Ministry is first about Salvation
What is salvation? Why do you need it? Where does it come from? How do you get it? – These are all valid questions and below we address this issue for you to seriously consider.
Salvation is something that many people who believe in God seem to have a tough time understanding. If you ask any prophetic liberal ideologist what salvation is, you will get answers ranging from a simple belief in God to suggestions of having to be adopted into some spiritual or religious cult in order to receive it. The degree to which salvation has been misrepresented in the world today so stretches the unstudied mind that we have people blowing themselves (and others) up, sacrificing their children, submitting to dangerous rituals and even mutilating themselves, all in the purported interest of pleasing God.
It certainly is a sad state of affairs these days but this has been going on for centuries. It is simply made more public with the advent of various technologies from radio to television to the Internet.
Nowadays, many people are told to throw money at some slick looking, smooth talking evangelist on television for which they have the priviledge of putting their hands on the TV while this individual “prays them up”. Others use the radio for the same purpose and some say just to say the “sinners prayer” and your done. There are many more variations but the point is that none of these methods are biblically supported and therefore, not endorsed by God. There is a specific pattern of steps required in order to receive the gift of salvation. All you have to do is do them in sincerity recognizing that His gift comes as a sacrifice of self.
Here I try to clarify God’s simple plan for salvation and enlighten the individual as to what is required according to scripture. The key is in the “Truth” as Paul once said:
“[God] wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Similarly, Jesus said,
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
The truth is something that is critical with regards to our salvation.
But how can we determine what is the truth regarding any religious matter? There is only one objective way to “know the truth.” The Lord Jesus affirmed that God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). Since God’s word is truth, genuine faith is derived from God’s Word (Romans 10:17). I might believe or practice something with sincerity, but sincerity does not determine “the truth.” Paul (as Saul) sincerely persecuted Christians in his early life and with what appeared to be a good conscience (i.e. he didn’t know any better) but he was wrong (Acts 23:1).
