The Biblical Worldview on Salvation: Viewing the World Through Scripture

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, to find out how to know God personally go to know God.org KNOW know God.org it would you do me a favor sure this message was someone who needs to hear it. We want to go whole world. So many voices around telling us what to say to believe Pastor Greg Morrison, Riches don't just go with zero motion because your emotions lead you don't just go with your heart is your heart certainly don't go with culture because that will displease you go what the Bible will never take you have the wrong learn action figures flyer faster than we can absorb and opinions, suppositions, rumors and innuendos screaming at us from every form of media, especially social media when we find an escape today of a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out our rest is right in the pages of God's word. Not only do we find solace soothing sound revenue series right now that were calling world view all explain it a little bit more in a few moments, but the title of my message is the biblical worldview on solvation so much of the turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 is our text said something people asked me Greg what up with your hair so that they do upset. But whatever the policy why do you do these crusade because, you know, honestly, they are a lot of work. There's months of prayer and planning and more prayer and more work and money and more prayer that is involved are our team works tirelessly putting in hours and hours. Why do we do this. It's a very simple answer.

We do this so people can be. Say so people can be saved from their sin because what it's all said and done. There's nothing more important than people coming into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ you agree with that all nothing.

You know, somebody will say no. The most important thing is is feeding people were hungry or clothing them or or it's helping people who are addicted to drugs rock all the get off of the substances are on or maybe to put their marriages back together all those things are very important but the most important thing is having people change their eternal address from a place called hell do a place called heaven. And here's the thing. If that happens I believe all these other areas of life will sort themselves out if you put Christ at the forefront of your life. He can heal your marriage no matter what you're going through. If you put Christ at the forefront of your life. He can restore you and you don't have to be under the influence of any drug or any other thing.

So this is why we do what we do and I love the words say say salvation because that's exactly what happens. By the way, that's a biblical word is used many times.

In fact, in Romans 10 9 to 10. It says if you will declare with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be say fortis with your heart that you believe and you are justified, and it is with your mouth, you profess your faith and you are say when Peter was preaching on the day of Pentecost.

He said the people gathered be saved from this perverse generation. Then later on in acts two we read the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved that it acts 221 it says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be say.

Hebrews 725 says he's able to save completely those who come to God through him. It's a perfect description because that's what it is you're being say. I it's a phrase we would use of a lifeguard rescued a person or if firefighter ran into a burning building abroad somewhat out.

We would say they were say I just watch a video about special forces guy used to be in special forces was now gone over to the Middle East and a volunteer position because he heard some of the atrocities being committed by Isis against civilians and in this video it shows him with his other friends were volunteers running into a heel of bullets to rescue a little Iraqi girl was caught in the crossfire. He put his life on the line. His fellow soldiers gave them covering fire and thankfully he returned with the little girl he saved her and then when he was interviewed. He said I did it because of my faith in Jesus Christ. I love to hear stories like that. Literally he saved that girl and will we go insurer.

That someone believes in Jesus literally think there trust in him. They are being saved in the truest sense of what that word well. This new series were calling it worldview and the objective of this series is to help us to learn how to think biblically see everybody has a worldview. There's no question about that in your worldview is influenced by many things. It's influenced by culture, your upbringing, your education, or lack thereof the book to read are the lack of books you read the media you expose yourself to enter worldview is comprehensive, it will affect every area of your life from your personal morality to how you spend your money to your politics to how you vote, even it affects everything about you and so what we want to God as a Christian worldview. More specifically, we want to got up biblical world view.

The only way to have a biblical worldview is by studying and memorizing Scripture and spending time in each and every day so we run everything through a biblical grid and we ask ourselves the question what does the Bible say about this because sometimes people have an emotional worldview that they base their views on how they feel and you don't want to do that because your emotions can mislead you know sometimes people will say well I just go with my heart because the heart wants what the heart wants what the heck does that even mean me tell you some about your heart.

The Bible says it's deceitfully wicked above all things. Who can know it. So don't just go with your heart because your heart can mislead you. Don't just go with your emotions because your emotions can Ms. lead you certainly don't go with culture because that will mislead you go with the Bible, it will never take you in the wrong direction.

Learn to think biblically. CS Lewis said and I quote I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen not because I see it, because buying it, I see every thing else that's all we have to be like the lens of Scripture through the eyes of a follower of Jesus Christ and I want to talk about the biblical view of salvation eliminated. Take a quick bowl. How many of you would describe yourselves as being saved razor get up cats.

Almost everybody very good that's very important that were say again what is it mean to be safe, I want to get a drill down a little bit into this because we throw the word around.

But do we understand it back to Romans 10 again if you will declare with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart. God raised him from the dead, you will be say fortis with your heart. You believe in your justified and it's with your mouth, you profess your faith and are say so.

One of the great benefits of salvation is God justifies us a what does that mean that the word we may use and repeat.

But we don't necessarily understand it. One aspect of justification means that God has forgiven you, of all of your sin. But even more is removed all the evidence of your sin as well not support because we've all done things we wish we had not done right. We've all said things we wish we had not said, but God can forgive us of our sin. If we repent of it and not only does he forgive us, but then he forgets our sin. God says in Hebrews 1017. I will never again remember your sins and lawless deeds.

Now let's understand. God is omniscient, which means he knows all things. So if only God is literally forgetting things, but it means that he is choosing to not hold those things against you, sort of like when you're having conflicts with your spouse and marriage and and they bring up something you did like 30 years ago.

Remember that time you said this to me. Seriously, that was 30 years ago, can you just let it go see that's what I mean some forgive and forget that you don't keep an account of all those things and bring them up over and over. So God says I choose to no longer remember that thing that you did that was a sin against me in a front to me. I love this passage in Jeremiah were God says they'll come a day when you look high and low for assigned of Israel's skill and you'll find nothing search nook and cranny Fred Fraser do this in you'll find nothing these people that I disable start out with a clean slate to God does for us. That's what it means to be saved. I have a clean slate. My sin is removed now that all salvation was.

That's all justification was that would be more then enough.

No wonder the Bible calls it so great salvation in Hebrews 2, three, but that is not all there is because in addition to that God has placed the righteousness of Jesus Christ into my spiritual bank account, so to speak.

The Bible tells us in Philippians 39 being found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. You see I am a righteous man is able.

Greg got her know you know I saw you drove earlier today when I didn't say I always do righteous things, but I am positionally righteous before God and this is true of every Christian because the day I believe he removed my sin.

He forgave my sin. He forgot my sin, he removed every trace of my sin, and in the place of that he put the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That's what it means to be justified. We know salvation is a gift from God. So what does it mean to work out our own salvation. Pastor Greg answers that next in a new book Pastor Greg Laurie recalls his friendship with Dr. Billy Graham had this ability to connect from the beginning to the middle to the end of his ministry. Remember seeing him in New York. It is final crusade in Flushing Meadows. There, and I remember he just looked at the crowd and said God loves you and then he would turn to another part of the crowd, God loves you, read somewhere that you want me his first love, you will Bible says God loves you. There were 2 mg. He was the same in private that he was in public.

He was a godly man I've ever met, the new Billy Graham man I knew Greg Laurie Uris for a gift of any size at harvest.today Pastor Greg is giving us a correct view of sin, salvation and our standing before God were developing a biblical worldview must continue. Here's the problem.

We know these things we say these things but do we live like saved people because sometimes you don't see the impact of one salvation on a person's lifestyle or on their choices, though say oh yes I love the Lord, but don't do things that seem to contradict that sale.

Yes I'm saying but you wonder are they really say and I think if a person is really met God. There will be evidence in their life of a person is really coming to this encounter with Jesus Christ you will see the results in, and this is sort of the transitional moment of what I'm talking about here where I want to talk about working out your salvation, which will bring us to our text in Philippians and here's an illustration that will help us to understand.

I read recently in USA Today that there's a lot of lottery tickets that have never been playing. In fact, this article said there were $46 million waiting for people that bought a ticket and technically one some of that money but never received it because they never brought their ticket in that they missed the deadline and they say this happens every year millions of dollars that is never collected a few years ago there was a $25 million prize here in California that went unclaimed by the way, this is not an endorsement of the lottery like I hope you don't spend your money on lottery ticket but I'm using this merely as an illustration I read about Amanda Pennsylvania who are read about time running out on a $20 million lottery prize in the wonder why wonder if I bought the ticket apparently bought quite a few so I went through a bunch of old boxes and sure enough he found the winning ticket and brought it in one day before and expire, and in many ways God has given us something. Well far greater than a lottery ticket worth far more than millions of millions of dollars in salvation. So what I want to do is I want to take hold of her live out what God is given to me.

So let's look at Philippians 2 verse 12 therefore, my beloved, as you've always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and do of his good pleasure. Work out your own salvation. What is that me and means only you can work out your salvation want to be nice if you could hire someone to work out for you so you know what I don't work out wanted to go workout forming, but you can't do that you have to go workout for yourself to work out your own salvation.

This is not something someone else can do in your place. This is something you must do for yourself. It's a personal choice but Paul frozen an interesting thought. In verse 12. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but more in my absence. So basically Paul is writing to the believers here in Philippi from a prison. He's been arrested and he can go and be with them as he was in the past and so he misses them and they miss him so basically say no because I'm not with you, but I still want you to work out your own salvation.

I think the new living translation is helpful here were Paul says dearest friends. You're always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you but now that I'm away. You must be even more careful to put into action, God's saving work in your life.

So here's what Paul is saying in effect size you need to grow up spiritually, you can build your spiritual life on me don't even for a moment think you guys can go dispirited, cruise control, if I'm not personally there for you because it God that works in you.Paul, I'm not doing the work in your life God is doing the work in your life. I bring this up because sometimes we can allow people to take the place of God in our life.

I'm not going to church of so-and-so is in speaking finally go when he speaks well I'm not going to do that because I don't I don't know that person. I really like this person and we can become far too willing to put a person in the place of God.

We can allow our hearts as one said to become idol factories husband chooses to not go to church because his wife doesn't go anymore or maybe the kids don't go to church because their parents don't go anymore.

Listen, you need your own relationship with God. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling exhibit Greg, my parents were hypocrites. Or, I saw a hypocrite in church yet, get over it grow. Put your faith in Christ and follow him some pulsing. It can't be all about me being there with you because I won't always be there with you but the Lord always will be there with you. So, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Some misunderstand this. Paul did not say work for your own salvation because salvation is a gift of God, by the way, this is a gift that grows more valuable. With the passing of time. Isn't it interesting how things that were so valuable on the day you receive them, have no value. Now that which didn't have as much value as become more precious to you now.

For instance, you may have gotten the catch it all, it was the cutting edge catch it. You were so excited when you got it, but no as you look at that cassette player makes a nice doorstop. It's a nice nostalgic item. You know are 8-track later or whatever it is. See it's it's outdated, but maybe that little drawing your child did for you that you just put away in a box has become more precious to you with the passing of time. Salvation is like that. The longer we live, the more valuable we see it is saw that it becomes more valuable. It always was, but were just discovering the value of it because it salvation God gives us saves us from our past, our present and our future. First, it saves us from our past sins we committed the wrongs they have done. It's removed. It's taken away as a raised we been given a clean slate. As I pointed out when I would saves us from our present.power of sin in my life. I I have God's power to overcome it. And lastly, it safely from a future judgment so that's why the Bible calls it such a great salvation. You see the value of it.

More more with the passing of time and so Paul says, work out your salvation don't work for.

It's a gift to you from God.

Ephesians 2 says, by grace you've been saved if they not of yourselves.

Give God your Greg Laurie with insights on the gift of salvation, but how we need to work it out in our lives. And there's more to come from this message here on a new beginning called the biblical worldview on salvation that we realize. Sometimes interruptions happen as you listen to the studies where you can hear what you miss by going to our website harvest.org yesterday were so happy to make available your brand-new book called Billy Graham the man I knew and in it, you talk about some abilities early days preaching, and how sometimes it didn't go very well and you said in the book that you've had a few times when you first started that didn't exactly make the highlight reel. Oh, what would you say to a young person who feels called to preach and teach but they're just wondering if they have what it takes. What I would say I think of the words of the Lord to Moses who had something of a speech impediment and try to get out of being called to represent him and the Lord said, I'll be with you, and I think you know you just have to take steps of faith and be willing to leave your comfort zone to let God use you and nobody starts out perfectly and Billy had his hardships and challenges and difficulties.

One time he got up to speak and and pretty much took every sermon he had ever come up with and give them all at one time and it was over with them like nine minutes.

Heather reminds me of one of the times I spoke in front Billy. They asked me to be in his Board of Directors and I was there the table and there said Billy Graham and Cliff Barrows and other legends of the Graham team and and they asked me to do a little devotion and all I remember is is not going into an altered state of consciousness.

I mean here. I've student stadiums and preach the thousands of people, but I've never been more and intimidated that I was speaking in front of Billy Graham himself and and he was very affirming and very encouraging buddy. He was Billy Graham. And when you're starting out serving the Lord.

If your preacher or just sharing your faith. You can make mistakes but that's okay. You know, just give it your best shot at learn from your mistakes, and press on about the Billy did, and in fact he became a brilliant orator the master communicator, but he never lost touch with who he was a farm boy from North Carolina and God raised him up to be the greatest evangelist not only of his lifetime.

The my opinion, the greatest evangelist in human history. So that's why wanted to write a book about a minutes called Billy Graham the man that I knew by the way, that title came from Franklin Graham. I've written other books on people you may have heard of like Steve McQueen and Johnny Cash wrote a book called Steve McQueen the salvation of an American icon wrote another book called Johnny Cash, the redemption of an American icon, so was my intention to call this book, Billy Graham, the making of an American icon, Franklin said to me that he would not want to be called an icon. Is it really says no you shouldn't call it that. You should instead call it Billy Graham, the man that I knew and I said that's a good title so we had already on the cover art was on its way and we redesigned it were able to change it to this title, and he was a man I knew I got to know him well and he never disappointed me. And that's quite a thing to say but it actually is true.

Well, it's a landmark biography on Billy's life with exhaustive painstaking research that literally took years in spite of how well Pastor Greg knew Billy personally. He found out so much more. During that in-depth research and you'll benefit from these deep insights so we hope you get in touch for your own copy of Billy Graham, the man I knew will send it to say thank you for your donation of any size.

Your donation makes a huge difference not only in being able to bring the studies your way, but also reaching out with the gospel. Just as Billy Graham did we saw more than 150,000 decisions for Christ in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic and is because listeners like you said yeah Greg, I want to help that kind of outreach happen.

So thank you for your investment right now and to thank you tangibly will send you a copy of this brand-new biography, Billy Graham, the man I knew just write a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We are here to take your call around the clock. So again, dial 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org everybody Greg Laurie here personally inviting you to join us for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a Bible study. It's a worship service. It church in your home, you're not able to get out your church right now.

If so, join us per Harvest at Home people are listening this from around the world listen to this. We have seen thousands of people commitment to follow Christ. Join us this weekend Harvest at Home.oh well, next time more insight. Pastor Greg message called the biblical worldview on salvation join us here on a new beginning. Greg Laurie and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org