Components of Salvation — Part 1

I must admit, blogging does not come naturally for me; I enjoy writing and I do have a lot of thoughts in my brain which experts tell me is the basis I need to be a blogger. It’s just getting these thoughts from my head to the computer that seems to hinder me. But I have been motivated and encouraged recently to “fire up” this blog and share some current thoughts.

I would like to share some thoughts about biblical salvation. I will call the next several entries – The Components of Salvation.

First of all my prayer in sharing these foundational truths of salvation is so it will either remind us or help us to realize that there are many more blessings to biblical salvation than what meets the eye.

Let me be quick to say that I believe that the bible teaches that salvation is a free gift. It was sacrificially given and it is simply received. The example is the repentant thief on the cross.

PONDER THIS: The following “word picture” has been a powerful tool for me to show someone that salvation is a FREE GIFT. This is particularly helpful to someone who believes they must “earn” favor with God through good works and trying to be a good person. This is what I say – You know about the three crosses right? Jesus in the middle and the two men on either side. Mark 15:27 calls them thieves; Luke 23:39 calls them criminals. I find that 99% of people I talk with know about or have seen a picture of the three crosses. Then I say – What did the first thief say to Jesus? (I let them answer) If you are truly the Christ, save yourself and us. And what did the second thief say? (Let them answer) Lord remember me when you enter heaven. What did Jesus say to the second thief? Today you will be with me in paradise. And here is the QUESTION – What did that thief do to go to heaven? He was a criminal sentenced to die. He was in the final moments of his life. He was hanging on a cross. He didn’t have time to do ANY good works, like make things right with others, give money to charity, or go to church. But Jesus said, You will be in heaven today. The answer to what the thief did is found in Romans 10:9-10. Then I share with them that the Bible teaches that we must do two things to be saved – we must say something with our mouth and believe something with our heart. This verse tells us we must “confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you WILL be saved.

Often, hearing this simple yet powerful story from the Bible is like turning on a light in that person’s mind and brings them to a place of willingness to receive the FREE GIFT of salvation.

More to come…

Posted on 1/15/2010 under Pastor Scott's Blog. Comments RSS feed.
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One Comment

  1. Salvation through faith alone in Christ alone! This is what unifies us as Christians and is so offensive to those who don’t want Christianity to be this simple… or this humbling. We should be prepared to both unite and fight for this truth… especially in the day in which we live.

    Thanks for the reminder, Scott.

    1/15/10 by Daniel V.

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