As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way,  they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ... For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Romans 3:10-12, 23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

Salvation is one of the most important subjects in the Bible. Everyone needs salvation, whether he realizes it or not. Without salvation, you'll never escape hell or live forever with Jesus in Heaven. Salvation is available by realizing that we are sinners and believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. When we confess and repent of our sins and ask God to save us because of our faith in Jesus Christ we are given eternal life.

The Hebrew and Greek words for salvation imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness. Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes such as: justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is in three tenses: Saved, being saved, and will be saved.

I. BELIEVERS ARE SAVED FROM

The believer has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin.

And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. Luke 7:50

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 2 Corinthians 2:15

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) ... For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Ephesians 2:5-8

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 2 Timothy 1:9

II. SAVED TO A NEW LIFE

The believer is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as 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. Philippians 2:12-13

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 2 Thessalonians 2:1

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:19-20

III. BECOMING LIKE JESUS

The believer is to be saved in the sense of entire conformity to Christ.

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:11

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith. Hebrews 10:36

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:5

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2

IV. HOW TO BE SAVED

Faith is the key word. We are all saved by believing God's Word concerning salvation. Salvation never has anything to do with how one lives or performs. Salvation has nothing to do with religion. Salvation is in a person, Jesus Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith; is a free gift, and wholly without works.

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 10:9-10

V. THE DIVINE ORDER

The divine order is: first salvation, then works.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-9

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ... Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5 7

In order to give the free gift of salvation, Jesus had to come in the form of man, being born of a virgin, and later shed his blood and die for the sins of the world. Once he became sin, God the Father forsook Him. He did all this because he loved us that much. All he asks us to do is receive the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior by faith. There is nothing else God will accept in order to save a sinner. Jesus will save you right now if you ask Him.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

IF YOU DIE A LOST PERSON, YOU WILL FACE ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD, AND ETERNAL JUDGEMENT IN HELL IN A LAKE OF FIRE!

Hebrew 9:27 says, It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment.

When Jesus comes down from heaven to rapture the saved, there will follow a seven year tribulation period unlike any trouble the world has ever known. After the 1000 year reign of Christ the great white throne judgement will take place and all the lost souls of all ages will stand before the Lord to be judged for all their sins and their rejection of Jesus Christ.

VI. HOW CAN I ESCAPE HELL?

You cannot escape hell on your own. Hell is for sinners who have no Savior. Jesus is God's appointed Savior. All who trust Him will be forgiven of all sin. There is nothing that you can do to escape hell or obtain salvation any other way than through the Lord Jesus Christ. It took the death of Jesus upon the cross to pay for sin so it could be removed from those who would trust Him. He is the one who paid not only for sin but satisfied the Holy God of Heaven concerning sin.

VII. CAN I LOSE SALVATION?

People who try to go to heaven because they lived a good life will not make it to heaven. When we come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive us and we trust Him as our Savior, then we are given the gift of eternal life. We are not placed on probation to see if we can keep salvation, but it is a gift once given by God, that will never, ever be taken away.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18

Salvation is a free gift. After salvation those of us who are saved can EARN REWARDS that we will enjoy throughout eternity because of our service to the Lord in this life. Have you trusted Jesus to save you? Are you active in your service to the Lord? What are you doing to help others know of the redeeming love in our Lord Jesus Christ?

If you are a believer, won't you call or visit someone today who needs salvation? It will be a blessing for you both. Father, we ask that someone reading this today will call upon your mighty name and be saved. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen, Preacher