The Doctrine of Salvation

     Old Testament – Isaiah 55:1-11 – New Testament – Ephesians 2:1-10

The Doctrine of Salvation
“A Sincere Call to Faith and Repentance”
Romans 10:1-13

Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor

In the mid-80s, Dr. Francis Schaeffer said the evangelical church in the West had yielded to the sin of “accommodation.”

• In his book, “The God Who Is There,” Schaeffer said the last fortress against society’s rising flood of secularism was a Christ confessing church.
• However, Schaeffer said, rather than remaining a doctrinally sound lighthouse for those who were looking for a Savior, the evangelical church had relaxed their theological views to blend in with society and to become a friend of sinners.
• Now, 35-years later, we have to admit that Schaeffer was correct, for the problem of doctrinally-deficient churches is evident.
• Our understanding of the doctrine of salvation is not only vital to our work and our witness in this life, but it is also essential to our assurance of everlasting life.
• But according to the most recent studies, most people attending church today have no depth of understanding of the doctrine of salvation and therefore, no assurance of their eternal salvation.
• In view of where we are on God’s prophetic calendar, this should give us cause for great concern.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the false presentations of the gospel that have been used for the last half-century.

• How did we get from “Ye must be born again” to “just pray, and ask Jesus into your heart?”
• How did we get from “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand” to “God has a wonderful plan for your life?”
• How did we get from, “If any man come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, daily, and follow me,” to “You don’t have to change your life; just trust Jesus as your Savior and become one of His followers.”
• In the name of “church growth,” the church has allowed its methods, as well as its morality, to dictate our concept of God, and therefore, our concept of the Christian life.
• However, salvation is not a mental transaction or decision, but rather a total transformation of our lives.

1. The Delusion of Self-Righteousness – Romans 10:1-3
verse 2 – “They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.”

The nation of Israel rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah because of:

• Spiritual Ignorance –
  • Even though they had seen more evidence of the power of God than any other people on earth, they were ignorant of God’s eternal plan for man’s redemption.
  • Even though they had appeared to be more religious than any other people on earth, they did not have a healthy view of the absolute holiness of God.
  • They had so reduced their concept of God so much, they thought they had already achieved equality with God by their religious activity.
  • If man could achieve acceptance with God by any other means, Jesus’ death would not have been necessary, and God would be a liar.
• Willful Unbelief –
  • God had chosen the nation of Israel as the channel through which the Savior would come.
  • However, even though Jesus fulfilled every Old Testament Type and Prophecy, the Jews rejected Him because He did not come in the way or for the purpose they had expected.
  • They wanted a Messiah to be a conquering King who would overthrow the Roman government and restore Israel to its former glory, but Jesus came as a suffering servant to give his life as a ransom for their sins.
  • Israel forfeited their relationship with God because they would not admit their sins and need for a Savior.
  • Jesus told them they would not see Him again until they cried out in anguish for Him, and that will not happen until midway of the tribulation when the Antichrist desecrates the Temple, and the veil of unbelief is lifted from their eyes.
  • They will see the One whom they pierced, and according to Romans 11:26, the Jews who are alive in that day will be saved.
  • If the favor of God does not bring us to repentance, God will use whatever means necessary to bring us to our knees.

2. The Provision of God’s Righteousness – Romans 10:4-8 – Verse 4 – “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”

   In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Moses said that no one had to search the heavens to find some pathway to God, or search the ruins of the dead to try to bring Christ back to life again.

• In verse 8, Paul said such knowledge was in their mouth and in their heart because it was the “word” he had preached to them.
• It was not the “word of man,’ but rather the “Word of God!”
• It was the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us – that is, the incarnation of Christ.
• It was the Word that was made alive and will soon return in glory – that is, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• To deny Jesus’ incarnation and His resurrection is to deny the righteousness God has provided for our salvation, and therefore to deny the gospel, which is the only unpardonable sin.

3. The Conditions of Saving Righteousness – Romans 10:9-10 – “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.”

Paul listed the two conditions of a man’s heart that indicate his desire to be saved.

• Believe in their “heart” that Jesus was raised from the dead.
• Confess with their “mouth” that Jesus is the One to whom God gave all authority and power in heaven and on earth, which means He is Lord.
• The very instant we accept the death of Jesus Christ as payment for our sins and surrender our lives unto His Lordship:
  • We are MADE to be holy and blameless before God – i.e., we get what we do not deserve.
  • We are SAVED from God’s wrath and an eternity in hell – i.e., we don’t get what we do deserve.
• Salvation has to do with what we don’t receive and what we don’t become.
• Righteousness has to do with what we do receive and what we do become.

In Romans 10:13, the Apostle Paul said, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

• True, saving faith is the expression of a heart that is convinced of the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord.
• However, to say we “believe” without putting any actions to our words is not true, saving faith.
• True saving faith is evidenced by our repentance of all known sin and our surrender unto the Lordship of Christ.
• “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12
• True salvation that is wrought by God will not fail to produce the fruit of righteousness, repentance, obedience, sanctification and one day soon – glorification!
• Are you truly saved?