Volume 1 Lawrence, Kansas October 1961 Number 10
God's unceasing desire for man's salvation has led him to provide every essential need whereby man may be saved. In this article we wish to deal with all the different means whereby man can be saved from his sin.
Thus speaks the scriptures, and may we obey unto life eternal.
"God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"—I Thessalonians 5:9. The angel instructed the Virgin Mary to name her son Jesus, "for he shall save his people from their sins." Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me"—John 14:6. Outside of Christ man faces eternal doom: for only in him, and through him can salvation be found.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith: and not that of yourselves. It is the gift of God"—Ephesians 2:8. The word grace means unmerited favor. It was God's love and grace that led him to provide a Saviour, and that grace is centered in the divine person of Christ. By no acts of righteousness can man make himself worthy of salvation, and so it is the unmerited favor of God that enables man to be saved.
The Philippian jailer was told to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved"—Acts 16:30. Belief in Christ, as a Saviour is truly essential to salvation. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Salvation comes through Christ, but we must believe in him to be saved. However, we are not saved by faith alone, as James 2:24 so clearly teaches: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." The devil believes that Christ is the Son of God, but that belief in Christ will never save him.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace"—Ephesians 1:7. Christ as a divine person could not save man, except through the shedding of his blood, for "without shedding of blood, is no remission"—Hebrews 9:22. Sins must be washed away, and the only divine emulsion for such a cleansing is in the blood shed on Calvary. "And the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin"—I John 1:7.
"For if when were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life"—Romans 5:10. The good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep—John 10: 11. Hence, the life of Christ which was given as "a ransom for all" is a means of salvation. Not only was his life given for mankind, but the life he lived is the divine example to teach men how to walk well pleasing to God.
Paul affirmed that "it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe"—I Corinthians 1:21. The preaching that saves, is the gospel. Listen! "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel, which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand: by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain"—I Corinthians 15:1-2. We are informed in the next two verses that the gospel consists of the three great facts, that Christ died, that he was buried, and that he rose again. The preaching of those threefold facts is the means by which the heart of the sinner is turned from a love of sin unto a love of righteousness. This is why Paul declared the gospel was "the power of God unto salvation"—Romans 1:16. Christ said, "'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all me unto me.' This he spake signifying what death he should die"—John 12:32. To tell the story of Jesus' death upon the uplifted cross will influence a humbled and honest heart to realize their need of a Saviour, and it will draw men to Christ for salvation.
Paul plainly affirms that we are "saved by hope"—Romans 8:24. Hope has to do with the future. The gospel promises plants in the hearts of all believers the hope of a brighter and better world than this; and they who accept those promises at the point of faith, look to the future with great expectations. That hope awaiting us in the future, sustains us in our present trials and holds us steadfast to Christ.
"Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls"—James 1:21. No one can overestimate the importance of the scriptures for they make us "wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus"—II Timothy 3.15. It is only through the word that we can learn of Christ (John 20:30-31); it is only through the scriptures that we learn of our sins (Romans 7: 7); and it is only through the word of God that we can find the means and promises of salvation. The scriptures, received in humble faith, perfects the man of God, and furnishes him unto all good works—II Timothy 3:16-17. We can know nothing regarding the will of God, and our duty to him except through this word.
"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ"—I Peter 3:21. Christ saves man only when man obeys Christ. Jesus is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him—Hebrews 5:9. On the day of Pentecost, when the heart-pierced Jews asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter, by divine inspiration, gave this reply: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"—Acts 2:37- 38. Obedience to the divine command of baptism is the act on man's part that brings him into Jesus Christ. "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death"—Romans 6:4.