5 Biblical Truths That Lead
To Eternal Life
An Overview Of Christ's Salvation
The following material includes text, principles and illustrations taken from the popular tract, "The Four Spiritual Laws" originally circulated by 'Campus Crusade for Christ'. The information found in this presentation includes clarifications that address important facts we believe were missing from the original publication. These clarifications do not change its original message.
This overview represents how God's gift of eternal life is received according to the New Testament principles of Grace, revealed in the Epistles of Saint Paul. Yet, receiving eternal life, which is also referred to as being 'born again', is just the first stage of an amazing spiritual journey that includes many other benefits and blessings. Prepare yourself to discover "God's Great Adventure".
Additional information is available at
the following links that may answer more
of your questions:
The Fall of the Human Race & Why
We Need a Savior
Jesus Christ As 'The Last Adam' Reverses
The Curse Of The First Adam's Sin
Jesus Is Lord!
TRUTH #1: God LOVES you and offers a PLAN of hope and purpose for your life.
(References on this page are from the Bible and should be read in context wherever possible.)
God's Love
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV).
God's Plan
[Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful] (John 10:10).
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life? Because...
TRUTH #2: Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
Man Is Sinful
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.
Man Is Separated
"The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23).
This diagram illustrates that God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. The arrows illustrate that man is continually trying to reach God and eternal life through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy, religion/religious activity or church affiliation - but he always - and will eternally fail. If God could be reached through those things - Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross was for nothing.
The third truth explains the only way to bridge this gulf...
TRUTH #3: Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's salvation and plan for your life.
He Died in Our Place
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He Rose From the Dead
"Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6).
This diagram illustrates that God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.
TRUTH #4: We must believe that Jesus Christ is God in human flesh and place our faith in His shed Blood at the cross that provides authentic salvation. All mankind is under sin and disqualified from providing their own salvation. Only the "God-man", Jesus Christ and His sacrificial 'Divine Blood' could pay the price for sin and redeem the human race.
A Serious Problem With The Modern-Day
Gospel Is Failing To Properly Understand
Certain Biblical Terms
As we consider the message of the Gospel of Christ - it's important to understand its language and terminology the same way God understands it ... otherwise disastrous problems can occur. Much could be said about this subject - but we limit our discussion to looking at the Biblical meaning of two phrases...
"Faith in Christ" and...
"Jesus Is Lord".
What It Means To Have "Faith in Christ"
or to "Believe On Christ"
At the Last Supper, Jesus declared...
"This cup is the New Covenant
in My blood, which is shed
for you." (Luke 22:20 NKJV)
According to the New Testament - authentic salvation is made possible through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ. As a result, if Christ died on the cross, but didn't shed a drop of blood ... our salvation would be invalid. It took both Christ's crucified body AND BLOOD to finish His redemptive work. But, it was His Blood that was specifically used to pay the price necessary to take away our sin.
Various Christian pastors are now warning about the growing and wide-spread apostasy within Christendom, which includes the quiet removal of The Blood of Christ from the Gospel message. One major red-flag that you've received (or put your faith in) one of the many 'counterfeit gospels' easily found within Christendom - is its quiet omission of the necessity of Christ's shed blood at the cross. These gospels may tell you to "receive Christ - or place your faith in Christ to be saved" ... yet leave out the fact that "true faith in Christ" includes "faith in His Blood that takes away sin". Can we get saved through what some pastors are calling 'a bloodless gospel'? Unfortunately the answer to this question is unknown, since God looks at the heart. For this reason it's important to know and understand the whole Gospel of Christ.
Because without His shed blood there
is no removal or forgiveness of sin...
which also means there is no
salvation ... as the following
Scriptures warn.
And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission (of sin). (Hebrews 9:22 Clarification Added)
Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:18)
Biblical Fact: The Blood of Jesus authorizes and empowers the New Covenant, which completely remits all our sin (past, present and future) ... and eliminates the need for any further offering for sin. Christ's blood does it all!
As previously quoted; At the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus said that the cup of wine they drank from represented "The New Covenant In His Blood" (Luke 22:20). We now understand that the "New Covenant that freely provides our salvation as God's gift" - is "A Divine Blood Covenant established on the shed blood of God's Son at the cross" ...
WHICH HAS NO POWER TO SAVE IF CHRIST'S
BLOOD OR THE MESSAGE OF HIS NEW BLOOD
COVENANT IS QUIETLY REMOVED OR OMITTED
FROM ITS TENANTS.
AS A RESULT, TRUE 'FAITH IN CHIRST'
INVOLVES OUR PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST'S
BLOOD COVENANT ... ALSO CALLED
"THE NEW COVENANT - OR THE NEW AND
LIVING WAY OF CHRIST".
WE ENTER CHRIST'S BLOOD COVENANT...
ONLY BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
WHICH IS SIMPLY TRUSTING IN CHRIST'S
FINISHED WORK AT THE CROSS,
CONFESSING THAT JESUS IS OUR LORD
AND BELIEVING GOD RAISED HIM FROM
THE DEAD ... AS DESCRIBED LATER IN THIS
PRESENTATION.
(Paul is speaking to all believers in the Church) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, HAVING NOW BEEN JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:8-10)
Biblical Truth: Justified by His Blood - or "Justification by faith" is where God treats the believer "as if they had never sinned ... even when they do sin" (which probably occurs at some level every day). Contrary to popular church teachings; 'Justification' is imputed to your life when you are first saved (or when you initially put your faith in Christ) and does not turn 'on and off' with cycles of 'sin and repentance'. It does not "turn on and off" because the effect of Christ's blood is not temporary, but eternal once received - and the "justification" it provides is also eternal (never ending or everlasting).
The Apostle Peter had this to say...
"...Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times FOR YOU. (1 Peter 1:18-20)
The Apostle John said it this way...
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN. (1 John 1:7)
"Not with the blood of goats and calves,
BUT WITH HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED THE MOST HOLY PLACE ONCE FOR ALL, HAVING OBTAINED ETERNAL REDEMPTION.
For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,
HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHO THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD,
cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
AND FOR THIS REASON HE IS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, BY MEANS OF DEATH, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, THAT THOSE WHO ARE CALLED MAY RECEIVE THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL INHERITANCE.
For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
FOR A TESTAMENT IS IN FORCE AFTER MEN ARE DEAD, SINCE IT HAS NO POWER AT ALL WHILE THE TESTATOR LIVES."
(Hebrews 9:12-17 - Emphasis Added) |
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Over 30 years ago, I discovered the importance of Christ's Blood Covenant, which moved me to write a book entitled "Mystery of the Faith. Since that time, I've learned so much more about this holy blood-bought New Testament program that freely provides eternal life. If you desire to learn more about what Christ's Blood Covenant is - and how it operates, you can read about it for free at the link below.
New updated PDF version of the book
"Mystery of the Faith"--Free Download
What It Means To Confess
"Jesus Is Lord"
Saint Paul, who wrote over half of the New Testament - taught that believing and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is necessary for true salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Yet, most modern-day evangelists and preachers assume that their audience knows what the word "Lord" means. Our English word "Lord" comes from the Greek word "Kurios" which means Lord--God--Master. By believing and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord ... YOU ARE ALSO DECLARING THAT HE IS GOD. This is important because a mere man who lives under the same curse of sin as the rest of humanity - cannot provide salvation. Only the sinless and Divine Son of God possesses this ability.
Saint Paul declares Jesus Christ as God:
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13-14)
Saint John declares Jesus Christ as God:
"In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God...and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:1-14)
(Jesus' words) "And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." (John 8:23-24)
"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." (1 John 5:20)
Saint Thomas declares Jesus Christ as God after His resurrection:
"Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:27-29 KJV)
In addition to believing in the Divinity of Jesus Christ and the necessity of His shed blood, there are actually 7 other "Foundations or Essentials of the Christian Faith" that should be understood and believed to ensure we are aligned with how God views His Son's salvation. They are simple to understand - and do not add any complexity as to how "God's gift of eternal life" is received. Several are already covered in this presentation. It's important to understand that these "Essentials" are not some 'regiment of good works' that must be performed to be saved. Rather, they are Divine truths that form the foundation for true faith in Christ. These "Essentials" are outlined in the following Bible commentary from the GotQuestions.com website.
The Essentials of the Christian Faith
It is not enough just to know these four truths...
TRUTH #5: We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord and Redeemer; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
We Must Receive Christ
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the sons of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12)
We Receive Christ Through Faith
"By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).
When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth (Read John 3:1-8.)
We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation
[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Christ is accepting God's solution for our sin and choosing to turn away from life on our own terms (repentance). It is trusting Jesus to eternally remove our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. It is believing that God raised (resurrected) Jesus from the dead as the Scriptures teach.
Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience.
We receive Jesus Christ by faith. Real Biblical faith is evidenced by a corresponding action. These initial actions are evidenced through our decision to turn from the way of "self" ... to God's way (or God's solution) by believing on Jesus Christ.
These two circles represent two kinds of lives:
Which circle best describes your life?
Which circle would you like to have represent your life?
The New Testament tells us
how to receive Eternal Life
The Bible reveals that we are saved by Grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). The word 'Grace' means that God freely gives salvation as His unmerited and undeserved gift, regardless of your previous or current sinful behavior.
Issues concerning sin and
Christian conduct - or what
the Bible often refers to as
'works' are always dealt with
after salvation is received
and never used by God as
preconditions for obtaining
or keeping salvation...also
known as 'His free gift of
of eternal life'.
(Ephesians. 2:8-9, Romans 4:4-8,
Romans 3:24-26, Romans 5:17-19
Titus 3:5-7)
The New Testament reveals that there are two primary elements to receiving eternal life; confession and faith (or 'believing'). Salvation is not obtained by just saying (or praying) the right words ... because the words must also be accompanied by believing certain truths.
The following is one of these
truths - which was covered
earlier in this tract.
According to the New Testament,
when we address "Jesus as Lord",
we are also declaring that
Jesus is God. (John 1:1-14)
See additional information HERE
This is vitally important, since God is the only one qualified to provide eternal life for the fallen human race. Therefore, if you don't believe that Jesus went to the cross as 'God in a human body' - your salvation is invalid.
In addition to this, Saint Paul
reveals what we must confess and
believe in order to be saved:
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
... And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep (or died) in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (or died). For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:17-22)
Therefore...
"...If you confess with your mouth THE LORD JESUS and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved ... For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9,13)
It's important know the specific time that you made a 'conscious decision' to believe and invite Christ into your life; often referred to as 'a personal invitation'. At various times in their life, all Christians will experience doubts about whether they are truly saved. This is why its important to remember the time you made this decision ... while also knowing that Jesus was faithful to save you - when you first offered Him the invitation. Needing to know this 'specific time' is one reason we ask those seeking to be saved to pray what's often called; 'the sinners prayer'. (Prayer is 'speaking to God')
If you agree with the truths in
this tract, especially the ones
previously listed, we invite you
to participate in the following
prayer, keeping in mind that God
is not as concerned with your
words as He is with the
attitude of your heart.
We understand that some may
experience deep emotions,
while others will have no
feelings at all. Feelings
and emotions are never to be
viewed as evidence that you
are now truly saved. We are
saved only because God cannot
lie and will always keep His
Word-regardless of how we
feel.
"Lord Jesus, I am a sinner and I need You. I believe that God the Father raised you from the dead. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Lord and Redeemer. Thank You for taking away my sins at the cross and giving me Your gift of eternal life. Take control of my life and make me the kind of person You want me to be."
If you meant what you just
prayed, Jesus was faithful
to impart to you His gift of
eternal life - just as He
promised.
Welcome to the Family of God!
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