Plan of Salvation – How Can I Be Saved from Hell?
By Martha Mac / SO4J.com / SO4J-TV & Video Productions
Repent & Have Faith In The Gospel (Good News) Of Jesus Christ
Mark 1:15 Jesus says, “Repent of your Sins and Believe the Gospel!”
So many people are Positive that they are Saved because they feel like they are a: “Good Person” doing good deeds, have once said a “Sinner’s Prayer”, or go to Church— they base their Salvation on their Emotions, and not on God’s Word. Many people can feel, look, and act Saved by: Attending Church Functions, Singing in the Church Choir, Lifting their Hands at Church, and being very excited about Jesus in their Youth Group, or at a: Christian Concert. Many lean upon their Church Denomination by saying, “I’m a Catholic— I Pray to Mary, I Say the Rosary”, “I’m a Lutheran”, “I’m Non-Denominational”, etc. People can believe that because they Teach Sunday School, or are even a Worldwide well known Preacher, Teacher, Priest, the Pope, Reverend, Bishop, or Pastor— that they are positive they are saved. The list goes on and on. Read SO4J’s Top 10 Ways That Unsaved People Think They’re Saved.
On Judgment Day many of these “Good People” who do Good Deeds, who are even “Religious” will be sentenced to spend Eternity in Hell—the Lake Of Fire. Why?
Matt 7:21-23 Jesus warns us, “Not everyone who calls out to Me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually Do the Will of My Father in Heaven will enter. “On Judgment Day MANY will say to Me ‘Lord! Lord! We Prophesied, Cast out demons, and Performed many Miracles in Your Name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s Laws.”
Here we are warned by Jesus not to base our Eternal Salvation on: Our Good Works alone, Spiritual Gifts, Church Titles & Denominations, our Emotions, or because you attend Church, etc. All of these above beliefs all sound really great, but it is not based upon God’s Word.
Prov 14:12 “There is a Way which seems (feels) right to a man, but it’s end is the Way of Death.
You may think you’re a “Good Person”, but it’s our Thought Life & Heart that Defiles us and makes us Unacceptable to God.
Mark 7:21-23 Jesus says, “Out of a Person’s Heart, come Evil Thoughts, Sexual Immorality, Theft, Murder, Adultery, Greed, Wickedness, Deceit, Lustful Desires, Envy, Slander, Pride, and Foolishness. All these Evil things come from within; they are what Defile you and make you Unacceptable to God.”
Gal 5:19-21 “When you follow the desires of your Sinful Nature, the results are very clear: Sexual Immorality, Impurity, Lustful Pleasures, Idolatry, Sorcery, Hostility, Quarreling, Jealousy, Outbursts of Anger, Selfish Ambition, Dissension, Division, Envy, Drunkenness, Wild Parties, and other Sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious and perfect standard.”
Rom 3:10-12 “No one is righteous— not even one…No one does good, not a single one.”
Rom 6:23 “The wages of our Sin is Death” (Separation from God in Hell forever)
Gospel of Jesus Christ – Good News
God in His love for us sent Jesus , His Son, who has always existed because He is God (John 1:1-18).
John 10:30 Jesus said of Himself, “I and the Father are one”.
That means Jesus claimed to be nothing less than God in human flesh. He was not merely a created being like many of the False Religions say that He was. If that was the case, He would be like any other normal human being. Jesus was God, and He has always existed as God. (John 1:1-18)
Jesus, being God, was Born of a Virgin. God the Holy Spirit had fallen upon Mary, His mother, and impregnated her. The Virgin Birth of Jesus had been prophesied a thousand years before hand in Isaiah 7:14 (and in other scriptures), and it was also prophesied that He would be Born in Bethlehem—Micah 5:2. Jesus, as God in human flesh came to die for our Sins (Rom 3:21-31; Eph 2:1-10). Jesus grew up, and lived a Sinless & Holy life. (Heb 4:15) His enemies couldn’t prove any of their False Accusations they had against Him (John 8:46). As God, Jesus manifested all the facets of God the Father’s Holy nature. Col 2:9 says, “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”
Jesus however was Murdered by mankind being nailed (hands & feet) to a wooden cross. He was beaten, whipped, and so badly disfigured that one could barely recognize Him as a person! He was spit upon, His beard was ripped off his face, He was mocked & laughed at, and had a crown of sharp thorns placed on His head. (His death had been prophesied a thousand years before hand— Isa 52:13-15 & Isah 53:1-12) He bled; He died, and His body was buried in a Rich man’s tomb. (Prophesied in Isa 53:9) Three days later Jesus rose from the dead! Jesus Christ conquered sin, and death. He took the punishment for our Sins. (Read Matthew Chapters: 26, 27, 28)
Because God is so Holy and perfect (Isa 6:3), He cannot commit or approve of evil (James 1:13).
Because God is Holy; God’s Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice demands that all Sin be punished— by Death. Ezek 18:20 “The soul who sins shall DIE.”
When we compare ourselves to each other, we are pretty good. When we compare ourselves to God’s Holy standards, we fail terribly. Mark 7:20-23
Rom 3:23 says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s Glorious standard.”
Even though God’s perfect justice demands death for sin, He loved us so much that he provided ONE WAY out…through Jesus, who was Perfect and Holy.
Acts 4:12 says, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name (but Jesus) under heaven by which we must be saved.”
John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.”
Matt 7:13-14 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the Narrow Gate. The Highway to Hell is Broad, and its Gate is Wide for the MANY who choose that way. But the Gateway to Life is Very Narrow and the Road is difficult, and only a FEW EVER find it.”
Jesus became mankind’s substitute to satisfy God’s anger against us. (Rom 1:18-2:16) We cannot change ourselves. We need a work of God’s Holy Spirit.
In simple terms, we all broke God’s Laws—we did a Crime, but Jesus, who was sinless, paid the fine and took God’s Punishment (took God’s full Wrath) by being beaten by sinful mankind, and He was executed and crucified by being hung on a cross. He took the punishment and the place for those people who would— Repent of their Sins & Put Their Faith & Trust in Him.
Titus 3:4-7 “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Eph 1:5-7 “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins), according to the riches of His grace.”
Our Salvation is Based On Our Faith in Jesus, Not Works
Eph 2:8-9 “For by Grace you have been Saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the Gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.”
Rom 5:1 “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
How God Wants Us to Respond to this Good News – Matthew 27
Repent & Believe The Good News Of Jesus Christ
Matt 4:17 Jesus says, “Repent of your Sins and Turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Mark 1:15 Jesus says, “Repent of your Sins & Believe the Good News!”
Luke 13:3 Jesus says, “You will also Perish (Hell)unless you Repent of your Sins and Turn to God.”
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Each of you must Repent of your Sins, Turn to God, and be Baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 17:30-31 “God commands everyone everywhere to Repent of their Sins and Turn to Him. For He has set a Day for Judging the World with justice by Jesus Christ.”
Acts 20:21 “I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of Repenting from Sin and Turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.”
James 4:6-10 “God is opposed to the proud, but He gives Grace & Favor to the Humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you double-minded. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor.”
Surrender all to Jesus – Turn From Your Sins to Jesus
If God in His mercy reveals His Truth to you, you will need to stop putting your will before God’s will. You will now need to allow Jesus and God’s Word to reign over you, and submit to Jesus and let Him become the Lord of your life. Surrender means “you give up.”
Here are some recommendations below for New Believers:
Recommendations To New Believers in Jesus
We recommend you read your Bible faithfully every day. Start reading God’s Word – find an easy to understand Bible to read, like the New Living Translation – in the Life Application Bible— or the New American Standard, New King James Version. Read at least five chapters a day. Begin with the Book of Matthew or John and read it through three times. Then read all of the New Testament through to the end of the Revelation. Do this three times. Then go to the beginning of the Old Testament and read all the Bible through, continuing at a rate of not less than five chapters a day. As God opens up His Word to you, obey it. Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only, deceiving yourself—James 1:22.
Mature born-again Christians should reflect the Fruits of Salvation (or fruits of the Spirit – Galatians 5) in their lives, both in public and in private. Their relationship with Christ should be reflected in what they wear, how they act, how and what they speak, what they do, the places they go, and even their jobs. But above all their attitude and behavior toward the household of faith should be love. (Romans 12:2)
When a person receives Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation, they also must receive Him as their Lord.
To be Born-Again is a work of God’s Mercy and Grace. As a result of the new Birth, a person becomes a new creature in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17) He puts off the old nature and puts on the new. A change takes place in a person’s heart. They come under conviction for sin, which brings forth godly sorrow and repentance. Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ go hand in hand. Repentance is turning from sin and turning to God. Through faith we receive Jesus Christ as our only hope of salvation and turn our life, our dreams, our attitude and personality over to Him to change, guide, and direct. In effect, we overcome the world through faith and following Him. As our faith and understanding of God’s Word grows within us, we begin to overcome more and more. Our desires, actions, attitude, and personality should reflect this growth. Likewise, as we draw closer to Christ (Who is the Light – John 1:1-14), we can see “the dirt” in our lives much better. This growth should continue in a person’s life from the new birth until the end of their life. However, as we run the race that God has set before us, Satan throws many stumbling blocks in the way to try to hinder and discourage us. Many people fall by the side of the road, while others stumble over the stones, and still others get caught up in the thorns or choked by the weeds. Only a few finish the race and will hear the words in.
Matt 25:21 Jesus says, “Well done, my Good and Faithful Servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you a ruler over many things. Enter into the Joy of the The Lord.” For those that trust in the Lord during times of temptation, the Bible says in 1 John 4:4 “Greater is He (Jesus) that is in you, than he (the devil) that is in the World.”
Now find a good, Bible-believing Church that teaches God’s Word, not just stories about worldly things.
Results of Biblical Salvation Should be a Changed Life
Forsake All Sin In Your Life
1 John 3:8-10 “When people keep on Sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.”
God requires Holiness –
1 Pet 1:14-16 says, “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be Holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is Holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be Holy because I am Holy.”
Obey God’s Word
1 John 2:3-6 “We can be sure that we know him if we Obey His Commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the Truth. But those who Obey God’s Word truly show how completely they love Him. That is how we know we are living in Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”
Video: The Only Road to Heaven – Narrow Gate – John MacArthur
Video: Gospel – This Message Will Change Your Life
Audios
GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AUDIO – SO4J-TV SEGMENT – MP3 AUDIO (7 min)
PAUL WASHER’S SALVATION TESTIMONY – AUDIO (4 Min)
HEAVEN, NARROW GATE/ BROAD GATE TO HELL – WHICH PATH ARE YOU ON? JOHN MACARTHUR
HOW CAN WE WITNESS IF WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE GOSPEL IS? JOHN MACARTHUR AUDIO
“GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST – WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?”
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PARTS OF THE “RECOMMENDATION TO THE NEW CHRISTIAN” SECTION FROM— AMAZINGBIBLE.org