What Salvation?

Larry Siegle
11/03/24 - Sun AM

Link to sermon video: What Salvation? - L Siegle

What Salvation?  I

“The BOUNDARIES of Faith”

(I Cor. 1:18)

Series:  What Does the Bible Teach about Salvation?

Thesis:  The Scriptures teach that salvation is necessary for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ.

INTRODUCTION

1.    The title of this series is What Salvation?

2.    This is the first message in this series, and today we are going to define salvation, and discover the boundaries of

        what it means.

        a.     What does the word salvation really mean?

        b.    Is salvation necessary to have a relationship with God?

        c.     What are the boundaries that determine who is and who is not saved?

        d.    What are the implications of what we believe about salvation?

3.    Every religious group has its own ‘concept’ related to “salvation” but often use a variety of words to describe it:

        a.     Taoism – ‘balance’ (Yin-Yang)

        b.    Buddhism – Nirvana

               1)    In nearly every philosophy is embedded the necessity of “human effort” and “achievement”

               2)    There is the notion of somehow making yourself ‘worthy’ in order to receive it.

WHAT IS SALVATION?

1.    Dictionary definitions:

• "the act of preserving or the state of being preserved from harm";
• "being saved or protected from harm or being saved or delivered from some dire situation."; 
• "in religion, the deliverance of humankind from such fundamentally negative or disabling conditions as suffering, evil, finitude, and death." (E. Britannica);
• "refers to the religious concept that a Higher Power saves humanity from spiritual death or eternal damnation by providing eternal life." (Wikipedia)

1.    In the OT, the concept of “salvation” carries with it the concept of “rescue” (Psa. 18:2, 4-6, 9-10, 13, 16-19, 35-36).

2.    In October 1987, while working at KXOI in West Texas, we received a terrifying bulletin through our newsfeed.

        a.     Just 40 miles from where I was working, in Midland, TX came the report that a precious little baby girl, 18 months

               old—her name Jessica McClure, while visiting at her aunts house, had stepped into an abandoned water well, and

               fallen 22 feet below the surface and had gotten wedged beneath the surface in the well shaft.

        b.    Multiple rescue workers came from all over the Permian basin to help rescue this little child.

        c.     It took 58 hours, drilling a secondary shaft next to the one Jessica had fallen into to reach her and dislodge her.

               1)    The whole world watched as her rescue was successful, and Jessica was “saved”—sustaining only a few

                       injuries, and complications form frostbite to one of her feet.

               2)    She has gone on to live a normal life, graduation, marriage, having children of her own.

3.    The entire message of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is about God’s “rescue” and “salvation” of those who

        would receive it.

        a.     Humanity had fallen into the confines of a well of sin and death—no way of escape of our own.

        b.    God sent a host of “rescue” workers (Heb. 1:1, 2)—spoke by “the law, the prophets, and the psalms” (Luke 24:27,

               44).

        c.     Jesus Christ, was sent into the place where humanity had become trapped and provided “salvation” life and

               deliverance (Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:29; 3:16-18, 36; I Cor. 15:1-4).

        d.    The “gospel of Christ” is the “power of God” that brings “salvation” (Rom. 1:16, 17; I Cor. 1:18).

4.    Salvation is the ‘deliverance from sin, defeat, and destruction’ that we could not and cannot provide for ourselves.

SALVATION NEGATED BY SELF-RELIANCE

1.    We are living at a time today when the narcissism, egocentricity, hutzpah that somehow makes people think they are

        ‘just fine’ themselves, they can ‘figure it out’ they do not ‘need’ God and are content to living a life of independence

        and separation from God.

2.    The gospel of Atheism is that people are 100% complete in themselves, and that any notion of the supernatural, and

        person of God, is just a form of self-deception, wishful thinking, following after a ‘fairytale’ nothing but ‘mythology’

        and nonsense.

        1)    The vast majority of colleges and universities, and places of education and higher learning are preaching this

               message to our children when they first leave home.

        2)    Parents and grandparents must prepare the hearts and minds of our children for what the world is going to try to

               ‘shape’ them into (Rom. 12:1, 2; James 4:4, 8).

               a)    In some countries, as much as 60% of the population identifies itself as “atheist”

               b)    Atheism and secular humanism continue to grow here in the United States and believers are faced with

                       ridicule, hate, and opposition as never before.

               c)     In a couple of days, our national election takes place here in America and as believers our convictions must

                       be heard and counted by those we vote into office—it is not about one party over the other, it is about

                       values of what is right and what is wrong (morally, ethically, biblically).

DAVIDS FINAL WORDS

1.    It is interesting that Psalm 18, almost word for word is recorded in II Samuel 22—just prior to the time when David

        utters his final words (II Sam. 23:1)

        a.     David always looked heavenward, to God as the source of his “deliverance” (salvation)

        b.    David saw the hand of God move on his behalf, to “deliver” him from the hand of his enemies and from Saul who

               had chased him all over the land, trying to kill them.

        c.     David saw God at his “refuge” the place of “safety” (peace and security) (II Sam 22:1-4 et al).

        d.    David was “humble” enough to know that whatever victories he had won, the source of those victories was God

               Himself.

THE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF GOD TO SAVE THOSE WHO ARE WILLING

1.    In this series of studies we are going to talk about some of the extreme concepts and ideas that are commonly

        associated with soteriology (the study of salvation).

        a.     A growing number of people, religiously, have embraced the notion of universalism—that everyone is going to be

               saved and that nobody was, is, or ever will be lost.

        b.    On the other end of the spectrum, there are some who have come to the conclusion, that salvation was ONLY for

               those of the “natural seed of Abraham” and that salvation ONLY continued to be offered until the “end of the

               age” (Matt. 24:3; 28:20)—nobody after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 is offered salvation or a

               relationship with God.

        c.     There is a significant number of people who believe that, “from all eternity past” God elected and selected an

               ‘exact number’ of people who would be saved, and an ‘exact number’ of people who would be lost

               (unconditional election)

2.    This series will challenge some of our very own concepts and conclusions about what was to happen at the time of

        Christ’s second coming, resurrection of the dead, day of judgment, and establishment of the kingdom.

        a.     The inspired apostle Paul told believers to “test all things” (I Thess. 5:21; II Cor. 13:5, 8).

        b.    We will approach the concept of salvation prayerfully over the next few weeks from a variety of passages that will

               enhance our understanding at we move forward.

CONCLUSION

1.    Do we have the same sense of confidence that David had during the time he was in his “distress” and trusting God as

        his source and his refuge?

2.    Can we begin to see just how amazing God has been to reach down into the very depth of the mess we often make of

        our lives, and lift us up, wash us clean, and fill us with His love?

3.    Salvation is the “celebration” of God’s blessings extended for fallen humanity.

4.    What would God have us to do this day to receive His blessing?