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The Scriptures describe a certain group of people as "The Saved."
They are called by other terms which show the honored position which
they occupy.
In the New Testament "The Saved" are also called the "children of
God". The apostle John writes, "Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of
God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
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 3:1-2). The
Saved will one day be like their risen Savior. While they remain
here they are to possess Jesus' character traits, but they also
remain mortal human beings with flesh and blood. But at the Lord's
return, and their resurrection, they will be clothed with
immortality.
HEIRS
Paul writes concerning the inheritance of The Saved: "Now this I
say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of
God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show
you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:50-52). Therefore, the
promise to The Saved, living and dead, is that they will be united
with Christ, at his return, in an incorruptible or immortal state.
Those who are The Saved at the return of the Savior will meet Him
in the air to ever be with Him (Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
Another descriptive term which the Scriptures use in respect of The
Saved is that of "brethren." Every saved person, no matter where
they live, no matter what their language is, and no matter what
color of skin they have, they are all "brethren." They are
"brethren" together in the great family of God. Jesus said to
those who tried to call his attention to His earthly family, "Who
is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his
hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my
brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in
heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matthew
12:48-50).
CHRIST'S BRETHREN
Do you see it? Those who "do the will of His Father" Jesus
considers as His family. After His resurrection from the grave He
told Mary, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father:
but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father,
and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17). It is
perfectly clear that everyone who has ever been saved by the blood
of Jesus has become a child of God and therefore a member of God's
family. Jesus, furthermore, says, "Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
When people are saved they are born into the family of God and
become brothers or sisters of Jesus Christ and therefore
joint-heirs with Him as family members. "The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if
so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together" (Romans 8:16,17). One element of the inheritance is
called an "incorruptible crown" (1 Corinthians 9:25, 2 Timothy
4:8), "a crown of life" (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). This is
clearly the reward of "everlasting life."
Jesus compares the losses which one may encounter by becoming his
brother with the great gains they have in Him, saying, in Matthew
19:29, "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for
my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit
everlasting life."
SERVANTS OF GOD
It is said to those who have become The Saved, "But now being made
free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is
death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord" (Romans 6:22,23). Before this, the writer states to The
Saved in the city of Rome, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield
yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But
God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have
obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered
you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness" (verses 16-18).
All those who are called "The Saved" are people who believe that
Jesus Christ is the son of God. Jesus said, "I said therefore unto
you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I
am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). He states again,
"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" (John 3:16). Then the apostle writes, "But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).
OBEDIENT TO GOD
Those in the New Testament who are called The Saved are those who
obey God as we have seen from the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 7:21).
Their faith is an obedient faith. It is said in Acts 6:7 that "the
word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied
in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were
obedient to the faith."
This passage indicates that when a person becomes "obedient to the
faith" they become "saved." Furthermore, after being initially
"obedient to the faith," the Scriptures indicate that The Saved
continue to "be obedient in all things" (2 Corinthians 2:9). The
apostle Paul with great dedication preached the gospel, which he
said "...is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth," of both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 1:16). He felt such
great responsibility to the souls of men because he knew that upon
those who "do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness," will
be poured out "indignation and wrath" (Romans 2:8). At the Lord's
return, not only will He reward The Saved with everlasting life,
but He will come, "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2
Thessalonians 1:8,9). You see, those who refuse to obey Christ are
refusing the salvation He provided through His sacrifice upon the
cross of Calvary. The Scriptures say, "Though he were a Son, yet
learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being
made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him" (Heb 5:8,9).
A PECULIAR PEOPLE
The Saved are separated from sin. The command to them was to "Come
out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch
not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father
unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:17,18). They are saved from their sins
by the blood of Jesus, "Who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14). Leaving evil behind
The Saved understand that they are to be " strangers and pilgrims,"
in this world, who "abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against
the soul," but instead do "good works" (1 Peter 2:11,12).
FOLLOWERS OF THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE
The Saved are people who continue "in the apostles' doctrine" (Acts
2:42). They understand that the message and teaching of the
apostles is actually the teaching of God's Holy Spirit (John 14:16;
16:13; Matthew 10:19,20), and that "as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14).
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Friend, have you heard the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe
it? "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God"
(Romans 10:17). Don't you, as they did in Acts 2, want to know
what to do to be saved? What is the answer? They were told,
"Repent and be baptized... in the name of Jesus Christ, for the
remission of sins..." (verse 38). Have you repented of your sins?
You must do so in order to be saved. Have you confessed Jesus
before men? The Ethiopian asked Philip, the preacher, "See, here
is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If
thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered
and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he
commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into
the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him" (Acts
8:36-38). Until you confess Christ before men you are not ready to
be baptized for remission of your sins. Jesus said, "Whosoever
therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also
before my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32). Are you
ready to believe and render full obedience to the will of Christ?
Finally, in order to be saved you must be baptized in water "for
the remission of sins"; baptism is for "salvation" (1 Peter 3:21);
it is to "wash away your sins" (Acts 22:16). From baptism you
"rise to walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4); there is no
"newness of life" before baptism "into Christ" (Galatians 3:27;
Romans 6:2). There you become part of "The Saved" who are "the
church." Those things that cause you to be saved will also cause
the Lord to add you to His church (Acts 2:47). Then you can
worship and serve the Lord until all The Saved are call to receive
"everlasting life" in Heaven.
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