Who Can Be Saved?

This is a sequel to my previous article published in our Saturday bulletin on January 17, 2015.

Let us look at Eph. 2:8-9 (NIV) again:

“⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.”

As we know, grace is defined as unmerited favor. Meaning, we don’t deserve to be saved because we are sinners, and the penalty of sin is SPIRITUAL death (Romans 6:23), but because we believe what Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV), we are saved from the penalty of spiritual death. The question is: where is the Father? Of course, He is in heaven, and Jesus Christ is seated on His right hand (Eph. 1:20), “for he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressor’s (Isa. 53:12 NIV), that is why we can enter heaven.

But there is a condition before we, (the sinners), will be extended grace, that is, we must have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that He is the Only begotten Son of God and that He is also God (John 1:1). Thus, faith in Jesus Christ alone is needed to enter heaven. Nothing more, as the Word of God is definitely clear that it is not by works (Eph. 2:9) for it is the gift of God (vs. 8). Of course, salvation will result in good works (Eph. 2:10).

The question will be asked, “So what happens to the people who do not believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God; that He is God himself”; and He is the only savior of our soul? The answer is: No one goes to the Father in heaven EXCEPT through His Son Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

How do we know that someone is truly a believer of Jesus Christ? By their fruit, you will recognize them (Matt. 7:16 NIV). What is the fruit of the true believer? The one who exhibits LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL. In short, one who is born again in the SPIRIT (John 3:5-8) is a true believer of Jesus Christ. And a born again believer is the only one qualified to enter the Kingdom of God, or heaven (John 3:5), because only those born again have eternal life. Thus the Bible tells us. “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 KJV).