Primary Witness

The Gospel

The word gospel comes from the Old English word, God meaning “good” and spel meaning “news.” In Christianity, the term “good news” refers to the combined events of Jesus Christ’s earthly birth, life, death, resurrection and the redemptive gift that His actions made available to all who seek it.

In modern times, the Gospel generally refers to the first four books of the Christian Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke & John, and constitute a first hand “witnesses” account of the life of Jesus Christ.

Salvation

Salvation is a term used to describe when a person has made a willing, conscience decision to accept Jesus Christ into their life as Lord and Savior.  It provides assurance that the person who is saved has a home prepared in the kingdom of heaven for eternity. During this life, salvation guarantees the companionship of the Holy Spirit and access to God’s divine guidance, peace, wisdom, joy and love.

How do I become Saved?

There is no chant, secret handshake, physical test, mental evaluation, entry fee, good work or committee review that determines a persons salvation. God is the God of relationships and His desire is to be known by you. God knows the desires of a persons heart and when your desire is turned to Him, He responds by introducing you to His Son, Jesus. So, are there actual steps or requirements that must be met in order to be saved? The Bible is clear on revealing what a takes for a person to be saved.

Here is what the Bible has to say about how you come to salvation.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Acts 16:30-31 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Romans 10:9-10 “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.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Acts 4:10-12 “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ ¹² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

I believe that God exists, isn’t that enough to guarantee me a place in Heaven?

James 2:18-20 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

I’m religious, does that mean I’m saved?

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Practicing rituals, performing “good deeds” and involvement with religious institutions do not constitute salvation. As stated before, God is the God of relationships and without a desire for God, you cannot be saved.

Sin & Repentance

We are all familiar to some degree, with the ten commandments that are written in Exodus 20 of the bible. Though you may not be able to recite all ten commandments from memory, you understand their purpose and can recall a certain number of the “best known” commandments. When we break God’s commandments, we engage in sin. See Ten Commandments below.

There is a deeper view of sin described in Galatians 5 which brings to the surface the heart or motivation that causes us to commit sin. It contrasts the heart that acts in sin and the heart that acts in alignment with God’s nature. See Fruit of the Spirit below.

Everyone has heard the term “opposites attract”. Though this may be true in the case of magnets, it’s rarely true in other cases and certainly not true when it comes to God. God’s very nature is opposed to sin and such deeds and those that commit them cannot withstand the presence of God. Sin separates us from God and disqualifies us from being in His presence. Everyone but Jesus has sinned and has separated themselves from God. So how can we overcome sin?

1Timothy 2: 3-6 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all

Jesus took all of our sin at the cross and will remove it from history if you ask him with a repentant heart. Jesus has given us the ability to stand in the presence of God when we take Him on as Savior and turn our life over to His control. God then see us as His sinless, perfect Son and because of Jesus we can stand in God’s eternal presence.

True repentance is first, the understanding that you have and will commit acts of sin, then reconciling yourself to God by admitting your sin and asking for His forgiveness in Jesus’s name.  Repentance goes hand in hand with the “willing, conscience decision to accept Jesus Christ into your life as Lord and Savior” and is an essential component of salvation. It also plays an ongoing role through the remainder of your life, not as a requirement, but as a result of your eternal relationship with God and your desire to adopt His nature.

What do you choose, Salvation or Separation?

There is a choice to make while you are alive in this world and no one else can make the choice for you. You can choose to spend eternity with God in Heaven or choose to separate yourself from Him for eternity in hell. Don’t be fooled, choosing not to decide is a choice for separation from God and an eternity in hell. It is too late to make a choice after this life has past, so choose now and choose wisely.

Heaven is described as “Paradise” in Luke 23.

In the book of Revelation, dwelling in Heaven is described in the following way; Revelation 21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Hell is described as outer darkness, a furnace of fire and as a lake of fire.

Matthew 23: 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 13:50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”