Hebrews 2. And let's read one
verse here. Hebrews 2, verse 3. How shall
we escape? Vital question. Vital question. And let's make it personal. You. Me. How shall we escape if we
neglect, if we neglect so great, so great salvation, which at
first began to be spoken by our Lord, and was confirmed unto
us by them that heard Him." God's salvation. I want to bring a
message today. God is my helper. And give you
a description of God's salvation as we find it in the testimony
of God. Now, I believe you would agree
with me that each of us have a need for salvation. Would you agree with that? You
would say, there is a need I have of salvation. Salvation. I'll tell you several reasons
why I need salvation. And I pray that you would agree
with this. The need arises because of our condition. I'm a sinner.
You are too. And you need salvation whether
you realize it or not. So there is a need of salvation
because of our condition. There's none righteous, no, not
one. We've all sinned that comes short of the glory of God. Secondly,
the need arises because God is holy, and I can't satisfy a holy
God. The wages of sin is death. God
is absolutely holy, and he must receive only that which is perfect
and holy, and I can't produce that. I need someone to save
me from my sin. The need arises of salvation
because I'm not only a sinner, not only because God is holy,
but the need arises because I cannot justify myself or redeem myself
by the works of the law or by the doing of my hand. Who then
can be saved? Well, with men it's impossible.
With men it's salvation with you and you doing it and you
performing it and you accomplishing it. It's impossible. But not
with God. With God, all things are possible.
My salvation is absolute, certain, and sure in Christ, in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Salvation of guilty sinners,
as it's described in Holy Scripture, is the work of God alone. It's
God who saved us and called us. If you're saved, it wasn't an
accident, was it? God saved you. It wasn't an accident. God doesn't save by accident.
He saves by purpose and grace. God's purpose and grace which
was given us in Christ before the foundation of the world is
a gracious work of God done not only for us. Salvation is a work
done for us. In Psalm 57 it says, He performeth
all things for us. That's good news. That's good
news. God made Him to be sin for us
who knew no sin. that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. The just suffered for the unjust. You see, it's the work He has
done for us at Calvary in our Savior. He died to justify His
people from their sin. So we can say it's not only work
done for us, but it's also salvation is a work done in you. In you. Salvation is a heart
work. It's an irresistible operation of God the Holy Spirit done within
us. God who hath begun a good work in you. Philippians 1.6
says, God who hath begun a good work in you, He will perform
it. He will perfect it in a day of
His power. Would it please God who separated
me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal
His Son in me. Galatians 1.15 says, It's a revelation
of Christ to your heart. Christ in you. The hope of glory. Salvation, we see that's revealed
in the scriptures in a person. Christ, He is the Savior. And
salvation to you is Christ in you. The hope of glory. That's our hope. Salvation is
a hard work. Something God does for us and
God does in us. God has sovereignly chosen to
give His glorious salvation to those covenant people given to
the Lord Jesus. We read their description here
in Hebrews chapter 2. It calls them the sons. He's
bringing many sons unto glory. Sons of God by adoption, by God's
electing love. He's bringing those and saving
those who are sanctified. That is, those who are separated
and set unto that sacrifice. He died for the brethren, for
the church, for the children. He's saving them by His grace. It was for the elect that He
established righteousness for them. He is the Lord, our righteousness. And that's what's provided in
the gospel. It's the righteousness of God. Blessed is that man to
whom God would impute righteousness without works. The gospel we
see that we submit unto and receive is a righteousness that's of
Him. It's produced by Christ and freely
given to us. It was for the elect that He
established righteousness. It was for the elect that He
died to redeem them from all their sin. And it will be His
elect that are regenerated in time. It's not of Him that willeth,
nor of Him that runneth, but it's God that shows mercy. He said, I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy. So we can say there is a great
need of salvation. Each one of us have that need,
whether we realize it or not. I hope you do. But that need
can only be satisfied and met in that glorious person, the
Lord Jesus. That's why he's called the Savior.
You know, he is what he's called. He shall save his people from
their sin. So here's five Bible words that
describe God's salvation. The first word is this, great. He says it's so great. You see
the text there, Hebrews 2, verse 3. How shall we escape the wrath
and judgment of God if we neglect so great salvation? Here's the excellent scene of
beauty and glory if salvation is described by these words,
so great. Now, it's not what we would say
a so-so salvation. It's so great a salvation. It's so great. It's vast. It's
mighty. It's eternal. It's enormous.
It's beyond comprehension. It's the salvation of God. Let
me give you several reasons why this is called great salvation.
This salvation comes from our great God. from our great God. He is the architect, the originator
of this great salvation. It comes from God. You know,
everything He does is great. That's right. We read about His
great mercy, His great love, wherewith He loved us. This so
great salvation. Everything God does is great.
He's the architect, the originator of this so great salvation. Salvations of the Lord. The second
reason why this is called great is because of the cost of it.
The cost of it. It's free to us, but it cost
Him everything. It cost the Lord Jesus Christ
His life, His blood. He died for our sin. It says
there in the text there, verse 17, that Hebrews 2, Wherefore
in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brother,
that he might be a merciful, faithful, high-preaching, thanksgiving
God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. How is atonement
made? Blood. He died. He purchased us with His own
blood. We're redeemed not with corruptible
things, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see the cost of it? It's great, isn't it? It cost
Him His life. This is God manifest in the flesh. God bought us with His own blood. It's great certainly because
of the success of it. The success of it. He didn't
die to make salvation a possibility. He didn't die to make a down
payment, and someday you make up the balance. That's not salvation
as described in the Word of God. It's great because of the success
of it. He appeared once in the end of
the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and He
did not fail. He got the job done. He leaves
nothing undone in the matter of redemption, the matter of
our salvation. So it's great because of the
Because it comes from our great God. It's great because of the
cost of it. It's great because of the success of it. He cannot
fail. He cannot be discouraged. It's
great because of the power of it. You think of the power of
this so great salvation. He makes dead sinners live. Now what kind of power is that?
It's great power, isn't it? This is the great salvation we
have in Christ. Romans 1.16 talks about The gospel of God, that's the
power of God. He said, I'm not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ, it's the power of God. Unto what? Unto salvation. That's what I need. What's the
power of that salvation? What's the dynamite and the explosion
of that salvation? What is Christ? And that's what
I need. I need God to explode Himself
in me and reveal Himself to me. That's the power of God. And
it's great because of the power of it. I'm talking about the
greatness of this salvation. It's great. And I tell you this,
it's a great danger to neglect this salvation. There's only
salvation in Christ and none other. Not in the church. Not
in denomination. Not in a profession. Not in a
pool. Not in persuasion. In a person. The Lord Jesus Christ. How should we escape the eternal
wrath and judgment of God if we neglect this salvation. Find
Hebrews 10 and read this with me. Hebrews 10. You see, this
is so great salvation. This is what I need. This is
God's salvation. Hebrews 10, look at this. Verse
28, Hebrews 10, He that despised Moses' law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses. Those who despised the law broke
the law, and that day they died. Of how much sore punishment,
suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot
the Son of God, and have tattered the blood of the covenant, wherewith
he was sanctified unto the holy thing, and hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace?" Would you trample underfoot the blood
of the covenant of the Lord, or would you honor God by believing
Him and trusting the Lord Jesus Christ for all of your salvation? All of your salvation. So this
is great salvation, isn't it? It's great salvation. He's a
great Savior. He's a great Savior of great
sinners in Christ. Now, here's a second word. Find
Hebrews chapter 5. So this is a great salvation.
You've got the first point. The second point is this. He's
the author of eternal salvation. Look at Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews
chapter 5, verse 8, Though he were a son, Yet learned he obedience
by the things which he suffered. He was obedient unto death. And being made perfect, he became
the author of eternal salvation. So this is great salvation as
an eternal salvation. It's an eternal salvation. He
saves us And He gives us everlasting life, eternal salvation. Whatsoever the Lord doeth, it
shall be as long as you hold out. That's not what it says. Ecclesiastes 3.14, Whatsoever
the Lord doeth, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it and
nothing can be taken from it. God doeth it that men should
fear Him. Salvation is the eternal work
of God. God's eternal purpose unfolding
in time. Known unto God are all His works
from the beginning. This salvation that God is the
author of in Christ Jesus was devised, secured, predestinated,
purposed, performed, perfected in the covenant of grace before
the world began. Now, you get a hold of that.
All that God does in time to fulfill salvation was determined
in eternity. We read about the blood of the
covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 13.8 is the Lamb
slain before the foundation of the world. Before Adam ever fell
and ever sinned and plunged us all into ruin, the Lord Jesus
Christ stood as that covenant guarantee, as a surety of the
covenant of grace. All that God does in time, He
fulfilled. All that God does in time to
fulfill salvation was determined in eternity. Now, turn back to
the book of Titus. Titus chapter 1, just right before
Hebrews and Philemon and Titus. Titus 1. I'm saying that salvation
is the eternal decree of God. He loved us with an everlasting
love. Titus 1, look at this. Verse 1. Titus 1, 1. Paul, a
servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the
faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of a truth, which
is after godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God that
cannot lie promised..." What does that say? "...before the
world began." You see, it's an eternal salvation. Turn back
to 2 Timothy 1.9. 2 Timothy 1 verse 9. He saved us, it says in Isaiah
45, with an everlasting salvation. He says, I give my sheep eternal
life and they shall never perish. He doesn't give us temporary
amnesty. It's eternal life that He gives.
He's obtained for us eternal redemption. Saves us with an
everlasting salvation. In 2 Timothy 1 verse 9. God who
saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus. What does that say? What does
that say there? Before the world began. You see,
this is an eternal salvation. Eternity past and eternity future. What God does, He does forever. So this is a great salvation. This salvation that we enjoy
is an eternal salvation. He says, I give my sheep eternal
life and they'll never perish. Now here's a third word. Find
the book of Jude right over before the revelation. The book of Jude.
Jude chapter 3. Or excuse me, Jude verse 3. There's just one chapter. Just
one chapter. Jude chapter 1, we'd say verse
3, okay? Let's read beginning at verse
1. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
to them that are sanctified by God the Father, preserved in
Christ Jesus and called, mercy unto you and peace and love be
multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence
to write unto you of the common salvation. Common salvation. So it's great. It's eternal. And the third word here is common
salvation. This common salvation, it was
needful for me to write to you and exhort you that you should
earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto
the saints. Now, this salvation that we need
is a common salvation. Common salvation. Now, what does
he mean by this? All of God's elect receive, experience,
enjoy, and possess the same salvation. It's salvation by God's grace,
the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's
common to all believers. The grace of God, the faith of
God, the faith of God acknowledges God's truth. We just read it
a moment ago. All believers receive the same spiritual blessing that
are common to all the elect of God. He's blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. That's common to everyone
who's saved by His grace. All spiritual blessings. We have
one faith. It's a common faith. The faith
of God's elect. This common faith looks to the
Lord Jesus Christ. He is the object of saving faith. He is the author and finisher
of faith, and He is the object of faith. We look to Him. One
source. See, it's common to all who believe.
All who believe and are saved by God's grace, they all look
to the same object of saving faith. That's Christ. All believers
are loved with the same common covenant love of God. All His
elect are loved the same way when He said, I Jacob have I
loved. Jacob have I loved. He's loved His people with an
everlasting love, and that's common to all of God's elect.
This love of God that we experience in our heart, this love of God
that's shed abroad in our hearts, that testifies of God's love
to us, He earned His love, not that we loved God, that He loved
us. And He sent His Son to be our covering, satisfaction for
our sin. You see, this is common to all
of God's elect. This love wherewith He loved
us even when we were dead and in sin. God commended His love
toward us when we were unlovely, when we were dead, when we were
ugly, when we were stinking, smelly, and rotten. Yet God loved
us in Christ. And that love is common to all
of God's elect. You see, this common salvation,
all are bought with the same blood atonement. The blood of
Christ cleanses us from all sin. They're all cleansed with the
same blood atonement. They're all justified by the
same righteousness. See, this is common to all of
God's elect. This common salvation that we
love and that we preach and that we experience in Christ Jesus,
we're all called by the same gospel. You see, there's just
one faith, one Lord, one baptism, and my friend, there's just one
saving gospel. It's the gospel of God concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel of His grace, the
gospel of His glory, and the gospel concerning Christ. There's
just one gospel. It's only that gospel that honors
and glorifies Christ. It's the saving gospel. Everything
else, Paul called another gospel, which is not another. Though
we who are an angel come from heaven preach any other gospel,
he said, let him be cursed, let him be damned. That's right. You see, it's common, this gospel
that we're called with is common to all who believe that message.
All possess the same glory hereafter. We have the same hope. We're
all entitled to the same glory, to be made just like Christ.
You see, it's common to all of God's elect. Don't you desire
that common salvation? You see, it's great! It's eternal! And it's common to all of God's
elect. Now here's the fourth word. Turn to Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2. This salvation
is called here in Luke chapter 2, Let's read beginning at verse
25. Luke chapter 2, verse 25. Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem
whose name was Simeon. The same was just and devout,
waiting for the salvation, consolation, salvation of Israel, and the
Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was revealed unto him,
Luke 2.26, unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see
death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ, or the Lord's
Savior. And he came by spirit into the
temple. And when the parents brought
in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law,
eight days old under the law, he was circumcised the eighth
day, considered the most valid, valid circumcision. The Lord
honored the law of God even as a babe. He was circumcised the
eighth day. Then Simeon, that old man, God
promised him, He said, you won't die, you won't die until you
see the Savior. Here's this little baby in the
arms of Mary. And maybe old Simeon said, can
I hold him? I'd like to hold him. And he
reaches out and takes that little eight-day-old baby, raises him
up, looks in his face, look what it says here. He took him up
in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, Now let us thy servant
depart in peace according to thy word for my eyes have seen
thy salvation. Salvation of the Lord is thy
salvation. You see, it's his salvation.
His thy salvation. Simeon was a just and devout
man, yet he did not rely upon his goodness to justify him.
Simeon observed the ceremonies and ordinances of the law prescribed
by God, but he found no salvation in those things. He was looking
for God's Christ, God's Savior. He trusted the Lord Jesus Christ
for all his hope of salvation. I hope you see, as Simeon did
that day, when he picked up the Lord Jesus. And may we do this
by faith. Behold Him and see God's salvation. He provided the Lord Jesus Christ
as our salvation. Our salvation. The whole of salvation
is in Him. Salvation in no other. Don't
expect to find any portion of it in yourself or any ceremony,
works, deeds of the law, salvations in Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. We say, those who have seen thy
salvation, here's what they say. You know what they say? Let's
see if we can find this in Scripture. Turn to Philippians chapter 3.
Those who have seen God's Savior and God's salvation, here's what
they say about any other refuge or any other hope. Here's what they'd say. Philippians
chapter 3, verse 7. What things were gained to me,
Philippians 3, 7, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless,
I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all
things and do count them but done Everything else is dung. Garbage. You know what dung is,
don't you? It's manure. Everything else
but Christ is manure. In the area of salvation, everything
else is manure. Christ is the only Savior. You
see, this is God's salvation. All things but dung that I may
win Christ and be found in Him. Verse 9. be found in Him, not
having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which
is through the faithfulness of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God, the righteousness that comes from God that He freely
gives, and that we receive by faith." The righteousness which
is of God by faith. Received by faith, but it's by
the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. He performs salvation
for us. You must look to the Lord Jesus
Christ alone for everything in salvation. Remember what we read
in Psalm 62? He only is my salvation. He only is my rock. He only is
my trust. The Lord Jesus Christ must be
all to you in salvation or nothing at all. It's either all or nothing. He will not share His glory.
But of Him are you in Christ, who of God is made to us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that according
as it is written, he that would glory, let him glory in the Lord."
In the Lord alone. Well, that's the fourth word.
So we've talked about His great salvation. We've talked about
His eternal salvation. Can a man lose his salvation?
If it's eternal salvation, what does that mean? If he says, I
give them eternal life, are the saints of God secured in Christ?
Absolutely. Because we're in Him. And He's
exalted. He's sitting on the throne of
glory. And we're in Him. So it's great. It's eternal. It's common. Come
unto all God's elect, one gospel, called with that gospel, set
us free, we're at liberty. Stand fast, therefore, with the
liberty wherewith He has made us free in Christ. And it's thy
salvation, salvation of the Lord. God planned it. Salvation, He
planned it. He executed it. He applies it. That's right. He sustains it. And he brings
us the ultimate glory. Salvation of the Lord. Salvation
of the Lord. Well, here's the last word. You're
right there in Philippians, right? Look at Philippians chapter 2.
Philippians chapter 2. Here's the last word. Philippians
2. He says in verse 9. Well, let's
back up and begin at verse 5. Philippians 2 verse 5. Let this mind be in you. which
was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God. He is God. But made himself of no reputation,
he took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men. We see the humility of our Savior. And being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross, Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted
him, and given him a name which is above every name, that the
name of Jesus, the Lord Jesus, every knee should bow of things
in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved,
verse 12 now, stay with me, as you've always obeyed, not in
my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God
which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
Now, here's another word that describes our salvation. Your own salvation. Your own salvation. Now, he's
not saying here, as some people would try to make this, But now
much more in my absence, he's not saying here, work out your
own salvation. He's not saying that salvation
is by something you do. But he is saying this, work about
and employ yourself in the things that accompany salvation. What
are the things that accompany salvation? What are the fruit
of the Spirit? It's love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
meekness. Work about those things. Work about the things that God
gives us in salvation because it's your own Salvation. Your own salvation. See what
he's saying here? And then verse 13, it's God which worketh in
you both the will and the do of His good pleasure. If you're
saved by God's glorious grace, the salvation you have is your
own. You know, Paul called the gospel, my gospel. And it is
my gospel. And if you believe the gospel,
you can say it's my gospel. He's my Savior. He's my salvation. You see, This is the salvation
that we have. It's our own salvation. God planned
it and devised it and designed it specifically for you. It's your own salvation. Your
own salvation. He says here in 1 Thessalonians
5, 9, God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus bought you with
His own blood. He said, you're no more your
own, you're bought with a price. His blood. You see, it's your
own salvation. He bought you with His blood. The Holy Spirit has brought you
and has taught you the gospel of your salvation. He said, when
the Holy Spirit has come, He'll take the things of Christ and
reveal them unto you. It's your own salvation. You
see what He's saying here? God's servant has brought to
you the gospel. And through the preached word,
which is able to make you wise unto salvation. That's what Paul
said to young Timothy. Thou from a child has known the
holy scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation. All scriptures given of God.
Now turn to, you're right there in Philippians, but turn back
to Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1. Look at
this here. Your own salvation. Can't you
say that if you're a believer resting here? It's my salvation. This is my hope. It's a good
hope through grace. Ephesians chapter 1, look at
this. It says in verse 11, In whom also, Ephesians 1, 11, we
have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according
to the purpose of him who will work with all things after the
counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of
His glory who first trusted Christ." Now, that's God the Father in
that eternal covenant who first trusted Christ. "...in whom also
you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel
of..." What does that say there? Your salvation. You see, it's
a personal thing. It's a personal thing. You and
the Savior. It's your salvation. "...in whom
also after that you believed and whom you trusted, after that
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
whom also after you believed you were sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise, which is the earnest token pledge of our inheritance,
until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of
his glory." It's your own salvation. Your own salvation. If God has
given you grace to believe and trust Christ as all your salvation,
all that Christ is and has is yours forever. Forever. Your salvation. Now
I want to close by having you turn to this scripture. Turn
to Psalm 70. Psalm 70. Psalm 70. Now, let me ask you this. Do
you need this salvation? Do you need this salvation? Well,
I do. I do. Look what it says right
here. Psalm 70, verse 4. Let all those that seek thee
rejoice and be glad, and let such as love thy salvation say
continually, continually, let God be magnified. Let God be glorified. Let God be glorified. The believer
loves God's salvation. Would have no other. No other
than God's salvation. It is the experience of our heart.
We love it because it's the experience of our heart. We love it because
the method of it, substitution, satisfaction in Christ, because
of the sureness of it, Certain and sure. Ordered in all things,
David said. His last words, his dying words. You remember 2 Samuel 23, 5?
God had made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things,
ensure this is all my hope and all my salvation and all my desire. We love it because of the method
of it. It's the experience of our heart. We love it because
of the sureness of it. We love it because of the completeness
of it. The completeness of it. I'm completely justified in Christ. Lacking nothing before God. He's provided all things for
us. He is Jehovah Jireh. The Lord will provide. In Him
dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and in Christ
we are complete. And we love, believers love God's
salvation because of the person of it. The person of it. the person of this salvation.
He's the Savior. He's the Savior. To you who believe,
He is precious. He's altogether lovely. To you who believe, you see Him
as altogether lovely. David said, Lord, not unto us,
but unto thy name give glory. Do you need this so great salvation? Do you? I do. Because I'm a sinner. Thank God that the Lord Jesus
Christ is the complete, full, everlasting Savior. And one day
we'll stand with Him in glory and sing unto Him who loved us
and washed us from our sins in His own blood. To Him be all
the honor and glory both now and forever. Forever. It's great salvation. It's eternal. It's common. It's God's salvation. And it's Yours. not faith in
Christ. Well, I pray God will bless that
to your heart.