Salvation - What Exactly Are We Are Being Saved From?

Salvation is a fundamental Christian principle. For example in Romans 10:9 we are told, that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. To better understand exactly what it is we are being saved from I prefer to use the word reconciled, not because it is a synonym for saved, but because it is synonymous with the principle of salvation. Romans 6:23 tells us, for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. So what we are being saved from is the antithesis of eternal life which is of course eternal death. Again I prefer to term it in this way; we are separated from God (eternal death) outside the presence of God. And we can then be reconciled through Jesus and receive (eternal life) or be restored into the presence of God.
Many people know the story of Adam and Eve. For those who don't the short version is as follows. God created the universe and all its contents. In the process of this creation man was created. Man is intended in this context to mean humans. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. God first created Adam and then Eve, Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. The chronology is a whole bible study or sermon in itself; I don't want to detour too far from the crux of this topic.
The Separation:
In the beginning Adam and Eve for the most part were just hanging out living in the Garden of Eden. They had been created in God's image, without blemish or malady or infirmity of any type. All provision had been provided for them. God is walking about in the garden communicating with them and them with him, and everything is hunky dory. Now enters a key player in the separation. We call him the deceiver because of this initial event, but he is known by other names as well, Beelzebub, Satan, Lucifer etc... Lucifer which is Latin for "Light bearer" started his existence out as an Archangel. Not only and Archangel but reported biblically as the most beautiful of God's angels. There came a time about the time of man's creation that Lucifer became discontented. In fact even as he is today, he became jealous and envious of man. You see in all his power and beauty which was imparted to him by his creator God, there was an element that did not sit well with him. This element is that God created man in his own image and likeness, and as such created him for personal relationship or communing. The bible tells us we are created a little lower than the angels, Lucifer was cool with that part, but the bible tells us that angels were created as servants to God, and that he ordained they should serve man as well regarding his will toward mankind. This is the part that did not sit too well with the deceiver. So the short paraphrased version is Lucifer rebelled against God and God cast him from heaven (his presence) forever, eternally, until the ends. The enraged Lucifer decided the only way to get back at God or hurt him in some manner would be to corrupt the relationship God has with his most beloved creation "man". So Lucifer enters the garden as the "deceiver" and convinces Eve, who then convinces Adam to commit the first or original sin. Until this point Adam and Eve were without sin. This is why Jesus is called the second Adam, the first Adam wrought death upon mankind, Jesus brought us into eternal life through reconciliation, or salvation. The original or first sin was Eve, then Adam eating from the tree of knowledge. God had told them they could eat of any fruit they chose except the fruit of the tree of knowledge. The tree of knowledge is not the tree of academic knowledge it was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eating of this fruit would make Adam and Eve aware of evil, and God said would cause death, Spiritual death. (Separated from God's presence)
From the moment of the first bite, and consequential knowledge of evil and sin (the first sin disobedience the second lust, as God warned them don't eat that fruit and knew they did when they exclaimed I am hiding lord I am naked) we have been separated from God spiritually. In the time before Christ the only way to earn God's favor or gain a way into his presence was through atonement. (Hence Jesus is the last high priest and final atonement, sacrifice.) The atonement of sin involved sacrifice, repentance and intercession of high priests. The bible tells us in Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. God is so committed to making a way for all people to be reconciled to him, because he loves us so much, and intends even today to have the communing we were intended for, that he had to find a way to overcome the dilemma. The dilemma is God can have no sin or evil reside in his presence. Just as dark does not endure light, it is the nature of God who is perfect in his glory and righteousness; he is the antithesis of evil. Evil exist as a result of potential. (Another topic, study or sermon we will post at some point) Just as dark exists simply as the absence of light, there is potential in all things, this is a spiritual attribute imparted from God, in all he has created. So how does God save us from an eternal existence out of his presence? Jesus Christ: Jesus the begotten son (not made) God incarnate arrives on earth and lives a perfect life, commits no sin, and is never separated from God until his death. This was his primary purpose in life, to die for our reconciliation or salvation, which we could never achieve for ourselves. As a man just as you and I, Jesus was able to make a final atonement for the sin or unrighteousness of man that separates man from God. Jesus the perfect man, takes all the sins of the world upon himself, present and future and suffers, dies, and is buried in fulfillment of the scripture. He descends into the pit or place of evil, and arises 3 days later, resurrected and victorious. Evil could not contain him, as evil had no claim on him. John 14:30 I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the prince of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the father requires or me, so that the world will know that I love the father. Come let's be going. He was without sin, and had made no free will choice to participate in evil. In doing this he not only provides a way for each of us to be reconciled by grace through our faith or belief, but he overcomes all the curses associated with evil for us. He is ascended to the Father (God) where his kingdom is complete, and he is coming back per his promise in God's divinely appointed time to complete the establishment of his kingdom on the new earth.
Salvation
Hopefully it is now clearer why I prefer reconciled to saved. Salvation is specific, however reconciled is more to the point explicating what salvation provides. What are we being saved from? We are being saved from eternal separation from God. We are being saved from eternal anguish in the presence of a perfect evil that hates us. We are being saved from malady, infirmity, and the other attributes of the curse evil propagates upon us, like a poison in a healthy creature. Certainly eternity is a long time; in fact it is immeasurable by time as it has no beginning or end. But right here, right now, you can reap the benefits of reconciliation or salvation. This is what Christ says, John 14:12-14 The truth is, anyone who believes in me will the do the same works I have done, even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the son brings glory to the father. Yes ask anything in my name and I will do it! John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you will have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. God says although our righteousness is like filthy rags, we are made worthy and righteous through Jesus' blood. We are worthy right now as people who have received salvation, been "reconciled" to receive God's blessings.
I realize no one is going to win anyone over beating them over the head with eternal damnation and a 10lb bible. It is not my intention to win anyone over but rather to inform and hopefully encourage all to consider their eternity. Not the If; but the where. I hope this article, bible study; sermon whatever you choose to call it helps with making the right decision when it comes time for us to choose. We know the right decision, Christ gave his life showing us, the apostles gave their lives telling us, and now I have taken time to make sure all that read this know. All that can be done, has been done. Now the choice is ours, accept or reject won't be because no one told us. If you read this then ignorance will not be an out. It's like a gift left by UPS, its already arrived all you have to do is pick it up; I hope you do so soon.

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God's Plan of Salvation

Acts 2;36 - 39:
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 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.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
I Pray that God bless you with love and grace in Christ Jesus. And "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power." Ephesians 1;17 - 19.
There are many different denominations with different beliefs and teachings. This discussion is about what the Bible says about salvation.
The plan of salvation is all summed up in Acts 2:38,
"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".
I will be presenting repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Spirit in God's plan of salvation together as a whole, along with other related verses.
• Repentance, Baptism, and Receiving The Holy Spirit
Repentance: To repent means to turn to God with all your heart, giving up all sins, and living your life according to His word. Call on the name of Jesus, believing and confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior, confessing that He died for you and was raised from the dead to give you life. Confess that you're a sinner, confessing your sins to Him, and asking Him to forgive you and save you. Then give Him thanks and praise. Confess your sins to Jesus, not to any priest, because there is only "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Ezekiel 18:20-32, Isaiah 1:18-20. Romans 10:8-13, 1 John 1:9&10 and 2:1-6. Deuteronomy 6:1-7, Joshua 1:6-9 and 22:5. John 15:1-10 and 14:15.
Baptism: The word "baptize" means "immerse". It means to be totally immersed and covered in water for the washing away of sins. Sprinkling is not baptism, it's not immersion. Baptism must also be done in the name of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:5 says that there is only "One Lord, one faith, one baptism". The baptism in Matthew 28:19, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit", and in Acts 2:38, "in the name of Jesus Christ", are not contrary to each other. Jesus is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When baptism is done in the name of Jesus Christ, then both scriptures are fulfilled. So the biblical way to baptize, is by immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 10:43, Acts 4:12, Zechariah 14:9. Colossians 3:17.
Receiving The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is another word for the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Jesus. In reference to the Godhead, Ephesians 4:4 says that there is only "one Spirit". The Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ, and Spirit of the Lord are all the same Spirit, or the same person, which is God. Also, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, and receiving Jesus, are two different things. Remember, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus, and when you receive the Holy Spirit, you receive Jesus. And as you receive Him, that is, when you are filled with His Spirit, you will begin speaking with other tongues.
In Matthew 11;28, Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". And in Isaiah 28;11&12, it says, "For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest, And, This is the refreshing". So this stammering lips and speaking with other tongues, this is the rest, this is you being filled with the Holy Spirit and receiving the rest that Jesus promised to give to them that come to Him. So, yes, speaking with other tongues still exists, and is the evidence or sign of you receiving the Holy Spirit, of you receiving Jesus.
What Shall We Do?
Believe in the Lord Jesus, repent of all your sins, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking with other tongues, as the Spirit gives you the utterance.
• Believing Unto Life
John 3:16 - 18,
16 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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 5:24,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Scriptures, like the ones above, tell us that we must believe in the Lord Jesus to be saved. And we must believe, for "he who does not believe is condemned already" (John 3:18). But it doesn't stop there. The scriptures also tell us that there is more to God's plan of salvation than just that.
Jesus also says:
1) "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel", Mark 1:15.
2) "He who believes and is baptized will be saved", Mark:16:6.
3) "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive", John 7:38&39.
So repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit are all three tied-in together with believing and must be applied to our life to be saved. We must go through the steps of salvation that God has ordained and laid out for us to follow. And being passed from death unto life.
Jesus said, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life".
And to those who say you believe but say you don't have to be baptized to be saved, do you not hear what the word says? For it is written,
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him".
--- 1 Peter 3:18 - 22.

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There Is No Salvation "Outside Of" the Church of Christ

Was there salvation outside of the ark? Was there salvation outside of the nation of Israel? Is there salvation outside of the church of Christ? The answer to all of these questions, per the Bible, is clearly "no".
Before your emotions get the best of you, calm yourself down and consider two preliminary points; (1) I was raised in one of the largest, main-stream denominations in America - not in the church of Christ, so I can speak directly to this issue. What I'm about to share with you comes from years of personal study, debating, argumentation, and absolute struggle with idea that salvation is in only one church. (2) Jesus said in Matthew 22:29, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." Many "religious" people have formed their ideas about salvation on their own opinions, pre-conceptions, and statements that they've heard over and over since they've been children (rather than the Bible).
The Bible says that there is no salvation found outside of the church of Christ. The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 1:18 that Jesus is the head of the body, the church. The body and the church are one in the same. Paul told the Ephesians, in Ephesians 5:25, "...even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." The church is singular in existence, and Jesus gave Himself for the church. In Ephesians 5:23, Paul said, "...even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." For a person to say that they can be saved without being a member of the church of Christ reveals their ignorance of the Scripture, because the Apostle Paul says that Christ is the "saviour" of the body, and the body is the church.
How many "churches" was Paul speaking of? Now watch this; the same Paul told the Ephesians, in 4:4, that there is one body. If the body is the church, as Paul stated, and, as he also stated, that there is only one body, then there is only one church. A child can understand this simple Bible teaching.
Although, this begs the question, "Which church is the one church?" Well, let's use a simple example. Martin Luther was a fine man with the noble desire to get back to the Bible. After Luther's death, his follower's established the denomination bearing his name; the Lutheran Church. Now, was this the one church that Paul spoke of in his epistles? How could it possibly be - the Lutheran Church didn't exist when Paul wrote his epistle. In reality, the Lutheran Church was established some 1500 years after Paul spoke his inspired words; therefore, it is not logical, reasonable, or biblical to conclude that the Lutheran Church is the one church of the Bible, because it simply did not exist at that time (the first century)!
We're still at the original question...which church was the one church of the Bible? It is, of course, the church that was established on the Day of Pentecost, as written about in Acts chapter two. It is the church that Jesus bought with His own blood, Acts 20:28, and it is the church governed by Jesus Christ, Colossians 1:18.
Some argue by saying, "Paul was speaking of the invisible, world-wide church, and that includes all churches!" I am sorry, but this common response is biblically false. How do we know? Luke said in Acts 8:1, "And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles." Men could not and cannot persecute something that was/is "invisible". The church was, and still is, a visible entity on this earth.
Some say, "Well, my church is just as good as your church!" Friend, there are certainly good, sincere, loving, kind, friendly, well-intentioned, God-fearing, Jesus-believing, moral, right-living people in all man-made denominations, but the church of Christ is not a man-made denomination." In Matthew 16:18, Jesus prophesied that He would build His church, and He called it the kingdom in verse 19. The church of the Lord was not an accident, or a "stop-gap" measure; it was God's plan. Christ's prophecy concerning His church was also "future tense", and He said this after the death of John the baptizer; therefore, John didn't establish the church of our Lord, nor did he John purchase the church with his own blood, as Christ did.
The church of our Lord began on the Day of Pentecost, and we can see that God added to the "saved" to the church, as found in Acts 2:47. No church existed in the Bible prior to that day. In Acts 2:38-47 Peter explained the terms of salvation and entrance into Christ's one church. Peter preached to the entire house of Israel, Acts 2:36, but only 3,000 people gladly received his words and were baptized, simultaneously being added to the church of Christ by God Himself, as stated in Acts 2:41-47.
When men began to follow the teachings of other men at the church of Christ in Corinth, Paul rebuked them for the thought and practice. Paul said, in I Corinthians 1:10-13, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" However, 1,500 years after Paul spoke these words, men rose up and said, "I am of Martin Luther." Doesn't Paul's rebuke apply to all men throughout time? Are we not all to "speak the same things and be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment"?
Man-made denominations are certainly made up of good people, but mankind isn't saved by "goodness", but by the blood of Christ, and the Bible says that Christ bought the church with His blood and that He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, all of those outside of His body will not be saved, regardless of how good, or kind, or sincere, or honest, or loving, or moral they are found to be. This is made clear in Jesus' words found in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Call it dogmatic, call it narrow-minded, call it intolerant, but you're calling Jesus the same, for He said in Matthew 7:14, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

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Is Jesus the Only Way of Salvation?

Yes, indeed. This is based on the testimony of many witnesses. These testimonies was collected into one book the Bible. The writings of these witnesses are God's working overtime to reveal to man His plan of salvation. His plan to rescue us out of the mess we entered into willingly (this happened when we were in Adam). The Bible has nothing to hide that Jesus is the only way of Salvation as stated in the following:
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
Jesus has declared Himself to be the savior:
"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mathew 20:28)
He came to give His life a ransom for many. That means there was something that was holding us captive that we needed ransom to be paid so that we can be released. Sin was holding us captive and we needed to be related from its bondage. God is faithful He cannot break His word. Man had sinned and the punishment was eternal death. God did not just forgive man, if He did He was to break His own word, "You shall surely die." (Gen. 2:15-17). What did God do? He became man and paid man's penalty. God remained faithful to His word you shall surely die and saved us from our mess. That is the message of the while Bible. Without divulging into the Bible to give verse after verse that proves Jesus is the only way of salvation; let me ask a question. Why do people question that Jesus is the only way of salvation when it is clear from the Bible that He is. Indeed there are genuine and rational concerns even within the Christian church. One of the major concerns is: What about those who lived before Jesus Christ? How can He be their savior? The Bible gives an answer to this question. God created man. After man had sinned God introduced a way to bring man back into relationship again. Jesus Christ is their savior because every animal sacrifice was a type or symbol of His a foregoing death. Every animal scribe that was offered in faith was a lesson of what Christ Jesus did then and is doing now. The sins were forgiven. Abraham who lived before Jesus Christ and before the Old Testament, was completed understood this. The animal sacrifices he gave he gave in faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
That is why the Bible says that Abraham believed God and he was counted righteous (Gen. 15:6). Noah believed God and he counted righteous. Abraham understood the animal sacrifices were a type of Christ (John 8:56). Moses wrote about Christ. Jesus Christ confirmed this (John 5:46). God revealed before Jesus Christ that salvation is by faith alone. The animals were offered in faith that Jesus Christ will be offered for our sins. Noah who was born before all men understood this. All the other ways that men suggest is a perversion from the truth. It is the inventories of the evil heart. Some who challenge that salvation is not only through Christ Jesus allege that our strongest foundation for teaching salvation is the Garden of Eden and what happen there. They argue that the Garden of Eden is not real it is like the Elysian fields of classical Greek. The Bible has been proved true by History and science. All the prophecies of the Bible that have been fulfilled reveal that what the Bible says is real. So Eden is real and if Eden is real Adam sinned and we all need a savior and that savior is Jesus Christ. The argument that if the Bible is the only truth. Other worldviews could not arrive at the same conclusion as the Bible is wrong. It is argued that Buddha and Confucius taught that the greatest commandment is love as well as Jesus taught. The Bible is clear that when man left the tower of Babel knew what was right and wrong man had also an idea of atonement. When this is seen in other cultures than the Bible let us not forget that man originated from the man. Instead this should help us to trace our steps back to the Bible. It is not a proof against what the Bible teaches that salvation is through the blood of the Lamb. In concluding the problem is not with Jesus being the only way of salvation. The problem is with man. Man doubts what has been clearly revealed in scripture and clings to what is not truth. The Bible says this:
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributed His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks but they become futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:20-21).
God has not hidden knowledge about Himself. It is clearly seen from what is made. However, instead of man glorifying God for this, they become futile in their imaginations and nobody is without excuse about God's salvation.

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The Greatest Gift - Jesus Christ

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25 NIV)
INTRODUCTION
I have fond memories of Christmas when I was growing up. The first thing was the preparation for Christmas. There was the shopping for Christmas gifts: my family would walk through Bridgetown trying to find quality but inexpensive gifts. Many homes in Barbados took this time to make sure that the house looked radiant for the Christmas season. Often a house would get a new coat of paint, new curtains went up at the windows and the house was thoroughly cleaned. The Christmas tree was decorated, gifts were placed and lights were stringed up both inside and outside of the house. This was the time of the year when we got all kinds of soft drinks - Plus, Malt, JuC. Who could forget the food - ham, turkey, chicken, stuffing, rice, salads, pudding, sweet bread, great cake and other delicacies?
Christmas Eve was typically spent cooking and baking late into the night. Early on Christmas morning, we headed to church for the 5:00 service. Church was packed out with persons decked in the latest fashions. After service, some persons would go to Queens Park in Bridgetown. But I was eager to get home to open my gifts. Later in the day, after having a sumptuous feast at home, we would go to visit friends where the fare was typically drinks, pudding and ham. It was a fun time. When I gave my life to Christ, the season truly became meaningful and I looked forward to sharing the Christmas story with my children and experiencing the worship songs of Christmas. Christmas as it should properly be celebrated is about the greatest gift ever given to mankind in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS GIFT?
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21 NIV). The purpose of Christ coming is not about running around shopping. It isn't about getting the house tidied up. Gift giving is a good gesture around this time of the year, but Christ's coming is not about exchanging gifts. It's also not about the food, nor is it about the lights and the new clothes. Sometimes these things take precedence over the real meaning of why Jesus came into our world. The purpose of Jesus coming was to save His people from their sins.
The Bible makes it clear that all have sinned. None of us was a good person. In our world we have liars, gossips, fornicators and adulterers; we can easily extend the list. Sin is more fatal than a cancer. For one thing, it destroys our relationship with God and eternally separates us from Him. Persons who are sinners and who have not repented of their sins in this lifetime will spend eternity in hell. This may not be acceptable theology for some, but it is the Word of God. Interestingly, Jesus spent more time talking about eternal judgment than He did about heaven. He wanted us to understand the seriousness of rejecting Him. Further, sin destroys marital unity. God put Adam and Eve together in the Garden of Eden. Eve was the perfect help meet for man, yet when sin came into the world, Adam quickly blamed Eve for his fall into sin. Sin destroys relationships: Cain killed his brother Abel out of envy and anger. Sin also results in societal evils such as domestic abuse, crime and corruption.
It is absolutely essential to know that there is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ. He is the only way, the only truth and the only life; no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Salvation is not through good works. Some people think that by their own efforts they can save themselves. God, at the judgment, will simply weigh their good deeds against their bad deeds. However, this is one of satan's lies. Salvation is not through education: there is a societal view that education is the answer to all of the world's problems, yet some of the worst atrocities are perpetrated by educated people. Salvation is not through wealth. Jesus indicated that it is hard for a rich man to enter heaven. Salvation is not through religion or self-discipline. There are some noble things about Islam and even some similarities to Christianity. Islam practices the five pillars, which requires self-discipline. Yet there is no salvation in Islam. Only Jesus has been given the name by which men can be saved.
Sin brought humanity under the control and influence of satan. If you're a sinner, you're a child of the devil. A person either belongs to God or to the devil: there is no middle ground. The valley of indecision is not a place of neutrality; it is not a limbo between heaven and hell. Romans 8 tells us that the mind governed by sin cannot and does not know God. It goes on to tell us that only those who have the Spirit of Christ and are led by that Spirit are the sons and daughters of God. If you are not saved then you don't have the Spirit of Christ, you are not being led by the Spirit and therefore you are not a son or daughter of God.
ARE YOU EXPERIENCING THE FULL BLESSINGS OF THE GIFT?
God has given us some tremendous privileges once we have accepted His gracious gift of salvation. For one thing, we are regenerated: we are given a new nature that enables us to live to please God. We are justified: we are declared righteous because Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and gave His righteousness to us. We are adopted: we have been placed as adult sons with all the privileges of sons; we are co-heirs with Jesus and we will reign in the kingdom with Him. We are sanctified: God has set us apart from the world, from sin, from satan's control and dedicated us to Himself so that we can live holy lives. These are immediate benefits, which we receive once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
There are other benefits of our salvation. These are a few of them. We are entitled to God's provision; God is our Jehovah-jireh who has promised to provide for all of our needs. We can benefit from God's protection; He is Jehovah-nissi who protects us from the various strategies and devices of the enemy; the Bible is replete with promises and examples of God's protection. We can receive God's healing; He is Jehovah-raphah; Jesus doesn't only provide spiritual healing but He also provides physical and emotional healing. Believers have fellowship with God; He is Jehovah-shammah, the God who is always present in our lives; we always have access to God and can freely and boldly approach His throne of grace. We can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit which provides empowerment for service and affects our spiritual lives in other dynamic ways. There are many other benefits of our salvation. We have reason to rejoice and to worship because God has done so much for us as a result of our relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THIS GIFT?
Unfortunately, not all people have received this gift. Some have money, popularity, position and plenty of gifts for Christmas, but they don't have Jesus as Lord and Savior. Jesus asked a critical question: what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Luke tells us about a man who planned to build bigger barns, but did not consider his need for God. He also tells us about the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man rejected God and ended up in torment, possessing nothing but pain and suffering. Lazarus who had nothing, but who we can be sure had a relationship with God, ended up with everything in Paradise, that is, the thing that mattered most: being eternally in the presence of God and His saints.
Accepting Jesus is not about being religious. The religious leaders of Jesus' day (the Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law) for the most part rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They preferred to accept the traditions of men over the will of God. There are many people who are religious, giving God a part of their lives particularly on a Sunday morning. However, Jesus didn't come to occupy a part of our lives. He came to establish a kingdom, his complete reign in our hearts: He is not interested in sharing that throne with anything or with anyone. It's easy to see Jesus as a babe in Bethlehem, but that baby has grown up. He grew up to die, be buried, to rise again and is the ascended Lord who is at the right hand of the Father making intercession for the saints. The Bible also indicates that He is coming again as the King of kings and Lord of lords to establish His kingdom - His universal reign over all humanity.
People have various reasons for not accepting Christ, none of which have any validity. Some individuals are concerned about what their friends think. When we stand before God in judgment, we will not be standing with our friends; we are not required to give an account for them, but we do have to give one for ourselves. Some people say that they are not ready and they'll do it later. The Bible clearly states that now is the day of salvation; there may be no future opportunity. Further, the longer a person waits, the greater the potential for their heart to become hardened, resistant to the call and grace of God. Some persons believe that they are good persons, that God will weigh their good deeds and give them access to heaven. The Bible challenges that misconception by showing that all have sinned and no one is good enough to merit heaven. If we were, God would not have needed to send His Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Some individuals think that they have to fix themselves up first. However, we have no righteousness that makes us acceptable to God. This is why salvation is a gift; the only thing that we can do is to receive it by faith.
CONCLUSION
There are only two possible responses to the gospel. We can reject it. To reject the gospel is to reject God's love, grace and mercy. It is to choose your own way over God's way. It is to reject the greatest gift man could ever have and ultimately to reject God. The second response is to accept the gospel by believing with our heart and confessing Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. To accept the gospel is to accept God, the kingdom and righteousness of God and the blessings of the kingdom. Don't allow another Christmas to pass without accepting Jesus Christ, the greatest gift anyone could ever have.

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Can A Christian Lose Their Salvation?

This question cuts to the core doctrine of Christianity... the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. There is NO greater pillar in the foundation of Christian belief, than the blood of Christ that atones for all sin.
There are groups of people, churches and other organizations that teach that a Christian can lose their salvation through continued sin... it is so prevalent in fact they have a name for it "Conditional Security". In a nutshell, they teach that you are given eternal salvation when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior and repent "or turn away" from your sin, but that if you do not live in continued obedience to Christ... you could lose your gift of salvation.
The more I studied scripture, prayed and meditated on this question the more I realized just how utterly powerless this idea renders God. If we have to rely on OURSELVES to get to Heaven, we are DOOMED. Every good deed we do, is like a filthy rag in God's eyes, so what HOPE do we have?
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Why would God send his ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to DIE on the Cross if the very people he was sent to save, would again condemn themselves to damnation... by doing the inevitable... and sinning again? You see God knows we will continue to sin and this will not stop until we are given our eternal bodies of perfection, free from the sinful nature (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).
If we have the power to "override" our eternal salvation by committing sin, then there is NO power in the Blood of Christ.
John 10:28-29
28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
Here John clearly proclaims once we are given eternal life, we shall NEVER perish. He doesn't say "And I give them eternal life, until they sin again" or "... as long as they live a sin-free life".
You see, we can NEVER live a sin-free life, before or after our salvation, not as long as we inhabit these bodies that are cursed with the sinful nature.
(Psalm 51:5, Ecclesiastes 7:20)
But what about people who turn their back on God? Walk away from their faith and deny Christ? For me, it is hard to imagine anyone receiving the Holy Spirit in their life and then rejecting Jesus Christ... but it is equally hard for me to imagine the God that I worship FORCING someone to spend an eternity with Him in Heaven, when someone has chosen to deny Him.
You might hear many atheists come forward and proclaim they were once Christians, such as prominent author Bart Erhman, and now they reject Jesus Christ and don't believe in God anymore. So let us take a closer look at what it means to actually BE a Christian so we can discern if these claims are true.
According to Scripture, a Christian is someone who has been born again by God (John 3:3; John 3:7; 1 Peter 1:23) and has put faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that it is "... by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
Read that last line again very closely... "NOT from yourselves, it is the gift of God". You see, once we have truly given ourselves over to Christ our eternity is sealed. If men like Erhman continually walk through life denying Christ, then it is very unlikely they ever had salvation to begin with. Notice I used the word "continually", why? Because you shouldn't be led to believe you will never sin again once you are saved.
"Born Again" does NOT mean you will never sin again, even Paul one of the greatest Christians in the New Testament struggled with ongoing sin (Romans 7:15). What it does mean is you will come to hate sin, and when you do fall to temptation, you will recognize what you have done, confess your sin to God and ask for forgiveness.
This may lead to the question, but what if I continually fall to the same temptation? Will God continue to forgive me? Peter had a similar question for Jesus...
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
In this verse, Jesus is illustrating the immeasurable power of God's grace to forgive. THIS is the power of Christ's Blood! He WAS the final sacrifice... his blood cleansed all who believe in Him.
Now, there are some scriptures that people can point to as evidence that you CAN lose your salvation, so let us take a look a couple of those verses now.
Ezekiel 33:13
Though I say to the righteous that they shall surely live, yet if they trust in their righteousness and commit iniquity, none of their righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in the iniquity that they have committed they shall die.
At first glance, this passage appears to state that the righteous (believers) will lose their salvation if they sin, but that would be reading the passage out of context. God sent Ezekiel out to the exiled Israelites to warn them of the "sword coming upon the land" (Ezekiel 33:3), in other words a WAR is coming. The death this passage is referring to is a physical death during war, not a spiritual death. In other words, he was telling the exiles... repent from your sins now or face the very physical punishment of death.
Matthew 7:21-23
... Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
In this verse it appears to say that some Christians won't get into Heaven, but the true meaning behind these words points to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Just because someone says "I am a Christian" with their lips, doesn't mean they have that relationship. Without that relationship, which is the essence of Christianity, there is no eternal salvation.
So what is the best way to discern when a Bible passage is true? There are a couple of things I want to say about this, first and foremost you MUST pray to God for Discernment and Wisdom EVERY time you read your Bible. Second, if a vast majority of scripture points to one meaning, and you find one or two that seem to contradict that meaning, be sure you are reading the verse in complete context.
It is my hope and prayer that if you take one thing away from this article, it is that once you ask Jesus Christ to come into your life, repent of your sins and ask forgiveness, and truly BELIEVE in His name... you WILL be granted the gift of eternal life in Heaven.

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How You Could Lose Your Salvation

The last nine verses of Romans 8 contain the great chain of salvation. What would have to take place for this chain to be broken? What would have to happen for us to lose the grace of God and in turn, our justification? I'm addressing this as a type of game, but a serious one, that leads to a celebration of grace.
To lose our salvation:

• We would have to find somebody against us who is greater than God

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? verse 31
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. Psalm 96:4
To lose our salvation:

• We would have to find a better gift than Jesus.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32
To lose our salvation:

• We would also have to find a better sacrifice than Christ.

Christ on the Cross is what is meant by gave him up for us all. His substitute was sufficient for every repentant sinner in the world, the greatest gift possible.
Paul points out that if God gave his Son as our substitute on the Cross, we also receive all of the benefits of that sacrifice. The phrase all things refers to all the benefits in the ensuing verses.
To lose our salvation:

• God would have to decide that the work of Christ on the Cross is insufficient.
• or that someone else than Jesus should have been there.

It is Christ who died. verse 34
The death of Christ is implied here as fully sufficient. It is not just a mere man who died for us but the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed of God.
To lose our salvation:

• God the Father would have to accept accusations against His elect

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. verse 33
To illustrate let's say Satan accuses a believer before God's throne. In a court of law, no one can be condemned without a trial. The trial cannot take place until the court receives an accusation. This is referred to as the indictment. If the judge refuses to accept the indictment, no trial occurs. God is that Judge and He accepts no charge against His elect.
To lose our salvation:

• God would have to remove from us the righteousness of Christ.

It is God who justifies. verse 33
Justified means, declared to be righteous. According to the Bible, believers have the righteousness of Christ attributed to them.
... and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith Philippians 3:9
To lose our salvation:

• Christ would have to return to the grave.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised verse 34
To lose our salvation:

• Christ would have to stop interceding for us.
• God the Father would have to stop listening to the prayers of Jesus on our behalf.

who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. verse 34
The ministry of Christ did not end with his ascension. It continues right now on our behalf.
What is he praying? Read about it in John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me.
Jesus is praying

• for our preservation.
• That our sins and failings not be held against us.
• That his elect will persevere.
• That his own will be with him forever.
• That they will rule and reign with Him over the coming new creation.
• That all the benefits of his inheritance will accrue to them also.

To lose our salvation:

• We would have to be separated from the love of God.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? verse 35
To lose our salvation:

• We would have to depend on our own strength in times of persecution

As it is written, For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. verse 36
Do you ever fear that you will not be able to go through severe persecution? Scholars tell us that more than 40 million martyrs have given their lives for Christ during the last 2000 years. Do you think all of those where better Christians than us? More valiant?
You don't have to worry about not having the strength to go through such things. Good news! You don't. God does.
The grace of God will be there for us if such times come. We do not preserve ourselves. God does.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. verse 37
A pastor once told me that if he preached this sort of security in Christ, many of his people would consider it a license to sin. I replied, At least that would reveal who are Christians and who are merely religious.
Sincere Christians do not want a license to sin. They see their former life as slavery, and want nothing more to do with it. What they want is purity.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. verses 38, 39
This is the anchor of grace.

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Water and Holy Spirit Baptism: Their Important Roles in A Christian's Salvation

Is water baptism important? I would answer yes. Is it required? Yes, again. But is it required for salvation? I would say "no" at this time, though I cannot tell you firmly. Let's study a few Scriptures together...
In Ephesians, Paul wrote: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all." (Ephesians 4:4-6, WEB)
Here, Paul lists seven "one" things that are most important and fundamental to Christians. One body refers to the church, the body of Christ (all believers as a unit); one Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit; one hope refers to our eternal hope for our future resurrection and everlasting life with Yahweh and Jesus in God's Kingdom; one Lord is our Lord Jesus Christ; one faith is our faith in Jesus for salvation; and one God is obviously Yahweh God Almighty. Now, what is our one baptism?
Whenever we come to the word "baptism" and its related forms in the Bible, we need to realize that it doesn't refer to water baptism every single time. In actuality, the New Testament describes three main baptisms:
1) John the Baptizer performed water baptism for people.
2) Before John baptized Jesus in water, God told John that Jesus is one who "baptizes in the Holy Spirit." (John 1:33) Before his ascension back to heaven, Jesus promised his disciples, "For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (Acts 1:5) This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
3) Before his execution, Jesus said, "But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!" (Luke 12:50) This is the baptism of suffering for the world in which only Jesus was baptized.
To which baptism was Paul referring when he said "one baptism"? All the seven "one" things he listed are vital to us as Christians, so the one baptism must be required for any Christian. Paul spoke about this baptism in his other letters. Let's read a few verses:
"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13)
Here, Paul tells us that the baptism of the Holy Spirit puts all Christians into one body of Christ. All true Christians have "drunk" the Holy Spirit like water. This was what Jesus was referring to when he said, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38) This is referring to "the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive." (John 7:40).
God saves Christians "through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior." (Titus 3:5, 6)
"... you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13, 14)
"Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)
"Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not only important, but as you can see, it is essential for salvation. Note that the Holy Spirit is given to each Christian as a "pledge." This means that God gives each Christian the Holy Spirit as a down payment or deposit that he or she will be glorified, which is the final stage of salvation.
Only the baptism in the Holy Spirit seals Christians with a pledge. Since this spiritual baptism is essential to salvation, Paul, I believe, must be referring to this baptism when he wrote "one baptism" in Ephesians.
Hence, when Christians are born of "water and Spirit," they are born again and baptized in the Spirit, which God "pours out" on them like water.
Spiritual baptism in the Spirit was what Paul focused on in his letters; he didn't indicate that water baptism was as important or even required for salvation. Remember, he only wrote "one baptism," not two baptisms.
Now, the question is: do people need to be water baptized first in order to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? If you read Acts 10:44-48, you will see that the answer is no.
If water baptism is required for salvation, wouldn't Paul and other writers have pointed it out? Read Acts 16:29-31. Notice that Paul didn't say, "Believe in Jesus and be baptized, and you will be saved"; instead, he said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:31)
If water baptism is not required for salvation, why do we need to be water baptized? Well, because Jesus our Savior commanded it in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). This is why I said that water baptism is both important and required, yet not required for salvation.
Why is water baptism required? When a person is water baptized in Christ, it outwardly shows that the person is now associated with the Christ and the Christian faith. To be baptized into something means to have an association with that thing (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). Hence, when Peter told the Jews to be baptized, he wanted them to publicly demonstrate their identification with Jesus who they had initially rejected (Acts 2:38).
In addition, water baptism symbolizes our death, burial, and resurrection with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-11). When Christians go under the water, it symbolizes they are dead and buried. When they come out of the water, they are spiritually resurrected into a new life. Their old sinful nature was impaled with Christ, and once they are resurrected into their new life, they acquire a new nature: that of Christ, who lives in them through the Spirit (Galatians 2:20). In their new lives, they ought to live without sin as much as possible, and when they do sin, they must confess it to God who will in turn faithfully forgive them (1 John 1:9).
Those who believe that water baptism is required for salvation uses Mark 16:16to support their belief. There are two problems with using this verse. First, many of the oldest manuscripts do not have Mark 16:9-20. So these verses might have been added by people. Because we are not certain whether these verses are inspired by God, I don't feel comfortable using any verse in that passage to support a Biblical doctrine. Second, notice that in the second half of Mark 16:16, Jesus said, "He who disbelieves will be condemned," not "He who disbelieves or is not baptized will be condemned." To me, if water baptism is required for salvation, Jesus would have said so.
Another verse that is often cited by those who believe in the necessity of water baptism for salvation is Acts 2:38: "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Now, this is what I gathered from my research: To understand this verse fully, we need to know the original Greek construction. "Repent" is in plural, whereas "be baptized" is in singular. So here, Peter was saying, "All of you repent for the forgiveness of your sins and you'll receive the Spirit, and each of you be baptized." Thus, repentance, not baptism, is associated with forgiveness. However, I cannot confirm that this interpretation is absolutely correct.
Other than these two verses (Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38), it doesn't seem as though there's any verse that supports the idea that water baptism is required for salvation. Even these two verses may not support this. However, my study in this subject has not ended. But for now, I don't believe that water baptism is required for salvation, and I've explained my reason here. But just to be safe, do be water baptized! It was commanded by Jesus, after all. So whether or not water baptism is required for salvation, we should be baptized.

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Faith, Salvation, Born Again, and Judgment Simplified

The Word of God stands true and solid, with His messages of faith, receiving salvation, being born again and ultimately judged consistent and clear.
Salvation comes to a Christian through faith, and faith is given by the LORD GOD. A Christian must have faith that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for the redemption of the Christian's sins. There is nothing a person can do to save himself from sin. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ, and his crucifixion and resurrection, that a person can receive salvation. When a person receives the promise of salvation, he receives the promise that he will be forgiven of all sin, be judged innocent, and saved from the judgment of eternal damnation.
Faith is the condition of believing. Christians cannot receive salvation from judgment of eternal damnation until they face Jesus Christ on His Judgment throne. Christians believe in God's promise that they will be forgiven of all sin as a result of Christ's crucifixion. A Christian must have Faith of this promise throughout his life, and even into his physical death. This faith results in the reward of salvation, through the Grace of God.
To demonstrate the commitment to have faith in this promise, and the desire to stop sinning, and the will to walk with Jesus Christ with him as Master, the Christian often says the "Sinners Prayer". This prayer tells Jesus that they believe. The prayer does not save the person. Only the faith that Jesus will redeem their sins with his blood come Judgment Day will save them. But this prayer does offer a focus point for the contrite sinner, and gives them a starting point of formal commitment to faith and walk with Jesus Christ.
This is important...The moment a person truly believes that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, walked on the earth, died for them, and resurrected, and as a result, they are promised salvation through the redemption of his shed blood...then they are saved and promised to receive the judgment of innocent and the reward of life eternal at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
That's all it takes to be saved on Judgment Day...BELIEF! Once faith for salvation is known then the Foundation of Jesus Christ can be solidly laid.
Having faith of salvation through the sacrificed blood of Jesus Christ is all that is necessary to receive the promised salvation from eternal damnation. The process of receiving salvation through this sacrificed blood is called Redemption. At the designated time on Judgment Day, all believing Christians who come to Jesus on the Judgment Throne will have their sins redeemed through his shed blood, and they will be judged innocent as a result of their faith in him.
NOW...Salvation is not the ticket to Heaven. Salvation is the promise of a verdict of innocence following the redemption of blood, and avoiding the sentence of eternal damnation.
Many misguided, young, and self focused Christians think that Heaven is the promised reward for salvation and a permanent place that everybody who is good gets to go to at their death. It is not.
Heaven is a temporary dwelling place for the LORD GOD and His Spirits, Jesus Christ, the angels, and the saints who are righteous. Heaven is going to come to an end one day, at the moving of the LORD GOD. All of the saints in Heaven will one day populate the New Earth, along with all of the others judged favorably on Judgment Day and who receive the verdict of eternal life.
Righteous means to be free of sin. Faith does not remove sin from a live body! Even though you have faith, original sin still dwells within you. There is only one way a person that is alive and walking the earth can become righteous. The original sin must leave his body. There is only one way that sin can leave the body and that is through the death of the body. The moment the body dies, sin has no hold, and dies. But here's the problem...
When you die with sin still within you, then you must go to your grave. Sinful people do not get to rest in Heaven for awhile. In fact, that's why death exists to start with. Because there is sin, then death must come to man. So the dead in sin stay in their graves until they are resurrected on the Day of Rapture, just before the rapture of those living Christians which will occur before the great Judgment Day.
There is a much better option laid out for Christians. The Baptism of Jesus Christ causes the body to die, and the sins to die in a faithful Christian. If a Christian goes under the baptismal waters to their grave, they die and the original sin's control is removed from them. When the Christian comes up out of the baptismal waters and in faith experiences the same resurrection that Jesus did, then they come out of the waters sin free and new. This new person, free from original sin, is called Born Again.
The born again Christian is a new being, and sin free Baptized Christians have two options available to them to remain sin free, and increase their righteousness through His Will.
The first one is the authority of Jesus Christ to forgive sin on earth. When a baptized Christian commits sin, he has the opportunity to confess, repent, and return to a righteous state through forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit Baptism, a baptism accomplished through the laying on of hands by an apostle of Jesus Christ, is also given to baptized Christians. When the Holy Spirit is infused into a baptized believer, then that Christian has all of his innocent sins burned away, helping to maintain a righteous state.
When the baptized and faithful Christian experiences a physical death, he is immediately taken to Heaven. This Christian will not feel the sting of death or lie in the grave for even an instant. The baptized and faithful Christian is immediately taken to Heaven, where he rests for a time in the bosom of the LORD GOD, until the rest of the LORD GOD's plans are completed.
At the establishment of the new earth and the new heavens, the Christian will assume a new life along with all of the favorably judged people who stood before the throne of Jesus Christ. This New Earth life will be ruled by the Savior Jesus Christ, and will begin its existence with sin free people who love the LORD GOD, and humbled forever by the undeserved grace and salvation received as a result of His Son's Sacrifice.
Praise Be to God!

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