ONE MUST HEAR THE GOSPEL AND BELIEVE IT IN ORDER TO BE SAVED!
Romans 1:16-17 - For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (the Gentile; non-Jew). For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 10:17 - So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT CAN SAVE THE LOST!
1 Corinthians 15:1 - Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; by which also you are saved . . .
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: and that He was seen by Peter, then by the twelve: after that, He was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some have died.
[Note: The Gospel declares that we are sinners, the penalty for which, Christ died (Rom. 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; etc. It is the message that saves us.].
CHRIST COMMANDED HIS DISCIPLES TO DO THREE THINGS!
Matthew 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power (authority) is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.
[1] Go therefore, and teach all nations (the message has to be the Gospel, because only believers are to be baptized - see Acts 8:27-39),
[2] baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[3] teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (discipling them; teaching them the doctrines of the Church):
and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (age; specifically, the Church Age). Amen.
EXAMPLES OF SALVATION WITH BAPTISM TO FOLLOW!
Acts 2:36-42 - Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, Whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, 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 of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward (perverse; wicked) generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 16:23-34 - And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely: who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spoke unto him the Word of the Lord (the Gospel), and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
WHAT PLACE HAS REPENTANCE IN ONE'S SALVATION?
Repentance results from hearing and believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Believing the Gospel saves us, but it also alters our way of thinking about God and about our thoughts, words, and deeds. Repentance is defined as "having a change of one's mind." That being said, what do you suppose happens to one's understanding when he is convinced that he is a sinner, and that he will answer to Almighty God, a righteous and just God, Who stated that the "wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23)? Add to that, the understanding that Almighty God, because He loves him, sacrificed His Only Begotten Son in his stead? He obviously has a change of mind and heart! Truly believing that results in both gratitude and a desire to please such a loving God!Therefore, repentance follows believing!
GOD LOVES YOU; HE LOVES YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU REALIZE WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR YOU, YOU
NOT ONLY WANT TO PRAISE HIM, BUT YOU WANT TO SERVE HIM, AS WELL!
BELIEVE ME, HE IS DEFINITELY WORTHY OF YOUR GRATITUDE!
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