Saved, Safe, and Satisfied

Acts 4:12

A lady phoned a known pastor having meeting in a hotel told him thrugh her tears that her husband was not saved and did not believe anyone could know he was saved in this world. Her has told her, furthermore, that none of the leaders of the great denominations today believed that a person could beyond a doubt know he was saved. She was disturbed when this supposed minister of Christ told her that as far as he was concerned, it was an arrogant presumption on the part of anyone to say, I know that I am saved? This man was one of those blind leaders of the blind, who erred greatly not knowing the Scriptures. It is a joy, indeed for me, to be able to sit in front of our communicants, your children and pour Scripture after Scripture into there dear somewhat blank heart and mind but curious in showing beyond all uncertainty that one could be saved in this life and know it. Saved! In Acts 4:12, Peter declares, Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. Notice, we must be saved. Do you think that God would demand that we be saved and then forever leave us in doubt as to whether we could be? What kind of a God would He be Who hung over us the threat of hell without any assurance to us that we could be saved from it? No, my friend, that is not like God. He does save. He saves now. He saves unto the uttermost. Have you ever observed how often this word saved is used in the Bible? Scores of times in the Old Testament and more than fifty times in the New Testament you find it repeated. Evidently God attaches profound importance to it. Lets just take a look at some of the better known verses in which the word is found. Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else (Isaiah 45:22) The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved (Jeremiah 8:20) Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved (Luke 8:12) For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17) And the Lord added to the church daily such as (were being) saved, and thy house (Acts 16:31)

Naturally, many more verses could be added but these are sufficient to show that one must be and can be saved. The pastor, whom this distraught and perplexed woman called, had also told her, If you study carefully, Mrs. _____, you will see that none of the great Bible characters really knew or claimed that they were saved. Preposterous! When I heard this I was filled with indignation that a man like this had the audacity to represent himself as being a minister of righteousness. Is it any marvel that people walk in darkness when such darkness issues from the pulpit? Bible characters did know beyond question that they were saved. Noah knew it. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet. Moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, and became heir to the righteousness which is by faith (Hebrews 11:7). Abraham knew it. For what saith the scripture, Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3). The patriarch Job cried, I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God (Job 19:25, 26). And David wrote, He brought me up, out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings. Take a look at Pauls words in 1 Corinthians 1:18, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perisheth foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. Did Paul doubt his salvation? Certainly not. Note in this regard the testimony of the Apostle John. In 1 John 5:13, he says, These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life. Anyone who says we cannot know certainly has to contradict the clear testimony of John. The parade of Bible witnesses ends with none other than our Lord Himself. In John 10:14, Jesus made a most remarkable statement. He said, I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. This is the same as saying, I know those who are saved and those who are saved know me. Furthermore, He said that the sheep hear His voice and follow Him. Now if a person did not know the shepherd, he would not know the shepherds voice is he heard it and certainly could not be depended upon to follow the shepherd. But people who are saved know it because they know the Lord and the Lord knows them to be His very own. The Bible does not leave you in doubt as to the basis upon which you can be saved and the method through which you are saved. The basis is Gods grace as revealed in the finished work of Christ on the sinners behalf. In grace, God sent Christ into the world, laid upon Him all our sins and slew Him. Christ thus because the only sacrifice a guilty sinner can plead. Through Him God has provided

salvation for all. It is free and unmerited. It is up to you to believe it, receive it and confess it. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth Him that sent me hath everlasting life" (John 5:24). But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name (John 1:12). That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9). Clear, simple, and beautiful testimony to assure our hearts forever that we can be saved and know it. Assurance is built upon two undeniable, eternal and impregnable factsthe finished work of Christ and the finality of the Scriptures. Jesus did it, God said it, I believe it and thats all there is to it. Safe But a man who trusts Christ is more than saved, he is safe. Millions of souls fail to come to Christ because of baseless fears. Not long ago a man said to me, Yes, I know I ought to be saved but before I come to Christ, I want to know that I can live it. This man had the idea that the Christian life was lived by grit instead of grace. He thought that only through sheer strength of the human will could anyone live as God would have them live. Dont be deceived, my friend, not you nor I nor anyone else can live a Godly life in his own strength. It was Martin Luther who said,

If we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing.

The Christ who saves is the Christ who keeps, and you are SAFE because He does. You are safe because Christ lives within. When you trust Jesus to save you, He makes His abode with you. He begins then to live in and through you. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, cried Paul (Galatians 2:20). To the Colossians, he wrote, Christ in you the hops of Glory (Colossians 1:27). Again, in Colossians 3:4, we read, When Christ, who is who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. As a child of God you are safe because you are kept by His power. Note the words of Peter, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5). Paul declared, I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed

unto Him (2 Timothy 1:12). You do the believing and the committing. Christ does the keeping. A believer is safe because Jesus is able to save to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, wrote Paul in Philippians 1:6. Jesus said, I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish. Christ died to save. He lives to keep. Salvation is of the Lord. What He has begun in a trusting heart He will continue through all eternity. A Christian is safe because Christ delivers and sustains. When you trust Him, He does not cast you adrift on lifes merciless sea to fight lifes battles without Divine assistance. Oh no, my friend, He never leaves you. Your every grief He shares. Every problem becomes his problem and how well He is able to solve them. He supplies your every need, Philippians 4:19. He provides a way of escape in every temptation, 1 Corinthians 10:13. My grace is sufficient for thee, My strength is made perfect in weakness, said Christ to the troubled Paul. No wonder Jude could climax his brief but amazing epistle with the words, Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Finally, you are safe because Christ empowers you. All power, said Jesus, is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28: 18). Since Christ dwells within us, we all have full access to this power. No wonder Paul wrote, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13). My friend, do not look upon your own strength as being inadequate to live the Christian life. Trust fully in Him alone. Remember that the battle is the Lords. Satisfied This question has often been asked, I know that I can be saved and I believe that the Lord will keep me, but how do I know Ill be perfectly satisfied and happy? Just remember, my friend, who Jesus is. He is God. When you fully trust Him you have all that God is and all that God has. You cannot be otherwise than satisfied with the perfect fullness of Christ. Because He is God, He is all you need and more. There is no corner of your life He cannot fill, no problem He cannot solve and no need He cannot supply. ++65 I have often seen a cow stick her head through a barbed wire fence to chew the stubby grass bordering a highway, when behind her lay a whole pasture of grass. I have always been reminded of Christians who have not learned to completely trust Christ, reaching out to the world for sensual pleasure when rivers of pleasure were at their disposal in Christ.

Yes, He satisfies. Satisfies because God with Him gives us all things (Romans 8:32). He satisfies because though Him every need is abundantly met (Philippians 4:19). His peace, joy, love, grace and power are perfect and we share them. Furthermore, He never leaves nor forsakes us. There can be no empty days in the life of a trusting Christian. His presence fills and satisfies.

He understands your longing, Your deepest need He shares. He understands and cares.
Yes, my friend, in Christ we are saved, safe, and satisfied . He is a perfect, a complete, Savior. And I must add, He is the only Saviour. Trusting Christ spells joy. Failure to trust Him spells judgment. Now is the time to accept Him. Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart.