A Key Word of the Bible
Benny B. Bristow
If you were asked to name some of the key words of the Bible, probably somewhere near the top of your list would be the word ÒSalvation!Ó In fact, from almost near the beginning of the Bible until it closes, salvation is an important word.
Immediately when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they had a pressing need for salvation. Therefore, when the Seed of woman (Genesis 3:15) was promised, He was promising salvation.
In
Genesis 6, we are given an awful picture of the human race in the days of Noah.
The picture was so bad that God decided to bring a destructive flood upon the
earth. However, before He did so, He asked Noah, a man who Òfound grace in the eyes of the LORDÓ (Genesis 6:8), to preach an important message. What was
the title of his sermon? It was Salvation! Other than the eight members of his
family, did any respond? No, only these eight souls chose salvation. ÒBy
faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly
fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned
the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faithÓ (Hebrews 11:7). The Apostle Peter recorded: Òand did
not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodlyÓ (2 Peter 2:5).
In
later years, God chose a special nation through the seed of Abraham and through
which His Son would be born. However, the time came when this nation became
slaves in Egypt. They cried out to God for salvation, and God, through Moses,
delivered them. From manÕs standpoint, Israel had an impossible enemy to
conquer, but with God, all things are possible (Mark 10:27). What a joyful
salvation they must have felt when they saw that God had destroyed their enemy
in the sea! Moses records: ÒThen the waters returned and covered the
chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea
after them. Not so much as one of them remainedÓ (Exodus 14:28).
The
years went by and the time came for the Son of God to also become the Son of
Man, and to dwell upon the earth (John 1:14). An angel was sent to Joseph and
announced that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit. Then the angel stated the
purpose of this special One: ÒAnd she will bring forth a Son, and you shall
call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sinsÓ (Matthew 1:21).
It
is true that Jesus did many marvelous things during His ministry, but all these
things only complimented His real purpose. Jesus forever settled His purpose
for becoming flesh and dwelling upon the earth when He said, Òfor the Son of
Man has come to seek and to save that which was lostÓ (Luke 19:10). Thus, Jesus had one purpose for every sermon
that He taughtÑSalvation!
Therefore,
mankindÕs greatest need on earth in all generations is salvation through Jesus
Christ. Unfortunately, millions do NOT have this as their purpose for living,
and this is the reason why the broad way is filled with lost people (Matthew
7:13).
What
is the most important question that can be asked today? The New Testament
records this question in three different places.
(1) The believers on Pentecost asked, ÒMen and brethren,
what shall we do?Ó (Acts 2:37). They were
asking what they needed to do to be saved!
(2) Saul of Tarsus, the chief of sinners, asked Jesus, ÒLord, what do You want me to do?Ó (Acts 9:6). This man was asking what he needed to do to be saved!
(3) It was a frightening thing to the Philippian jailer when a miraculous earthquake opened all the doors to his prison. However, when he realized that no prisoners had escaped, he asked Paul and Silas, ÒSirs, what must I do to be saved?Ó (Acts 16:30).
All three
of these examples are asking what to DO to receive salvation. What was the answer to them, and the
answer to all today? There are really two answers:
(1) If one is asking what can I do to earn salvation, the
answer is NOTHING, because salvation is a gift from God ÒFor by grace you
have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God,Ó (Ephesians 2:8).
(2) If one is asking what can I do to obey the gospel to get into Christ where the blood of
Jesus saves, then there are things that sinners must do to be saved.
(3)
One must
become a believer as was told the jailer. One must repent as was told the
believers on Pentecost (Acts 2:38). One must make the confession unto salvation
as Paul instructed the Romans to do (Romans 10:9,10). Then one must be baptized
for the forgiveness of sins as Peter commanded those on Pentecost (Acts 2:38),
and to get into Christ, as Paul taught the Galatians (Galatians 3:27). Finally,
one must be faithful until death as Jesus told John to write to the church
Smyrna (Revelation 2:10).
Those who
have not obeyed these commandments from their hearts (Romans 6:17), have not
found the Salvation that God has provided in His word!