The Universal Need For Salvation

Introduction: Jesus Christ made salvation possible.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Jesus Christ came into this world to make salvation possible. If you want to be saved, it is Jesus who will save you. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Today, we are going to look at the universal need for salvation.

In looking at that need, we are going to look at the inclusivity and the exclusivity of salvation. What does that mean? It means that no one is too bad to be saved, and no one is so good that they do not need to be saved.

1. The Inclusivity of Salvation: No one is too bad to be saved.

Here is what the Bible says about the inclusive nature of salvation.

Romans 10:13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Acts 16:31 “They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.””

Anyone can be saved. Christ shed His blood for everyone. Mistakenly, some say or think that someone is too evil to be saved. That would mean that some are not given the opportunity for salvation. I am telling you friend that is not biblical. As a matter of fact, let me share with you some examples of some evil, evil men who were saved by calling on God asking forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

A. Manasseh

If one were to make a list of the most evil men in the Bible, more than likely Manasseh would be in the top 15 at the least. Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah, and he became king of Judah when he was 12-years-old. When I say he was evil, I mean this joker took the cake. The Bible describes how evil he was. I will not read the entire passage, but let me highlight some of the evil this king of Judah did.

2 Chronicles 33:1–9 “Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which his father Hezekiah had torn down; he also set up altars for the Baals and made Asherim, and he worshiped all the heavenly lights and served them. He built altars in the house of the Lord of which the Lord had said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” He built altars for all the heavenly lights in the two courtyards of the house of the Lord. He also made his sons pass through the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger. Then he put the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God,

Manasseh did everything he possibly could against God’s law. He acted like the nations around him. He built up the groves, which Hezekiah tore down, to worship Baal. He built an Asherah pole. He worshipped the stars and the signs of the zodiac. He built altars in the temple. He carved an image of an idol and placed it in the temple, and he committed infanticide as he made the sons of Judah pass through the fires of Moloch, and I have not mentioned that he practiced witchcraft, sorcery, and necromancy which is conjuring up spirits and talking to the dead.

All of what Manasseh was doing strictly violated God’s law. If anyone deserved to die in judgment, it was Manasseh, but........

I will give you the short version. The Lord tried calling out to Manasseh to get him to repent. He was calling Manasseh to salvation, but like many of us, Manasseh was hard-headed, so God, to get Manasseh’s attention, sent the Assyrians who took Manasseh off in chains and fetters. A strange thing happened. Do you know what Manasseh did when he was trapped in his affliction?

2 Chronicles 33:12–13 “When he was in distress, he appeased the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. When he prayed to Him, He was moved by him and heard his pleading, and brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord alone is God.”

Manasseh called on the name of the Lord to be saved. He asked God’s forgiveness in mercy and grace, and do you know what happened? You can read it in 2 Chronicles 33, but Manasseh spent the rest of his life serving the Lord and trying to get the people of Judah to follow suit.

In the eyes of many Christians, Manasseh was too evil to be saved, but praise God that no one is too bad to be saved.

B. The Thief on the Cross

We all know that the Romans invented and perfected crucifixion as a means of execution. According to my research, the types of crimes deemed worthy of crucifixion by the Romans included murder, theft, treason, slave rebellion, and religious transgressions. Crucifixion was reserved for non-Romans as it was illegal to crucify a Roman citizen.

Looking at the list, I would say that most of us would say that a murderer, a treasonous person, a rebellious person, a habitual thief, and a religious zealot are crimes worthy of capitol punishment.

Well, the day Jesus was being crucified, there were two such men being crucified with Christ that evidently met the criteria for crucifixion. In other words, they were getting what they deserved. They had committed the crime, and on their crosses, they were doing their time. Here is what the Bible says about them.

Luke 23:32–34 “Now two others, who were criminals, were also being led away to be put to death with Him. And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves.”

The Bible is clear these two men crucified alongside Jesus were guilty. They were criminals. They deserved the punishment they were receiving. We know from other parts of Scripture that both of these men were making fun of Jesus, but something happened. This one guilty criminal heard Jesus say, “Father, forgive them.” He started thinking about what he had heard and seen, and then he cast a long eye at the sign nailed above the head of Jesus.

“Behold, the KING of the JEWS!” As he looked at that sign, he reflected upon those words of mercy and grace. “Father, forgive them.” Who is this he thought as his partner in crime continued to profane and mock Jesus saying save yourself and us.

Suddenly, this guilty criminal, worthy of death, rebuked his fellow criminal and asked Jesus to save him.

Luke 23:40–43 “But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our crimes; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.””

That criminal was on his last leg. He had no hope. He had just a few hours to live, but he knew the King of the Jews, the Son of God, could save him. He had heard Jesus ask God to forgive him, and that is exactly what God did. As that criminal worthy of execution walked into glory that very day. It was nothing he could do. He just asked and trusted the One who could do something.

I could give you example after example of people who we would call evil people that God saved. It is God’s desire that none perish but that all come to eternal life. How about Nebuchadnezzar, Legion, Lot, Matthew the tax collector, Zacchaeus, and Simon the Zealot? Friend, no one is too bad to be saved.

In our piety, we think that certain people cannot be saved, but the Bible says that whoever calls on the name of Jesus will be saved.

2. The Exclusivity of Salvation: No one is so good that they do not need to be saved.

If no one is too bad to be saved, it seems to follow that no one is so good that they do not need to be saved. I believe, unfortunately, there are many in churches who do many good things fall into this category. They have never truly asked Jesus into their hearts. They are doing good for the sake of doing good, and the Bible has a serious warning for you if that is you this morning.

Matthew 7:21–23 ““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Salvation comes from Jesus. No amount of good works can pay for one sin. The Bible contains some examples of people who might have thought they were too good to be saved.

A. Saul of Tarsus

Saul of Tarsus was one of the smartest men ever to live, and he was one of the most religious people to ever walk this planet.

Philippians 3:5–6 “circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.”

You talk about a pious man. Saul was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He followed the Law as closely as humanly possible. When he says that he was blameless before the Law, he is literally saying in his lost condition as a Pharisee that he was following the Law as it was supposed to be followed. He served the Law with zeal.

Acts 9:1–2 “Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem.”

Saul thought he was doing the work of the Lord. He was tracking down, arresting, and even murdering those that followed after Christ, and he did so in the name of the Lord. He was too good to be saved, but only Jesus makes one good before the Law.

Acts 9:3–6 “Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.””

Saul was in the dark, but Jesus shined His light on him. Now, blind to the Pharisaic way and the Law, Saul asked the Lord Jesus what he needed to do. I am telling you the decision to ask Jesus what to do forever changed Saul’s life. It was a change that the Law could never bring about. Saul went from being feared to being welcomed.

Acts 9:13–18 “But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;”

B. Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot was one of the 12. He walked with Jesus daily. He was a good man. How do I know he was a good man? They put him in charge of the money. I do not know about you, but I do not want to put someone in charge of my money that is a thief or that is a person of bad reputation. DO you?

There was nothing about Judas that indicated that he was not part of the 12. How do I know that?

Matthew 26:19–22 “The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve. And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” Being deeply grieved, they began saying to Him, each one: “Surely it is not I, Lord?””

The scene is the last supper, and Jesus shocks the 12 by telling them that one of the 12 was going to betray Him, but there was nothing that stood out about Judas that made the disciples think that Jesus was referring to Judas. Judas was one of them, but Judas is an example of what the Book of Jude warns against. Judas had slipped in unawares. The disciples did not know that he was of the devil but Jesus did.

The right association did not save Judas. Judas hung himself ignominiously in shame. If being good and keeping the right company saves a soul, Judas would be in heaven today, but he is not. He is in hell awaiting the final judgment. He never asked Jesus to save him. He trusted in himself and died in his sins.

No one is so good that they do not need to be saved.

C. YOU

What about you this morning? Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and into your heart? Are you like Saul of Tarsus? Are you motivated to do good things for the Lord and rely on those things to get you to heaven? Are you like Judas? Are you trusting in church membership and the right associations to get you into heaven?

There is only one way to salvation, and that way is Jesus Christ. It does not matter if you can walk on water or stand on your head if you do not have Jesus you will die and go to hell.

Jesus came to earth for you. He died for you. He shed His precious blood to pay for your sins. He was resurrected on the third day which guarantees your eternal existence somewhere. Would you not like that eternal existence to be in heaven with him?

All you have to do is to admit that you are a sinner. You are just admitting what you already know to be true.

After you admit that, you need to ask Jesus to forgive you for being a sinner and to ask Him into your heart believing that Jesus is alive today at the right hand of the God the Father because Jesus was resurrected on the third day.

If you do that, come forward, confess your declaration, and commit to serving Jesus.