Simply Saved

Over the years as a Christian, I have had the privilege of sharing my faith with several people on a one-on-one basis. 

(By the way, if you are a Christian, I believe there is a degree of joy and level of maturity in the faith you may never experience, except in the regular practice of sharing your faith with others. However, you need to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness. The Holy Spirit makes the Word you speak alive. He is the one that brings conviction to a person’s heart- See Acts 1:8; Mk 16:15-20). 

Usually, after establishing a friendly rapport with the person I want to share the gospel with, I would want to find out if the person is a Christian. I could ask if he was a Christian, otherwise, I could ask, “If you were to die now are you sure of where you would be going?” In many cases, some would say, “Yes I'm going to heaven. I'm a Christian because I go to church and I do not do bad things.” Some others would hinge their assurance on a 'Christian' pedigree. Saying, “Since my parents are Christians, I am a Christian also.” 

Such statements might be socially and religiously acceptable, but God’s Word, which is the final authority on issues of the Christian faith, does not agree with such positions. The Bible is very clear about how a person can become a Christian or a child of God.

As simply as possible, I would kindly try to explain that, from the Biblical perspective, salvation has nothing to do with one’s personal goodness or holiness, or our parentage. 

Salvation is not based on Christ plus your good works, but faith in Christ alone. Becoming a Christian or being saved from sin is wholly a function of the redemptive work of Christ. That is, of what Christ did for us from the cross to the throne.  

And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favour and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. God saved you by his special favour when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it -Eph 4:7-9, NLT.

The Bible likens becoming a child of God to a rebirth, “They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God (John 1:13 NLT). Or as another translation puts it, “They were not God’s children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children” (CEV).

Birth is usually the product of someone’s seed (sperm). The word of God is likened to such a seed that is capable of reproducing life:

Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because ‘All flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ 1 Peter 1:23-25

“Now this is the word, which by the gospel is preached.” Becoming a child of God is through the incorruptible seed of the Word of God. The seed of man is corruptible and subject to fading away. Also is its offspring. But the seed of God abides forever. 

Salvation is about God’s unmerited favour.

Let us suppose that you get to the gates of heaven and are asked why you should be granted entry. If you said that your reason is that you go to church and you do not do bad things, you are indirectly saying that the blood of Christ is not necessary or adequate for your salvation. As a result, you will be liable to split hell wide open. Without Christ and Christ alone, no one can be saved. Not even the Pope! Salvation is God’s unmerited favour. It is a gift to humanity.

The word to save is derived from an Old Testament Hebrew word that carries the connotation of help, healing, deliverance, prosperity, victory, and rescue and to defend, to free or to bring succour, and to save. It is used in different contexts to carry these meanings. The New Testament Greek equivalent carries the same connotation. 

There is an interesting narrative in the Bible that buttresses this point. It is an event recorded in Acts chapter 3. Peter and John went to the Temple at the time of prayer. At the temple gate called Beautiful, they meet a man lame from birth, a beggar who asked them for alms. Peter responds, ‘we do not have silver or gold, but we give you what we have,’ “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” The man was healed and it caused no small stir. 

What I want you to pick out in this story is the statement Peter made, “Why look so intently at us as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk” (v12). Furthermore, he states that it is “His (Jesus') name and faith in His name that made this man strong… faith through His name has given him this perfect soundness” (v16). 

Peter is saying here, ‘it is not through our (Peter and John) power, goodness or holiness that this man got healed, but through the name of Jesus and faith in His name.’ 

You can only depend on “the incredible wealth of God's favour and kindness towards us”, and believe in the name of Jesus for your salvation, help, healing, deliverance, prosperity, victory, and rescue; to defend you, to free and bring you succour, and to save you. Because,

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved -Acts 4:12.

One of the lies Satan tells believers, especially if they have sinned, is that they are not worthy to receive anything from God. You may not be worthy in yourself (none of us is), but you are worthy in Christ to receive the benefits and privileges of salvation.  

It is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life -Titus 3:5-7. 

This is what it means to be simply saved. The way you received forgiveness for your sin is the same way you receive victory, healing, deliverance, help, and prosperity; it is through faith in His name. 

Another falsehood the devil perpetrates is the situation in which lots of people are made to purchase all sorts of bands- armbands, leg bands, amulets, holy water and other paraphernalia to get breakthroughs in their lives in the name of resisting the devil or causing witches and wizards to die. 

Through covetousness, they make merchandise of God’s people demanding various sums of money or payments for various types of prayers and blessings.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not -2 Peter 2:3, KJV.

But you cannot purchase the gifts or blessings of God with money.

But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! -Acts 8:20.

There is simplicity in Christ from which you must not be derailed unto peril.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! -1 Cor 11:3-4

They subject people to all manner of doctrines and prayers inspired by demons and cause suspicion, strife and enmity between people and their neighbours, friends, co-workers and even family members and loved ones, who in the long run loose the peace of God and allow demons into their lives and homes. Let us be careful, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Cor 14:33). 

Concerning them who preach another gospel apart from the gospel of God’s grace, Paul says:

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed -Gal 1:8-9.

It is time to run the devil out of your life and the lives of your loved ones, in the name of Jesus, and through faith in His name. Be simply healed. Be simply helped. Be simply delivered. Be simply prospered. Claim your victory in Christ Jesus. Be simply saved.

If you are not born again, I would say it a thousand times -God is not counting your sins against you because Christ has paid for your sins. (see 2 Cor 5:19) Simply have faith in that Wonderful Name, Jesus, for your salvation and the forgiveness of your sins.

 

The Essence of Salvation

What is the essence of salvation? What is the reason for the New Birth? The primary purpose of salvation is not to miss hell. That is a by-product. 

The essence of the new birth is that we would have eternal life. Eternal life is not going to heaven or living forever, though it has those benefits or elements. Eternal life is the God-Life; it is having an intimate knowledge and relationship with God as His very own child, which is manifested in you being like Christ in this life, bringing glory to the Father. 

God is love (See 1 John 4:7,16). Knowing and having God is knowing and having love.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent -John 17:3.

Eternal life is having the life of God in you, or better still, God Himself living in you, such that you are complete in Him. Nothing missing! Nothing broken! Complete in Him!  

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power -Col 2:9-10.

Do you have eternal life, or are you just playing church and practising Christian religion or Pentecostal religiosity? It is time to get LIFE and live it. Let no man entangle you again with any yoke of bondage. 

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage -Gal 5:1. 

The gospel is simple. It is the power of God unto salvation (help, healing, deliverance, prosperity, victory, and rescue, defence, freedom, and succour). Salvation from God through Jesus Christ is full, free and simple. 

Romans 1:16-17 states:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” 

 

How You Can Receive Salvation

Salvation is a gift from God. What do you do when you are offered a gift? Either you receive (accept) it or refuse (reject) it. Romans 10:9-10 states, how you can receive salvation: 

 The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

First you must sincerely believe (have faith in) God’s Word (testimony) in your heart. 

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 -1 Cor 14:2-4.

Secondly, you must confess the Lord Jesus. The word ‘confess’ is from the compound Greek Word ‘homologeo’ which means the same word. It implies to assent, i.e. covenant, and acknowledge: confess or profess; confession is made, give thanks, promise. 

It implies that with your mouth you acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus over your life and with gratitude give your covenant promise in agreement with God’s Word that Jesus is (your) Lord. Your heart and speech should be in agreement with the Word of God concerning Jesus Christ, and His promises.

 

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