Salvation By Study
Fundamentals 2021 • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
In 2021 we have been studying, on Sunday mornings, the theme “Fundamentals” with the desire to go back and study the “pure spiritual milk” of God’s word that we may “grow up into salvation” thereby.
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
These “fundamental doctrines” are vital in our growth into the meat of God’s word wherein salvation is worked out.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Last week, we began examining the “sub-theme” of God’s plan of salvation by looking at “Salvation By Grace.”
In that we learned…
What Grace Means.
Grace is a favorable gift, and in the case of the bible and salvation it is God’s favorable gift of Jesus Christ for our sins.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now knowing that is great but like all gifts that are given, the person receiving the gift must accept the gift.
This is where “God’s Plan of Salvation” for all mankind comes into play because God did his part giving the gift of Christ.
Now, we must do our part in accepting the gift as the apostle Paul put it…
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Through Faith encompasses the entirety of man’s responsibility of accepting God’s gift.
To put it in the simplest of terms “through faith” means…
To study God’s Word to know Jesus.
To put one’s faith or trust in Jesus.
To count the cost and determine to turn one’s life over to Jesus in repentance.
To confess with the mouth that Jesus their Lord and Savior.
To obey the gospel by being baptized for the remission of sin so as to be added to the church.
With that in mind let’s examine the first aspect of accepting God’s gift or grace, Jesus the Christ, through “Studying.”
Paul, inspired by God, would write…
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
So then we must first ask, how is…
Hearing Defined
Hearing Defined
English Definition.
English Definition.
Webster’s Dictionary defines “hear” as…
“(1) to perceive or apprehend by the ear (2) to gain knowledge of by hearing (3a) to listen to with attention” 1
Dictionary.com defines “hear” as…
“(2) to learn by the ear (10) to receive information by the ear or otherwise” 2
Greek Definition.
Greek Definition.
The Greek word in Romans 10:17 is “akoe.”
“hearing…pay attention to, listen carefully” 3
“hear, come to know” 4
Summary
Summary
The idea here is that of listening to what is taught.
Now this was the main form of studying God’s word with the word not yet fully written down and in everyone hands like it is today.
We could just as easily have it ready this way now-a-days.
“So faith come from studying with someone, and that study is through the word of Christ.”
I have “studying with someone” because this is the biblical concept given by God.
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Let’s examine that a bit closer as it pertains to our salvation.
Hearing (Studying)
Hearing (Studying)
Why Study God’s Word With Someone?
Why Study God’s Word With Someone?
Studying together enables them to know the real Jesus.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Studying together enables them to obey the real Jesus.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
21 “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. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Studying together enables them to love the real Jesus.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Summary
Summary
When we open up God’s word with someone and allow that “living, active, and piercing” word to connect with the soul of the one reading we enable people to know, obey, and love the real Jesus of the bible.
There is nothing more beautiful then seeing someone’s heart being pricked to righteousness through “hearing” or “studying” God’s word with them.
Studying is only part of what “hearing” means.
We also must be cognitive of how the study is going; by that I mean we must be certain they are…
Hearing (Listening)
Hearing (Listening)
Not Everyone Will Be Receptive To You.
Not Everyone Will Be Receptive To You.
The fact of the matter is just because you want to study with someone doesn’t mean they are willing to listen to you concerning God’s word. We must be able to “listen” to they way they are accepting the information.
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
This doesn’t mean these people weren’t receptive “at all” to the truth but they weren’t receptive to hearing from Jesus.
When we are studying with those that “know our past,” we need to listen to how they are “hearing” God’s word through us and understand they may have a hard time seeing past our past.
We might just need someone else to study with them.
We must also recognize that…
Not Everyone Will Quickly Receive The Word.
Not Everyone Will Quickly Receive The Word.
The fact of the matter is everyone is different concerning their reception of God’s word.
Some will hear God’s precious message and immediately ask “what hinders me from being baptized” such as the Ethiopian Eunuch.
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
Other’s will take their time and thoroughly scrutinize the scriptures before obeying such as the Bereans.
11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
The point is when we study with someone and open of God’s word with them, we must be willing to “listen to them” concerning how they are receiving God’s Word.
We have to be careful with those that need to study a bit slower not to overload them.
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
Summary
Summary
There is nothing more exciting and sometimes nerve wracking then studying God’s soul saving word with someone.
However, we must not allow that excitement to override what the other person is letting us know through their reaction to the study.
It is far better for them to “hear God’s word” from someone else or to take the necessary time to count the cost then to turn from the truth because we didn’t listen to the situation at hand.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Brethren when we make the time to open up the soul saving message of our Lord and Savior with someone let us do so with the express desire for them to get to know “their” Savior.
We are not in the business of helping people have “our faith in the Lord” but rather helping them through study gain “their faith in their Lord.”
Let us with sincere hearts pour out our love for our Savior to all those that are willing to listen in hopes that perhaps some with become obedient to that form of doctrine that only comes from God.
There is no salvation by grace without faith (Hebrews 11:6), there is no faith without studying God’s word (Romans 10:17).
Invitation
Endnotes
Endnotes
Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/hear
Swanson, James. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.
Balz, Horst Robert, and Gerhard Schneider. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–.
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.