Other Names for Sin and Salvation - Part 7

References:

(1) In the last episode we began a discussion of the story of salvation. I have said that story can be told in 6 brief statements: Salvation is needed; salvation is provided ; salvation is offered; salvation can be received; salvation has to be proclaimed; and salvation has to be lived. We continue that discussion again in this episode. We have already discussed the first 2 statements. Thus, we begin with the third statement: Salvation is offered.

(2) The meaning of”that” in Ephesians 2:8-9.

(3) In the last episode we began a discussion of the story of salvation. I have said that story can be told in 6 brief statements: Salvation is needed; salvation is provided; salvation is offered; salvation can be received; salvation has to be proclaimed; and salvation has to be lived. We continue that discussion again in this episode. We have already discussed the first 2 statements. Thus, we begin with the third statement: Salvation is offered.

(4) So now we conclude that the gift of God is eternal life.

(5) In short, salvation is a GIFT that comes FROM God, and it is RECEIVED through faith.

(6) I borrow several ideas from an article entitled “What does it mean to receive Jesus Christ?” in gotquestions.org. More to follow. I lost some of my notes. Got to find them. Found the notes.

(7) When we “receive” a package, we take it to ourselves. When a wide receiver “receives” the football, he pulls it to himself and clings to it. When we “receive” Jesus, we take Him to ourselves and cling to the TRUTH about Him.

(8) To receive Jesus as our Lord means we let go of the LESSER gods around which we have built our lives.

(9) We cannot receive Jesus as Lord and Savior without displacing the idols in our lives — idols such as power, popularity, fame, wealth, or comfort that we trust in to provide us with purpose and strength.

(10) During the time of His ministry when Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth, they accepted Him as the son of Joseph, but rejected Him as the promised Messiah. Many people do a similar thing today.

(11) Receiving Jesus is a matter of one’s ETERNAL DESTINY (John 3:16-18). But some groups only claim to be Christian, because their doctrines belie that appellation. Islam, for example, accepts Jesus as a prophet and having been born of a virgin, but they do not accept Him as the Son of God. In other words, they do not believe that Jesus Christ is divine. Thus, they have missed out on salvation.

(12) Mormons occupy a similar position. Although they profess to be Christians and say they believe the Bible is the Word of God, there are many of their beliefs that contradict Christianity. In fact, Mormons are polytheists and not monotheists. They say man can become a god.

(13) Jehovah’s Witnesses say they are the ONLY TRUE Christians, but the fundamental doctrinal issue that distinguishes them from orthodox Christianity is the Trinity. They say the doctrine of the Trinity is a PAGAN TEACHING, but they misrepresent it, saying that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit must be three gods. They say that the Father and the Son are two Persons, but they imagine they need to prove this to Trinitarians. (14) Because Islam, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and progressive or emergent churches REJECT FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS from God’s Word, they are NOT CHILDREN of God and they REMAIN under the wrath of God.

This is episode 185.