Salvation

The famous British philosopher and writer, Bertrand Russell, had just finished work on his latest book, The Problem of China. In this book Russell was seeking to offer “solutions” to the economic and political problems plaguing the vast nation of China.

When a colleague of Russell’s, the novelist Joseph Conrad, read the book, he wrote back:

The only remedy for Chinamen and for the rest of us is the change of hearts. But looking at the history of the last 2,000 years there is not much reason to expect that. (Modern Times, p.13)

Joseph Conrad saw that men need new hearts, and he also recognized that there was no way in the world that men could transform their own hearts. For Joseph Conrad this proved to be a dilemma that led to despair, because Joseph Conrad never looked to God. But in Mark 10:27 the Lord Jesus declares, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

How can God forgive us and give us a new heart, a new nature? The answer is supplied in such a passage as Titus 3:5, “…he saved us—not by works that we ourselves performed in righteousness, but by his mercy—through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

Just as you take a bath to wash your body and make it clean, so the Bible here is speaking of a spiritual “bath” that will not only wash your soul, but will also make you a new person. When you “step out” of this “bath” you are not only made morally clean, you are made a new creation—it is a washing that regenerates you, a washing that causes you to be spiritually reborn or born again.

This great washing and renewing is the work of the Holy Spirit: He drags the sinner out of the “mire” of sin, He plunges him into this holy “bath,” and He presents him to God, clean and new. That is to say, the Holy Spirit causes the sinner to come to Jesus Christ and believe in Him. Jesus Christ Himself provides the “bath” which consists of the blood He shed at Calvary for the forgiveness of sins and for the regenerating of the believing sinner into a new creation.

For more on this topic, check out the Bible study courses on Salvation.

SALVATION

This Bible study course, considering the life of Noah and his sons following the Great Flood, discusses the absolute need for a new heart if a person is to be delivered from his sinful condition.

This Bible study course, focusing the life of Jacob, considers the evidences of God’s work of saving grace in a person’s life.

This Bible study course, based upon the Lord’s invitation and command found in Isaiah 45:20-25, exhorts us to turn to the Lord for our salvation, explaining why and how we are to do so.

This Bible study course, based on the teaching of Isaiah 55:1-13, urges us to turn to the Lord, accepting His gracious offer of salvation, while that offer is made available to us.

This Bible study course, examining the disciples’ journey to faith in Christ, traces the stages that often occur in a person’s spiritual life, culminating in genuine conversion to Christ.

This Bible study course examines the interaction between Christ and those who became the recipients of His saving grace and urges us, like them, to exercise dynamic faith in Jesus, confidently trusting in Him and committing ourselves to Him.

This Bible study course, examining Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus, presents Jesus’ teaching that the spiritual re-birth is essential for salvation.

This Bible study course, focusing on Jesus’ teaching recorded in John 3:14-21, confronts us with the necessity of personally placing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

This Bible study course considers the invitation Jesus issued during one of the great Jewish feasts, urging His hearers to come directly to Him for spiritual life.

This Bible study course considers Jesus’ appeal that we respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit and commit ourselves to Christ without delay, rather than postpone that decision, ever seeking greater assurance before making that soul-saving commitment.

This Bible study course, witnessing Jesus upon the cross, confronts us with the question, “How do you respond to the crucified Christ?”

This Bible study course examining Mary’s encounter with the risen Jesus and discusses the need for a true understanding of the person of Christ.

This Bible study course, based upon the apostle Paul’s teaching in Galatians 2:11-3:5, urges us not to reject the grace of God as it is offered to us in the gospel.

This Bible study course, based on the apostle Paul’s teaching in Galatians 3:10-14, exhorts us to rest in Christ and His finished work for our salvation, as opposed to futilely seeking to earn our own salvation.

This Bible study course, based upon the apostle Peter’s exhortation found in 1 Peter 1:10-13, exhorts us as Christians to appreciate our salvation and supplies reasons why we are to do so.