What is Salvation truly?

According to Jesus, how are we truly saved?

Most people say a prayer and are baptized and then go to church and think that’s it.

Is that it?

Most thnk that this is it and many aren’t quite sure.

Proverbs 16:12,” There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

This way of thinking is the same thinking is the very reason that many are and will be seperated from God for eternity.

Many of us are surface thinkers , Acts 16:31 says,“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” and think to believe is all we need.

We think,” I believe and we are good, demons believe!

This word believe means much more than we think.

This type of believing means that we trust and belive in a way that we hear the word of the Lord and we submit and carry it out, we believe!

We believe in action, not just thought.

If I believe on the Lord Jesus then what He tells me to do, I do.

I believe the word! If He is my Lord, my owner, I do what the master says!

Oh but this master is the only master that will love me enough to give Himself for me and time and time again, make a way for me even after the cross!

In Him there is life and peace!

Outside of Him there is death and chaos!

Matthew 16:23-24,”But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” 24. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25.For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?This thang is heavy!!!

Verse 23 - “,”But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men!

Jesus turns to “Peter and refers to Peter as being Satan!

He tells Peter that Peter is an offense to Him (Jesus)

Why? Because Peter is not mindful or interests himself (Peter) in the things of God, but the things of men!!

How often do we interest ourselves in the things of men?

How often are we an offense to Jesus?!?!

Based on the greek meaning, this word offense means,” A trap-stick a snare (cause of displeasure or sin).

Verse 24 - “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

Let’s break this thing down.

If anyone desires or is willing to come after (behind) Me, let him deny, deny uterly or disown himself.

To disown means to refuse to acknowledge or maintain any connection with.

Let him refuse to acknowledge or maintain any connection with himself!

And or also take up or desire his cross (which implies crusificion), and or also follow, reach, to be in the same way with, accompany Jesus as His disciple.

Did you catch that, “His disciple.” To follow Him is to be His disciple.

Verse 25 - “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Here I believe that desiring to save your life is not taking up your cross and desiring the things of men and what seems right to man ends in death, losing your life. A spiritual death! That word life from the greek implies spirit or ghost.

But whoever loses (destroy fully, deny or disown) life (himself) for My sake, because of Jesus or by reason of Jesus, will have life.”

So in order for me to be saved, I must disown my own life and be willing to loose my life for Jesus or because of Jesus?

1 John says, “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked!”

Choosing Heaven over Earth is not an option!!

Look around you, our world is in a mess and it’s because of Sin. Man’s hearts are evil, Man’s ways are evil!!

Man says take care of you, love you.

The word of God says to value others higher and better than yourself!!

Who are you going to listen to?

Don’t you want it to change?

If so, do what He said, Take up your cross and do what He did and what He commanded!

Be His disciple and after you’ve been discipled, go and make a disciple!

Luke 6:40,”A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is trained will be like his teacher!!”Each day, the Lord keeps my heart and mind burdened for you!

Like Paul said in Galatians 4:19,”Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your life!!”

Our goal is to walk as Jesus walked!

1 john 3:7,”Little children, let no one deceieve you. He who practices righteousness is righteous just as He is righteous.

Let God be true and every man a Liar.

Matthew 16:26,” For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

The bad thing is, there is no profit!

Whatever you think that you have gained in this world can be gone in a blink of an eye.

Everything in this world is perishable but what is eternal is eternal.

What’s more important, you decide.