Four Things That Save Mankind

There have been many debates over what saves a person's soul. Is it his faith, his works, God's grace, or God's love? Probably the best answer is "All of the above-and maybe more." Let's look at each of these and see the scriptural reasoning involved.

• God's love is the best place to start.

A. See John 3: 16. God's love for us is too profound for human words.

B. See the passage in Matthew 25: 31-46. In "midflight" of that passage note that

Heaven was prepared for man, but Hell was prepared for the Devil and his angels.

Hell will work as an incarcerative place for man, but it was made for Satan.

C. It is not the will of the Father than any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3: 9.

D. God's love waits for man to repent-but how long? See Matthew 13: 24-30.

E. God through His Son invites man to come to Him. Matthew 11: 28-30.

F. God has put His Spirit within man. He longs for man to allow the fellowship between man and God. See James 4: 5-10, especially other than King James.

G. The final vision of man in the last chapter of the Revelation is that of man livingonce again in harmony with God in a garden spot, just as in man's beginning.

• Is faith necessary?

A. Easily answered-see Hebrews 11: 6.

B. Time and again Jesus chided his disciples for little faith. Matthew 24: 22-33.

C. John 20: 19-29. Doubting Thomas-but do we do any better?

D. Hebrews 11 is sometimes called the Honor Roll of the Faithful. Faith is so important.

III. Works.

A. James 2: 14-26 is not the only place that talks about works, but it does explain the relationship between faith and works well.

B. "And why call ye me, 'Lord, Lord', and do not the things that I say?" Luke 6: 46.

C. Titus 3: 14.

D. See the judgment scene: Revelation 20: 11-15. Will man be judged by what he had faith only in? Will he be saved by imploring the grace of God? Man will be judged by what he has done.

E. Philippians 2: 12, 13-"Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling."

F. The Gospels are filled with exhortations to be sober and be watchful and be busy doing what has been commanded. We could pick nearly in place in those four books for an example, but Luke 12: 31-40 is a representative one.

Interlude: See Luke 14: 15-24. In this passage see the lack of faith on the part of the original invitees, their resultant lack of works in accepting the invitation, their exclusion due to their lack of faith, and the invitation of those who would in faith accept the invitation.

• Grace.

A. No discussion of grace would be complete without a reading of Ephesians 2: 8-10.

B. Many stop short at the end of verse 9.

C. But God has graciously provided for us to live in good works (v. 10) to His honor and glory.

D. Jesus alluded to man's inability to totally save himself in Luke 17: 5-10. After having done all, we are still unprofitable servants.

E. We must not tax God's grace or make light of it. Romans 6: 1, 2 ff.

F. To sin just because forgiveness seems easy is to crucify Jesus all over again.

This shows a lack of faith in the God who once saved us (see Hebrews 10: 26-31).

The Conclusion: God by his grace and love provided works that He has allowed to be special to Him, when we do those works by faith.

We hope that by visiting this web page, you have been blessed.

Sid Womack