Saved or not?

Notes from a sermon heard on 28 February 2016

2 Corinthians 5 verses 11 - 21

The apostle Paul gives a great yardstick and leaves us in no doubt whatsoever about whether we are saved or not.  "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away behold all things are become new."  Is he speaking of merely receiving a set of rules or creed?  Is the apostle Paul telling us we need to know our bibles better?  The apostle Paul is pointing to a transaction that happens, an experience in a person`s life when born again of the spirit of God and saved by God`s grace.  The question comes am I saved?  Have I got what the apostle Paul is writing about here?  Am I born again of the spirit of God?

The man or woman that is saved has a new foundation.  They are building their lives on a new and sure foundation.  I remember when this church was being built, dug down into the ground, pouring concrete, building a foundation that would stand forever.  If you are to be saved you are beginning to be built on a new sure foundation - "for other foundation other men can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3 verse 11)  When Paul went to Corinth he laid down a sure and certain foundation.  Good works cannot do that.  The foundation is all in the Lord.  He was born into the world sinless and perfect, born through the womb of the virgin womb Mary.  For he came to save his people from their sins.  John 3 verse 16.  He came as a gift for you and I.  Have you accepted him tonight, taken him as your gift?  He came into the world sinless and perfect.  Brought the dead back to life, gave sight to the blind, they betrayed and rejected him.  He died on the cruel cross at Calvary.  Ths is the foundation no other man can lay on it.  What are you building on tonight for eternity?  When you come to close your eyes in death what`s the foundation you have laid?   Ephesians 2 verse 12 "that at that time ye were without Christ."  Doesn`t matter how far away from the kingdom of God you are, whether you were in church, sat at communion table but you are without Christ tonight, without hope, without God in this world.  Imagine that for a moment.  It doesn`t matter how religious you are now you are without Christ, no hope tonight.  Without Christ in this world.  This world is not your home.  Commentators preaching in one occasion we can live with Christ in this world but we dare not die without Christ.  Ephesians 2 verse 13 "but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."  Nicodemus went to Christ and he told him "except a man be born again."  You don`t have the right foundation. Jesus put it this way - the man or woman who hears my word and goes out and does it, is like a wise man which built his house upon  a rock.  When the storm came, when the rain and wind beat against that house it will stand steady because it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7 verses 24 and 25).  Have you taken Christ as Saviour tonight?   The believer has a new foundation.

A new friendship,  Paul again in Ephesisans 2 verses 11 and 12 said "wherefore remember that ye being in time past ... ye were without Christ ... having no hope, and without God in the world"  Before you were saved you walked according to this world and the devil of this world.  Paul was pointing them back to a day before they accepted Christ as Saviour.  James 4 verse 4 "know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."  Moses enjoyed the pleasures of Egypt but they were for a season.  He turned his back on them and took his dwelling with the people of God. (Hebrews 11 verse 25)  He formed a new friendship.  You are an enemy of God.  You may have been in your church today but you are an enemy of God.  Jesus came into the world to reconcile you back from that way of sin.  He came to pay the price that you might be made into a new relationship with God.  John says "love not the world neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2 verse 15)  He has made a relationship for us tonight.  When Jesus was on this earth they called him the friend of sinners.  He wants to be your friend tonight.  Jesus came to the 2 men on Emmaeus road and drew alongside them and went with them.  You can have a new friend tonight.  When journeying days are over he will take you by the hand and take you right over into eternity. 

A new foe.  There is an enemy tonight if you are not saved you know nothing about.  He was present in those days when you didn`t walk with Christ.  You had no concern about him.  When you place your trust in Christ he becomes like a roaring lion seeking to devour you.  He will be doing all he can to bring you down.  You might say "I would love to be a Christian but cannot keep it."  That is the devil putting that thought in there.  When you want to come to Christ he is ready to help you.  1 John 3 verse 1 "behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."  Those who used to be our friends cannot understand what has happened to us.  Through them the devil tries to bring us down.  Encourage us back into the world again.  Peter puts it this way "wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you." (1 Peter 4 verse 4)  You will have a new foe, not be an easy pathway, not going to be a bed of roses, will have someone to fight you the whole way.  The devil will challenge your every step.

A new creature has new functions - verse 15 "and that he died for all that they which live shall not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again."  Paul writing to Corinthian believers reminds them of the new responsibility in Christ.  1 Corinthians 6 verse 20 "For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God`s."  There was a young man in the New Testament scriptures who was demon possessed.  They took him to the depths of depravity so that no man could help or tame him.  He was like a wild beast living amongst the tombs inflicting himself with awful pain.  People were afraid to come near him.  One day Jesus met and healed him, then told him to return to his own house and show how great things have been done unto him.  He went his way and published abroad all that God had done for him.  Jesus put new function in his heart.  Are you telling others tonight?  if you are saved you are bought by his own precious blood tonight.  You are sent on his mission to glorify God.  You are bought with a price.  Live for him now you are changed by the power of God.

A new future.  What future lies before the child of God?  Not just tomorrow, nor the next day or whatever time you have left on this earth.  It will be glory just to walk with him.  The thief asked to be remembered in paradise.  Jesus promised he would be with him that very day.  Imagine his agony on the cross and then stepping into paradise with God.  What a future.  On that day iit will be absent from the body and present with the Lord.  Is it any wonder Paul could say "O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15 verse 55)  What a day that will be when we walk with Christ on the streets of glory.  Is that what you have got tonight?  A new future when this old day is gone and we go into the presence of God.  You can have it tonight.  Come to the cross of Calvary, to the Lord who suffered and died for you.  Make you that new creature in Christ.  Will you come, will you step out tonight, have that assurance of sins forgiven?