Real Bible Truths What it really means to be saved
What is True Salvation and how do we know we are really saved? First we should ask what we are saved from. Well from Hell of course but being saved from Hell is only possible by being saved from our sins. If we are not saved from our sins, then we are not saved at all. And this is the key to understanding being saved. Being saved from our sins, this is Real Salvation.
So I ask, how are we saved from our sins? And we will get to that in a moment but first let’s go over what we are being taught these days about how to get saved.
What is commonly taught today is that we must ask Jesus into our heart by saying the sinners prayer and that by doing this, we will be saved. But where does the Bible say that this saves you? And why is there not a single example in the Bible of the so called sinners prayer?
Lets take a look at the main scripture they are using today to try and support this teaching. It is found in Rev. 3:20
Now I ask you, where does it say that this saves you? Does it even mention washing or forgiving us of our sins? Why have so many people jumped to conclusions that this some how saves us? Nowhere in this verse does it indicate salvation or the forgiveness of sins at all. And we can not be saved without the removal of our sins! True Salvation is being saved from our SINS. So what is Jesus saying here?
He is saying He will come in to their heart and give anyone a fair chance to be saved. It is a promise of a visit for all who will open the door of their heart to Him. But a visit only! He never says that He would move in and live with them in this verse of scripture. Jesus is offering the same thing to us that He did to those over 2000 years ago when He was here in the flesh. Just look at His life practices below.
When Jesus was here in the flesh, and sinners opened the doors to their house to Him, He would go in and sup (eat) with them and teach them His truths. But they didn’t all believe and neither did they all get saved. Furthermore, He did not stay there or move in with them. He only paid them a visit to give them the opportunity to be saved, just like He gives everyone who opens the door to Him an opportunity to be saved. But this in itself does not save a person! It is however an important beginning.
I think that the fact that He comes in to us, people think that He is their to stay and that this somehow saves us. But Christ being in us is not the same thing as us being in Christ, and both have to apply for us to be saved.
It starts with Christ coming into our hearts to give us understanding and guidance, but we must still be put into Christ. So just because Christ comes into us to sup with us and give us understanding does not in any way mean that we are automatically in Him. We still need to be put into Him and have our sins washed away.
Now just look at all the Bible verses about us being in Christ, as opposed to Christ being in us. And then we will look at how we are actually put into Christ.
But notice that it says we are a new creature when we are in Christ, Not when Christ is in us! And again I say that Christ in us and us being in Christ is NOT the same. Now lets look at more scriptures that shows us what it means to be in Christ.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
And there are many more Bible verses that talk about us being in Christ, but not nearly as many as ones that talk about Christ being in us. So the emphasis of the Bible is us being in Christ but if it is so important to be in Christ, then how do we get into Christ? This next verse will clear this up.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
It could not possibly be any more clear that the way into Christ is through water baptism! Which makes perfect sense anyways since it is the water baptism the washes away our sins. Remember to be saved, we must be saved from our sins. This is True Salvation. We must have our sins removed which does not take place when we ask Jesus into our hearts, it only happens when we go down into the water of baptism and make our commitment to Him. To see proof of this, see my whole study on baptism click here.
So there it is, the only way into Christ is through baptism. And when we get baptized we also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit unless we have received Him already. And only after these two events are we truly saved. This is what it means to be saved, this is Real Salvation.
To ask Jesus into our hearts is a good first step towards getting saved but this in itself does not save anyone, because it does not wash away our sins. We must take the next step which is to go down in the water of baptism. In the Bible when people came to believe in Christ they went down right away to get baptized.
Acts 2:41, Acts 16:33, Acts 9:17-18, Acts 8:36-38,
They didn’t wait years, months or even days, they went down to get baptized immediately! So I ask all those believers who came to Christ so long ago but have still not been baptized, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!! Take the next step and finish what you have started. Get your sins washed away and join the family of God before it is too late. See the verse below.
So in True Salvation, we must be saved of our sins. We are saved from our sins only when we are washed of them in the baptism of water. We must also be baptized of the Holy Spirit. Only after these two things have happened are we truly saved. But to ask Jesus into our hearts does not in any way save us, although it prepares us for our commitment to Him. And it is at the baptism where we make our commitment to God.
Unfortunately I believe it may be this commitment to God that hinders many people from taking this final and all important step. Many people do not like commitments because they think it binds them or holds them back from doing something they like. And in truth they are right.
But that’s just it! We can not be Christians and just do whatever we like. We have rules and regulations to go by in order to live Godly lives. And those that follow Him and His rules He will reward with everlasting life in His Kingdom.
But only when we make that commitment to Him and follow His examples, starting with baptism. Then are we saved. This is Real Salvation.
Please see my study on Baptism, this gives much more details on this All Important event for everyone.