PERSONAL . . .
BUT NOT PRIVATE Ephesians 2:8-10 Ephesians 2
8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
9
not by works, so that no one can boast.
10
For we are Gods handiwork, created in hrist !esus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. INTRO: So often when one seeks to discuss a persons faith they hear in response I believe that is a personal matter between me and God. Our society has gotten to the place where it generally regards religion as a completely private matter. ou can believe what you want to believe as long as you do not impose your beliefs or talk about them to others. !e say that ones religious beliefs and affairs are private" and no one else has the right to meddle in them. #s we consider the state of man and his relationship to God in light of the !ord of God we shall see that it is true that salvation is a personal matter but it is not nor was ever meant to be private. I. Salvati n is a Pe!s nal "atte!. A. Salvati n is a #atte! $ pe!s nal %elie$ $. %onathan !hitfield was preaching to coal miners in &ngland. 'e asked one man" (!hat do you believe)( (!ell" I believe the same as the church.( (#nd what does the church believe)( (!ell" they believe the same as me.( Seeing he was getting nowhere" !hitfield said" (#nd what is it that you both believe)( (!ell" I suppose the same thing.( *. &phesians *+, -or by grace are you saved through faith... . /he #mplified 0ible renders this" -or it is by free grace 1Gods unmerited favor2 that you are saved 1delivered from 3udgment and made partakers of 4hrists salvation2 through 5your6 faith. #nd this 5salvation6 is not of yourselves 5of your own doing" it came not through your own striving6" but it is the gift of God. 7. S 8ewis %ohnson writes that to... 0elieve is our responsibility. /here is human responsibility. !e are responsible to believe. #nd even though that is the gift of God we are responsible to believe. #nd so I call upon you" believe in the 8ord %esus 4hrist" and thou shall be saved if you are not. 1&phesians *+$9$: 'is ;ower and Our Salvation2 <. Saving faith is trust in %esus 4hrist as a living person for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God. /his definition emphasi=es that saving faith is not 3ust a belief in facts but personal
trust in %esus to save me... 0ecause saving faith in Scripture involves this personal trust" the word trust is a better word to use in contemporary culture than the word faith or belief. /he reason is that we can believe something to be true with no personal commitment or dependence involved in it... . !ayne Grudem >. ?omans $:+@ /hat if /'OA shalt confess with /' mouth the 8ord %esus" and S'#8/ 0&8I&B& IC /'IC& '&#?/ that God hath raised him from the dead" /'OA shalt be saved. D. Onl& 'OU (an %elieve $ ! 'OU. ou cannot believe for someone else and someone else cannot believe for you. /hat is why the Euestion is so personal. our status is not based on the belief of your church" your family" friends" spouse" or anyone else 9 it is %ase) n & *! pe!s nal %elie$ in +es*s. B. Salvati n is a #atte! $ pe!s nal !epentan(e. $. In his book I Surrender" ;atrick Forley writes that the churchs integrity problem is in the misconception that we can add 4hrist to our lives" but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior. 'e goes on to say" It is revival without reformation" without repentance. 4huck Swindoll" %ohn /he 0apti=er" 0ible Study Guide *. Fark $+$<9$> Cow after that %ohn was put in prison" %esus came into Galilee" preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God" $> #nd saying" /he time is fulfilled" and the kingdom of God is at hand+ repent ye" and believe the gospel. 7. Repentan(e is in(l*)e) in %elievin,. -aith and repentance are like two sides of a coin. Genuine faith includes repentance" and genuine repentance includes faith. /he Greek word for repentance 1metanoia2 means to change ones mind. 0ut to change ones mind about what) #bout sin" about ones adeEuacy to save himself" about 4hrist as the only way of salvation" the only One who can make a person righteous. . Gindred Spirit" a Euarterly publication of Hallas Seminary" Summer $@,@" p. > -. The!e is n salvati n apa!t $! # pe!s nal !epentan(e an) pe!s nal $aith in +es*s .h!ist as L !) an) Savi !. >. $ %ohn $+,9$: If we say that we have no sin" we deceive ourselves" and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins" 'e is faithful and 3ust to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned" we make 'im a liar" and 'is word is not in us D. * ;eter 7+@ tells us that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. .. Salvati n is a #atte! $ pe!s nal a((eptan(e. $. #s previously mentioned" one can believe something to be true without any personal commitment.
*. ?evelation 7+*: 0ehold" I stand at the door" and knock+ if any man hears my voice" and opens the door" I will come in to him" and will sup with him" and he with me. /. A(ti n is !e0*i!e) n & *! pa!t. -. Salvati n is )epen)ent *p n his pe!s nal a((eptan(e %e)ien(e t the !e0*i!e#ents $ the , spel $ .h!ist. $ )ivine ,!a(e1 in
>. Someone has said that salvation does not come to us by an involuntary act" as light falls on our eyes" sounds on our ears" or air enters our lungs. !hen we are so far enlightened as to understand about it" there must be a personal reception of salvation by us. D. /he life of 4hristianity consists of possessive pronouns( says Fartin 8uther. It is one thing to say" 2.h!ist is a Savi !2I it is Euite another thing to say" 23e is #& Savi ! an) #& L !).2 /he devil can say the firstI the true 4hristian alone can say the second. 9 ?esource" %ulyJ#ugust" $@@:. 4. 5aith that ) es n t (han,e1 that ) es n t t!ans$ !#1 that ) es n t )e# nst!ate its !ealit& is n t t!*e $aith. ,. %ames *+$@9*: /hou believest that there is one GodI thou doest well+ the devils also believe" and tremble. 0ut wilt thou know" O vain man" that faith without works is dead) @. /o illustrate dead faith" It is that kind of faith which would lead a man to take a bottle of medicine from his medicine cabinet. 8ooking at the instructions on it" he says" KIm sure theyre correct. I have all confidence in the source of the medicine. I know who wrote these directions. I believe everything about it. I know this will relieve my headache" if I 3ust take it. 0ut he takes the medicine bottle and puts it back on the shelf. 'e doesnt lose his headache. It continues on. et he can say I believe that medicine. I believe all about that medicine. 0ut still he wont take it. /hats dead faith. %ames *+*: 9 Hr. 'arlan ?oper II. Salvati n 6as neve! #eant t %e a P!ivate "atte!. #. &phesians *+$: -or we are his workmanship" created in 4hrist %esus unto good works" which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. B. Salvati n is #eant t %e a p*%li(l& sha!e). $. God makes you a member of the household of faith when 'e eLercises 'is grace and provides you with eternal life. *. #s ;aul states in &phesians *+$:" we are created for good works. Our good works include sharing our life of faith with others members of Gods family. 7. #cts *+<$9<* /hen they that gladly received his word were bapti=ed+ and the same day there were added unto them about three
thousand souls. #nd they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship" and in breaking of bread" and in prayers. -. Bein, a pa!t %elieve!s. $ the $a#il& $ 7 ) is the ,!eatest %lessin, %est 6e) *p n
8. 9e have %een save) t %e a pa!t $ the $a#il& $ 7 ) : 3is (h*!(h. D. ;aul in &phesians taught that after receiving Gods gift of salvation by grace through faith in %esus 4hrist 6e 6 *l) n l n,e! have a ;l ne !an,e!< #entalit&. !hen we receive Gods free gift of salvation we are saved from sin and its conseEuences" %*t 6e a!e als save) t %e a pa!t $ the (h*!(h. M. &phesians <+<9D /here is one body and one SpiritN3ust as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your callN one 8ord" one faith" one baptism" one God and -ather of all" who is over all and through all and in all. ,. 'ebrews $:+*<9*> #nd let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works" not neglecting to meet together" as is the habit of some" but encouraging one another" and all the more as you see the Hay drawing near. @. !e are not 3ust saved from sin and death and eListence apart from God" we are saved to be a part of the church and 3oin with 4hrist in ministering to others" the good works of &phesians *+$:. .. Salvati n is #eant t %e p*%li(l& )e(la!e). $. /he gospel" the most precious treasure and the key to eternal salvation" is meant to be shared and not kept top secret. *. ?omans $:+$: righteousness" and salvation. -or with the heart one with the mouth confession believes unto is made unto
7. /he Scriptures assume that when a person receives the gift of salvation that he will not hesitate to make a public confession of that salvation. /he two go hand in hand together. <. Fatthew $:+7*977 !hosoever therefore shall confess me before men" him will I confess also before my -ather which is in heaven. 77 0ut whosoever shall deny me before men" him will I also deny before my -ather which is in heaven. >. #s we share our testimony and the Good Cews of how God sent 'is Son %esus to die for our sins and gave us new life 9 we are speaking the most important words we will ever share. Gods gift of salvation is meant to be shared verbally with others. D. #cts $+, 0ut you shall receive power" the 'oly Spirit coming upon you. #nd you shall be witnesses to Fe both in %erusalem and in all %udea" and in Samaria" and to the end of the earth.
M. # witness is someone who by eLplanation and demonstration gives audible and visible evidence of what he has seen and heard without being deterred by the conseEuences of his action. 9 S. 0riscoe" Getting Into God ,. #s H. 8. Foody walked down a 4hicago street one day" he saw a man leaning against a lamppost. /he evangelist gently put his hand on the mans shoulder and asked him if he was a 4hristian. /he fellow raised his fists and angrily eLclaimed" Find your own businessO Im sorry if Ive offended you" said Foody" but to be very frank" that IS my businessO 9 copied
