This is my 36^thcolumn for this blog (Correspondent for Christ).  For some time now, I have ended most of them with a simple list called, “Some Key Truths.” It’s intended to reinforce the themes that I write about and as a reference for those looking for more information from the Bible on God’s plan for saving people.  It can also serve as a memory aid for those who want to share their newfound faith, but don’t yet know God’s word well enough to do so effectively.

Today, I thought I’d flip it around and lead off with the Key Truths—which are God’s contribution—making the column about the list, rather than the other way ‘round.  My contribution is the scribble that follows each passage.

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)

Sin is lawlessness (not just failure to keep God’s law, but rebellion against it).  There are the commandments of course, ‘You shall do this’ and ‘you shall not do that.’  Then there is the Royal Law of love for God and neighbor.  God is holy and does not tolerate even a little sin.  His standard of obedience is 100% perfection, not only in our deeds, but in our words and thoughts.  Man looks at and judges by outward appearance, but God examines our hearts.

“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)

Sin has been in the world since Adam and Eve first disobeyed God.  A sin-corrupted human nature is all they (or any human couple) can pass on.  No one escapes it (which explains the virgin birth of Jesus, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit—for Him to be qualified to become the bearer of our sins and their punishment, Jesus could not have been conceived in sin or possessed a sinful human nature).

“For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)

God offers every human being a choice in regard to their sin: their just desserts or His grace (unearned, undeserved favor). Those who reject Jesus’ death on the cross for their sins must stand on their own record.  Again, the standard is 100% perfection.  Even one transgression makes you a law-breaker and all outlaws receive the death penalty.  Those who repent of their sins and accept the pardon Jesus died to purchase for them with His own precious blood, receive God’s gift of grace (since their record has been cleared, a verdict of ‘not guilty’).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)

God’s love for the world is so indescribably vast, deep and intense that He sacrificed His own—His only Son, to save an otherwise lost humanity.  His method is to apply Christ’s sacrifice to all who will accept it, believing that through Jesus’ blood, God the Father can and will forgive their sins.  Salvation by grace through faith is the means whereby repentant sinners receive God’s free gift of eternal life in heaven with Him.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)

God proved His love for us by sending Jesus to suffer and die in our place, while we were still in rebellion against Him, helpless and utterly undeserving of His mercy and acceptance.  [Recalling that Christ is a title for the promised Messiah, not Jesus’ surname, it was not “just” God’s Son who died, but God’s Anointed, Israel’s King and ultimately of Gentiles, too.]

“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.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)

This is the gospel.  No, seriously—it is. The ‘good news’ is that our sins have been paid for through the death and burial of Christ, just as the Scriptures foretold.  On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead—also as foretold in the Scriptures—providing irrefutable evidence that the sacrifice was effective and acceptable.  The demands of the law for justice had been fully satisfied.  As Christ was raised, so will be all who put their trust in Him.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)

It is untrue to say and therefore foolish to believe that by virtue of our creation, “we are all God’s children.” The Bible makes clear that only those who believe in Jesus and receive Him by faith, as Lord and Savior are really God’s children, adopted into His family.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)

Although frequently taken out of context by many evangelists, this verse does highlight an important principle: Jesus Christ will come into the heart that invites and welcomes Him.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)

The key word here is, “whosoever.”  It is all-inclusive.  Everyone who turns to Jesus in faith and cries out to Him to save them will be saved.  Saved from what?  Eternal banishment from God’s presence and eternity in the Lake of Fire. 

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  (Romans 10:9)

This passage presents essential elements of salvation: true belief that Jesus is God’s Son, whom He raised from the dead, a surrendered heart, and confession that Jesus is your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.  The next verse [not quoted weekly] explains how these elements work and reveals why they’re important: ^“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).  Grace, operating through faith, enables God to offer the gift of eternal life.  That life is in His Son.  Those who confess that Jesus is their Lord and Savior receive Him and God’s gift (salvation).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)

Here, Jesus strongly affirms that those who hear His word and believe the testimony of the Father who sent Him, have (present tense) everlasting life.  We don’t have to wait until doomsday to find out where we’ll be spending eternity.  We are not destined for judgment of that sort at all, because we have already passed (over) from spiritual death and condemnation to life.  The gift was ours the minute we received it from God’s outstretched hand.

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31)

The gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, focused mainly on His ministry, do not recount all that He said and did.  How could they?  But John reveals his purpose in selecting (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) the material he presents, namely, that his audience might come to faith in Jesus and be saved thereby, having life both now and forever.

“These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)

This verse may seem to duplicate the prior passage (but it doesn’t).  John is not expressing hope that readers and hearers of his gospel might believe, but in a pastoral letter addresses himself to “you that [already] believe on the name of the Son of God.”  His purpose in doing so he says, is “that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”  John wants his audience to experience the peace and security that comes through having the assurance of salvation.  “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29), meaning that God does not and will not change His mind about you.  Your salvation will not be revoked.

Well, friend—how’s your heart?  How confident are you, that you are ready to meet your Maker?  Will you pass the test of 100% perfection in keeping all of God’s commands, statutes and ordinances, in all of your thoughts, words and deeds, over your entire lifetime, including His requirement to love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love others as yourself?  Or are you in need of a Savior?

Scripture declares that there is only one, and His Name is Jesus Christ: “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)

If you do not already belong to Jesus, now is the acceptable time to repent of your sins and come to Him.  This can be your day of salvation, the day you are born spiritually alive, the day you pass from death to life, never to face God’s condemnation for sin and His wrath against the ungodly.  Or it can become a day of bitterest regret for all eternity.

Think carefully. If you ignore God’s provision for you, that He might show you His kindness instead of His indignation, where will you find mercy?  If you reject the sacrifice of God’s only Son, who will be your Advocate?  I pray for you, as for one dearly loved, that you will not doubt or delay a moment longer.  If you are hearing, however faintly, the call of God right now, I beg you, answer that call.  The Lord Jesus Himself and myriads upon myriads of His holy angels stand ready to receive you with unspeakable joy.

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you. Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams and character).