The other day while I was doing my daily reading of the scriptures, I read the following passage in Titus 3:5 - “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” (NKJ) Here it says we are saved by God’s mercy through the vehicle of a spiritual rebirth. But I thought we were saved by God’s grace as found in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 5 - “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” (NKJ) This brings me to the question, What Does Save Us? What all is included in God’s plan of salvation? I decided to go through the Bible, which is the absolute authority on earth in things pertaining to God, and search for scriptures that pertain to our salvation. To my surprise there were different requisites that must be met for our salvation to be possible. One without the others is not enough according to the scriptures.
First lets take a look at what God has provided for our salvation.
Titus 2:11-14 - “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” (NKJ) This show us that we are saved by God’s grace which is the salvation that Jesus Christ bought with His own blood when He gave Himself freely as a sacrifice for our sins.
Titus 3:5 - “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” (NKJ) Paul tells us that we are saved by God’s mercy. Mercy can not be mercy unless it is in the power of the one showing mercy, to punish or do harm. Mercy is the opposite of cruelty in human standards, but God is not cruel. For He is just and righteous. When you show mercy, you either have the right or opportunity to harm, but refuse. Not punishing, not exacting the penalty that is just or due. God’s great love motivated that rich mercy. You can not have mercy without love.
John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (NKJ)From these scriptures and many more we can conclude that we are saved by God’s grace, mercy, and love.
Second, what God requires of us. God has always provided for His children what they could not provide for themselves. Such as the example of when the children of Israel where leaving Egypt and they came to the Red Sea. In front of them the Red Sea behind the Egyptians pursuing them. They did not have any weapons to fight with, what would they do? God could have elevated them over the Red Sea, or transported them, it was not beyond God’s power to do so. But God does not work in that manner. God parted the Red Sea, providing what the children of Israel could not provide on their own. Thus providing a way of deliverance from the death and danger of the Egyptians. Exodus 14:5-31.
God works in the same way today with His children as He worked back in the days of Moses. God has provided what mankind could not provide for himself. That is deliverance from the bondage, oppression, and if not dealt with, the death of sin. Instead of parting the Red Sea and the children of Israel walked on dry land. Jesus said in John 14:6 - “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (NKJ) Christ has paved the way for our salvation with His blood. Because it is “not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins."--Hebrews 10:4
Romans 10:9-10 - “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (NKJ) The apostle Paul said if we confess Jesus and believe with our heart that God raised Him from the dead one would be saved. Is that all that God requires of us? Not according to Jesus in Luke 13:3 - “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (NKJ)
Mark 16:16 - “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (NKJ) Jesus say’s if one believes and is baptized he shall be saved.
1 Peter 3:21 - “There is also an antitype which now saves us-- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” (NKJ) Peter tells us that baptism now saves us. Which is a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We now have believing, repentance, confession, baptism all save us.
Acts 16:30-33 - “And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” (NKJ)
In this example of conversion, we find that Paul and Silas tell the Philippian jailer to believe on the Lord Jesus and he would be saved. Then Paul and Silas go on to speak the word of the Lord to him, and the Jailer and his family were convicted that their belief required them to act upon the words of Paul and Silas. We are told because of their conviction they were baptized immediately. Was their faith alone enough? Not according to James 2:24 - “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (NKJ) Is hearing, believing, repenting, confessing, being baptized for the remission of sins all that God requires of us? Jesus said in, Matthew 24:13 - “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” (NKJ)
It is kind of like making an apple pie. If you leave out the apples, do you still obtain the desired result? No. If you leave out the sugar do you still achieve the desired goal? No. It is the same way with our salvation. Another example, if I want to go swimming? What is required for me to swim? If I stand before you stroking the air with my arms, am I swimming? If I stroke the air with my arms and kick my legs in the air, am I swimming? To swim I must have enough water, stroke my arms in the water, kick my legs in the water, and breath. If I leave one of these requirements out, I am not swimming.
We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God, on His part, has provided everything we need for salvation. So that leaves it up to us to humbly submit to God’s will as given in the New Testament. If we leave one of the requisites out that God has given, then we can not obtain the desired goal of a home with God in heaven.
Please do not take my word, but study the scriptures prayerfully with an open mind and heart to the truth. I am convinced that you will come to the same conclusion that I have. I would be glad to discuss this further or to answer any questions that you may have concerning God’s great plan of salvation.
“And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:9 (NKJ)