Alright, the title of this message this morning is S.A.V.E.D.
You ever heard of an acronym, right?
That is when you take the letters of a word and you make different meanings within each
individual letter that has to do with the greater word.
And what does it mean to be saved?
You know, we go around evangelizing, soul winning a lot, right?
We go around and we preach the gospel, the message of salvation unto the lost, right?
And usually how we lead up the question is we ask people, God forbid if you die today
or do you know for sure you're on your way to heaven?
We're basically asking them, do you know for sure you are saved?
And a lot of people use this terminology and primarily within Baptist circles we hear that
word used a lot, saved.
I'm saved, they're saved, so on and so forth, right?
So I want to go through a sermon subject on this word saved in an acronym because for
those who maybe don't go soul winning or those who are younger or kids, like I want you guys
to know this word and its meaning and what it means to us, this church, the word of God,
and how we can bestow it upon the people that we share it with.
What does it mean to be saved?
This wording, this acronym will help us to understand these things.
So number one, how does one get saved?
The Bible makes it very clear in Acts chapter 16 verse 30, only one time in the whole Bible
is the question asked, what must I do to be saved?
And I want to slow this down because we use it so often.
I know when we go soul winning, I virtually use it every single time.
When the question is asked in the story, there's a jailer.
The angel comes and cracks the jail cell and opens all the doors.
All the prisoners are about to be let loose.
Paul is there and this jailer is afraid that either they're going to kill him or they're
going to get free and he'll get in trouble and he's about to kill himself.
So he sees Paul and Paul says, don't worry, relax, everything's fine, we're still in here.
And then the jailer looks at Paul and he says, what must I do to be saved?
What do I have to do to be saved?
And the answer simply was, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
It can't get any clearer, it can't get any simpler than that passage right there.
Jesus Christ says, verily, verily, which just means truly, truly, verily, verily.
He that believeth on me hath, which is a present tense word, has, is how we would say it today,
hath everlasting life.
If you believe, you are saved.
And the Bible wants to drill that point home because there is too much confusion on this
subject and like I said, I want to help us to understand this for those who don't know.
So here's the thing, what are you being saved from?
You're being saved from your sins and an eternity in hell.
The Bible says it's appointed unto men once to die and after this, the judgment.
Every single person in here, me included, deserves to be punished for our sins.
I stand here today, I have sinned in my life, you have sinned in your life.
We all currently struggle with sin on a daily basis, but the Bible teaches that if you believe
or have faith on what Jesus Christ has done for us, he says, you are saved, thou shalt,
not might, not it's possible if you believe you are saved from your sins and an eternity
in hell.
You are on your way to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible says to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord.
So that's the first thing I wanted us to understand.
How does one get saved?
Leave alone on Jesus Christ.
Once you believe, you're saved forever and I'm kind of getting ahead of myself, but the
acronym that I'm going to go into, I'm going to explain some more depths on this subject
of what it means to be saved.
Number one, S. And mind you, I didn't like go online and look up a way to explain this
acronym.
I just looked at the word saved and what I believe the Holy Spirit was guiding me to
explain on this subject, I believe is the best way to explain it.
So number one is S. I believe the best way to explain the concept of saved is the sainthood
of the believer or sanctification.
That's a word we hear a lot in Christian circles and friends and families that go to different
churches or profess to be Christian.
They say we are being sanctified, right?
And sanctified means to be set apart or made holy, declared holy.
Holy is the same thing, something that is, you know, completed and separated.
So basically the Bible saying that when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you have
become a saint.
See the Bible uses lots of words and referencing believers.
They're known as brothers and sisters.
They're known as children of God.
The most common term to use for people who are saved is they are called saints.
They are sanctified.
Their sins are separated from them.
The Bible teaches, for instance, that we are not of this world.
Jesus Christ says we are not of this world.
We have a dwelling in heaven one day when we die and the Bible wants you and I and everyone
to know that to be saved means you are a saint.
Turn if you would to First Corinthians chapter one.
First Corinthians chapter one explains this very clearly in a way that can be easily understand.
It clearly teaches right here in First Corinthians chapter one verse one.
Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God and Sosthenes our
brother unto the church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ
Jesus called to be saints with all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord
Jesus, the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours.
The Bible says if you have called upon the name of the Lord, you have believed and trusted
on Jesus, you are called a saint.
You are sanctified.
Now I'm not going to get into the subject of sanctification because I will mention this.
Though we are separated as in all our sins are as far as the east is from the west, we
are still physically alive on earth and we need to choose daily to deny ourselves and
walk in the spirit and not in the flesh.
So sanctification can be considered a process but not salvation.
We are made saints at one point.
We were born again by believing on Jesus Christ and we are sanctified and we are on
our way to heaven.
Now once again I kind of got away from myself just a moment ago and I want to point this
out.
Go back if you went to Matthew chapter 19.
Matthew chapter 19 has a story of the rich man, right?
We all remember this story of the rich young ruler, right?
And notice what it says in Matthew chapter 19 verse 17, it says, And he said unto him,
Why callest thou me good?
There is none good but one, that is God.
But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
He saith unto him, Which Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit
adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and
thy mother, and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Pause.
This person, this rich young ruler comes to Jesus and says, What do I have to do to inherit
or have everlasting life or eternal life or to be saved?
And Jesus gives him an answer.
Be perfect.
Keep the law perfect.
Do not sin.
And let me tell you something, according to the Bible, there are two ways to heaven.
Anyone ever sin and be perfect or believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?
Has anyone in here never sinned and never done anything wrong and is perfect?
Didn't think so.
The Bible makes very clearly for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
So Jesus is pointing out to this person, you want to be saved?
You want to have eternal life?
Keep the commandments perfectly, because here's the thing.
Jesus Christ, he did keep the commandments perfectly.
And because of that, he is able to be the substitutionary atonement for our sins because
he is God manifested with us and was able.
He was tempted in all points, like as we are yet without sin.
He never did anything wrong.
He lived the perfect sinless life that we can never live.
And because of that, his offer to us is sufficient for us to believe on.
That is how we are saved.
But not only that, notice what it keeps on to say.
In verse 20, the young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth
up.
What lack I yet?
And Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, okay, you think you're great?
Go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and now shalt have treasure in heaven
and come and follow me.
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily, I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly
enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again, I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
And his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
If this guy, which said he's perfect, is not going to make it into heaven, who then can
be saved?
And notice the answer, But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, With men this is impossible,
but with God all things are possible.
So you've got to remember that if you and I are trusting in our righteousnesses to save
us, it is impossible.
How hard it is for them to trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
It is because wealthy people, people who acquire things in this world are trusting in themselves
to be saved.
And that is why he said it's hard for them because they don't understand something that
is free, that is given, that is not from them.
It is from God, with God all things are possible.
So let me tell you this, this proves that wealthy people can be saved.
It's hard for them, but they can be because God and the word of God can cut through everything
and show them that they need a savior.
So like I said, I kind of got a little ahead of myself and I wanted to point that out.
You know, who then can be saved?
Those who believe.
We first seen the first letter in the acronym of saved as S is the sainthood of the believer.
But you got to remember, we are King James Bible believing Baptists.
We believed in the perfect preserved text in our King James Bible.
And this is important because the Bible says that God will preserve his word.
We're not trusting in the Bible of the month club, the next Bible to come tomorrow, the
Bible that came from yesteryear.
We believe that God has preserved, kept his word pure.
And let me tell you this, these modern translations of the Bible attack core fundamental teachings,
doctrines, doctrines on salvation, how to be saved.
What do you mean David?
The Bible says in John chapter three, verse 36, he that believeth on the son hath everlasting
life.
He that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
So the Bible, the King James Bible, the original preserved text says you either believe or
you do not believe.
What do you think the modern translations say in that passage has said something simply
like he that believes on the son has everlasting life, but he that does not obey the son shall
not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
And let me tell you this, do you need to believe and obey to be saved?
No, all you need to do is to believe.
And the Bible makes it very clear that to be saved is faith.
And I'm not going to go completely into that subject, but I just wanted to point that out.
Not only that, it says in, for instance, 1 Corinthians 1 18, it says for the preaching
of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved, like we are saints
and we are sanctified, you know, we are saved for the preaching of the cross is to them
that perish foolishness, but unto us, which are saved, it is the power of God.
So that's what I want us to understand.
Number one is we are saints.
Hey, what is a good way to explain to be saved through the letter a while I point out the
assurance of the believer, eternal security of the believer.
Once you believe you are sealed under the day of redemption, your sins are forgiven
your past sins, your future sins, your sins, my sins, all sins can be forgiven if all you
just did was believe.
This is a problem that you hear in Christian circles today, that people try to add to faith
your works.
They try to add to salvation also something else.
You can't just live however you want.
And if you do, you know, then you'll either lose your salvation or you never had it to
begin with.
The Bible says very clearly that if you believe you are saved, turn to your Bibles.
If you went to John chapter 10, John chapter 10 is actually one of my favorite, let alone
chapters in the Bible.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible, because it goes into this subject of the assurance
or the eternal security of the believer.
And it says in John chapter 10, look down if you would at verse seven, it reads, then
said Jesus unto them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door by me.
If any man enter in, he shall be saved.
Man get saved, might get saved, but he is saved.
If anyone enters in by him and shall go in and out and find pasture, the thief cometh
not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy.
I am come that they might have life and they might have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
But he that is an hiredling and not the shepherd whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf
coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the
sheep.
The hireling fleeth because he is a hireling and careth not for the sheep.
So the Bible is basically saying that once you are a sheep, once you've entered into
the door, you know, there are two I am statements in there.
I am the good shepherd and I am the door.
If you become a sheep, Jesus is your shepherd and you know the voice of the shepherd.
If you enter in, then you have, you are saved.
You are on your way to heaven no matter what.
But look down if you would at verse 15.
As the father knoweth me, even so know I the father and I lay down my life for the sheep
and other sheep I have which are not of this fold.
Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one
shepherd.
Therefore doth my father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me but I lay it down on myself.
I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my father.
So basically Jesus is just saying that like I am doing this volunteeringly.
Like in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He didn't have to do this, nevertheless he did for our sakes.
So number one, once you believe, think about the passage in 1 John 5 verse 13, we use this
so much going out in soul winning.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God that
ye may know that you are saved.
You know you have eternal life because you believed.
I get it David, we're saints.
I get it David, we're assured of our salvation.
The Bible says in 1 Peter 1 5, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
2 Timothy 1 12 says, for the which cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless I am
not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I've committed unto him against that day.
What does this passage mean?
We sing this song all the time and it basically teaches I know whom I have believed.
Once you believed, you know who you've trusted in, right?
But then it goes on to say and am persuaded.
You are assured that when you put your faith in Jesus, he is going to fulfill his end of
the bargain.
He says, he that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.
You know, my father which gave them me is greater than all.
No man is able to pluck them out of my hand.
I and my father are one.
So the Bible just wants you to know to be saved means you're a saint and you're assured
of your salvation.
Okay David, we get that.
What about the V in salvation?
You are victorious over death in hell.
Turn to your Bibles, if you would, to 1 John chapter 5, 1 John chapter 5 once again is
one of those passages in the Bible that it's just so much teaching and doctrine on the
subject of what it means to be saved.
I mean, for instance, look, if you would at verse 9, it says if we receive the witness
of men, the witness of God is greater.
For this is the witness of God, which he has testified of his son.
He that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in himself.
He that believeth of not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record
that God giveth his son.
And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his
son.
Once again, once you believe, you have to believe that you're on your way to heaven,
that you are eternally secured.
If not, you don't understand what it means to be saved.
You're a saint and you're assured.
But look down, if you would, at verse 4, for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.
And this is the what victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of
God.
So the Bible says, you want to be victorious?
You want to have victory?
You want to overcome the world?
You have to believe in Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ has overcome the world.
And when you believe in him, you are victorious.
Turn if you would to 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians chapter 15.
The Bible says the same thing in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 51, it reads, Behold, I show
you a mystery.
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an
eye at the last trump for the trump shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible
and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must
put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality,
then shall we be brought to, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written.
Death is swallowed up in victory.
Oh death, where is thy sting?
Oh grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us what?
The victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
So the Bible is saying that you, once you believed are victorious, you've, you've overcome
the world.
Think about the song.
One of my favorite songs is, uh, faith is the victory.
This is faith is the victory.
Faith is the victory.
Oh glorious victory that overcomes the world.
We're victorious death.
Where is your sting?
We're not afraid to die as saved believers because we know we are assured of our salvation
because we were made saints at our faith, at our belief on Jesus Christ.
So we get it, David, we're saints, we're assured, we're victorious, but what does the E stand
for in saved?
Well, the best way I can explain it would be to be called elect.
So this subject can open up a can of worms, right?
Because there are people who kind of force an opinion on a perspective in the Bible,
right?
And what does it mean to be elect?
Well, think about like a presidential election, right?
They're being, they're picking a president, right?
And any type of basically elect means chosen.
So here's the thing you got to remember that you were chosen to be saved, not because you
didn't have free will.
God has given us free will.
Remember earlier in the Matthew 19 passage of the rich young ruler, right?
Jesus said, if you want to be saved, be perfect.
And if not, the only other way is to believe on Jesus.
So you got to remember, like I said, this subject will open up a can of worms and turn
if you would to Ephesians chapter one, because there are people that are Calvinist that believe
that God chooses you to be saved by no merit of your own, but rather for unforeseen reasons,
he picked you.
He didn't pick that guy.
He picked you.
But here's the thing.
The Bible teaches that God picks those that pick him.
God did not create robots.
We're not robots.
We weren't programmed to just do whatever and anything we are programmed to do.
God gave us free will to choose him and any and every parent should understand this, how,
you know, it makes sense that when you have children and your children do what you want
because they want to do it, it means more to them.
They like that you chose to listen to them or do what they wanted or to fill in the blank.
If your parent forced you to do what they want, it's not as satisfying.
Parents want their kids to just listen because they like to do what is pleasing under their
parents.
God is the exact same way.
God wants us to choose him and therefore because of that, he chooses us.
Now look down at your Bible at Ephesians chapter one verse three.
It reads blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who had blessed us with
all spiritual blessings and heavenly places in Christ according as he has chosen.
Remember that word, chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love.
Pause.
So wait a second David, didn't you just say that we choose him?
But now you're saying he chose us before he even made us and look, you got to remember
that's true.
Nothing in the Bible is incidental, coincidental, and accidental.
It's there for a reason.
But how does this make sense?
Think about satellite television, right?
Or yeah, satellite TV.
People can, you know, before when I was a kid growing up, you'd have to show up at a
certain time into a certain station to see a certain show and if you weren't there, you
missed it.
You didn't get the chance to see the episode or the show or whatever it was, but nowadays
you can record a show.
You can record things that are on television and then go watch it at another time.
See in the perspective of God, that's the same way.
See God knows the beginning from the end, right?
So just like when you record a television show, if you watch it in advance and then
you go to show your friend who has never seen the show or like a sporting event or something
like that, you can make it seem like you're making the game happen in a way to your will.
Now obviously God does guide people towards him because the Bible says God's not willing
that any would perish, but that all would come to repentance, that God doesn't want
anyone to end up in hell.
Nevertheless, he wasn't playing games when he created heaven and hell.
So with that being said, God in his foreknowledge chose those who would choose him and notice
what it says in verse five, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of
his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein
he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery
of his will."
See, once again, it's a mystery, it's unique because we are finite beings.
We were created and we can't see the beginning from the end.
So to us, it's mysterious and it goes on to say, having made known unto us the mystery
of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he had purposed in himself, that in
the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things
in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him, in whom also we
have obtained an inheritance.
So wait a second.
We obtained it by our faith.
We got there by what we believed, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ.
Who what?
First trusted in Christ.
Say that again.
Who first trusted in Christ.
We trusted Christ.
And because of that, in whom also, in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word
of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also that ye believed you were sealed
with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance and the redemption
of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory.
So the Bible is trying to make clear at this point that you were chosen, what were we chosen
for?
You were number one chosen to be saved.
But not only that, you're also chosen to do a work for God.
We should not be as Christians complacent in our Christianity.
We should be doing more for God.
We should do more soul winning.
I've been talking about this all week long.
In life, doing more for God is never the wrong answer.
Think about it really quickly.
We need to make sure we have a nice work life balance in our life as Christians.
We don't want to put too much in one stake.
We don't want to put too much in something else.
We have our families.
We have our jobs.
We have friends.
We have fill in the blank, right?
Let me tell you this, any and every time you do more for God, that's never the wrong answer.
Now I know that's kind of hard for some to understand because you don't want to neglect
your family.
You don't want to neglect your work.
You don't want to neglect other things.
But if in life, you come to a decision and say, do more for God or do more for fill in
the blank, it's never the wrong decision to say, I'm going to do more for God.
Do more soul winning, memorize more Bible, go to church more often, fill in the blank.
Because we are called unto good works as it says in Ephesians chapter two, verse eight,
for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God, not of works that any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before
ordained that we should walk in them.
So we were chosen to be saved because we chose God, but we can also do great things
for God.
You're a saint, you're assured, you're victorious, you're chosen.
And the last thing I want to get into is D. And the point I want to get in with D is it's
done.
It's finished.
I guess it could be likened similarly to that of assurance, but I want to point this out
to the crowd of people who thinks that after all those passages we just explained, after
seeing all this text about you are saved, you're sealed, it's done, you're sanctified,
you're victorious, you're assured, you're chosen and all these things, there are still,
still people who think that your faith is not sufficient to save you, that you also
need to go to church, read your Bible, help the old lady across the street, stop your
sin and other things like that.
And they don't realize, and if people think that, if people believe they must continue
a life of righteousness after they believe, I would say they're not saved.
They do not understand what it means to be saved because if they understood this, then
they would realize they have nothing to do.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as so.
Think about what it means to be bestowed grace.
You don't deserve something.
You failed.
I mean, where I met my wife at this Bible college, we used to play volleyball and when
you play volleyball, you ever go to do a scrimmage and you go to hit the ball over on the first
rally and the ball doesn't make it over the net, it's kind of embarrassing.
People kind of are like, wow, you couldn't even get the ball over the net.
We used to say out loud, give them grace, give them another chance, give them an opportunity
because they don't deserve it.
They failed.
They should not get the point.
They should be disqualified.
They should get in trouble, but give them grace, give them another opportunity for by
grace are you saved through faith.
So once again, it's done.
We never could earn it on our own and because we can never earn it on our own.
Once you're saved, you can never be bad enough to lose it.
And I, I want to drill this point home because you guys got to realize we go soul winning
twice a week and we talk to people time and time and time again.
And what do you think some 90 to 80% of people believe it takes to be saved?
They're like, all you got to do is believe it's like right on.
Do you think you could ever lose your salvation for any reason?
Well, you can't just live however you want.
Well, you can't just live a life of sin.
Well, if you didn't stop your sin or repent of your sin, then you must never have believed.
See this is what I'm getting at.
They don't understand that it's done.
It's been done this whole time.
The analogy I tend to give sometimes is if you could imagine I had, I bought something
like a hydro flask.
This is brought to you in part by hydro flask.
Now I'm just playing.
I bring, I say, Hey, I bought this hydro flask.
It's paid for, it's finished.
I went to work, I got money, I went to the store, I made the exchange, I got the flask.
I want you to have the flask.
I want to give you this flask.
All you have to do is meet me later and ask me and I will give this to you.
Now you asking me, is that you working for it?
Not at all.
Cause I worked for it.
I paid for it.
Well, what if I don't go over and get it and you don't get it.
See, the Bible says that all we have to do is believe for by grace are you saved through
faith, right?
Do you, are you like expected this?
No, but I want you to have this.
The Bible says for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And I just, I want you guys to understand this point when we go around soul winning.
Now one disclaimer I'm going to point out is there are lots of people who are taught
bad terminology throughout their life and can truly be saved, meaning they gave you
the wrong answer on the subject of eternal security or what it means to be saved.
Haven't you heard this explained before?
I've given my life to Jesus and you got to realize I cut it in half 50, 50, 50% of the
time they understand that what they're meaning to say is they believed on Jesus, but the
other half is the other end of the spectrum and they think they have to do something for
Jesus.
So when you go and ask someone like, what do you believe it takes to be saved or what
do you think it takes to go to heaven and they say, I gave my life to Jesus or I gave
my heart to Jesus, have some sympathy.
Understand that that person could have been taught bad teaching throughout his life.
But not only that, people who think that with faith comes works is not necessarily our enemies.
And some people listen to that.
It's like, Dave, you just said this whole time that you don't need to work.
Work is not a part of it.
If you, if someone says they have to work, you would question their salvation and all
this stuff.
Let me make sure I reiterate this.
If people think that with your faith will come good works, that person is not my personal
enemy unless they, they don't realize the difference between faith and the work.
And I usually ask people in that analogy, I said, let's say a person believed and chose
to never don the face of a church.
They never cracked open the Bible.
They actually don't change their life in any physical way possible.
And they say, I don't believe that person saved or I don't think that person saved.
That's the person that doesn't understand faith.
But if someone says, I don't think or believe that, that that person would do that things,
just say, hypothetically, if that were to happen, would that person be saved?
If they say yes, they understand faith.
Do you get my point?
Because they understand that though they don't think they can be separated, they understand
it was that faith that saved them.
And that's what I want to get into because it's done.
And there's a unfortunate debate in the Christian world about if you believe, will I see signs
of your salvation?
You know, the signs we look for as Christians are what come out of someone's mouth, not
what they physically do.
If the Johnson family shows up to church every Sunday, every single service, three to thrive,
memorize their Bible, read it constantly, contribute to the church, lead song and do
all these great things, but they do not believe alone or think that only their faith can save
them, they are not saved because it's not done for them.
They're continuing this.
They have to continue.
So it's not done.
But then you have some guy that you preach the gospel to at his house.
And he says, I believe that I trust alone in Jesus Christ.
And you never see him ever again on earth.
I would not doubt that person's salvation.
See, a lot of Christians have problems with that.
But you know what?
What does the Bible say?
It says in John chapter nine, verse 30, this is the crucifixion.
This is the last moments of Jesus's time on the cross.
And what does it say?
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished.
And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.
Now understand this, what he meant by it is finished, he meant the work on earth is done.
What he needed to do, his plan, his mission was finished on the cross at death.
There was more that he had to do.
For instance, he had to be the substitutionary atonement.
He went to hell for three days and three nights.
He ascended on up.
He went into heaven and put his blood on the mercy seat in heaven.
So when he meant it is finished, he meant what he needed to do on earth was done.
And that's what I mean.
The Bible says, the D on saved is one of the greatest aspects of what it means to be saved.
You're not being saved.
It's not like, saved is a past tense verb.
You are saved.
You are a saint.
Your sins are forgiven.
You are sealed.
You are glorious.
You are assured.
You are chosen.
And it is done.
And praise God that you and I do not need to live a life of righteousness to maintain salvation.
Because if it were up to us, every person in this room and in this world would fail.
Because there's not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sineth not.
When we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
You're a saint.
You're assured.
You're victorious.
You're elect and it is done.
This is what the Bible wants you and me and anyone to know about what it means to be saved.
The title of this message today is Saved.
Star heads and I have a word of prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for allowing us to gather together and to be saved from our sins.
Please help us to be filled with the Holy Spirit to go out and share this message with others so that they can be saved and they can know that they're saved.
Help us to never forget the importance of what you bestowed on us and to always in everything give you honor and glory.
And in Jesus Christ's name we pray, amen.
Thank you.