Salvation

How is Christ’s redeeming work applied to man?

How do we know whether someone is a Christian?

God has decreed or ordained a plan of salvation that He has revealed to us in the Bible.

In this lesson, we will learn how He saves those who believe.

I. GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN SALVATION

A. God’s sovereign plan of salvation

1.Read Romans 8:29–30, and look at the progression of how God brings someone to salvation:

Verse 29: whom He foreknew

He also predestined.

Verse 30: whom He predestined

He also called.

Verse 30: whom He called

He also justified.

Verse 30: whom He justified

He also glorified.

2.Read Ephesians 1:4–6 and answer the following:

a. What has been God’s plan since before the foundation of the world (verse 4)?

“That we would be holy and blameless before Him.”

b. What is the purpose of His plan of salvation (verse 6)?

“to the praise and glory of His grace.”

B. God implements His plan of salvation

God’s Decree to Reveal His Plan

“The mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested … according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith.”—ROMANS 16:25–26

1. What is man’s spiritual condition before conversion (Ephesians 2:1)?

dead in trespasses and sin

2. What does God (the Holy Spirit) do concerning sin (John 16:8)?

“He … will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”

3. What is needed before someone can know the truth (2 Timothy 2:25)?

Repentance

4. Who grants it?

God

5. Read John 1:12–13. Who grants us the right to become children of God (verse 12)?

God

Notice that this right or privilege is not granted to us because of:

▶ Our birth (“of blood”)

▶ Our own efforts (“will of the flesh”)

▶ Our own volition (“will of man”)

6. Who causes growth in a believer (1 Corinthians 3:6)?

“… God was causing the growth.”

7. Who will cause the resurrection to occur (1 Corinthians 6:14)?

“God has not only raised the Lord,

but will also raise us up through His power.”

C. God culminates His plan

1. Look again at Romans 8:29. Into whose image will we be ultimately conformed?

The image of His Son (Jesus Christ)

2. What is going to happen to every believer (Philippians 3:20–21)?

We will be transformed into conformity with the body of Christ’s glory.

3. What is Christ’s desire for those who are His (John 17:24)?

“I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me.”

II. CONVERSION

Numbers 21:5–9 records how the children of Israel sinned against God, and so God sent deadly snakes that bit them and caused death.

The people realized their sin and asked to be delivered.

God instructed Moses to put a fiery bronze serpent on a pole, and when someone was bit, they could look on it and be saved.

In a way that illustrates conversion; however, instead of a serpent on a pole, we have the Son of God on a cross.

A. Conviction of sin

1. What has God given people to reveal their sinfulness (Romans 3:20)?

“Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”

2. When the people realized the mistake they made in crucifying Christ, how did they feel in their hearts (Acts 2:36–37)?

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ ”

B. Repentance from sin

1. Why did the tax collector cry out to God in the temple (Luke 18:13)?

He knew he was a sinner.

2. Read 2 Corinthians 7:9–10.

a. What does godly sorrow over sin produce (verse 10)?

repentance

b. What does it lead to (verse 10)? salvation

Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to God.

C. Turning to Christ

When people who had been bitten by a deadly serpent looked at the serpent on the pole, they were exercising faith in what God said.

1. What promise is given to those who call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13)?

“Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

2. Read Romans 10:8–10. Faith is required for salvation.

a. What must you confess (verse 9)? “Jesus as Lord.”

b. What must you believe (verse 9)? “Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.”

Faith means trusting in, clinging to, or embracing Jesus Christ, who is the object of our faith.

D. Becoming slaves to righteousness

1. Read Romans 8:1–2.

a. For the believer in Christ, what is the penalty for sin (verse 1)?

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

b. From what is the believer free (verse 2)? “the law of sin” and “death”

2. When freed from sin, what does a believer become (Romans 6:18)?

“slaves of righteousness.”

3. What benefit results (Romans 6:22)?

“sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.”

Sanctification is the process of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

III. EVIDENCE OF SALVATION

Three important evidences of a true believer are: faith that works, love that labors, and hope that endures (1 Thessalonians 1:3–4).

A. Faith that works

1. What reveals genuine faith?

a. James 2:18 one’s works

b. 1 Peter 1:6–7 trials; tested by fire

2. For what did God prepare believers (Ephesians 2:10)? good works

3. Titus 3:8 says that those who have believed in God should do what? Why?

“engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.”

B. Love that labors

1. Besides faith, what else does God take note of in the believer (Hebrews 6:10)?

“your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”

2. What is the source of love in the life of a believer (Romans 5:5)?

“The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”

3. What is true of a person who is born of God (1 John 4:7–8)?

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

4. How does a true believer show love (1 John 3:18–19)?

“Let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

C. Hope that endures

1. Who did Jesus say will be saved (Matthew 10:22)?

“It is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

2. What gives us our motivation to endure (1 Timothy 4:10)?

“We have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior.”

3. Describe the hope that a Christian has.

a. Galatians 5:5 “the hope of righteousness.”

b. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 “the hope of salvation

c. Titus 3:7 “the hope of eternal life.”

D. The three that abide

What three things did Paul notice about the Colossians (Colossians 1:4–5)?

1. their faith in Christ

2. their love for all the saints

3. their trust in the hope laid up for them in heaven

IV. APPLICATION

God is sovereign in salvation. The believer is not called to salvation because of his own worthiness but because of God’s purpose and grace (Ephesians 1:3–14).

A. Realizing that God has chosen you for salvation, how should you respond (Ephesians 1:4)?

“We would be holy and blameless before Him.”

B. How are you exhorted to live (Romans 6:12–13)?

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

The true believer will be convicted of sin and turn from it. He will be willing to submit to God and follow Christ. A true believer will exhibit:

▶ A faith that works

▶ A love that labors

▶ A hope that endures

Those three qualities are present in every true believer and shape the direction of his life.