Life Shape Prayer & Discipleship ​Block Nine – Salvation

gtoctr/fs121921 

• There is only One God – Jehovah, the God of the Bible.

• He created the heavens and the earth and made man like Him

• Adam and Eve sinned through their disobedience and were separated

o From each other

o From God

o From God’s purpose and provision on planet earth

o From eternal life 

▪ Sin brought birth to death and eternal separation from God

• Sin claimed the souls of all man and demanded sacrifice

o The blood of animals could only temporarily cover man’s sin

o The blood of man was impure and unacceptable

o The sin debt required the perfect sacrifice of a sinless man

• Jesus, Son of God and Son of man, willingly offered Himself

o Not because He had to but because He wanted to – love 

o In death He destroyed him who had the power over death

o He triumphed over principalities and the powers of darkness

o He took the keys of death, hell and the grave

• Jesus, the promised Messiah, victoriously rose to life again on the 3rd day

• God willingly opened a door through Jesus and extended an invitation to all mankind to be saved by His grace

• There is only one way to receive this free gift of salvation - it comes through faith. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 

Key Scripture: 

Ephesians 2

8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Commentary:

There was a man who lived in the day of Jesus who was a member of the religious group known as the Pharisees. His name was Nicodemus and he was a prominent and well known religious leader of the Jews.This man, not wanting to stir up controversy or cause himself problems, came to Jesus during the nighttime, after dark when no one else could recognize him. Nicodemus had a genuine respect for Jesus and said,"Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

Jesus answered Nicodemus and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus replied to Jesus in earnest, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?"

Jesus answered, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ’You must be born again.’”

The continuing Christmas story reveals a loving Creator whose greatest desire is to be your Heavenly Father. The salvation He offers is not based on what you have done or what you will yet do, but rather on what Jesus did. We access God’s grace by trusting Him. 

 

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 

Salvation comes only with a true conversion of the soul. Salvation is offered by grace, through faith in Jesus, and not by works.

 

Important Points:

1. Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

2. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. Romans 10:13 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

a. Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

b. Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.