You Can Know for Sure
Introduction:
You may have heard someone say, “The Bible is too
difficult to understand so you can’t be certain about
what it teaches.” So if you have strong convictions
about Biblical teachings, you are considered dogmatic,
legalistic, or maybe a Bible thumper! Can we be certain
about basic Bible teachings? Let’s read
Luke 1:1-4.
“Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a
narrative of those things which have been fulfilled
among us, just as those who from the beginning were
eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to
us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect
understanding of all things from the very first, to
write to you an orderly account most excellent
Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those
things in which you were instructed.”
NKJV
Here the inspired wrier Luke reveals that he had
investigated all things carefully or accurately. He had
gone to the original sources for this information. His
purpose for doing this was so that his readers might
know the “certainty” of those things they had been
taught. The Greek word “know” denotes exact or full
knowledge while the Greek word “certainty” means
steadfast, firm, not liable to fall.
So the Bible is not a collection of uncertain teachings
but rather something we can know. Listen to the words
of Romans 15:14 as well as John 8:32 and II Peter
2:21.
Romans 15:14
“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren,
that you also are full of goodness, filled with all
knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”
John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free.” II Peter 2:21
“For it would have been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to
turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”
NKJV
Body:
I.
The Deity of Jesus
·
Some claim Jesus was just a good moral teacher or, at
most, a prophet. But we can be certain He was more than
that. He was deity – the Son of God.
John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.” 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.”
NKJV
II.
How the Non-Christian Is Saved
·
Jesus taught that only a few will be saved.
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there
are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate
and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there
are few who find it.”
NKJV
Only those who freely choose the narrow way will inherit
eternal life.
·
The sinner must first come to believe in Jesus as the
Son of God, the risen Savior.
John 8:24
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins,
for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in
your sins.”
NKJV
This faith then leads the sinner to repent and confess.
Luke 13:3
“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all
likewise perish.” Acts 17:30 “Truly, these
times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all
men everywhere to repent,” 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.”
NKJV
The final step necessary for the forgiveness of sins is
an immersion in water [baptism].
Acts 2:38
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of
you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.’ ”
NKJV
·
Then the Christian must continue to walk in the light of
God’s Word by confessing and repenting of their sins.
I John 1:7-9
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanse us from all sin. If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not is us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
NKJV
III.
Jesus Built Only One Church
·
The Bible knows nothing of “join the church of your
choice.” Rather it teaches Jesus built only one church
and that He is the head of that one body.
Matthew 16:18-19
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this
rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades
shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the
keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven.” Ephesians 5:23
“For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is
head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body.”
NKJV
·
The Bible also teaches that being a member of Christ’s
church is essential to salvation.
Acts 2:41
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized;
and that day about three thousand souls were added to
them.” Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love
your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and
gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse
her with the washing of water by the word, that He might
present her to Himself a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should
be holy and without blemish.”
NKJV
IV.
There Is A Heaven and A Hell
·
Of this we can be certain! They are both very real
places. Heaven is a place of love, joy, and happiness.
Revelation 21:3-4
“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell
with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself
will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more
pain, for the former things have passed away.’ ”
NKJV
Hell is a place of torment and suffering.
Matthew 25:41, 46
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand,
‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire
prepared for the devil and his angels:
46
And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but
the righteous into eternal life.’ ” II
Thessalonians 1:8-9 “in flaming fire taking
vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”
NKJV
Conclusion:
There are many other teachings of the Bible of which we
can be certain, but time does not allow it today. We
know for sure that on the Day of Judgment everyone will
be judged by the Word of God.
I Corinthians 15:1-2
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I
preached to you, which also you received and in which
you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast
that word which I preached to you – unless you believed
in vain.” Revelation
20:12
“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before
God, and books were opened. And another book was
opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were
judged according to their works, by the things which
were written in the books.”
NKJV
Bobby Stafford
August 23, 2015
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