Are You Saved?
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But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Am I saved?
Questions:
What does it mean to be saved?
ANSWER:
Salvation is not only the saving of one or delivering one from their sins. It is also salvation from the judgement to come:
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
How do I become saved?
Do I become saved by doing certain things? Yes and No.
You’re not saved because you shake the preachers hand.
You’re not saved because you prayed a certain prayer.
How do I know I’m saved?
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Why is it important for me to be saved?
Text:
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Light represents everything that is good and right. Dark represents everything which is hidden and evil, it represents sin.
God is good, Good is righteous, God is light. There is no darkness in him at all. I don’t care what you may think, I don’t care what someone else thinks, I only care about what is written here in the scriptures, and the scriptures declare that God is Light and if God is Light.....then God is Good!
Is there anyone here this morning that can testify to the fact that God is good? You ought to testify to someone near and just tell them “God is good!”
Verse 6 then says “If we say that we have fellowship with him”. This is a situational clause. If this......then that.
To have fellowship with God (koinonia) is to have partnership with God. It is to have communion with God to be associated with God, but a deeper mean also entails to have intimacy with God.
AND herein lies the problem for most people. They know of God, and they say that they have fellowship with God, but do you have INTIMACY with God? Yes you go to church, yes you serve in the church.....but do we have INTIMACY with God.
I’m not talking about people who profess they know God but there actions are questionable, I’m talking about us here today, I’m talking about those of us who come to church on a weekly basis, because you can be religious......BUT STILL NOT REALLY KNOW WHO GOD IS!!!!
And when you know who God is, you will understand his will, you will understand his word, you will understand who He is.....and no one will have to explain to you who He is.....BECAUSE YOU KNOW HIM FOR YOURSELF!!!!
I’m starting with the church folk first, because if you say you know God but you are in constant fellowship with the body of Christ.....you don’t have a leg to stand on. And if this applies to the church folk first......then you who have that sometimey relationship with God.....you should know that you’ve got to get it together!
IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM..........AND WALK IN DARKNESS........WE LIE.
My wife watches First 48 on A&E, she loves crime shows. I myself, I’m not big on them, it reminds me too much of what I had to deal with at the detention center. I dealt with criminal minded juveniles that committed murder, that committed some sexual acts towards minors, and did all types of crazy stuff, even to the least offender that got locked up for skipping school.
On the show, you have people who commit murder, and they will sit up in the interrogation room and will blatantly lie and say they didn’t do it......even when you got them on camera. I dealt with the same thing, I’m watching surveillance at work, I zoomed in on you, you looked at staff, looked at your neighbors plate, looked at staff, looked at the plate, looked at staff one more time to make sure the coast was clear, and when you thought they weren’t looking you took the pizza off their plate, and I have it recorded and I can play it back for staff to review it, but you still want to lie and say you didn’t do anything.
And that is what John is saying here. IF WE SAY WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM AND WALK IN DARKNESS (WILLFUL/HABITUAL SIN) YOU LIE.......YOU ARE A LIAR......THE NLT SAYS YOU ARE NOT PRACTICING THE TRUTH.
Illustration:
In the court system, there is a difference between the charge of manslaughter and murder. First, manslaughter and murder are both crimes that result in one who dies. The difference between the two is that in manslaughter someone dies but it was an intentional act. Murder, is an outright intended act that was done purposely.
The same can be said of sin. There are unintentional sins, sins that we commit that either we are not aware of, or some that we are aware of but we slipped and did not mean to do it.
But then there are sins which are intentional, you know it is wrong, but you decide that you are going to do it anyway because it just feels right to you, you do it because you love doing it.
And with God.....sin is sin.....there is no big sin and little sin.....there is no little disobedience and bit disobedience.......it if flat out disobedience.....it is flat out rebellion....it is flat out transgression whether it is intentional or unintentional......but it is a greater degree when it is intentional.
It is one thing to slip......and another thing to flat out rebel against God.
We cannot have fellowship with God, we cannot have intimacy with God, You be in God and God living in you and then you continue to live in spiritual darkness......because God is Light and there is no darkness in God!!!
Verse 7:
“But if”........another condition.....if this then that. “But if we walk in the light, as he (God) is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.”
OHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
THERE IS ANOTHER THING. We are NOT suppose to cut each other off. If God is in you and if God is in me then we are brothers and sisters in Christ. AND......we are suppose to fellowship with one another.
GOD DON’T ALWAYS AGREE WITH WHAT YOU DO.......DOES HE CUT YOU OFF? ANS: NO. Neither should you cut off your brother or sister.......pray for them.
So we are suppose to have fellowship with one another AND......
“The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
But brotha preacher......we aren’t suppose to have any sin......once we were baptized in Jesus’ name......and receive the gift the Holy Ghost.....that’s it......you’re not suppose to sin anymore!
Yes......but:
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Even after you are saved......you still have fight! Even after you are saved......you still have to deal with your carnal self.
The next verse 1 John 1:8 states:
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
You can sit back and act like you don’t have any issues.......BUT GOD KNOWS!!! You can fool yourself, but you cannot fool God. You can dress up and look all pretty with your Sunday’s best......but God sees beneath all that! You can put a collar on, you can put a nice shiny robe on, wrap the 24k gold necklace around your neck......but GOD SEES THROUGH ALL THAT!!!
You can have the church lingo down, you can have the best 2 step this side of heaven, you can have “The Voice” all of the runs, all of the scales, all of the chords.....but God sees through ALL OF IT!!! You can fool yourself....but you can’t fool God.
You can dip on God, stop coming to church......”I’m not coming to church because every time I come......I feel convicted.” That’s a good thing!!! It means God still loves you......it means God is still thinking of you......because if He didn’t......He wouldn’t send his word. You can hide.....from me, you can hide from each other......but you cannot hide from God!
Yes Mister, yes Ms. Self-Righteous Person......if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Because sin lieth at the door......it is just waiting for the right opportunity to cause you to walk in disobedience. That’s why you ought to ask and depend on the LORD to keep you!!
Then John says:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God knows we are sinful......HE KNOWS OUR WEAKNESSES (INFIRMITIES). But if we confess our sins!!!! That’s a hang-up for a whole lot of people......because of pride.
PRIDE WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE ALRIGHT WHEN YOU ARE ALL WRONG.
PRIDE WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU DON’T NEED NO HELP YOU CAN DO IT BY YOURSELF.
PRIDE WILL TELL YOU DON’T RAISE YOUR HAND DURING THE ALTAR CALL.
DON’T GO TO THE ALTAR BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOU.
PRIDE WILL TELL YOU “OH HE’S PREACHING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE....NOT ME.”
If we would come to God and tell God......and confess to God......YES GOD I MESSED UP......YES GOD.......I AM A SINNER......YES GOD.......I LIVE IN OPPOSITION TO YOU........FORGIVE ME OF MY SINS, FORGIVE ME OF MY WRONGS......I’M SORRY GOD.......I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE!
JOHN THEN SAYS:
HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!!!
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Main Point:
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Who can I become saved?
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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
So what does it mean to “call upon the name of the LORD”?
Let’s consider The Old Testament:
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
To call upon the name of the Lord does not imply to just call upon the name of the LORD, but it also means to get to know the LORD.
When Genesis 4:26 declares “then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” it means that Seth along with his descendants began to have a relationship with the LORD.
So it is not enough to just say the name Jesus, you have to form a relationship with Him....you have to be in constant fellowship with Him!
And....when you are in constant fellowship with the LORD it will change you!
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
When you are really saved, you are changed into the image of God. We become God’s children:
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Cool.....so the only thing I have to do is call on the name of the LORD? NOPE!
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
What did the Apostles do after Jesus told them to do this in Matthew 28:19-20???
Then Peter said unto them, 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. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.