SM170702/The Biblical Worldview on Salvation

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The title of my message is the biblical worldview on salvation so much of the turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 is our text something people asked me Greg what happened to your hair. After that, they do affect but but after that the faith, 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 on these events. I myself will travel to these places and speak in churches and meet with people and that's one of the reasons I was gone a number of Sundays is because I was rallying the troops there in Arizona.

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 when it's all said and done.

There's nothing more important than people coming into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. The agreement that all nothing. You know, somebody will say no. The most important thing is is feeding people were hungry or are clothing them or or it's helping people who are addicted to drugs rock all the get off of the substances are on earth, maybe to put their marriages back together all those things are very important but the most important thing is having people change your eternal address from a place called hell do a place called heaven. And here's the thing. If that go-ahead you want. But 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 word say save 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 saying 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 and added added to the church daily those who were being say 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 have five firefighter ran into a burning building, approximate out, we would say they were say I just watch a video of a special forces guy used to be in special forces, who is 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 some of his other friends were volunteers running into a heel of bullets to rescue a little. I Reiki a Reiki girl that was caught in the crossfire. He put his life on the line.

His fellow soldiers gave them covering fire. 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 your stories like literally he saved that girl and when we go insurer prison someone believes in Jesus literally think put their trust in him. They are being saved in the truest sense of what that word well where 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 and your worldview is influenced by many things.

It's influenced by culture, your upbringing, your education, or lack thereof the book to read article lack of books you read the media you expose yourself to and a 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 it'd 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 say well I just go with my heart because the heart wants what the heart wants what the heck does that even mean.

Let me tell you some about your heart. The Bible says this 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 poll.

How many of you would describe yourselves as being say razor get cats almost everybody very good that's very important that were say again what does it mean to be safe, I want to come to 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'll 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. So what does that mean that the word we made 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, these removed all the evidence of your sin as well. Mother is important because we've all done things we wish we had not 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 teeth.

Now let's understand. God is omniscient, which means he knows all things. So is like 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 in and they bring up something you did like 30 years ago will know 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 for x-rays of Judas in find nothing these people. 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, if that's all. Salvation was. That's all justification was that would be more dead on not.

No wonder the Bible calls it so great salvation in Hebrews 2, three, but that is not all the rest, 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 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 believed he remove my sin deeper gave my sin. He forgot my sin.

He remove every trace of my said it in the place of that he put the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That's what it means to be justified.

But 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 with no do things that seem to contradict that sale. Yes I'm saying but you wonder are they really say and I think you have a person is ruling 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 we just had this great Crusade in Phoenix and we saw many people make a profession of faith well over 7000. And we rejoice in that but we never say 7000 people were saved because we don't know if there saved while say well, some 7000 people made a profession of faith. Time will tell if there saved right 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 back. 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 it salvation. So what I want to do is I want to take hold of her live outward. 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 when it 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 your social 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 where Paul says dearest friends. You're always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you but now that I'm away.

I am away.

You must be even more careful to put in action.

God's saving work in your life. So here's what Paul is saying, in effect, buys 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 not call. 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 isn't speaking finally go when he speaks well. I'm looking 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 to 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 fall think 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 catches you were so excited when you got it. But now, 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 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 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 we have done it. It's removed. It's taken away. It's a raised. We been given a clean slate. As I pointed out when I would saves us from our present. The 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 and 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 been saved through faith, not of yourselves. It's a gift of God so what does it mean to trusting the bird that Paul uses carries the meaning of work to full completion work a full completion your salvation. There's work involved in the Christian life as I play out as I discover what God is done for me. It doesn't say send out your own salvation says work out your own salvation. Going back to the analogy of a chip are you going you work out to get into better shape. The more you do it the better the results will be. Maybe it's because you're having issues the other day. I literally thought I might be close to having a heart attack and the reason is, as I was feeling pressure on my chest and so then I googled symptoms of heart attack and since pressure in your chest, and the pressure grew stronger soon as I read that little Philip Mark Bennett said nausea and I was nauseated. The second I read and I'm not nauseated. Get out so I'm going to see my doctor so I called him up again to come over right now and I came over and he hooked me up from EKG and die and eccentric. You're absolutely fine and then about a week later I got the bill and I did have a heart attack. So what happened was I been playing racquetball used to be that years ago I started playing again because I keep cardiovascular okay I hate treadmills. I hate stationary bicycles and all that pedaling you know and and so radical most fun because I will go to any link to cheese a stupid ball around the court and it is a good workout.

I sweat a little bit more and also what I do is I Paul and I I ship the wall really hard chasing the ball and that's why felt the pressure might just but I'm okay for now but you know something just to check up on those things in your deductible sake you need an exercise regimen. Three.

Go to the gym. But here's the problem. Weird people hang out in gym, you don't talk another just strange people. There's a person who sweat soul over everything. What is with that. Are you one of those people please stand up from 1 o'clock little sweater I need seriously. You know they do get up from the equipment. The whatever it is you know and there'd be there just perspiration all over the forward thinking you'd like to get talent wipe up after yourself, you know, there's a guy that screams every rep because he's lifting too much away. I thought that you know but still you need to get in there do which you can so you work out to get in shape and the same is true of the spiritual life.

I'm not working for God's given me the salvation in his mind what work it out or discover what it actually means for me about the phrase that Paul uses several workout is a phrase that's also used to explain working on mine you going to do a mine in extracting this over the gold or whatever is in the mind many years ago in California we have the California gold rush, and other was a lot of gold in this day gold in them thar hills. It was said so people came from around the country and even the world to to find their fortune in the gold was soon gone.

I think people thought it was just like laying around on the street you know that they had to go to the mines and work out in hopes of maybe discovering the mother load some policy that's I come I go in there and discover all God is done for you extracted. Live it out understand it appreciated.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling know what that means is with self discs.

Trust so I come with a reverence for God and a distrust of myself I can do this on my own strength. Paul explains it work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. So we will see what God doesn't. All I do nothing other safe. I do it all and God does nothing. Both of those views are wrong.

God does it through you as you minded to discover it for yourself.

Work out your own salvation with self discs. Trust, for it is God that is working in you know what it says work it out with fear and trembling.

I don't want you to think that Paul is suggesting that one can lose their salvation because I believe once your Savior saved. That's what we call it eternal life and not temporary life, that's where you don't have to get saved again and again and again and again you don't have you be born again again again again again again you're born again once. Now you can make a recommitment to Christ.

If you need to, but once you have eternal life. It's a gift to you from God and I bring this up because sometimes even believers will know the Lord for years worked out their own salvation and you need to know that the devil loves to challenge. Would God has set. Don't forget, in the garden of Eden became to Adam and Eve and he said did God really say which thought, God said he challenged the word of God noted the same to young Christians, especially right after they believed feel safe.

Do you really think your saved you really think Christ is coming to your life and it is then that I must stand on the promises of God. This is bringing that biblical worldview, not my emotions because my oppose my emotions to mislead me. I don't feel safe today.

Maybe I lost my salvation last night. No, no, it's still there, it still the gift of God, it still belongs to you and it is then that I come back to Scripture Scriptures like first John 510 it says. Anyone who believes in the son of God has this testimony in his heart. Romans 816 says his spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. John 524 Jesus as I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and shall not be condemned.

He's crossed over from death to life and really my favorite assurance verse.

First John five says these things we write to you that believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

Some of the devil comes and says you're not saved you say that the devil go to hell. I am saved by the way that's not cussing he is going to hell. Hell was created for him the letter he said then you say I know I'm say because the Bible says these things we write you the believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and sometimes quote Scripture out loud to remind myself, even Jesus did that.

Remember when he was tempted in the wilderness the devil said to Romano to turn this rock into a piece of bread. Jesus, as it is written, men shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God saying says why don't you thought I don't worship me and Jesus says it is written usual works of the Lord God and him only shall you serve.

The point is you come back with Scripture. That's what I mean when I say think biblically let everything go to the grid of Scripture. Not sure emotions. This is something God has given to you so we may wonder well can you lose salvation, what you haven't already said I don't think you can. So what about those people that make a profession of faith and say their say and we even see some evidence, or so it would seem initially but then a month later two months later, maybe six months later they just walk away and they never come back so is that someone was saved was no unsaved, I would suggest you of a person walks away and never comes back. They were never saved to begin with. So you know who the real Christians are. It's where the end up. Christians can go astray Christians to be prodigal sons and daughters That, but God will call them and if the rule believers always come home again and if they never were believers. They'll never come home because it never was there home were told over and first John 219 they went out from us, but they did not really belong to us briskly them along to us, they would've remained with us. Further, going out showed that none of them ever belong to us to sometimes people will make a profession of faith that is based on a motion Jesus talked about this in the parable of the sower, the Mark 416. He said those that received the seed that goes on around that's embedded with rocks so it shoots up, but it doesn't take Rudy says these are those that hear the word of God graded through the asset but their shallow soil of character, so when the emotions were off some difficulty arrives. There's nothing to show for it.

So these are the people that were never really believers at all. It was just the whim of an emotion, so don't work for your salvation, work out your salvation and what an incredible gift. It is an all you have to do is receive it.

I just flew back from Hawaii visiting our church there and I had to get a plane ticket and I printed out and I boarded my flight and they always check your ticket want to make sure you're in the right seat you cannot board a flight without a ticket.

I use this analogy, a number of years ago to harvest Crusade I was asking people. Do you have your ticket to go to heaven and I and Stella, who was then the little girl my granddaughter heard me say this, and she had a flyer that was given to her when she went in the event that she held it up and yelled out to me. I could hear she was so far away.

I have like to get Bob because she said so to but really if you have your ticket is rewarding me my ticket. Do you know that your say you might say, well II think so. I think you'll know it and if you don't know it.

Maybe you aren't. And I don't want you to leave the service today without knowing me on the shadow of a doubt that your sin is forgiven. Is it okay how does this happen again. Remember Rex 13 says this man Jesus gives forgiveness of sins and whoever trusts in him is free from all guilt and he is declared righteous.

So have you put your trust in Jesus again.

Scripture says whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved uses illustration of apartment there was a time I was out with my son Jonathan and in the ocean am we got caught in a little riptide was a young guy. At this point I was kinda keeping him above the surface and I couldn't believe I met a riptide because the Army is, I'm like literally 12 feet from the shore. Something I can't get in a riptide this close to the shore and but I am and I can get my feet on the ground getting pulled out is becoming a problem and I see a lifeguard met that there's no way on God's green earth, yell for help this close to shore and getting pulled out of this lifeguard sees me and she realizes I'm in trouble and she started swimming toward me. She got a little print services women I'm not all know this is so humiliating and finally I got my feeling the stress item okay okay thank you thank you and I walked in and you know don't forget to get rescued. I'd rather get rescued by a girl (the guy right in what there's Malcolm. Malcolm Bobby wanted to be a girl. That's all.

But here's the point is I was too proud to call out for help.

That's a lot of this could be many men, especially sometimes all of it so I don't need to be saved.

I'm good. Know you are good at all. Your your situation is worse than a person in a burning building or in a combat zone. Your situation is worse than a person caught in a riptide if you don't have Jesus Christ living in you right now.

Bottom line you're headed to a certain judgment in hell and God does not want that. That is why he sent Jesus Christ died to save sinners like you and me you can be saved today. Forgiven of all your sin put all of your past behind you. Have a fresh start.

A clean slate. Think about it. Then have the power you need in your life to live the life God is called… They can all happen and it doesn't take years. It doesn't take months. It doesn't take days, it doesn't take hours. They can happen just like that.

If you'll just call out to you so going to close in prayer. I'm going to extend an invitation to anyone here if you don't know Jesus Christ as your own Savior and your Lord and your friend he can come in your life right now and forgive you all of your sins and give you that fresh start. You long for and give you the guaranteed hope of heaven. If you don't know this for sure.

Let's get this settled right here right now that's all praying father, thank you for the incredible gift of salvation. It is really the gift that keeps on giving. And I pray for any here are watching nor are listening wherever they are.

If they don't know you yet. If they did not call upon your name yet.

Would you help them to do that right here right now. I pray your Holy Spirit will speak to their hearts. What are heads of God and our eyes are closed or praying together. How many of you would say today I want to be saved.

I want to go to heaven when I die I want Christ in my life now. I want my sins forgiven and put behind me. I want this fresh start given talking about. Pray for me. I'm ready to say yes to Jesus Christ. I want to believe in him affect your desire. If you want your sin forgiven you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want Jesus to come and live inside if you would you raise your hand up wherever you are and I'll pray for you right now. God bless you. Anybody else just raise your hand up and out. Pray for you today.

God bless you too.

God bless you and you and you. God bless you wherever you are.

Just raise your hand up or I can see it now pray for you, bless you some of your watching on the screen right now course, I can see you but I would ask you even to raise your hand up wherever your watching me just say yeah I want Jesus because this is you calling out to the Lord.

This is like the drowning person saying of the lifeguard saving anybody else raise your hand up know if you haven't done it yet publish, publish. Maybe there's some of you that have gone astray. I talked about Chronicles prodigal always come back home again and you've got away from the Lord. Give them things you shouldn't of done but you want to come back to him again, let me pray for you raise your hand up if you need to make a recommitment to Jesus Christ publish anybody else, bless Norman ask that everyone of you. That's raise your hand to steady her feet and nominally chewing a prayer is wherever you are standing your feet and I'm in the lead you in this prayer you the raise your hand. Even if you did not stand up to Morgan to pray together and you can ask Christ to forgive you of your sent wherever you are for watching on the screen to stand up and let me pray with you publish wait another moment.

Maybe you didn't raise your hand but you want to make this commitment to Jesus, to stand your feet will pray. God bless all of you that are standing by the way many are standing.

I hope you're one of them if you need to be because nominally chewing this prayer, bless you always one more moment. Anybody else want to make this commitment a recommitment to Christ, you stand now publish anybody else that now all right all of you that are sending want you to pray this prayer out loud after me.

This is where your calling on the name of the Lord.

Again, as I pray pray this out loud after me now pray this now, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I choose to follow you. Now Jesus from this moment forward as Savior and Lord is God and friend.

Thank you for calling me. Thank you for the gift of salvation in Jesus name I pray a man amen. God bless