Searching for a More Secure Faith

?
There can be no

greater gift offered to you personally than that of salvation through Jesus. There is a divine dignity offered to you through Jesus that surpasses anything this world has to offer. Perhaps the most commonly quoted verse in the Bible is John 3:16.
(The New International Version or NIV will be used in scripture quotations throughout this study guide.)

A s human beings, there is no greater honor than to be invited to become a child of God.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The following verse is sadly, often overlooked . Verse 17 completes the idea.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Christianity was never supposed to be centered on condemnation but on salvation. The very name of Jesus means the Lord saves. It is impossible, therefore to fully pursue a relationship with Jesus without considering the subject of salvation, for these are intertwined. To be saved is to be certain and secure in ones relationship with God. This certainty, however is based upon our acceptance of this truth: The security of our salvation is not based upon our own efforts but on the Grace of God.

For it is by grace you are saved, through faith and this not from yourselves it is the gift of God not by works so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

It is difficult in our day and age to explore the subject of salvation without conjuring up images of evangelists preaching hellfire and damnation sermons to provoke people to give their lives to God. This study guide is not designed to frighten, manipulate or scold anyone into accepting Christ. It is about the matter of assisting those who desire to think for themselves and who want to draw their own conclusions about this important topic. It is also to bring clarity to those who are already following Jesus as they seek a secure and sure walk of faith. The term, gospel has long been used to describe the message of hope found in Jesus. The very word gospel means good news. In this age, when uncertainty, doubt and despair seem so prevalent, its good to know there is still some good news to lend a little optimism and hope to an otherwise

troubled world. Be certain however, the gospel doesnt promise to make all your troubles go away. It does however, put our troubles into context and diminishes the negative power of uncertainty and struggle. It is my prayer that you will read this material with your heart and mind open to reaching a deeper, more secure faith in God. As you read, you will make some new observations and these will help you THINK with more focus and clarity. Other things may be discovered upon which you should ACT. Some discoveries may suggest a change or adjustment in the way you relate to God. Where these actions are concerned, I pray for your courage and motivation to take those steps which would lead you closer to God. Spiritual growth is an ever-expanding and on-going process. I encourage you to embrace the possibilities of a faith which yearns for added depth and meaning. One of the long-standing traditions of churches and denominations has been to connect salvation with ones particular church affiliation. While I believe in the benefits of being affiliated with a church family, I also see a down side to simply thinking, I know Im saved because Im a member of this or that church. This study guide is based upon the idea that churches dont save. Only Jesus brings salvation. The security of our salvation, in my opinion, is based upon our relationship with Jesus as opposed to our affiliation with an institution. This purpose of this guide is not, therefore, to point you in a specific direction regarding a denomination or church affiliation.

This study guide will be focused upon answering the questions:

What does it mean to be saved? How can I be assured that I am saved? Is there a continuing process to being saved?
To begin answering these questions, lets begin with a consideration of one of the central ways God has chosen to draw us closer to Him. It is one of the principal ways God has allowed mankind to enter into a relationship with Him which allows for confidence, security and peace of mind. This way of relating to God is called Covenant .

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

a contract or agreement between two parties. In more practical terms, a covenant takes out the guesswork. Where our spiritual lives are concerned, we should strive for something that is concrete and understandable. Most of us want to know where we stand with the Creator. He wants us to know too. By giving us the Bible to use as a guide, we can know what his will is and how we fit into it. Take a look at II Timothy 3: 16-17 & 2 Peter 1:3-4 to see what I mean.

OUR COVENANT

T he relationship of God to man has frequently been defined in terms of a covenant .

A covenant is simply

those expectations are not carried out then the covenant is made void. Covenants between man and God are nearly as ancient as the world itself. In Genesis 9: 8-17 God promised to Noah that he would not destroy the world again thorough a flood. That promise and covenant was to Noah and his descendants. We are all therefore, benefactors of that covenant to this day. No need for guesswork or uncertainty, you have God's word on it. God continued to establish covenants at crucial times in human history. In Genesis 15: 18 ff God promises Abraham that his descendants will eventually settle the land of Canaan. This is what eventually leads to the grand city of Jerusalem and the placement of Gods temple in that city. As long as His people were faithful to the covenant He had made with them, their relationship with Him would be secure.

I n the agreement (covenant), there are expectations outlined which each of the parties agrees to keep.

If

covenant. The Old Testament may be referred to as the Old Covenant or Old Law. The New Testament is correspondingly called the New Covenant or the New Law. The written word of God is designed to be a guide for our relationship with him.

C ovenants are God's way of giving people a more secure faith.

The Bible is itself described in terms of a

The Bible serves as our guideline for faith and practice as Christians.
T he
remainder of this material deals with the covenant you have with God concerning your personal

salvation. This is an extremely important concern, so take your time as you read and study. Dont let yourself feel rushed as you go through this material. Take several days to read over the many Bible passages referenced herein. This is THE most important theme you will ever explore. Write down your questions. Ponder the implications. Seek your own relationship with God based upon your personal conclusions. Allow the Bible (God's Word) to be the final authority on what you believe.

SAVED OR LOST?
A s suggested earlier, there is a great deal of talk in religion about being "saved" or being "lost".
These terms

are frequently thrown around without being clearly defined. Let's look into this question for a moment. This vital question was once posed to the apostle Paul in Acts 16:30 . In this narrative, the questioner was a jailer who was holding Paul and Silas in a jail in the city of Philippi. He asked,....."What must I do to be saved?" The reply in verse 31 was, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." But this still doesnt address the question of what it means to be lost or saved. The first question raised has to do with the word "saved" or "salvation". Saved from what? You might ask. Saved to do what? Saved to be what? Because of this confusion, a large number of people living today never get around to considering what they need to do to be saved. For the most part folks simply don't realize they could be lost. Unfortunately, it is widely assumed that

someone, (their parents for instance), have already taken care of this for them through a dedication service, christening or infant baptism. While such actions are indicative of the devotion of the parents, it is important to remember that one's relationship with God is a personal one . Our relationship with God must be based upon our own understanding and subsequent actions based upon the reading and study of God's word. Salvation is not a matter of simply joining a church or denomination and finding security of salvation as a result of that affiliation. Salvation is personal . Although the words saved and lost are somewhat common in modern religious dialogue, the words are really

rather obscure in New Testament usage. Jesus used the terms in Luke 19:10 describing his reason for being on earth. "For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost." The word "lost" literally means "that the idea of being delivered from certain doom.

which is perishing while alienated from God." On the other hand, the word "saved" carries with it

The word "lost" literally means "that which is perishing while alienated from God."
closely tied to salvation. These related words give further insights to the meaning of being saved. The following is a partial listing of those words.

I t is this very word which is used in Acts

16:30-31 . There are in fact, many words in the Bible which are

Ephesians 2: 8-9 "For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith ..." Romans 8: 2 "For in this hope we were saved..." I Timothy 2: 4 "(God) wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the

truth ..."
II Timothy 1: 9 "...who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have

done, but because of his own purpose and grace ."

Titus 3: 5-6 "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit whom become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

he poured out generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by his grace we might

I Corinthians 15: 2 "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain."

CONCLUSIONS?
finalize our conclusions yet. A few more insights from God's word are in order and will lead to a fuller understanding of the topic at hand. Herein lies a valuable lesson for us as we seek to be serious students of the Bible.

S o then, what shall we conclude about this lost/saved discussion?

Frankly, I don't think we are ready to

Avoid drawing conclusions on spiritual matters until you have had time to think over the various dimensions of a question.
O ne cannot fully understand what it means to be lost or saved without considering passages on faith,
Before looking at any further scriptures however, I want to make a couple of observations about salvation. I would like to point out once again that one of the reasons people are not concerned about being saved is that they do not know they are lost.

grace, repentance, baptism, redemption, discipleship, commitment, etc.

people are not concerned about being saved is that they do not know they are lost.
of a continued state. Paul says, Another word for lost is the word perishing. According to II Corinthians 4: 3, the idea of being lost is one

..one of the reasons

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

Being a victim of sin means that a person is convinced that the way to fulfillment and joy in life is to be self centered, self-serving and to "call one's own shots". This perspective on living contributes to failed relationships, addictions and an overall feeling that life is shallow and devoid of any real purpose or meaning. If you have had these feelings lately, then you are perhaps beginning to come to grips with the reality of lostness. Hope lies ahead for those who are willing to embrace the saving message of Jesus.

approached them with the lie that they could become like God if they would just do things their own way by eating of the forbidden fruit. (Gen. 3:1-5) Satan appealed to their selfish nature and brought a curse upon them and every human who has lived since. The entire Bible is devoted to presenting to man a revelation of what selfish desires will do when left unchecked. Jesus came to the earth in fleshly form (John 1:14) for the express purpose of showing man that true joy is found only when we serve others and "do unto others as we would have them do unto ourselves". This runs counter to the entire campaign that Satan has perpetrated upon humanity since the beginning. It is only through following Jesus that we can be liberated from such bondage. Concerning this, Peter, the apostle, once testified before a group of antagonists, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

S atan's platform is the same now as it was in the Garden with Adam and Eve.

You will recall that he

THE DECEPTIVE NATURE OF SIN

Picture in your mind two people traveling along a swift river in a canoe. Without realizing it, they are moving swiftly toward a huge waterfall which will mean certain death if they continue down the stream. The sun may be shining above, the water blue and the climate perfect. The more perfect the conditions of the journey, the more oblivious these people are to the dangers ahead. There might be people along side the river screaming warnings but the people in the canoe ignore these sounds because to them there is nothing to be concerned about. Or perhaps they assume the people must be talking to someone else. After all, they are happy, contented, experienced canoeists. What's all the big fuss? Truth is, ignorance can kill you. It is eternally important that we realize being saved or lost is all about seeing the big picture. It is about thinking about the ultimate questions of life. Why am I here? What is life really about? Where is all this leading? The second major problem with salvation is that some people think they are saved when they really aren't. Salvation is not something inherited or passed down to us by our parents. While we can certainly appreciate our religious heritage and learn from it, we must pursue our salvation on a personal basis and we must let God speak to us on how and when we are saved. In my estimation, there is no greater respect we can pay our ancestors than to continue to pursue our faith in Jesus as Gods son. Joining a church will not save, just like getting into a different canoe wouldn't help the people in our illustration. They could even make their way over to a larger canoe filled with all kinds of good swimmers and canoeists, but unless they get out of the swift river, they will all be lost. We must never assume that we can approach salvation or religion on what the majority of religious folks are doing. We must remember that it was a majority of religious people who called for the crucifixion of Jesus. Although they thought they knew the truth of the matter, they did not.

We must never assume that we can approach salvation or religion on what the majority of religious folks are doing.

L et God set the standards and give the guidelines for your personal salvation.

Let's look at some of the passages on salvation. Let's not exclude some kinds of passages and include others, but let's look at the whole picture. Here is a sampling of twelve themes identified in scripture which are directly connected to the salvation process: 1 FAITH: Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." John 3:16, I Corinthians 1:21, John 1:12, Acts 16:31. 2 3 JESU S: John 12:47 "I did not come to judge the world but to save it." Matt. 18:11. BLO O D : I Peter 1:18-19 "It was not with perishable things..that you were redeemed...but with

the precious blood of Christ..." Acts 20:28, Hebrews 13:12. 4 5 6 7 GO SPEL: Romans 1:16 "...The power of God unto salvation.." I Timothy 4: 16, I Corinthians 15:2. WO RD : James 1:21 "...the word planted in you, which can save you"

O BEDIENCE: Heb. 5:9 "He became the source of salvation to all who obey him." Matthew 7:21-23 GRACE: Ephesians 2: 8-9 "...by grace are you saved through faith.." Titus 2:11.

8 9 10 11 12

HO PE: Romans 8:24 "...in this hope we were saved...." BAPTISM : I Peter 3:21 "...Baptism now saves you.." Titus 3:5 Mark 16:15-16, Romans 6: 3-4.

M ERCY: Titus 3:5 "He saved us...because of his mercy." HEARING THE GO SPEL: Romans 10: 14-17 "Faith comes from hearing the message. BELIEVING THE M ESSAGE: John 8:24 "...if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be

you will indeed die in your sins.

A FINAL WORD
I t is important to underscore the significance of the GRACE
of God where our salvation is concerned.

It should be pointed out that the underpinning for all the passages mentioned previously is Grace. Grace is defined as being a free gift which could never be earned on one's own power. There is no way to be justified in God's sight by any work or effort we might exert.

A good number of Bible passages relative to salvation also mention baptism. It must be pointed out that BAPTISM as mentioned in scripture, is not a work but a surrender. Baptism is not something you do. It is something done to you.

Baptism is not something you do. It is something done to you.

Discussion of salvation sometimes dismisses baptism as mere symbolism and diminishes its part in the discussion of the salvation process. A closer view of the connection of baptism to the salvation process shows baptism to be integrated into the response a believer makes as they accept Jesus as their Savior and come to be saved. The following chart of conversions from the book of Acts gives us a view of how baptism fits into the scheme of redemption. Please understand that the organization of these elements into categories is not to intended to reduce the scheme of salvation into a formula. This is just one of many ways to view the topic of salvation. The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John should not be ignored as the backdrop of these observations from the book of Acts. The focus always needs to remain on God and His full redemptive history which culminates in the coming of Jesus. Salvation is made possible, not by what we do, but what HE has

been doing throughout history.

Examples of Conversion in Acts

Occasion Pentecost Acts 2: 14-41 Samaria Acts 8: 5-13 Ethiopian Acts 8: 35-39 Saul Acts 9: 17-18 Cornelius Acts 19: 34-48 The Philippian Jailer Acts 16:32 Lydia Acts 16:13 Believed v. 43 Believed v. 31 v. 15 Believed v. 12 Believed v. 36-37 Confessed v. 37 Belief Repentance Repent v. 37-38 Confession Baptism Baptized v. 38-41 Baptized v. 12-13 Baptized v. 38 Baptized v. 18 Baptized v. 48 Baptized v. 33 Baptized v. 15 Went on his way rejoicing Results & Response Remission of Sins v. 38-47

Sins washed away 22:16

Remission of Sins v. 43

The only righteousness available comes by the Grace of God. (Rom. 1:17) There is no way anyone can qualify or deserve this gift. Frequently, those contemplating baptism state their unworthiness or state a desire to get their life completely straightened out before being baptized. While this sounds admirable, it shortchanges the idea that we are saved by the GRACE of God as opposed to our own good works. Come to Jesus realizing you are powerless to fight off sinful desires alone. Come to Jesus knowing full well of your unworthiness. (Rom. 3:23) "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

Acts 2:38 says that not only will your sins be forgiven but you will be given the "gift of the Holy Spirit". With the Holy Spirit working for you there will be added power to conquer sins in your life. This doesnt mean you'll never sin again, it just gives you a reference point to which you can go for stability and security. Baptism is a new Birth, and therefore a beginning point. You might say it is an opportunity to start over at "square one". sure. From this beginning your life will gain new stability. Your faith will be made more secure and

Baptism is a new Birth, and therefore a beginning point. You might say it is an opportunity to start over at "square one".
T hough it might seem a mere formality or ritual, remember that baptism

is a way of sealing the

covenant relationship into which God invites you. It serves as a definite point in time in which you
may forever reflect upon as the time in which full trust was given to God. Just as a husband and wife remember they consciously decided to make Jesus the Lord (master) of their life. I would remind you of what we said earlier concerning the need to make your relationship with God a personal one. One's commitment to God must come from within and therefore be a personal response to God. That is why, in my estimation, an adult would consider a baptism administered to them as an infant as being less their their wedding day as the day they became husband and wife, Christians look back to their baptism as the day

own personal response as being that of someone else.

While it is admirable that parents pledge to bring their children up in the Lord, even a parent cannot accept Jesus as Lord for their children. One should further note that in the scriptures there is not one example of an infant ever being sprinkled. The pattern is always baptism by immersion (ex. Romans 6 "...buried with Christ..."). The person being baptized is always capable of comprehending who Jesus is and what his life means to the individual who accepts him. In the midst of this discussion an important idea can be obscured. Salvation is in Jesus . His very name means salvation. It is troubling that salvation all too frequently becomes tied into rituals, doctrines and religious practices. While consideration regarding church, worship and doctrinal views form an important backdrop for living a life of faith, the centrality must always be Christ Jesus. I embarrassedly recall my early attempts at sharing the gospel with people. I hurriedly rushed to a point in my teaching where I would ask people to give their life to Jesus by accepting Christ and being baptized. Far too often I would leave the impression that if a person gets all the doctrine lined up right, gets baptized right and starts going to church, their salvation is certain and secure. What I failed to realize then was the need for a persons faith to be centered on Jesus and his claims. I now realize that people need to spend time in the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John getting to know Jesus in order to make an informed decision to follow him. Salvation is not found in a WHAT. Salvation is found in a WHO.

Salvation is not found in a WHAT. Salvation is found in a WHO.

the things (sins) that separate you from being Christ-like? Are you willing to put out of your life those sins?

The question to you is this. Have you accepted Jesus as the Son of God? Have you noted in your life

Are you willing now to become one with Jesus through the re-enactment of his death, burial and resurrection by being baptized? Because of my high view of the importance of baptism, I have occasionally been asked if I think a person has to be baptized in order to be saved. I can only respond that I think this question misses the more important point. If indeed, as scripture indicates, baptism is a uniting together with Jesus and a hence a invitation for a profound intimacy with Jesus, why would a person NOT want to be baptized? I would say that baptism is not something a person HAS to do as much as it is something a person GETS to do. It is an honor, a privilege and a most unforgettable way of being drawn into a covenant relationship with Jesus. The scripture says, "If we have been united with him in his death, we will

united with him in his resurrection."

Romans 6: 5

certainly

also be

I t is my prayer that you will not delay in making your covenant with God complete and secure.
important step.

There is not an

hour that God's call is not open. Please contact me if I can answer further questions or assist you in taking this

Gary Cleveland P.O. Box 3506 920/ 235-6235 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3506 gcleve2001@yahoo.com