Salvation ... Now What?

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham a little later in the program to tell you how you got the grim moments. First, here's the message of salvation. Now that your libels in turn with me the Hebrews and the ninth verse of chapter 6. The entire book of Hebrews is given to us to encourage us to move forward in our faith to press on and to persevere in the salvation that we have in Christ, the writer was concerned about those who were dropping out and fading away, so he writes concerning continuing in our faith in Christ and maturing an hour development as believers.

For example, in chapter 6, verse one were told to leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and to go on to maturity to go on to go forward to get better in our faith. That is what the assures us is possible that in verse nine it says no we speak to you in this way yet in your case. Beloved, we feel sure of better things and noticed this little phrase things that belong to salvation or the things that accompany salvation, you know, some things just go together in life like thunder and lightning or like bacon. It or like mashed potatoes and gravy and the word that is given to us here which is translated, the things that belong to salvation is all is a word which literally means that goes along with salvation. It goes together with salvation is not salvation. Salvation is in Christ alone, by grace alone through faith alone in him. This is not salvation, but there are things that go along with salvation. The Greek word is actually the word echo and of course you know what an echo is you speak and then the echo follows and so the echo of salvation is what is in focus here. The amplified Bible gives it this way, things that are near to salvation and accompaniment notice. This is not salvation, but this is near to stop salvation other words, these are the first things the first steps. These are the foundational crews and there are of course many things that accompany salvation on the results side.

In other words, what Christ has done for us.

We can speak of the fact that we now because we have salvation have a purpose in life and we recognize that God's plan for us is good and we have a new significance in life we because of salvation this accompany salvation, the forgiveness of sins that every blot and every bar in every blemish, every failure.

Every portable every sin, every day is forgiven. Isn't that great news forgiven deleted extracted from our lives because of what Christ, and Christ has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Jesus did for us. This is an accompaniment of salvation. We know in Christ that we are now loved on conditionally for we have been accepted in the beloved. We now have gods drink to overcome our habits to overcome our hurts to overcome our hangups.

We now have God's word to give us wisdom in life.

We now have God's protection. God's protection because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

We have been equipped with spiritual gifts so that we may serve Christ we been given the Holy Spirit, that we may witness obvious power. We now know that God is working all things together for our good and for his glory.

We know that what God is started and as he is going to finish in us, and therefore we are guaranteed a place in heaven and we are sick or in Christ all of this is the is an accompaniment of salvation. It goes along with salvation. This is what we receive in Christ. But there also some responsibility that accompany salvation, and that's what I want us to focus on for a few moments today, the things which go along with salvation. The echo what happened once we believe and receive Christ, that we may go on in the terrific number one, a profession that is public, I'm talking about an open confession of your faith in Jesus Christ. Now, no doubt about it. Salvation is an inside job is what God does in but what is very personal, is never to be private, it is always to be pumped because everyone that was called to follow Christ of the Scriptures was called openly and outwardly, no doubt about this. I can give you many examples of course of those who follow Jesus and the Gospels. They were upfront in their profession of faith in Christ, Simon Peter exemplifies this when Jesus and who do men say that I am he made a great confession he said you are the Christ, the son of the living God. And with that open confession. Those believers those band of disciples, eight respondents as well and and that was a public confession of faith every one who follow Jesus in the New Testament and became a believer.

They ultimately came out in their faith. They warning the closet they were in the open-air following the Lord Jesus Christ. They were doing and in churches they were doing it in their communities.

They were doing it in the culture.

They were openly avidly following Christ. And then of course the book of acts when Simon Peter preached and he preached the gospel to the very people that enable the crucifixion of Christ.

He stood there and proclaim the gospel and invited people to respond to Christ and the Bible says, with many other words he spoke to them calling them forward. I don't know how they make their decisions. I don't know if they all stood up. Those who want to receive Christ. I don't know if they they came forward in some way. He said all you who are are wanting to receive Christ today. Go stand over here.

I don't know exactly when I told but there was some kind of open confession and public profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, this accompany salvation. This is the echo of salvation. What did Jesus say if you confess me before men, I will confession you before the father in heaven. If you don't confess me before men, I'll not confess you when I come again with my holy angels to Jesus. I public about a public commitment on your faith in Christ and him was absolutely vital. Apostle Paul Eidson. I'm not ashamed of the gospel. Don't be ashamed of genes. This is an echo salvation.

This goes along with salvation is not salvation but it is in association with salvation is holding hands with salvation. A profession that is public, but there's something else that is a baptism that is biblical baptism is not salvation, it does not say, nor does it help to say, baptism is the symbol of our salvation.

Baptism is the open confession of our faith is a matter of fact, in the days of the New Testament. The profession of faith that people made before the church was through baptism.

This was how confession and profession of faith was offered. It was through believers baptism now.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus commanded baptism course there's a theology concerning baptism on the doctrine of baptism and and there is the doxology of baptism.

It is up to praise to God. But there's also a psychology if you will, of baptism, and I believe that has to do with why God gave us this unusual method of expressing our faith is something that a company salvation not something but it is our salvation. Listening to PowerPoint Graham and the message. Salvation never went when he set aside daily time to connect with God to give you the ability to live a godly life and fulfill his plans for you in the coming year and we'd like to help me walk even more closely with the Lord in your head by sending you pastor grams 180 day devotional moments in the word. It's our way to thank you for your gift today to help proclaim the gospel to more people around the world to PowerPoint. Succumb now to get your copy of moments in the word. When you give: 800-7956 27 that's 1-800-795-4627 can also text the word PowerPoint to 313-1316 PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org shop where each door to the gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website began is Jack Graham.Ward.

Now let's get back to today's message salvation now what is the psychology well one indent is we express our faith. There is an old saying in the world of psychology that goes like this impression without explanation leads to depression. If you are impressed to do something again and again and you suppress that and don't do it. Ultimately, it has a depressing effect and when you are impressed by the spirit of God Shay, when you grasp the reality of his love and his greatness when you are gripped by the presence and the power of Jesus Christ. What you do. The Bible says you are to express that in the way to do that is through this testimony and obedience baptism because when we are baptized. You see, we are declaring our faith.

So baptism expresses our faith. It is a proclamation of the gospel who we are and what is happened to us but is also a portrait of our Clinton. We can erase them, nor can we work to remove our sins. There is only one who can cleanse us from sin and his name is Jesus at baptism produces a wonderful sense of God's Clintons of a new beginning in line of a refreshing before God is a clean conscience before God. This is what baptism represents.

But there's 1/3 thing about baptism and is a reason that every believer should be baptized and that is that baptism then is a benchmark of our commitment to Christ. There are several significant benchmarks that delineate every life birthday, graduation, wedding day, and these kinds of day are points of reference for each one about baptism is a point of reference is a benchmark of the most life changing event that takes place in our hearts, and that is our salvation.

Baptism doesn't say is that benchmark. It is the remembrance it is that why demarcation when we step outwardly and openly upwardly for Christ. I became a Christian as a small child. As a matter of fact because I had a Christian home and family and the gospel was Paul and my home I came to faith in Jesus Christ.

At the very young age of six.

Couple years later I was baptized.

Now my salvation experience, though it happened over 50 years ago is very vivid. The best time for person to be saved is the first time a child or person understands the gospel and could respond in faith. I did obviously know everything about life of the gospel like I didn't have a long track record of sin in my life but I knew that I'd sin that I needed to say here that Jesus was the Savior I wanted Jesus to be my Lord and in my life and I wanted to follow him and so I'm grateful that I came to Christ at a very young age, but then I was baptized and I also vividly remember my baptism in parties because it's such a strange thing to do and when your little child, your eyes are wide open. It was such a manly thing to me and so I believe psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, God gave us baptism to be a constant and vivid reminder of the day of day in our lives when we responded to the gospel. It is a benchmark of our commitment to Christ benchmark now. Be sure that you get your baptism on the right side of your salvation. What I mean by that is this baptism should never proceed salvation.

It is always in it an accompaniment of salvation. In addition to salvation and hold hands with salvation is what were talking about in this past every person he was baptized in Scripture was baptized in response to their personal faith in Christ. So if you were baptized by any method, immersion or otherwise before you became a true believer in Christ. That's not the New Testament pattern baptism. It may be a dedication of your family, it may be a commitment of your parents. It may be a religious experience. But it is not baptism until you first respond personally to Jesus Christ and give your life to follow him and then it becomes a benchmark of your commitment to him. But then, let me say one other thing about baptism before we move on to the last thing that is baptism meets the need for humility in our single biggest obstacle between a person and God's pride where there is intellectual pride we have to be willing to lay aside our intellectual pride and become like little children to follow Christ doesn't mean they're not evidences of the faith, and that we can reasonably believe in the gospel, but we must be willing to lay aside all of our machinations and our intellectual pride and say Lord Jesus, I come to you in simplicity and faith.

I come to you like a little child Jesus said unless you come to me. I as a little child you will never be converted intellectual pride.

How many are From the kingdom of God because of intellectual pride, but in their social pride.

We like to associate with impressive people, cool people. This is why peer pressure is so difficult for both adults as well as students because we like to be in the integrate we want to be accepted by our peers and so the pressure is on what Jesus did in hot hang out with the cool crowd of his day. He hung out with the outcasts announced all scoring he hung out with the uneducated. He hung out with sinful people and impressive people.

Common people, and if you go to follow Jesus the Christ of the cross demand that we lay aside social pride and follow Jesus in their spiritual pride. The idea that somehow we can earn our own way to heaven. We learn salvation. Salvation is what Christ does for us, not what we do for him. Works do not say daughter. They help to save so we have to be willing to lay aside spiritual pride and are self effort and human effort to follow Jesus Christ and baptism. Dallas is pride. I mean think about. I'm just a very active getting in water and having someone dip you beneath the water. I mean I'm your prize gone at that point right.

It is an act of surrender is an act of submission before God and so everyone ought to follow Christ with a profession that is public and a baptism that is biblical.

I see many times many kinds of people through the years in the baptistery. I've seen young and old, and everybody in between. But I see what kind of person I've never seen in the baptistery that is a prideful person because you have to be willing to lay aside your pride to follow Christ.

So baptism is an expression of our faith in Christ. It is a pledge of our clean conscience before God is a righteous act is a benchmark of renewal. It is a demonstration of humility you say was that I mean that's really all necessary if you want to be obedient to Christ. You, because this accompanies salvation. Jesus said if you love me, keep my commandments, Jesus commanded that we be that there's one final thing briefly that I will talk about. I wish I had more time to talk about these things that accompany salvation, a profession that is public baptism that is biblical and then a fellowship that is faith. I'm talking about the church now, sometimes in our desire never to preach church entity rather preach Christianity, we have lessened the importance of the local church in the ministry of the church, but an echo of salvation.

What happens after we're say is that we then become a part of the body of Christ. The body of believers, which is his church and we love those who follow Christ, even as we love Christ. First John 314 says it is because we love other belief that we demonstrate our faith. We long to belong and therefore God has given us the Association of the church, the Fellowship of the church.

This spiritual family. The Bible says we are all part of God's family. This household of faith. So he puts us in a spiritual family. He gives us the church and the church is not something that we go to is something we belong, highly is very important that when you associate with the church that you just not going to hang out and hang on, but that you get engaged and involved in ministry lectures that you join that church and and that you having professed faith in Christ. The following pricing believers baptism that you are a part of the church again.

The church is not something you go to, just when we feel like it one when when were ready to go but rather is something we belong you long to the church is in the church that we worship the Lord Jesus Christ. We learn to develop healthy relationships is in the church that we develop godly character through the study of God's word and you know godly character is not is not only taught it is called. We all be role models. People that inspire us people that motivated people that move us in with the pressure of the world. This is why kids I want you to be in church because you know the pressure that you have in school and with your friends and so on. What we need is is a place where we can common to people that we believe in where we have some spiritual Rosen some people that care about is that Kent can encourage us and bless us and model for us what godly character is why you see what I'm saying this is the church and so much more is in the church that we understand the ordinance of God's word that we find wisdom and guidance for life is in the church that we get perspective on our problems in life is in the church that we establish a spiritual legacy from generation to generation by I've talked in a while this morning but it's all about the things that accompany himself profession that is a baptism that is fellowship church listening to PowerPoint with Zach Graham and his message salvation now went looking ahead to a new year, conferring with expectation. They can also fill you with desperation, but if things get worse. But if the world gets crazier.

But if you don't have the strength to face what comes your way is through spending daily time in God's word that we find the strength, peace and hope we need and we want to help you do that sending you pastor Graham's 180 day devotional moments in the word moments and the word is our special thanks for your gift this month so called to request your copy today: 800-795-4627 that's one 800-7954 67. You can also text the word PowerPoint 23131316 PowerPoint 313131.

And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org each store online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email our website again is Jack Graham.board pastor. What is your PowerPoint. Let me remind you that these three things don't add to your salvation as a believer in Christ. They accompany your decision to follow Christ. In other words, we are saved by Christ and Christ alone. By his grace trusting him for eternal life that brings us to salvation. But what accompanies salvation.

There are some responsibility. There is a cost of following Jesus. There is a price to pay. So the first responsibility you as a believer has is to make sure that you profess your faith, a profession that is public, as I said in today's message. There is no such thing as a secret follower of Jesus. In fact, it was Jesus who said everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God doesn't get much clearer than that doesn't. The second responsibility is as a Christ follower.

Make sure that you have a baptism that is biblical. I spent a lot of time talking about the principle and practice of baptism in today's message because there's so much confusion about this issue.

Remember baptism itself cannot say. Nor does it help to say, but what baptism does is give you a tangible way to express and demonstrate your living and obedient faith to Christ.

Baptism is an act of obedience that God blesses. Finally, the third responsibility that you have as a Christian is to make sure you belong to a fellowship that is faithful of fellowship that is faithful. I'm talking about the church. The reason we belong to and commit to a local church a membership and a partnership with a local church is because you know character Christlike living is not only taught it is caught and when we are together with God's people under the teaching of God's word and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, then we are encouraged.

We are built up and strengthened in our own faith. The Scripture reminds us of this in Proverbs 1320 that whoever walks with the wise becomes wise. We are inspired to live life for Christ when we get around other people, week in, week out, who are living lives of faith and commitment. I urge you, I challenge you to be a part a faithful member of a local New Testament church which preaches Jesus Christ teaches the word of God and will enable you and help you assisting you in your Christian walk and gives you an opportunity to share your faith with others, so your three hour three responsibilities as followers of Jesus are to have a profession that is public. Make a public profession of your faith. Share your faith with others, go forward in your church or tell your pastor that you're receiving Jesus call us here PowerPoint and let us know that you are becoming a follower of Jesus Christ profess your faith confessed Jesus publicly and then a baptism that is biblical as soon as possible after you know Christ, get your baptism on the right side of your salvation by following him in the New Testament ordinance of baptism, and then a fellowship that is faithful to find a local church where you can grow, serve and witness of your faith in Christ and that is today's power.

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