October 2: Are you saved?

Romans 3:21-4:25

Sep 21, 2005
TROY BUSH

Troy Bush is the minister of evangelism and missions at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.

One missionary in Russia passionately told us, “If we can get them to read the Bible they will be saved.” Really? Will people be saved if they just read the Bible?

People frequently call it, “The Sinners Prayer.” It is the prayer often written at the end of a Gospel tract. It is the simplest of prayers a person may say to God when they want to be forgiven of their sins. At some evangelistic events the goal, it seems, is to do whatever is necessary to get people to say the words of this prayer. Will people be saved if they simply repeat this prayer?

In our passion to see people accept Christ we sometimes place too much confidence in our means and methods. In an evangelism training course that I am currently teaching, I tell the participants there are no silver bullets or magical words. Sharing the Gospel and making disciples is not dependent upon well-worded phrases or tactics borrowed from a sales course.

The Apostle Paul instructs us in these matters in Romans 3. Three truths help us in this discussion. First, Paul teaches that the law continues to play an important role. Jesus’ death and resurrection did not terminate the law. Instead, His death and resurrection affirmed the law and they fulfilled the law (see also Matt. 5:17). The law, however, continues to judge and to work as a schoolteacher, pointing people to Jesus Christ (see also Gal. 3:24).

The law reveals and illuminates our sinfulness. It exposes our need for salvation. In verse 20 Paul says, “For no flesh will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.”

Our sinfulness also leads us to attempt to address the matter ourselves. We strive to be a better person or we read the Bible. We might even pray a particular prayer or attend a Bible study or a church. These noble acts, however, do not remove the judgment of our sin. Works and attempted-obedience are never sufficient to overcome our sinfulness.

The second truth we should understand is that everyone has broken the law. Every person has fallen short of the glory of God. There are no age exceptions. No ethnic or religious exceptions are noted. No circumstances exempt a person from this judgment. Each person is personally guilty and personally responsible for his sin. In verse 23 Paul says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

The third truth ties these thoughts together and returns us to the beginning of this discussion. In verse 28 Paul declares, “For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” To be justified means that the full demands of the law have been satisfied. The demand for perfect obedience is satisfied, and the demand for the death of everyone who violates even one element of the law is satisfied. Yet, Paul says that a person is justified apart from the works of the law.

The law, still active today, cannot bring salvation. Its role is to be a schoolmaster, exposing our sinfulness, even judging us. Praying a prayer, reading certain verses or even the entire Bible, or completing a Bible study will never satisfy the demands of the law. They will not overcome our sinfulness and remove the judgment of death upon us. Paul teaches us that the demands of the law are satisfied only through faith. We can meet the demands of the law (justification) only through our dependence upon and trust in Jesus Christ. Justification is received through faith that Jesus was judged in our place, though He did not deserve judgment. The words of a prayer will not save. Salvation comes only by faith in Christ. We may express that faith through prayer, but we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ—alone. Do you trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation?

Email this Article Print this page