Why Jesus came 3

Jesus came to give us the precious salvation

Many denomination differs in explaining what is salvation and everyone assures that their explanation of salvation is the right one. That is why I have deicide to study salvation in the Bible and the early fathers of the church.

I think I will be faithful in the studying the Bible and in the early fathers.

Our works are enough for our salvation

First of all I want to clear out some misconception most of the Christian have and that is, they will be saved with their good works. If that is the case there will be no need for Jesus to be incarnate and come in the flesh, suffer and be crucified. I really want to clear this point, that you will not be able to save your self with your good works “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.” {Isa64:6} it clear from the past passage that all our righteousness in the sight of our Holy God is like filthy rags. The Bible mention that without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness that is why Jesus came from heaven to earth to shed His blood on the cross. So no matters how good are your works, it is not enough for your salvation “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."  Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” {Ro4:2-5}. The verses say for if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but these boasting is nothing in the sight of God. Abraham believed God and this believe counted righteousness.

What is required for our salvation?

First: the blood of Jesus for it is written “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission”{ Heb9:22} That is why anyone believes that his works will save him, he is mistaken.

Second: true repentance from the heart and baptism “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."” {Ac2:37-39} from these verses it is clear that when a person hears the massage of  salvation as peter preached  to the three thousands souls “when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,” and when they asked the Christian men what shall we do they answered them: Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

St. John the Chrysostom said in the Nicene group,  first series, Volume 11and in page 102

(How is it that it came into the minds of those three thousand and five thousand straightway, to choose virtue, and that they simultaneously became Christian philosopher.)

From the last quotation it is clear that the salvation of a person can happened straightway, immediately.

Third: our life has to express that we are saved. Which means all our behavior express that we are saved. A short while ago I met a lady which she received Jesus as her savior and she told me when I was born again my whole life has changed totally. My thinking and my behavior has changed. I wanted to obey Bible in every thing. Her life was totally changed.

Is it possible for the life of a person to be changed in a short time?

From the book of acts we see the lives of three thousands were saved straightway which means immediately as St. John the Chrysostom mentioned. And also in the book of Acts mentioned how St. Paul was saved and called for ministry in the matter of minutes. And also the jailer who was responsible for the jail where Paul and Silas were jailed, look what was his response “Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, "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."  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.   Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” {Ac 16:29-34} all what is required from this jailer is to believe on the Lord Jesus and be baptized and he will be saved straightway. And also the thief that he asked Jesus on the cross to remember him when He comes into your kingdom, and he was saved immediately.

You have to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead to be saved

“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” {Ro 10: 9} when you meet a person is saved with the blood of Jesus, you will find him speak about the change that happened in his life through Jesus Christ. You will also find heart full of faith that God raised Him from the dead.

The life of a person who his life express a true repentance.

The person who is saved with the blood of Jesus, was baptized and live his life in true repentance, his life will express this precious salvation.

You will not find this person sin with a clear conscious. You will not find this person lie and rob the center link as if he did nothing wrong. You will not find this person curse or act hypocritically as he acted right. You will see his life express that Jesus Christ is alive in his life. But if he lives his life as he pleases and not according to the word of God, then he did not experience the salvation of Jesus in his life. You may say but I have communion every week, I tell you if you have communion in an unworthy manners you eat and drink judgments to yourself “ Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”{1 Co11:27-32} this is what required from us before communion to judge ourselves and repent of our sins, the sins we did them with knowledge  and the sins we did them without knowledge.

The work of grace in salvation

“even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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.” {Eph 2:5-9} the verse said when we were dead in trespasses, God made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and he repeats this fact by saying “. 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.” We are saved by grace. One of the meaning of grace in the Greek language is favor, favor and one the meaning of favor is help. Salvation by grace is a gift of God, God helped us when he saved us. Not by works lest anyone should boast.

I will repeat this fact that we are not salved by our works lest anyone boast. If we can be saved with our good works  there will be no need for Jesus to come to earth and suffers and be crucified.

“who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,” {2Ti1: 9} Jesus Christ called us a holy call not according to our works but according His purpose and grace.

“And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.” {Ro11:6} we are saved by grace and this is not a protestant views but it is the Bible view.

Benefit from the abundance of grace

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” {Ro5:17} if you believe that Jesus Christ have died on the cross to give you His forgiveness through His shed blood on the cross, you actually receive from the abundance of His grace and you will reign in life with Jesus Christ.

Do not live your life selfishly but live your life for who died for you and rose again

“ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” {2Co 5: 15}

I would like to say a word to everyone who read this article, if you feel that the massage of salvation has finally reached you and you truly feel that Jesus Christ shed His blood to save you, then you have to live your life totally for Jesus Christ. You have to read the Bible daily with a spirit of prayer so the Holy Spirit reveals to you your mistakes so you may repent of them and also the Holy Spirit will show you what you should do as a Christian.

I want also to say that the Holy Spirit will purify us some times in a very hard way so we may live a pure life. You have to live your life no longer for yourselves, but for Him who died for us and rose again.

I hope when you go to a place like a wedding reception that is full of worldly , you ask yourself this question: will Jesus Christ sit next to me comfortably or will He stand at the door and He feels sad?

I hope everyone who proclaim that he is a Christian to be wise in his behavior  “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” {Eph 5: 15-19} please forgive me because I will mention this part of the verses “ Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” the person who do not understand the will of God in his life and one of this is to be seated in places have wild music, the Bible call this person unwise.

Please compare your life with what was written

I hope everyone reads this article to compare his life with what was written and ask himself this question: do I feel I am saved with the blood of Jesus? And if I feel I am saved, am I living a life pleasing to Him, Jesus Christ?  …………to be continued