How to stay saved:
What is Salvation?
Salvation is a cleansing from sin. It is forgiveness and a clearing of our guilt before God. Salvation is a new beginning, an end to an old way of life and a new birth.
The new birth is a spiritual birth into a spiritual kingdom with rules set up by God who rules this kingdom from His throne in heaven. We find these rules in the Word of God.
Salvation is deliverance from evil thinking and wrong doing, deliverance from selfishness and ugliness of character.
Salvation is help in this present world in every situation that arises in life (He is a present help in every time of need.)
Salvation is safety in a world of iniquity and impurity, of violence and evil.
Salvation is victory in our life over sin as well as victory from all our habits of mind and body that were unhealthy. (This is more than just the do-betters. We become new creatures with new desires through the washing of the blood and the Word which is Jesus Christ. 1Jn 1:7, St John 1, Eph 5:26)
Salvation is health spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Imagine having the Creator of our soul and body as your personal trainer. He knows how the mind works, He knows how the body works, He knows how our emotions work, and He knows all about the soul and what it needs. He can supply all our needs and teach us how to take care of our soul, our mind, our emotions, and our body. He is the creator; He is well qualified to teach us how to care for what concerns us.
How do you get it?
First recognize that you, like everyone, have sinned and need forgiveness from God.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Christ suffered in order to purchase our pardon.
Act 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
The way to a new life is to repent with an attitude of heart that you are through with the old life and want to be obedient to all that you know is right and to all that God would help you to understand as you walk in the light of the Word of God. The Bible is God’s Word to us and as we read it He sheds light on our understanding and helps us to see and comprehend things that were obscure and difficult to understand before.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
How do you keep it?
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Salvation makes us righteous, clears us with God and puts in us a desire to make everything right with man too; making things right with man is part of being right with God. God is Holy and He desires that we be holy as He is. We cannot do this without a cleansing from Him.
1 Peter 1:23 KJVR
(23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
When a baby is born they don’t know very much, the same goes for us when we are first born spiritually. All a baby starts out knowing is that they are hungry and that they need to eat. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. We need to have devotions morning and night. “Having devotions” means that we read the Bible and pray. A devotional is good but we must read the Bible in order to get spiritual food.
Study to show thyself approved a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). We must read and study the Word of God to get our spiritual food. Just like we need literal food to have strength to work and grow and live; spiritually the Word of God is the bread of life, the milk, and the water that will give us spiritual sustenance and help us to grow and have strength.
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Adam Clark Commentary - Light implies every essential excellence, especially wisdom, holiness, and happiness. Darkness implies all imperfection, and principally ignorance, sinfulness, and misery.
In order to stay saved we must be obedient, obedient to the word of God, obedient to the Spirit of God (This is what it means to walk in the light.) We have a carnal nature that will war against yielding to God and obeying His word. The carnal nature is enmity.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Greek Definition of the word Mind (Heb 8:5-7) - G5426 φρονέω phroneō fron-eh'-o From G5424; to exercise the mind, that is, entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication to be (mentally) disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience): - set the affection on, (be) care (-ful), (be like-, + be of one, + be of the same, + let this) mind (-ed, regard, savour, think.
Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries
To stay saved, we must realize that He is the one that has begun the good work in us and it is He that will continue to perform it. Our job is to trust Him, cease from our labors, be obedient, be patient and learn to abide in Him.
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
To help us stay saved and abide in Him we must be rid of that carnal or selfish nature that is enmity against God and cannot be subject to the law of God. Sanctification is a work of grace, it is a cleansing, it is getting rid of the carnal nature, it is entering into rest, it is possessing the Canaan Land.
Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The first step in ceasing from our own works is learning that we can trust Him, we must trust Him, with our life in its entirety. When the Children of Israel were wandering in the Wilderness for forty years, they came more than once to the crossing point into the Canaan Land. Until they were ready to trust God and know that He would fight their battles for them, they were not able to enter into the Canaan Land. At first they saw the Canaanites as too big, then they wanted to take them on in their own strength, finally they were willing to wait on God and go in His time and His way.
They were not able to make any progress in possessing the promised land, the land of rest, until after they entered Canaan. We will not be able to grow much spiritually until after we are sanctified. We will not be able to claim much of the promises of the Word of God (possess the promised land) or gain many victories over the enemy (the inhabitants of that land) until after we have entered the land of rest.
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
1Th 4:6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
That every one of us should know how to possess our soul in sanctification and honor. Here the word possess is an action verb. We can through the Spirit of God take possession of our soul in holiness and honor; driving out the previous inhabitants that had control. One example of a previous inhabitant of our soul is selfishness.
We can be redeemed, bought back, renewed, made a new creature, and every part of us now proclaiming holiness unto the Lord.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
There are some things that occupied our mind in the past that require more discipline to drive out than others. These are things that were such a habitual part of our thought processes that there are ruts worn in the track that cause it to be difficult for our train of thought to not be pulled immediately back into the same worn out grooves.
Proverbs 4:23 KJVR
(23) Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
There are some things that occupied our soul and our emotions in the past that will require discipline to drive out as well; these may be things that were especially dear to us, a bitterness that seemed especially just, a selfish desire that especially appealed to our flesh.
God asks that we love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength.
Mark 12:30 KJVR
(30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Is there a king that would want a servant that was ambitious? Would He want a servant that would obey His commands and then desire to take credit for the good that was accomplished by his obedience to the king’s commands? We are to be just a tool in the hand of God, a servant that recognizes that He must increase and I must decrease. No ambition to be something special and no desire for glory from mankind.
Joh 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Joh 3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
Joh 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Joh 3:31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Salvation is God’s work, sanctification is as well. Our part in getting saved is to repent and live a new life as a new creature. Our part in receiving sanctification is to present our vessel a living sacrifice, determine that we are going to be obedient to Him whatever He would ask and commit our whole life into His control, to have what He gives us and be content knowing that if we will seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness that He will add to us…
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
If we will be patient and obedient then His kingdom will grow in us. (Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost.) Our impatience and wanting to work things out in our own strength will constantly cause us to stumble and get ahead of God.
Mar 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Mar 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
Jer 14:22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
In order to be sanctified we must present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is our reasonable service. We give our life completely into His control and give up our right to our self and our possessions. We determine to go God’s way; we are not our own, we are bought with a price. Our life is therefore to be lived only to the glory of God.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
We do this because we know that we can trust Him completely and we trust Him more than we trust our own control:
Knowing that every good and perfect gift is from above…
Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Jas 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Jas 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Knowing that with His gifts there is no sorrow.
Pro 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Knowing the thoughts that He thinks toward us.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Knowing that we cannot by taking thought…
Luk 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
Luk 12:26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Knowing that we are weak and powerless and He is Almighty God, omniscient, omnipotent, the Alpha and Omega.
Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Knowing that He knows each of us better than we know ourselves and He is able to reveal to me myself.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
The words “see through a glass darkly” refers to seeing things in riddles. It is talking about how the first glass ever made and used must have been to look through. It was not the clear, uniform window glass that we use today. It was thick and may have let the light through but distorted what you saw through it. You would see something and be left guessing as to what it might be.
God asks that we love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength.
Mark 12:30 KJVR
(30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
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