Shepherding Series

Who is Saved?

Who is going to heaven?

Hebrews 2:1, 3

We must pay closer attention to what we have received. . . . How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

What does the World think?

How does that affect us?

What does the Bible teach?

Prominent American #1

(woman)

One of the mistakes human beings make is believing there is only one way to live. [There are] millions of ways to be a human being, many paths to what you call God. . . . How could there possibly be only one way? [What if you are] somewhere on the planet, never heard the name of Jesus, and yet you live with a loving heart, you live as Jesus would have you live?

I believe there are many paths to the same place and that is a belief in a higher power. . . .

[were you born again?]

I’m not someone who is always comfortable with language that implies I’ve got a monopoly on the truth. . . . I’m a big believer in tolerance. . . . there’s an enormous amount of damage done around the world in the name of religion and certainty.

Prominent American #2

(man)

What does America think?

•2005 ABC News poll – 75% of Americans think they’ll go to heaven.

•2008 Pew Forum on Religion – 65% of Americans believe religions other than their own could lead to eternal life. Included pretty much every religion.

•50% said even atheists or those with no faith can make it.

Salvation in the South• Salvation by grace through “faith alone” – no “works” whatsoever

• “once saved, always saved” - you cannot lose your salvation

• Easy to be saved – all you have to do is sincerely believe and pray the sinner’s prayer

• Easy to stay saved - obedience & discipleship is good but not required

• Most Evangelical and Southern Baptist churches hold to these doctrines

• Many church websites and many tracts on how to be saved tell you to simply believe in Jesus and pray the sinner’s prayer

Where do these doctrines come from?

• Martin Luther: Sola fide – salvation by grace through “faith alone.”

• Proof texts for “faith alone”: John 3:16, Rom 10:9-13, Acts 16:30-31, Eph 2:8-9

• Proof texts for “once saved, always saved” John 10:28-29 (“no one can snatch them out of my hand”) & Rom 11:29 (“the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.”)

How does all of this affect us?

• We don’t want to be intolerant or judgmental toward others.

• We don’t want others to judge us - “don’t judge me” (we use Mat 7:1-5 as a shield to protect us from others rather than letting it be a sword to examine our own hearts)

• Our convictions about who is saved become fuzzy.

• We become sentimental – we like to think loved ones are going to heaven.

• Evangelism is not a priority if most religious people are saved.

• We tend to rely on “faith alone” in our own lives. We think faith in the grace of God is enough. We excuse our failure to repent or obey Jesus (contrary to Rom 6:1-2 which asks “are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!”)

So what does the Bible say?• None of the proof texts contain the

phrase “faith alone”

• Only one passage in the New Testament contains the phrase “faith alone”

• James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

• Disciples can fall away (Mat - many kingdom parables of Jesus; Heb 6:4-8 & Heb 10:26-31; 2 Pet 2:20 – 22)

Look at the context of the “faith alone” proof texts

• John 3:5 – unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

• John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

• John 3:29-30 – everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come into the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out by God.

Consider how other passages explain the text

• Rom 10:9 Because if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

• What does it mean to confess Jesus is Lord? Luke 6:46 Why do you call me “Lord, Lord” and not do what I say?

• Rom 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

• How did Paul himself call on the name of the Lord? Acts 22:16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

How are people saved in the Bible?

Acts 2:14 & 22 (Rom 10:14)

Acts 2:22-24 & 41 (I Cor 15:1-4)

Acts 2:36 (Rom 10:9)

Acts 2:38a (Acts 17:30)

Acts 2:38b (Col 2:12-13)

Hear the message

Believe Jesus died & rose again

Make Jesus Lord

Repent

Baptized for the forgiveness of sins

Why is this so important?• Rom 3:10-18 & 23

• John 14:6 & Acts 4:12 *

• Rom 6:3-5 & I Pet 3:21

• Mat 7:13-14 & Luke 13:22-24

• No one is righteous; all have sinned

• Jesus is the only way to the Father; the only name by which we are saved

• Baptism unites us in his death, burial and resurrection; it is an appeal to God through the resurrection of Jesus

• Only a few find the narrow road

Revelation 20:11-15 & 21:27

Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life