Salvation

  Salvation

 a)        Why “according to the scriptures”?

In times past, God was very specific on how He delivered His people:  Noah’s instructions on the building of the ark, Israelites instructions from Moses on leaving Egypt (the Passover), instructions on the building of the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant and the list goes on.  These “instructions” establish the principle that God’s orders are not to be deviated from or changed because of convenience of traditions of man.  Salvation is no different for, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).  Peter was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven in Mathew 16: 19 and it was manifested on the day of Pentecost when (after he preached Jesus and Him crucified) the men who heard him preach asked “... what shall we do?  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37, 38).  Any other formula to receive salvation outside of what the Apostles did is not sound Bible doctrine.   Misapplied scripture, church traditions, good intentions, etc. are no substitute for applying the scriptures correctly, especially for salvation.  This will become evident in the subsequent lessons.

 b)          What salvation does and the purpose

       Adam and God had a relationship that we cannot imagine because we were born with a sinful nature.  Adam could not see good and evil; he only saw God and His creation.  Adams soul, his thoughts, desires, intellect, consciousness was entirely God conscious.  He talked with God as we talk to each other and he walked with God in the cool of the day (Gen 3:8).  Adams soul and spirit was as one with God.  True salvation restores that relationship that God had initially intended to have with man.  God has always desired to be as one with His creation (us) and since the sin issue is addressed through Jesus Christ, a channel is now available, by way of the Holy Ghost, to have that relationship with God (See -The Cross- addressing sin- pg 81).