obedience to the Gospel is dead and devoid of any saving power
(James 2:14, 17, 19-20).
Hence, the Bible requires that we should both “believe” and “obey”
the Gospel in order to be saved and in order to avoid the punishment
of everlasting destruction in flaming fire (Romans 1:16; 1Peter 4:17;
2Thessalonians 1:7-9).
The Bible provides the way on how we could obey or respond to the
Gospel, or on how we could be saved. We obey or respond to the
Gospel, or apply the Gospel to our lives, by repentance from sin
(death to sin) (Romans 6:5-6; Colossians 3:5), water baptism by
immersion in the name of Jesus Christ (burial with Christ) (Romans
6:4; Colossians 2:12), and receiving the Holy Ghost (new life in
Christ) (Romans 6:4-5; 8:11). This is in consonance with the
preaching of the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost when the
people asked him and the rest of the Apostles: “Men and brethren,
what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38).
Peter was here preaching the Gospel of Salvation as commissioned
by the Lord Jesus (Mark 16:15) that repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47).
When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and obey the Gospel (Acts
2:38) we experience the New Birth of water and the Spirit and
become a truly born again Christian and are ready to enter the
Kingdom of God! (John 3:3-8). We then have to continue stedfastly
in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship and in prayers and to pursue
holiness (Acts 2:42; 1Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 12:14); for he that
shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Matthew
24:13).
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
ONENESS APOSTOLIC TRUTH, INC.
Taft Church
Brgy. Mantang, Taft Eastern Samar
TNT: 09465382124 TM: 09557949523
Why Salvation Is Important
And How Can A Man Be Saved
Regardless of race, color or creed, people everywhere in this world
need salvation because all have sinned and come short of the glory
of God (Romans 3:23). Indeed, no man can say that he is free from
sin (Proverbs 20:9). The Bible declares that there is no man that
sinneth not (1Kings 8:46; 2Chronicles 6:36). For there is not a just
man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not (Ecclesiastes
7:20). Hence, even the righteousness of man is considered as filthy
rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). There is really none righteous
and there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:10, 12).
Thus, the Bible concluded that both Jews and Gentiles are all under
sin (Romans 3:9); and all the world is guilty before God (Romans
3:19).
Because of sin, man has to suffer death (Romans 5:12). The Bible
said that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). While physical
death is evidently the result of sin (Genesis 2:17; 3:19; 5:5; Ezekiel
18:4), it is not the final and ultimate penalty for sin because man
has still to be judged even after he dies the physical death (Hebrews
9:27). So we read in the Bible that the dead who were not included
in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-5) stand before God and
were judged out of those things which were written in the books,
according to their works and they were cast into the Lake of Fire
(Revelation 20:11-15). The Bible calls this judgment in the Lake of
Fire as the “second death” (Revelation 20:14; 21:8). This being so,
it appears that the second death in the Lake of Fire is the ultimate
penalty for sin.
If the Bible speaks of a “second death”, then there should have to
be a “first death”. The first death clearly refers to physical death
because this is the only death that occurs to man after he is born
alive into this world and also because this is the only kind of death
which immediately precedes the second death. The Bible records
that it is appointed unto men once to die (first death), but after this
the judgment (second death) (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12, 14).
As already pointed out the second death is the judgement in the
Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).
The first death (physical death) is inevitable to everybody - to the
unsaved and the saved alike, but is something that the saved ones
should not be afraid of. Jesus warned not to be afraid of them
which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, but to fear Him
rather which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew
10:28; Luke 12:4-5). The Lord Jesus likewise proclaimed that He is
the resurrection and the life and whoever will believe in Him shall
live again (be resurrected) even if he dies (physical/first death) and
never to die (again) the second death (John 11:25-26; Revelation
20:4-5, 6).
However, the second death in the Lake of Fire is portrayed by the
Bible as something very horrible, dreadful and extremely terrifying.
The Bible described it as “Hell” (Mark 9:43, 45) or “Hell Fire” (Mark
9:47); as “the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone”
(Revelation 21:8); “furnace of fire” (Matthew 13:42); and
“everlasting fire” (Matthew 25:41). It is also described as “outer
darkness” (Matthew 25:30); and “blackness of darkness” (Jude 13).
The Bible tells us that the ungodly and unrepentant sinners shall be
cast into the Lake of Fire (1Peter 4:17-18; Revelation 20:14-15;
21:8) and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever
(Revelation 14:11; 20:10) where there shall be weeping, wailing
and gnashing of teeth because of the intense and indescribable pain
and suffering in Hell (Matthew 13:41-42; 25:30). According to the
Bible this shall go away into everlasting punishment (Matthew
25:46) and everlasting destruction in flaming fire (2Thessalonians
1:8-9) that never shall be quenched (Mark 9:43-48).
Hell, indeed, is a place and condition that is not to be desired where
to spend our lives for eternity. In fact, the Lord Jesus warned that
it is better for a person to enter the Kingdom of God maimed or halt
or with only one eye than to be cast into Hell Fire with two hands,
feet and eyes (Mark 9:43-48). Jesus has also taught that it is
useless gaining the whole world and then lose your soul (Matthew
16:26; Mark 8:36-37). The intensity and gravity of the extreme
suffering and horrible condition in Hell is further revealed by God’s
determination to redeem and save us from the curse of sin and
death in Hell.
The Bible declares that God will have all men to be saved, and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth (1Timothy 2:3-4). He is not
willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
(2Peter 3:9). Moreover, we learned from the Bible that God has no
pleasure in the death of him that dieth and so He commanded all
men everywhere to repent (Ezekiel 18:32; Acts 17:30).
In biblical context, salvation means deliverance from the power and
effects of sin – the second death (Romans 6:23; John 8:32, 34;
Romans 6:14, Titus 2:14); and liberation from ignorance of the truth
of God (1Timothy 2:4; Hosea 4:6; John 8:32). Also, salvation entails
with it the qualification to enter into the Kingdom of God and the
assurance to inherit eternal life (John 3:3, 5; Matthew 25:34;
Romans 6:23b; Titus 1:2; 3:7; 1John 2:25). And God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for
the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:4).
Before Jesus’ ascension to heaven, He commissioned His Apostles
to preach the “Gospel” to all the world (Mark 16:15). He said that
whoever believes the Gospel and is baptized will be saved (Mark
16:16). Thus, we learned that the Gospel is the power of God unto
salvation to everyone that believes (Romans 1:16). The Gospel,
according to the Bible, is the “good news” that Jesus Christ died,
was buried, and rose again for our salvation (1Corinthians 15:1-4).
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Our sins were justified by
His blood and we are reconciled to God by His death, much more,
being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (resurrection)
(Romans 5:9-10).
For man to be saved, he has to believe that Jesus died, was buried
and rose again all because of his sins and for the sake of his
salvation (1Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 5:8-11; Romans 8:11).
However, faith without works is dead (James 2:20). Faith without