"WHO CAN BE SAVED?"
I. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SAVED?
A. From a negative standpoint.
1. The power of sin, "Who all of their lifetime were subject to
bondage."
a. The power of sin to enslave a person, by whatsoever a
man is overcome by the same is he brought into bondage!
1. Big men can be enslaved by such small
things -- Phil Harris, "Smoke, smoke..."
2. Men overcome by greed.
3. Men overcome by lust.
4. Men overcome by alcohol.
2. The guilt of my past sins.
a. Most psychologists agree that the majority of neurosis
come from guilt.
b. Man's conscience is God's built-in restrictor.
1. Think what it would be like to try to live in a
society where no one had a conscience.
c. It would be correct to say that many people have been
driven crazy by their conscience.
3. The judgment due me for my sins.
a. "The wages of sin is death."
b. "It is appointed unto man once to die."
c. Saved from the wrath to come.
B. From the positive side.
1. He is saving me for an eternal place of joy in His
kingdom.
a. "In His presence is fullness of joy and at His
right hand pleasures forever more."
b. "That in the ages to come..."
2. Saved to a life of freedom and true liberty.
a. So many look at Christianity as a restricting
experience.
b. Not so, it is the most liberating experience in
the world.
II. WHAT CAN BE SAVED? "WITH MAN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE."
A. No man can save himself from the slavery to his own fleshly
desires.
1. "That which is born of flesh is flesh."
B. No man can fully atone for his past guilt.
1. You cannot undo the past.
2. Sins are like nails driven into a board, you may remove
the nail but the mark still remains.
C. No man can escape death.
1. Run as hard and as fast as you can, it will still catch
up with you.
D. No man can climb into heaven on his own.
1. Jesus said, "I am the door for the sheep."
III. WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED? "WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE."
A. Many have been discouraged with Christianity because they have
sought to master its principles and follow its precepts without
knowing its power.
1. Salvation is a miracle.
a. You don't need to get up tight if someone says to
you, "It would take a miracle to save you.
b. It took a miracle to save each one of us.
B. I am glad that God is a God of miracles and He is able to save
to the uttermost all who will come to Him through His Son
Jesus Christ. Just believing in Jesus.
Be the first to react on this!
Chuck Smith (1927 - 2013)
Pastor Chuck was used in the Jesus People revival where he was used along with others to minister to the hippy young people. They saw a work of the Spirit where many were added to the church and discipled. He has raised up many pastors who are a part of the Calvary Chapel movement now and where he pastors the large Costa Mesa church in California.The Calvary Chapel movement is based of simple principles that Chuck Smith taught over the years such as: The priority of agape love, Simple fellowship amongst the saints, the breaking of bread, the teaching of God's word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. And lastly and most importantly the principle not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord.