Am I Going to Heaven??.. Is There Really Only ONE Way?

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In this episode we discuss the topic of SALVATION. How are we saved? Is it by Jesus alone, or is it based on you and your good works??

BIBLE VERSES:
Click the PATREON Link above to access our PATREON and download a FREE doc that includes Bible verses about SALVATION.

Additional References from the Episode:
1 Corinthians 1:2: "To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..." (Saints are defined as those sanctified in Christ).
Colossians 1:12: "...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light." (Believers are qualified by God to be saints).
2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Ephesians 2:19: "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."
1 Corinthians 6:11: "...but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

What's up guys? Welcome to Counterculture with Caleb.

SPEAKER_01 0:03

And Stephanie.

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Hey baby, how are you today?

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Good. I'm glad to be back. Although Aunt Joan, who was here in our last pod, if you didn't watch it, she's so sweet. She is such a little woman of God. Like the cutest.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

I love it.

SPEAKER_01 0:17

She just exudes the love of Jesus. If you ever have the opportunity to meet Aunt Joan, you will feel so seen and loved. And you're like, I I I didn't do anything to deserve you making me feel this way. I mean, this the first time I ever met her, I was just like, wow, I've never been so included and loved in my life from anyone, but she just does it in such a unique way. Like she really has a gift.

SPEAKER_02 0:42

I I I really think that the love of Jesus just permeates through her. Honestly, she's so she's so calm. Now she'll stand up for her family, but she's so gracious and she's so generous. Like, just yeah, with her time. Like we we talked about it on the podcast with her here, but like she, you know, we'll call her 9 30, 10 o'clock at night, and we'll talk and just it's just fun. Like, she's so she's so kind, she's so full of wisdom. And so, yeah, it was really fun having her on.

SPEAKER_00 1:16

So that was great. If you didn't, if you didn't watch that one, go check it out.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

Yeah, Joan. She's the best.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

She is the best.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

But today's episode is probably the most, I would say the most important message of all time.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

There's no message that we could do that is more important in the history of time, in the past or future, than today's message.

SPEAKER_02 1:42

A hundred percent.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

And so we just pray that the Lord would allow every word that's from us to fall to the floor and every word that's from him to permeate and bring to the love of Jesus.

SPEAKER_02 1:54

Yes. And it's funny, this topic has been something that the Lord put on my heart probably for the last couple of months, specifically the like really almost like a burden on my heart with it, because the topic is I'll go ahead and say it so that way we can get into the nitty-gritty, but the topic is salvation, salvation in and of itself. Like, what is it? How like how are we saved? All this different kind of stuff. Am I truly saved? Am I truly saved? Like all of these questions and things that I feel as if the church, we talk about it, but then we don't talk about it all the time because once we're saved, then we're like, okay, we're good. And then it's kind of I don't know, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

And every church has their own thought process on this too.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

There, yeah, there's a lot of there's a lot of different thoughts on it. And I was wrestling with it so much, and I came to you and I talked to I talked to you about it, and I really just felt like we needed to do an episode specifically about it because I finally found some rest in it.

SPEAKER_01 3:06

Insane because when we started talking about this, we were at odds in regards to what we considered salvation to be, and it was so it was such a fruitful debate that we had because we both were able to find resolution through God's word.

SPEAKER_02 3:25

God's word, a hundred percent. Yeah, and that's the key because there's stuff that gets taken out of context at different times or things that are misconstrued and misunderstood, and it puts this weight, like the Bible says that my yoke is easy and my burden is light. So our salvation should not feel like a burden of like, am I good enough? Oh, totally, you know what I'm saying? And so it's very interesting though, because I've talked about it a couple of times, so I won't get into it too too far. But in early 2023 is when I really started to lean into the Lord. Not that I wasn't saved, but I was just kind of, you know, you just get in a in a state of coasting. Um, or or or uh what's the what's the thing in in cars where it's like cruise control. Cruise control. Yeah, you're kind of on cruise control, and it's just you're you're not moving forwards, you're not moving back, but it's just kind of eh, stagnant. When I started pursuing him, I came about it with this way of just knowing that I was saved by grace through faith, and I'm just pursuing my father. And and it was so cool because I started to change without, like I've talked about it before, I started to change without even realizing it because I was just focusing on my relationship with him and growing and just seeing what he was gonna do, you know? And it's such a beautiful thing. And I think that when Jesus talks about having childlike faith, I think that's what it's about. Like, I'm not looking to over here and over there, but I'm I'm just looking at him and I'm like, man, this is awesome! Like I'm learning so much, like I'm reading the Bible, things that I've read before that I've like I've never seen it before, apparently. And you know what I mean? Yeah, you're laughing because it's so true, it's so true, and it and it's cool because the word is alive, man. It's so alive, and I just remember feeling that way, and then the enemy comes in and just tries to just steal that joy because confidence, yes, my confidence in what though? Yeah, because what I started to see was like there's a lot of content on YouTube and Instagram and all these different social media platforms of people saying that, well, if you don't do X, Y, and Z, you're not saved. Or if you don't do blah blah blah, you're not saved, or if you're blah, blah, blah, you're not saved. And that started to, because I'm an analytical person, and so lies from the enemy just started to creep in to make me question and like, am I am I truly saved? Like, I mean, I feel like I am, like, I, you know, I'm pursuing the Lord and I'm doing all these things, and in the back of my mind, like I know that it's by grace through faith alone that I'm saved, but I'm hearing this stuff that seems kind of contradictory, and like, but they they seem like they have verses to back it up. And I'm like, so what what do I do? Like, are we just supposed to be uncertain? And the Bible literally tells us the complete opposite. It tells us that we are saved by grace through faith alone, not of our good works, but through what Jesus did. Yeah, and when you sit with that, you can't go, but you can't say, but blah, blah, blah. You can you can't do that because that's not, it's either we trust Christ or we don't. And so that that whole topic, right, has been something that weighed on me for over a year of just wrestling back and forth. And I think that there's healthy tension when when we start realizing that we're changing, that the Lord is wanting to do a work in us or leading us to do something, we're going to get a stirring that there's gonna be this tension of like, okay, well, I'm still doing this, but I I know I need to be doing this, and blah blah blah. Like, and I think that's a good tension, but I think that the piece of the salvific work of Jesus on the cross can never be forgotten.

SPEAKER_04 7:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:51

So I I think that in this episode, we should really kind of break down salvation and what Jesus says is salvation, like the finished work of Jesus, right? Yeah. And I think that in that we are able to rest knowing that He did everything. Yeah, right. Because the Bible literally says that for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes on him for their salvation will have everlasting life. So what what's interesting there is that's an aspect of trust. I'm I'm sitting here saying that I trust that Jesus came, that he saw the sin in the world, in me, in you, and he took it on as a perfect man, right? He walked this earth just like we did, fully God, fully man, but he walked it perfectly to be that sacrificial lamb. And when he was crucified on the cross, at that moment, he was the final sacrifice for all of our sins. We can't sit back and say, my like my Jesus did this, right? He died for me, but I have to do X, Y, and Z. Hold on. Wait, wait, wait, back up a little bit. What do you mean? Because just like in in Hebrews, the book of Hebrews is sometimes where people, when they pull from workspace type of salvation, they'll they'll pull that. Um, because they're they're it's referring to a group of people, like the person that's writing Hebrews, which I believe is Paul, but when he's writing Hebrews, he's talking to a group of people to encourage them to persevere in their faith in Jesus alone. Because there were people that were wanting to slip back into that works-based piece of it. The thing is, you either have trust in Christ for your sins, or you believe a works-based salvation that will get you to heaven. Now we can we can debate back and forth and have conversations about obedience all day long and the implications of that, right? But that's completely different than salvation itself. I truly believe salvation itself, I I really believe that salvation is that of a free gift.

SPEAKER_04 11:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Like if we accept Christ and we trust him that he did everything, there's not anything left for us to do. Because what happens is, I think where people get caught up is they get caught up in this aspect of, well, yes, but but but if you're a Christian, then you should do X, Y, and Z. And it's like, yeah, you you should. Absolutely you should. But does that save you if you don't? If I if I if I don't stop watching porn right away for the guy that struggles with porn, right? I I trust Christ and I know that I'm I'm saved by grace through faith, but they struggle with that. Does that mean that they're not saved? Of course not. What are you talking about? Just because Christ died for my sin doesn't mean that somebody's not going to still deal with said sin.

SPEAKER_00 12:02

So good.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

We can't turn Jesus' blood into this, like, it's either all or it's nothing. Jesus' blood is literally everything or it's nothing. It can't be in between.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

Well, Hebrews 9, 14 says, How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Holy Spirit willingly offered himself unblemished, that is, without moral or spiritual imperfection, as a sacrifice to God. To God cleanse your conscience from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the ever living God. And then it says in 4 16, therefore, to the person that's struggling with porn, that's struggling with sin, that's struggling with homosexuality, that's struggling with all these different things, therefore let us with privilege approach the throne of grace. That is the throne of God's gracious favor with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy for our failures and find his amazing grace to help in time of need. An appropriate blessing coming just at the right moment.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

It's really good.

SPEAKER_01 13:12

Because if salvation required us to be perfect, then it would have been in you would not be able to achieve it. You wouldn't be able to attain salvation. No, it is a free gift from Jesus alone that we are saved.

SPEAKER_02 13:29

Well, even I mean, it it talks about it in Romans, um, and I believe in Hebrews too, but justification by faith. Even Abraham was justified by his faith. Yeah. Like we cannot, we can't sit back and say, well, it's oh it's it's it's works, you know. Like we gotta we get saved, but then we have to do X, Y, and Z to keep said salvation. And that's just not true.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

It says in Hebrews uh 10, 9, Behold, I have come to do your will. And so he does away with the first covenant as a mean of atoning for sin based on animal sacrifices, so that he may inaugurate and establish the second covenant by means of obedience. And in accordance with this will of God, we who believe in the message of salvation have been sanctified, that is set apart as holy for God and his purposes through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the anointed, once for all.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Yeah. It's really good. And I think too, and this was something that we were talking about just a little bit ago, but obedience, when when it's referencing of obedience here, we're talking about something different than I think what a lot of people, not I think this is they're talking about something different than what it's attributed to a lot of times in Christian culture, which is that, well, if I don't obey everything that God tells me to do in terms of you know sin or you know, whatever, then I can I can lose my salvation. It's like that's not what he's talking about there. He's talking about trusting Christ. That's the obedience. Trusting Christ did enough to do away with your sin and my sin. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:22

What do you think then? And just a few verses later, for it says, for if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice to atone for our sins. That is no further offering to anticipate, but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of divine judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath, which will consume the adversaries, those who put themselves in opposition to God.

SPEAKER_02 15:49

Yeah. So once again, Hebrews, he's talking to a group of people that are wanting to go back to their old ways. They've heard the truth of Christ atoning for their sins. Their reception of that, them receiving and trusting in that is the difference between life and death. That's what it is. That's what he's referring to because they are wanting to go back to their old ways of sacrificing for means of atonement. And Paul or the writer of Hebrews is trying to tell them there's only one way. It's already been paid, but there's only one way. That's not going to work for you anymore. You atoning for it is not going to work for you. Like, that's that's not a thing.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

So he's when he's saying those who go on willfully and deliberately sinning, he's not talking about like, oh, I looked at porn on accident. He's talking about sinning in regards to Yeah, trust in Christ.

SPEAKER_02 16:54

Because rejection of that is the biggest sin. That's living your life in opposition. Let me ask you this. Anybody, you, you, right? Myself. Are there moments today, today, or yesterday, or the day before that you have said, thought, or done something that you know you shouldn't have done? If your answer is no, then you're perfect and apparently you're Jesus. Because that's completely false. We all do things wrong. Now, there are sins of omission and commission, right? Omission meaning I didn't know I sinned, but I now I know, and so I'm changing. Yes, that's called sanctification. Like you're you're being sanctified, but that doesn't mean that if you go and do that thing, the habitual sin, oh well, I did it for five days in a row. Oh, I guess I'm out. Where is that in the text? That's not what it's talking about. Once again, Hebrews is to a group of people that are wanting to go back, and and Paul or the writer is saying to persevere, believing and trusting in Christ for your salvation.

SPEAKER_01 18:16

So then what is, how does one become saved?

SPEAKER_02 18:21

So salvation in and of itself is a recognition of okay, I am a sinner in need of a savior. I if I look at my Bible, right, and I and I sit here and I go, dang, Jesus in the Gospels raises the standard. We see that in Matthew's gospel, I believe we see it in Luke's. It's in the Gospels, where he raises the standard for what sin really is and what breaking the commandments really are. So for instance, do not commit murder, right? Do not commit murder, Jesus raises the standard to even if you are angry at someone, you've already committed that in your heart. Same with lust. So if you've looked with your eyes and you've thought something you shouldn't have, you've already committed adultery in your heart. That raises the bar so that no one, no one, and I mean no one, can keep, can keep those commands. The reason why the law was given is so that it could reveal the sin, right? Revealing the sin. And then for him, when Jesus comes in, he's like, this is how it's atoned for. Through me. Trust in me. So you say, Well, how do I get saved? Because I definitely want to be saved, or how do I know if I'm saved? Well, honestly, it's kind of simple. Have you recognized in and of yourself, I can't do this. Like, I I can't do it on my own. Jesus set the standard. There's no way I'm meeting the standard. There's no way you're meeting the standard or you, right? And I believe and I trust Jesus that he paid the ultimate sacrifice for my sins. That he lived a perfect life, was killed for me and my sin. He raised again on the third day, and he sits at the right hand of the Father. I trust that. I trust in that as reliable. I trust that. I believe that. And I want to be saved. Like I want, I want that. I choose that. Choosing Christ, choosing to trust Christ and his finished work on the cross is what saves you. Period. End of story. And at that moment, when we trust Christ, that's when we obtain the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit comes within us, and we are now a new creation in Christ. There's no ands, if or buts about it. Now, I think that I think that people can walk away from the faith. Something when it comes to salvation in and of itself, I think it's really hard. I think it's really hard to lose your salvation. I think that that is a really strong willful choice of like you have you're like renouncing God, which is scary. And honestly, most people that have tasted the Lord, like that have tasted of his. goodness that have tasted of his salvation, they're not gonna just do that. Like that's like a really that's a big thing to do. So I I I do believe that you can lose it, but it's not it's not just willy-nilly, oh I sinned today, and all of a sudden now I'm lost. I lost my salvation.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

Well and I think it's important to to go back a little bit on how to be saved because I think that what you were saying is like do I recognize that I can't do this on my own? Do I recognize? I think sometimes yes you will have a moment of I recognize this and that and the other. But I was young when I was saved and I don't know that I internalized and recognized and did everything right. And I think some some maybe there could be a few people listening that are like do I have to be in the right position with the right hosp hospital heart posture. With the right heart posture in order to receive salvation. And I I don't want anybody to feel like they have to be perfect before they like accept the free gift of salvation. And so I think with like the scripture has a lot of verses we're gonna throw some verses up here and also down below in the information section but there are different verses that the Bible talks about specifically to salvation what it takes to be saved like what that looks like but also it doesn't matter what you've done it doesn't matter where you have been if you want to accept Jesus into your heart it doesn't matter if you have murdered or stolen or committed like whatever bad acts affairs pornography like all of that it doesn't matter what you have done Jesus died for you too no one is exempt from Jesus's death on that cross you don't get to say that I am not good enough for Jesus you can go ahead you can absolutely but no he died for you too he died for every single person that ever made a sin whether that's a tiny little white lie or whether that's a massive you're sitting in a prison cell right now paying for the consequences of that sin. It doesn't matter across the board Jesus died for you you alone he died for and there is no one more valuable and there is no one more precious to him than you sitting right there. And so if you have the Holy Spirit that is pushing on you right now to tell you to come to Jesus don't fight it thinking that you have to be perfect because you have nothing to do your works or your perfection has nothing to do with his death on the cross. Because it says in the Bible that Christ died for you and me while we were still sinning against him.

SPEAKER_03 24:54

Right.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

While we were throwing stones at him on the cross he died for us and he asked for his father's forgiveness for us. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. So if the Holy Spirit is impressing it on your heart accept the free gift of salvation it's free for you you don't have to live in condemnation you don't have to live in shame you don't have to live in the sins that have been chaining you and making you feel in bondage Jesus can set you free. The Bible says that Jesus alone is the source of our salvation. Acts 412 says and there is salvation in no one else no one else for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved for God has provided the world no other alternative for salvation. So if you are a Muslim believing that Muhammad is going to save you it is a lie. You are going to end up going to hell not because Jesus wants you there, but because you are not acknowledging the one and only source of salvation that there is and that is through Jesus Christ alone his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave was for you to be saved. So if you believe in Muhammad you still have time to repent believe in Jesus and accept him as Lord and Savior of your life and you do not have to look at spending forever away from him you can go to paradise and spend it forever and eternity with Jesus you do not have to believe the lie there is no other God. Every other religion out there points to Jesus and Christianity the Holy Bible is the only one that Jesus himself says I am the way I am the truth and I am the life it is through me that people have access to my Father it is Jesus that stands as an intercessory for you and me and that fights and prays for us and says Father forgive them father they are mine. So when God looks at you he sees Jesus he sees his son he doesn't see your sin he doesn't see all of the things that you've done and the things that you screw up on a daily basis. He sees Jesus and his love exudes all over from him towards you because you are now betrothed to the one person who can actually save you for all eternity that's really good.

SPEAKER_02 27:25

And I think that that is why when you truly trust Christ when you trust him for your salvation what starts happening is really interesting. And that's that when you start walking and you try to live the way that you were before there's this weird dissonance that starts to take place in your spirit why is that I didn't feel this way before well that is just a solid proof of Holy Spirit living inside of you going hey hey hey whoa whoa whoa whoa the second you stepped out of your sin life to trust in Christ you took on a new identity as a son as an heir yeah that's good you are not this sinner anymore we're called saints yeah we are righteous because he made us righteous we are holy because he made us holy which I think that in itself is such it's such a mind like boom with people because if you're like where's this in the Bible?

SPEAKER_01 28:32

We'll put the notes here because genuinely this is in the Bible and I think that is a really hard thing for Christians to accept and I think that is one of the greatest mental screw ups that the enemy has done in the Christian believers group because we have a bunch of Christians walking around that don't know the authority that they have in Jesus and through Jesus alone because of his death and sacrifice for our life because we are now attached to Jesus and he is the sole provider of our eternal salvation. Yeah we now have this wonderful like beautiful visualization that the Bible gives us that we are now saints.

SPEAKER_03 29:10

Right.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

And I think we can often punish ourselves thinking that it's a good thing. It's really just like false humility sometimes we'll be like oh well you know we sin and we do these things and it's like stop living like that. Stop living in bondage stop word cursing yourself down to this pathetic measly existence. God didn't call us to get saved radically saved so we can go live these mediocre lives of being like oh well you know God doesn't consider me holy because I sin. Like please read what he says he has called you holy you are now clothed in white you are a saint like yes do we mess up? Yes but his mercies are new every single morning.

SPEAKER_02 29:59

Right and and the Bible does tell us to be holy as I am holy. It's not like and I think but I think that that's the weird tension right it's like but yeah but it the Bible says that and it's like yes it does but it doesn't say be holy because I because I am holy to be saved. That's not what it says the the the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer when we surrender right and we trust Christ and we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us we start looking like Jesus because of the Holy Spirit not because of you not because of you not because of me I didn't do anything. We are without Jesus flawed but we have to take on the new identity that new identity is a new creation in Christ. Yeah I'm not the same person that I was before I'm a new creation who is now considered a son. When when the father like you said when the father looks at me when he looks at you whenever he looks at you he sees a son or a daughter that's what he sees. He doesn't see the sinner that is like far away from him anymore. Yeah all he's doing is trying to get you to come into alignment with what he has made you now when we live underneath when we live beneath that it's like we're doing ourselves a disservice and once again we can talk about the obedience aspect of how that plays into our life here okay should just like Paul says should you keep should we just keep on sinning because grace abounds he's like by no means that's stupid what are we talking about no you're not gonna do that because first of all you're gonna feel it it's gonna really suck to sin like that okay um second of all when when we do that there are ramifications in the spirit for our disobedience here on earth the person that is struggling with porn okay let's let's let's cover that topic um the person that's struggling with porn they're not it's not in it's not that they're any less saved than me or than you right but there is a legal access that the enemy can now get a foothold in their life and cause chaos it doesn't mean they're not saved right at all but what it does mean is that here on earth it's not that great for them because they've given over legal access in their life to a to to a specific area of sin that allows for the enemy to just mess with them.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

Yeah and the same can also be said though for unforgiveness. Absolutely if you are harboring unforgiveness towards somebody you need to give that to the Lord as hard as it is I understand I have been through it but when I truly forgave for the first time in my life was when I was truly set free in a totally dramatic different way. And so unrepentant like unforgiveness can wreak just as much havoc as pornography or having an affair or murdering or it doesn't like all of those ways wreak havoc which is why the Lord is so considerate to give us words that tell us and guide us and teach us how to walk in a life that we can live heaven on earth. The Bible gives us so much beautiful wisdom and clarity as to how to live a life that is not only pleasing to the Lord as a beautiful aroma of incense towards him but it also safeguards our life in such a way that the enemy just cannot get a foothold in it. He cannot wreak havoc in your life the way that he can when you are living with unrepentant sin or you know all the stuff that we're talking about.

SPEAKER_02 34:00

Yeah a hundred percent and I think that so but it's it's really important that we separate the two out because and I think that that's what we're doing and I think that's really good because there is a big difference between salvation that is by grace through faith alone in Christ and sin that is being dealt with here on earth that someone struggles with.

SPEAKER_01 34:27

Sanctification.

SPEAKER_02 34:28

It's the sanctification process exactly which I I truly believe that we are sanctified up until the point we die and go to heaven to be with Jesus. Right because we're never going to arrive if somebody has arrived then they you you need to check yourself because you like that's that's a really interesting and scary spot to be in and to think that I've I've made it I'm good like you're good in terms of your salvation right um because of Christ because of Christ's uh mercy and his you know his forgiveness but anyways the distinction between salvation and then here on earth being obedient to what God says because of the ramifications that it has is a that's a that's a big thing to make sure that we understand so now it's what okay we've heard all of this we've heard that that we are saved by grace through faith alone in Christ not of our works not of the things that we do our acts of obedience our acts of obedience are what they're like offerings to the Lord. Yeah they're things that we do because we love God not because we're afraid that we're going to hell because that wait hold on yep the the finished work was already done so but okay Caleb Stephanie how do I I I want to receive Christ I want to receive Christ like right now I believe that he is Lord that he has died for my sins okay it's simply a a matter of confessing with your mouth believing in your heart that Jesus is Lord that he rose from the dead right that he sits at the right hand of the Father that he died for your sins you confess that with your mouth and believe it in your heart that he is Lord you will be saved.

SPEAKER_01 36:29

Yeah John 316 for God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that he even gave his one and only begotten Son so that whoever believes and trusts in him as savior shall not perish but have eternal life yes and that's that's the simple that's the piece of it and I feel I think that people get caught up and they're like well there's gotta be more there's not more it's a it's called a free gift for a reason.

SPEAKER_02 36:55

Now the way you treat that gift is up to you you know like I think that that's why when Paul talks about should we should we keep on sinning because grace abounds like that's pretty stupid I wouldn't do it. I think that there is definite like we said ramifications on this side of eternity and even from a from a uh from eternal treasure standpoint there's there's that that obedience plays a factor in the way we live here and I believe our the the in it in eternity like our eternal treasures like the the Bible talks about eternal treasures. The goal though is Christ the goal is the cross the goal is like that I recognize that I am a sinner that is in need of a savior that's the that's what you have to realize to be able to trust Christ that he did enough for it. If you can't recognize that you've done anything that I mean that's the that's the first step. You have to recognize that you have to recognize that because of my sin I need a savior I need him to save me that's the whole point of salvation but can't you also ask the Lord to help reveal that to you you know because sometimes you can be sitting there and be like I don't know what I did I don't know what a sin I mean people might not have read the Bible before they may not know what's considered a sin.

SPEAKER_01 38:18

So it's like you can always ask the Lord help reveal to me God show me show me then like show me what I what I need to repent for yeah ask him ask him to reveal himself to you I I think that he he wants us to seek him out he wants us to ask questions God can handle your questions yeah God can handle your uncertainty your doubt he can handle all of it but we we gotta seek him we have to go after him yeah I mean Hebrews literally talks about how he sees everything in all and everything anyways right so regardless whether you withhold that information from him he already sees it it's like a it's like if our kid had something behind their back and we're like I already know you have that behind your back but sure you can withhold it from me like okay yeah what are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 39:04

I already see that it's there.

SPEAKER_01 39:06

But you're safe at the end of the day remember while you were still sinning Christ died for you.

SPEAKER_03 39:10

Right.

SPEAKER_01 39:10

So it's not based on how good you are whether you can be saved a hundred it has nothing to do with your goodness whether you're a nice person or you're the meanest person in the world yeah like you are still up for being saved because Jesus still died for you. Yeah the Bible actually says in first Peter 119 it says but you were actually purchased with precious blood like that of a sacrificial lamb unblemished and spotless the priceless blood of Christ the blood of Christ is the highest most valuable currency that ever existed. Yes it says here in 1 Peter 1 23 for you have been born again that is reborn from above spiritually transformed renewed and set apart for his purpose not of seed which is perishable but from that which is imperishable and immortal that is through the living and everlasting word of God. And I think once you have accepted Christ there is a level of rest that you now can live in that you can walk in and that you can be confident in when you have accepted Christ there is a rest in Hebrews it talks about it being like a Sabbath rest but it is a permanent rest. It says in Hebrews 4 3 for we who believe that is we who personally trust and confidently rely on God enter that rest so we have his inner peace now because we are confident in our salvation and assured of his power and so if you're not experiencing that rest if you're not experiencing that peace of salvation then you can make every effort to enter into that rest it says in in verse 11 to know and experience it for yourself to rely fully on Jesus and it says here in verse seven he again sets a definite day a new today providing another opportunity to enter that rest by saying that today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts so there remains a full and complete Sabbath rest for the peace of God for the people of God and so when you have accepted him you can remain in the vine you can remain in rest but there is a level of yes your life should look a little different. Your life should you be holy as he is holy you should use your own self-discipline to get in the word of God every single day you should abide in him because when you are abiding in him and spending time in his word you are transforming everything in your life your mind is transforming you are renewing your mind you are renewing your body the fruit of the Lord is abounding in you you will reflect more of him love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness genderness self-control all of those things you will start exuding now because you are abiding in him being in the word of God every single day dismantles the enemy yes it dismantles the power of the enemy over your life because if you're in the word of God every day the sin that is entangling you the sin that is holding you bondage all of those demons that are pulling those chains on you to hold you back are going to be broken by the chainbreaker. They're gonna be broken by Jesus Christ himself they cannot stand. You spending time in the word of God those things cannot stay on you. They cannot stand on you they can't they don't want to be anywhere near you. So if you are struggling with these things spend more time with the Lord stop prioritizing Instagram stop prioritizing Netflix stop prioritizing talking to everybody around you or doing everything eating looking whatever not eating but you know what I mean like stop prioritizing everything but and spend more time with the Lord and your life will look drastically different because as you spend time with the Lord and you remain in the vine you will become more like him and you will be drawn into a more intimate level of life with him. And because of that the peace of the Lord abounds and rest abounds that sabbatic Sabbath rest that he's talking about is something that is an internal spring that forth like that comes forth from your life like and that comes with time in the word of God you can pray like I I know people that that say oh I I pray to God you know God's God like I pray I talk to God and your homies you know I like like and but the thing is is if your God is not Jesus Christ if you have not recognized Jesus Christ as Savior you are going to you're gonna end up in hell and there is a very sad reality that there are a lot of people that are walking around this earth not Thinking twice about it, and they're just like, Oh, I'm good. Like, whatever. You know, God's, I'm like talking to God. I'm very spiritual.

SPEAKER_02 44:06

I'm a good person.

SPEAKER_01 44:07

I'm a good person. I'm spiritual. So, like, when I get to heaven, of course, he's gonna open his door. But that's a false reality. That's a lie of the devil. Yes. You are not secure on that footing. The only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. He is so full of love. He is so full of an eager desire. The Bible says he stands at the door knocking for you. He is waiting for you to turn and accept him. So if you believe in Muhammad, if you believe in Islam, if you believe in Jesus, but you also believe in other gods, that is false doctrine. That's demonic. That's a lie.

SPEAKER_02 44:43

Or if you simply believe in your own works and Jesus. And that's a hard reality for people. But that's dangerous, guys. For real. I trust Christ, but it's also by my works. That's that's a different gospel.

SPEAKER_04 45:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:09

Our life, you know, and people will pull pull out James. James goes hard. Okay. James goes hard in the Bible. And he talks about how faith without works is dead. But when James is talking to believers, he's he's telling them what your faith should be doing to you as evidence to other people. He's not saying that works is what saves you.

SPEAKER_00 45:32

Right.

SPEAKER_02 45:34

And so James is a nice heart check because it it puts us into perspective of like, I have this free gift of salvation. What am I doing with it? Am I am I is it showcasing in my life?

SPEAKER_01 45:46

Well, and that was what was really interesting was as we were debating this whole topic, one of the things that it was just crazy we came to was I realized that I was of this mindset that yes, salvation is a free gift, but I still have to, at that point, that salvation is that gift. I have to now do works to keep my salvation going.

SPEAKER_03 46:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:09

And that's a lie. That's not biblical at all. And I think that like this is me like a month ago having this realization. And so it's like the Bible is really clear and it talks about all of this stuff. And so I think it's just so beautiful to know that I don't have to carry the weight of my salvation. I don't have to do everything right in order to remain saved.

SPEAKER_03 46:33

That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 46:34

I just have to remain in Jesus and I have to confidently trust in him. The Bible says here that salvation is confidently trusting and relying on Jesus Christ alone. It is through him alone and me and my trust in him, remaining in the vine, and him remaining in me. It is one day when we are all faced with God the Father, and we are all whether you're gonna spend eternity with him or you're gonna be separated from him for eternity, which is awful to think about. It's a reality. Every single person is going to profess Jesus as Lord, whether you accept him or not. The sad part is that you don't want to do that after you have already risked your entire eternity on it, and now you cannot go to heaven with him. You don't want to profess his name as Jesus' Lord from hell and then have to go experience hell for the all of eternity that never ends. You want to do it now while there is still time. There is still time today because his mercies are new every single day. So don't run away from him today. If you feel the inclination of the Lord, he is standing there pacing the floor, waiting for you to acknowledge him and accept him as Lord and Savior over your life. And you don't even know how good it is until you take that leap of faith and you say, God, I'm just gonna trust and I'm gonna jump right now. So right now, Jesus, I repent for my sins, God. I pray that you would you would save me, God. I acknowledge you as Jesus' Lord, God. You died on the death, the death of a sinner. You died my sins on that cross. You took my sins on you and died on that cross for me, so that I can be with you and that you can bridge the gap for me and God the Father. So thank you, God. I acknowledge you. I acknowledge your death. I acknowledge you resurrected three days later by the same power that lives in me now, the Holy Spirit. And God, I thank you that you have saved me for all eternity. Lord, that I would cling to you, that you would lead me and shepherd me. God, that I would follow you and learn about you, and that you would prune my life and my heart. And Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice for me. Yeah, and you are saved.

SPEAKER_02 48:43

That's so good. That's so good.

SPEAKER_01 48:48

He became the source of eternal salvation and eternal inheritance to all those who obey him. That's in Hebrews. Jesus loves you and he's standing at the door waiting. You don't have to do everything right. You just have to run to him. He loves you, he died for you, he created you for him.

SPEAKER_03 49:08

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 49:09

He didn't just have you so you could be separate. He wants you. He wants to be close and to fill you with the love and the true peace that Muhammad can't give you. The true peace that no other God can give you, but only Jesus Christ alone. It is him alone who is the mediator between all of mankind and God the Father. And it's through him alone that salvation is found.

SPEAKER_02 49:35

Yeah. We don't want to be standing and hear, depart from me, I never knew you. The Bible says that there are those that will say, Well, Lord, Lord, I I I casted out demons in your name. Look what I did. Look at all the things. Like, what do you mean? The thing is, those people are the ones that trusted in themselves, their works to get them there. You notice how their wording is not, I'm here because of Jesus. No, no, no. I'm here because of what I did. Look at everything that I did. Without Jesus, it all means nothing. So we pray that this blesses you, that it challenges you. Just lean in. Lean in, just like Steph said. Lean in to Jesus. Trust Jesus. Trust Him. Trust Him alone. He's the only one. The only one that can do it. The only one that can save you from yourself, from your sin that we're all guilty of. You don't want to pay that penalty. You don't want to pay it. And you shouldn't, because it's already been paid for. This has been counterculture with Caleb and Stephanie.

SPEAKER_01 51:00

We love you guys.

SPEAKER_02 51:01

We love you so much.