Facts, Those Being Saved Must Know!
As with all things, there is a beginning. In Acts 2, we are introduced to the first Gospel sermon “Jesus of Nazareth” – Verse 22. The Apostles of the Lord (one's sent), are now fulfilling for the first time their commission by making disciples of the world through the Gospel of Christ being preached (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:21).
Note each bullet point of the sermon:
• “A man attested by God to you by miracles, wanders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourself know” (Vs. 22).
• “You have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death” (Vs. 23).
• “Whom God raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Vs. 24-32).
• “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God; God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Vs. 33-36).
Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Peter would continue to testify and exhort those who had shown the godly sorrow necessary to begin the repentance process. They would soon follow the process of repentance with obedience, note:
Acts 2:41 “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”
We now have them classified by Luke (the author of Acts!), as those “who believed” (Vs. 44), describing the true process of belief to, or towards salvation from sin. Now that they are united in the One whom they have believed, they are continuing to learn, worship, and demonstrate unity. Then there is this recognition, note:
Acts 2:47 “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
As we see from these converts, and from all those who will come after these; there was never a time when they did not need to be taught. We see this in Verse 42, we see that this continued, note:
“Daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42), and “How I kept back nothing that was helpful to you, but declared it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20 – Paul to the elders of Ephesus).
From the book of Romans to Revelation, we are given instruction to those “who were being saved” ; Christians!
What we want to do in this lesson is look at some important points that those being saved MUST KNOW!
These are just five important points! There are surly many more. So, we may return to this format again; however, for now let's take a look at the first five.
FACTS, THOSE BEING SAVED MUST KNOW!
THEY MUST KNOW:
They are a Member of the Church that has a Divine Head, Which is Christ!
Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Colossians 1:18 “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
- Christ is the Divine head of the church to the exclusion of all others.
1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
- The organization and function of the church has been set by the Lord.
Ephesians 4:11-13 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”
- Each and every body of Christ is only as each individual part makes it!
Ephesians 4:16 “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
The Church is Governed, not by creeds, disciplines, or councils; but by the Divine Laws of Heaven given in the Word of God!
1 Timothy 3:15 “but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
- This Divine word is not of private interpretation!
2 Peter 1:20-21 “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
- This Divine word cannot be improved upon!
James 1:25 “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
James 3:13-18 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
They are Disciples, Learners, and Practitioners of the Teaching of Christ!
1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
- There is meat for the wise and mature, there is milk for the babe. In every case the word of God trains, develops, and instructs towards the righteousness of God. It is never exhaustive! There is always something to learn; however, even though we cannot learn it all, we must develop that attitude towards the word that Paul had, note:
Philippians 3:13-16
"Brethren, “I do not count
myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which
are ahead,
14 I press toward the
goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15
Therefore let us, as many as
are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God
will reveal even this to you.
16
Nevertheless, to the
degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule,
let us be of the same mind.”
- The word of God in the doctrine of Christ is for all those who can develop this mentality, and to know that it is transformational!
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
That there will be Hardships and Suffering!
1 Thessalonians 2:14 “ For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans”
- Contrary to modern doctrines of prosperity, we see the Apostles instruct true Christians that suffering and hardship is associated with their calling. This hardship can be many-fold in nature; from actual physical abuse to mental anguish over the evil state of men.
1 Peter 2:21-23 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth” ; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously”
- It is incumbent upon us as those being saved, once armed with this understanding that we run with endurance the race set before us.
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
There is Never a Time or Place when it is Acceptable to Give Up!
Hebrews 4:1 “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”
The Hebrew writer is writing to Christians in the previous chapter in a warning. The warning comes as an illustration of the Children of Israel who failed to enter into the land of promise because of disbelief.
The Hebrew writer is warning these Christians that they had better be wary not to follow the pattern of unfaithful Israel, and tread with reverence the privilege they had been given to walk in the promise of salvation.
The Hebrew writer would continue to warn these Christians, who were on the brink of giving up with even harsher language, note:
Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”
Hebrews 10:26-31 “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
This privileged service is a committed course; one that must be seen to its fruition!
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Some Things We Must Know!