All scripture quotes are from the NWT and CAPS are emphasized for the benefit of this study.
Ok, so there is a movie out right now called, ?SAVED!? Did the utterance coming from professed Christians, ?Believe in the Lord, Jesus and be saved? ever bring a gnarly tingle down your spine upon hearing it. It is just to annoying & simplistic to say ?believe in Jesus and be saved.? Acts 16:30-32 -- ?And he brought them outside and said: ?Sirs, what must I do to get SAVED?? 31 They said: ?Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get SAVED, you and your household.? When Jesus uttered phrases to be Saved, was it from one?s personal encounters with sin only and/or acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah and/or was it in connection with God?s Kingdom. Was being Saved only a matter of ?eternal salvation? and/or did it have an immediate connotation to those who hear and obey the Good News of the Kingdom (Gospel). Yes, were the Jews that Jesus preached to pondering upon just their sins only and not even considering ?being Saved? had anything to do with the Kingdom of the God that would come upon the inhabited earth. Daniel 2:35,44, Matthew 5:5, 6:10
Case Study:
This is not a study of ?how? (the ransom, confession of fleshly sins & faith in Jesus), ?why? (underserved kindness, grace, faith, hope, love), ?where? (heaven/earth), but the FOCUS of the SAVING MESSAGE. It appears to me that the ?focus? Jesus gave toward the ?saving message? is upon a persons ?knowledge? ?exercising faith/works? and ?loyalty/obedience? to the principles set upon Jesus gospel message -- which focused upon God?s Kingdom (synonym for Kingdom of the Heavens and adjacent with the good news, gospel and God?s Glory). 1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, 4 whose will is that all sorts of men should be SAVED and come to an ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH. WHAT TRUTH? John 18:36-37But, as it is, MY KINGDOM is not from this source.? 37 Therefore Pilate said to him: ?Well, then, are you a king?? Jesus answered: ?You yourself are saying that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH.
In another words, it becomes apparent to me that you can not be SAVED unless you repent from ?not? accepting the
In light of the above, it becomes evident to me that those not having a ?focus? and ?knowledge? of God?s Kingdom are not going to be saved. These are among the ones Jesus judicially will choose NOT TO KNOW. Matthew 7:21-23 ?Not everyone saying to me, ?Lord, Lord,? will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day, ?Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?? 23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew YOU!
The following scriptures are part of this ?case study? I?ve been pondering over for quite some time and are printed out for those who do not have a bible handy on the computer or otherwise. You will notice that the Good News of the is associated with Being Saved. Your input or critique would be greatly appreciated.
Matthew 19:23-28
But Jesus said to his disciples: ?Truly I say to YOU that it will be a difficult thing for a rich man to get into the . 24 Again I say to YOU, It is easier for a camel to get through a needle?s eye than for a rich man to get into the .? 25 When the disciples heard that, they expressed very great surprise, saying: ?Who really can be SAVED?? 26 Looking them in the face, Jesus said to them: ?With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.? 27 Then Peter said to him in reply: ?Look! We have left all things and followed you; what actually will there be for us?? 28 Jesus said to them: ?Truly I say to YOU, In the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his GLORIOUS THRONE, YOU who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of .
John 10:9
9 I am the DOOR; whoever ENTERS through me will be SAVED, and he will go in and out and find PASTURAGE.
Acts 2:17-21
??And IN THE LAST DAYS,? God says, ?I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh, and YOUR sons and YOUR daughters will prophesy and YOUR young men will see visions and YOUR old men will dream dreams; 18 and even upon my men slaves and upon my women slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 And I will give portents in heaven above and signs on earth below, blood and fire and smoke mist; 20 the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the GREAT AND ILLUSTRIOUS DAY OF JEHOVAH ARRIVES. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be SAVED.?? Acts 2:40 And with many other words he bore thorough witness and kept exhorting them, saying: ?GET SAVED from this crooked generation.? Acts 2:47 At the same time Jehovah continued to join to them daily those being SAVED.
2 Timothy 1:8-10
9 He SAVED US and called us with a holy calling, not by reason of our works, but by reason of his own purpose and undeserved kindness. This was given us in connection with Christ Jesus before times long lasting, 10 but now it has been made clearly evident through the manifestation of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death but has shed light upon life and incorruption THROUGH THE GOOD NEWS,
1 Peter 4:17-18
For it is the appointed time for the judgment to start with the house of God. Now if it starts first with us, what will the end be of those who are not obedient to the GOOD NEWS OF GOD? 18 ?And if the righteous [man] is BEING SAVED with difficulty, where will the ungodly [man] and the sinner make a showing??
Acts 28:23-24
And he explained the matter to them by bearing thorough witness concerning the and by using persuasion with them concerning Jesus from both the law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some began to believe the things said; others would not believe. Acts 28:28 Therefore let it be known to YOU that this, THE MEANS BY WHICH GOD SAVES, has been sent out to the nations; they will certainly listen to it.
Luke 8:9-15
9 But his disciples began to ask him what this illustration might mean. 10 He said: ?To YOU it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the , but for the rest it is in illustrations, in order that, though looking, they may look in vain and, though hearing, they may not get the meaning. 11 Now the illustration means this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those alongside the road are the ones that have heard, then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts in order that they may not believe and be SAVED. 13 Those upon the rock-mass are the ones who, when they hear it, receive the word with joy, but these have no root; they believe for a season, but in a season of testing they fall away. 14 As for that which fell among the thorns, these are the ones that have heard, but, by being carried away by anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, they are completely choked and bring nothing to perfection. 15 As for that on the fine soil, these are the ones that, after hearing the word with a fine and good heart, retain it and bear fruit with endurance.
This case study was inspired by me after reading these two links.
http://www.focusonthekingdom.org/65.htm
http://www.focusonthekingdom.org/66.htm
Sherwood