Salvation's Many Roads Intro I. Many people liken salvation to a hill A. One person goes up one side, another a different one B. Is the Biblical salvation a multi-sided hill? C. What are the roads people try to be saved by? II. Does Salvation have many roads? Message I. Saved by a Church? A. Some try to be saved by a church 1. Oldest church, largest church, church w/right doctrines 2. Give time, money, effort to B. Lost in church 1. Best of churches in Apostolic era a. Leaders ordained by Jesus himself b. Unity in church – Acts 2:1 c. Thousands flocking to – Acts 2:41, 47 d. Miracles performed – Acts 3:7, 8 e. Preachers preached w/great power – Acts 4:33 2. Two people in the best of churches were lost a. Brought an offering to the church – Acts 5:1, 2 b. Sin rebuked & judgment fell – Acts 5:3-5 c. Wife fell to same fate – Acts 5:11 3. Simon Magus a. Baptized into apostolic church – Acts 8:12, 13 b. Offers to buy power of Spirit – Acts 8:18-20 c. In gall of bitterness & bond of iniquity – Acts 8:23 d. Legendary 1st heretic of Christianity 4. Both united w/church, but never fully surrendered a. Accepted doctrines; gave time & strength to church b. Enjoyed fellowship & comradeship c. But never were broken from their sins C. Many illustrations of those who will be lost in church 1. Wheat & tares – Matt. 13:30 2. Gospel net – Matt. 13:47, 48 3. Jewish church a. Do not say, Abraham our father – Matt. 3:9 b. God himself had founded c. Culture d. Works must match the profession – Matt. 3:10 e. Rejected Jesus & entire church lost in church II. Saved by Sincerity? A. Some say, sincere all that matters 1. “I sincerely believe what I have been taught” 2. “I sincerely believe that God loves me & will save me” 3. “I will sincerely do what I am doing & not worry about anything else” B. Sincerity is good, but not enough 1. Would not want anyone to be insincere/hypocrite 2. Sincerity alone will not save 3. Suppose I sincerely believe I am going right direction, make it so? a. Going up wrong driveway b. Sincerely believe going right direction, but refuse consult map, expect arrive at destination? 4. Many apparently sincere people were lost a. Prophets & priests of Baal 1) Leaped & called on Baal – 1 Kings 18:26 2) Cut themselves & cried – 1 Kings 18:28 3) Perished under God’s judgments – 1 Kings 18:40 b. Antediluvians 1) Never rained, many sincerely believed it would never rain 2) Why waste time & money building an ark? 3) Could all the world really be wrong? 4) Perished in flood, because apparently sincerely wrong c. Many apparently sincere people will be totally lost C. Irony – Sincerity card is usually pulled to cover insincerity 1. Usually escape obligation to study deeper or deny oneself 2. Destroyed for lack of knowledge – Hos. 4:6 3. Bible lays out directions & refuse to study or follow becomes insincerity! 4. God can accept true, honest sincerity, but not willful ignorance III. Saved by Being a “good person”? A. Some think they will be saved by being a “good person” 1. Don’t hurt people, nice guy, “good person” 2. Are good people! 3. Does being good save a person? B. Lots of good people will be lost – Matt. 7:21-23 1. Church members, sincere & good people 2. “Never knew”; Never fully surrendered C. Unnamed “man of God” 1. Obeyed word of the Lord – 1 Kings 13:1 2. Pronounced doom on Jeroboam – 1 Kings 13:2 3. Miracle performed – 1 Kings 13:5 4. Induced to depart from path of full obedience 5. Lion met & devoured – 1 Kings 13:24 6. Good person did almost everything God commanded 7. Failed to follow God’s directions fully D. List could go on and on – Adam & Eve, Judas IV. Only one way to be saved A. Salvation through Jesus alone – Acts 4:12 B. Must surrender everything fully & completely to Him – Luke 13:26, 27 C. Must surrender everything fully to Him every day – Luke 9:23 D. Will you choose the only true road to salvation each & every day?
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