried “dies” to sin and arises (Rom. 6:3-4,6,7).
D. They want to be saved in their own good time.
1. Foolish rich man failed to consider time (Lk. 12:13-21). (Woman on train with James and me - from Constanta to Bucharest - said didn’t have time to study the Bible now, “maybe will have time in forty years.”
2. Prov. 27:1; Jas. 4:13-17 “Some who plan to prepare at the eleventh hour, die at ten-thirty.”
3. Story of devil sending angels to deceive man: one said “I will tell them there is no God.” (Too much evidence) Another “I will tell them there is a God but He has never revealed Himself to man - the Bible is not His word.” (Too much evidence) Another “I’ll tell them there is a God and the Bible is His word, but you have plenty of time.” Said GO!
Concl.
There is no other way than God’s (Jn. 6:66-68)