BEGINNER BASICS (1 OF 6)

Beginner Basics (1 of 6)
Basics for Believers
Steve Wagers
Ephesians 2:8-10
March 4, 2007

Sermon Outline
1. How Salvation is Explained!
A) The Depravity that Consumed Us
B) The Darkness that Controlled Us
2. How Salvation is Experienced!
A) The God of Grace
1) What He Did for Us
2) What He Did with Us
B) The Gift of Grace
3. How Salvation is Expressed!
A) By our Life
B) By our Love

I have always loved the hymn "Saved, Saved" written by J. P. Schofield. Schofield wrote that song after one of Mordecai Ham's meetings in Gonzales, Texas. Ham was preaching on the subject, "Christ our Refuge."

In the audience was a man that had killed 4 men. He listened to Ham explain that Christ is a refuge for sinners, of any and every stripe, and that the Cities of Refuge in the Old Testament are a type of Christ, who is a haven of hope and eternal forgiveness for all who will flee to Him.

Halfway through the sermon, the man jumped up from his seat and shouted, "Saved! Saved! Saved!" Sitting there in his seat, he found Christ as his refuge. Schofield was so inspired that the next afternoon he composed both the words and music for the song.

I've found a friend who is all to me,
His love is ever true.
I love to tell how He lifted me,
And what His grace can do for you.

Saved by His power divine,
Saved to new life sublime.
Life now is sweet, and
My joy is complete;
For I'm saved, saved, saved!

J. B. Gambrell said, "Salvation is the end of the Christian life, but it is the front end." In other words, he was saying that salvation is where the Christian life, journey and walk begin. It is the ‘front end" of the Christian life.

Being saved is the starting point, not the stopping place. Although God expects us to go on, salvation is where we get in. It is the beginning stage of the basics for believers.

I have always loved the word "saved." It is a great Bible word. The Greek word for saved speaks of being delivered, or re ...

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