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The A-B-C's of the Gospel And The 3-R's of Salvation
While growing up, enjoyable or not, school was a major part of our lives. Some things in this
universe are true and necessary, even if not always fun.
In school, certain things were essential in order to get anything out of being in school-- and
eventually going on to a productive life after our years of schooling were over.
Two of the most important things were the "A-B-C's" and the "3-R's." These were the foundations
upon which all other things were placed. The "A-B-C's" were the phonetic teaching of the sounds
of the alphabet, which gave us the information upon which we were then able to learn to read.
The "3-R's" were the three basic subjects that encompassed all of what we would ever learn.
Those "3-R's" were Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.
When it comes to learning what's needed to go to Heaven when we die, the same foundations apply
spiritually. Salvation involves the "A-B-C" facts about the gospel of Christ, and along with
those spiritual building blocks; we also need the "3-R's" of genuine salvation. The 3-R's are
Realize, Repent, and Receive.
Luke 24:46-47
- And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
What is true in the academic world is also true in the spiritual world of salvation. Every person
must know their "A-B-C's."
A - Acknowledge our sinful nature and inability to save ourselves by what we can do humanly
or religiously.
Romans 3:10
- As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:23
- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
B - Believe that Christ is very God who came to earth and took on human flesh, without
sin through the virgin birth. That He, being God, lived a perfect, sinless life then died on
the cross in our place as the only acceptable substitute for our sins, to appease the justice
and holiness of God the Father.
II Corinthians 5:21
- For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him.
I John 2:1-2
- My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation (Atonement) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world.
C - Confess and Call on Jesus Christ as Lord from the heart, for the
express purpose of the salvation of your soul; believing on Christ to do all the saving for time
and eternity.
Romans 10:9-10
- 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.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13
- For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Truly, knowledge of these facts is necessary in order to be born again, but they must also be
accompanied by the spiritual "3-R's":
- Realize that "Salvation is of the LORD." The Holy Spirit of God must convict a
person of three things: their sinfulness, Christ's righteousness, and Christ's righteous judgment
on their sinfulness.
John 16:7-11
- Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
- Repent of sin. Repentance is a hatred for our sinfulness, a genuine desire to be freed from
sin, and a willingness to turn from sin in the heart to Christ.
Acts 20:21
- Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:20
- But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea,
and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
- Receive the Lord into your heart by faith.
Colossians 2:6
- As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
John 1:12
- 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:
Today, salvation has been taught as simply acknowledging a few facts about sin, self, and the
Saviour, then praying the "magic" words of a repeated prayer. This evangelical formula has
turned salvation from a work that Lord does in the heart of a sinner, to a human work of man
accomplished by human and religious effort.
This emphasized Jesus as Saviour only, allowing a sinner to take what Christ has to offer,
without a willingness to receive Him personally as who He really is-LORD. All salvation
commands in the Bible speak of Christ as LORD.
Acts 16:31
- And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
Romans 10:9
- 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 10:13
- For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Colossians 2:6
- As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Friend, Realize your lost condition, Respond to God's conviction by Repenting in your heart of sin and unbelief and Receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart by faith, and be saved today.
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