Bible Truth Outline #7

By William E. Paul

Introduction

We know things (1) By what we experience personally, and (2) By what we learn from others. The Bible indicates that "eternal life" (being with God forever) is something we can "know" from what we read in the Scriptures [I John 5:13]. So, rather than trusting our "feelings," "experience," or human "wisdom," let us look into the inspired Scriptures to answer such an important question as "How we can know we are saved."

I. Being "Saved" is Referred to in Several Ways in the New Testament

A. "Saved"...Acts 16:30-31; Matt. 16:16; Acts 2:47; I Cor. 1:16-18; 15:1-2

B. "Forgiveness of sins"...Luke 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; 26:15-18

C. "Eternal life"...John 3:15-16; Titus 1:1-3; 3:5-7; I John 5:11-12

D. "Born anew" (or, "from above")...John 3:3-7; I John 5:1-4

E. "Redemption" (means "bought back")...Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14

F. "Inheritance" ...Heb. 1:14; 9:15

II. Salvation is Received Through the Gospel.

A. The Gospel is the "good news" of Christ's death, burial and resurrection...I Cor. 15:1-3

(Notice: People are "saved" by the Gospel)

B. People are called by God to be saved through the preaching of the Gospel...Rom. 1:16; II Thess. 2:14

C. People must "obey" the Gospel to avoid eternal consequences...II Thess. 1:6-9

III. People Can Know They Are Saved When They Make a Proper Response to the Message of the Gospel.

A. Jesus predicted what that response should be...(before His ascension)

(1) Becoming a disciple of Christ....Matt. 28:18-20

(2) Belief in Him and baptism.....Mark 16:16

(3) Repentance....Luke 24:47

B. Following the beginning of the church everyone who was saved obeyed the Gospel message by believing in (and confessing) Jesus, repenting of their sins and being baptized...

(1) This is what was preached...Acts 2:38; 8:35-39; 16:29-32

(2) This is what people did...Acts 2:40-41; 8:36ff; 16:32-33; 22:16

Other discussion questions:

1. Should people today respond to the Gospel message the same as they did in NT times?

2. Can people today know they are saved the way they did in NT times?

3. Can each of us know if we are saved? How can we know?

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