July 2021
Beloved Brethren & Friends…
Speaking with a Christian brother, I realized that even though he has already been in the Faith for some years, he still did not quite understand what happens when we realize that Jesus Christ is King and we confess him as Lord of our lives. So here I share what the Bible clearly says in numerous passages about "Salvation", so that in case others who read these lines and have not fully understood it either, they may have a better understanding. If after reading these lines you have any questions, please write to me to clarify any aspect that is not clear to you. Ask the Spirit of God that dwells in you to help you understand these passages well. I remind you that the men of the world cannot understand the things of God. 1Co 2:14 Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Jesus explained that in order to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven we are to be born again.
Jn 3:3-8 Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say to you; except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to you, unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
That passage is clear enough to establish that when we are born again we can see and enter into the Kingdom of God.
I have heard some people argue that where it says "born of water", this implies "water baptism", but if we pay attention to the next passage, Jesus clearly explains to us that what is born of the flesh, is flesh. That is, sprinkling ourselves, or immersing our physical body in the water baptism, which is a ceremony that can be very beautiful, and it is, when it is well organized and well understood, but the baptism in water is not what causes your spirit to be born again, physical water does not wash our spirit. What causes one to be born again is when the person receives the seed of the living God by the grace of God through our faith. See, faith is also a gift from God, & what is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. There are people who have been baptized in water, who have not yet been born again.
Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba Father!"
Rom 8:15 For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father! 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. 17 And if we are children, then we are heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; so that if we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified together.
Can you see it? In those passages we understand that when we receive the Spirit we realize we are Children of God.
And how can we be born again?
1Pe 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the living Word of God, which lives and remains forever.
Eph 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Being saved means being born again and as we can see, it is exclusively a spiritual birth that occurs only through faith in Christ, when we believe that Jesus lives and when we receive Him as Lord of our lives. Our salvation does not come from our good behavior, nor from any other good work or action, that we might do.
Heb 10:14-23 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," 17 “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.23 Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering for He is faithful who promised.
As we see in that passage, in the "New Covenant" of God with men, God is the one who seeks us, washes us from sin, He puts his laws in our hearts and minds, and Jesus is the one who opens the way for us to the "Most Holy Place", with his sacrifice on the Cross, the Holy Place being none other than the place before God's own throne, and He is also the one who makes us sit with Him in Heavenly places, that is all a gift that we receive by his grace. All we do is accept all that amazing grace and love that God gives us.
Efe 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us, 5 (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), 6 and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Can you see it? When we were dead in sin, notice, a dead man cannot even repent, God rescued us. When we heard the Word we received faith, then we believed, & received eternal life which means eternally saved, & faith to ask God to allow his Holy Spirit who is now in you to flow freely through you.
Rom 10:17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Luke 11:13 If you then, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
Rom 8:29-32 For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be the First-born among many brothers. 30 But whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, those He also justified. And whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Truly He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
2Co 5:17-21 So that if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 whereas God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their sins to them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us. 20 Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Once filled with the Holy Spirit and being in the Holy of Holies, being a "joint heir with Christ" you can confidently sit at the table of the Father and with other Sons of God and participate in the Lord's Supper. We are no longer the same man as before, now we are clothed with the Righteousness of God. It is true that we still have vestiges of the old man, but it is important to realize that the old man is dead, now we have received from God the power to overcome our weaknesses and the power over... all the power of the Enemy, because He which is in us is greater, for which we are more than conquerors, thanks to our faith.
1Jn 3:9 Everyone who has been born of God does not live committing sin, because His seed remains in him, and he cannot live in sin, because he has been born of God.
Jn 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever practices sin is the slave of sin. 35 And the slave does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son has made you free, you are free indeed.
1Jn 4:4 You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1Jn 5:4-5 For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world? He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God!
Rom 8:37 In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Read and meditate on these passages with your attention focused in them, they have a transforming power, because it is the Word of God, which renews our mind. Rom 12:2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
We transform our minds with daily meditation on the Word of God.
So Jesus is the greatest gift that God the Father has ever given us: He is Loving, Incomparable, Great, Sensational, Overwhelming as well as thousands of other good things. He is the one who gives meaning to our lives, and the One who makes our lives now worth living for, it is obvious that those who reject Him have no idea what they are missing.
Col 1:12-17 giving thanks to the Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 For He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son; 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins. 15 who is the image of the invisible God, the First-born of all creation. 16 For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
I love you… I appreciate your comments & any questions you may have… thanks…
Blessings… Alejandro
If this reading has been a blessing to you, please don’t hesitate to share it with the world. We need to be a blessing to others today, tomorrow may be too late. John 9:4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me, while it is day. Night comes when no man can work.
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