BOTTOM LINE: Being saved isn’t about what you know; it’s about who you know.

INTRO

Matt’s salvation pic…

TENSION

Did I mean it?

  • I didn’t know about: justification; adoption; sanctification; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; atonement; regeneration; predestination; inerrancy of Scripture; the Trinity; Christ’ Lordship
  • I didn’t know I would:
    • Run from God’s call.
    • Get it trouble… a lot.
    • Be faced w/trials and temptation.

So, was I really saved at 5 years old? Did I do it…

  • To fit in?
  • To please an adult?
  • To make an altar call end?

Being saved isn’t about what you know; it’s about who you know.

TRUTH

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:8-12

  • Context: Who is Paul? Paul is imprisoned a 2nd time in Rome, and writes his final letter to Timothy.
  • Background: Timothy struggles with timidness and doubt. God gives Paul the words to give Timothy confidence in his salvation and calling.

Confidence in Salvation…

  1. It’s possible. “THAT DAY”

Look at what Paul faced.

  • That day = expiration date
  • This was Paul’s second Roman imprisonment.
  • Cf. 4:6 – “The time of my departure is at hand.”
  • Many scholars believe Paul died about 6 months after writing this letter.

Look at what we all face.

  • Hebrews 9:27 – Everyone has an expiration date
  • “After that” – 2 possible destinations after death
    • Eternal death in hell (Rev. 20:13-15)
    • Life & immortality (v.10)
  • We don’t know our expiration date – even teens!

Look at what Jesus did.

  • “Through the gospel…”
  • What’s the gospel? 1 Cor. 15:3-4
    • Christ died for our sins.

Look at Paul’s confidence.

  • I am not ashamed – 2 words in NT
    • Aisychynō – Used in the Bible to denote honor/shame paradigm (personal)
    • *Epaisychynomai – Use in the Bible to denote denial, abandonment, disassociation, doubt, or resignation of another (relational)
      • Mark 8:38 – For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
      • Rom 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
      • Heb. 2:11 – That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers
      • Heb. 11:16 – Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God
    • Facing death, Paul refused to doubt or disassociate with Jesus.
  • I am convinced – peitho: Persuade, trust, confidence, rely

It’s possible!

  1. It’s powerful. “HE IS ABLE TO GUARD MY DEPOSIT”

What was the deposit? His life.

  • Probably entrusted to him (God)
  • Probably referred to his life.

Confidence for today.

Jude 24 – “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling…”

  • His ministry
  • His personal holiness
  • His necessities
  • His peace
  • Cf. 4:7 – Fought a good fight…

Confidence for the life to come (Cf. 4:18).

  • In death
  • In judgment
  • In eternity w/Christ

The power of confidence in salvation is that you can go all-in for Jesus!

ILLUSTRATION: THE HUNTER VS. THE LOGGER

  1. It’s plain and simple. “I KNOW WHO I HAVE BELIEVED”

He didn’t look to his smarts.

  • Gnostics/sophists vs. atheists
  • 2 Cor. 12 -> Taken up the 3rd heaven; heard things that cannot be told
  • Schooled in Judaism

He didn’t look to his life.

  • Planted 20 churches
  • 2 Cor. 11 – Beaten 3x; shipwrecked 3x
  • Arrested 3x; spent 5.5 years in prison
  • 13 books of the Bible

He looked to the moment he believed in Jesus.

  • I know who…it’s a who
  • Believed (active, perfect…same tense as tetelestai)
    • He looked back to the day he said “I believe”
    • Believe in what? “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor. 15:3).
    • This is all you need in order to be saved.
  • It’s not about how much you know: AWANA; deep Bible study
  • It’s not about what you’ve done: baptism; catechism; church attendance; sword drills; Bible memorization

BACK TO ILLUSTRATION: WHICH ONE BELIEVED? Both.

  • Salvation isn’t subjective, it’s objective, and Jesus is the object.
  • It’s not about the size of your faith, it’s about the subject to whom your faith is attached.
  • “For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 7:20)

Being saved isn’t about what you know; it’s about who you know.

APPLICATION

#1 – Reach up.

Believe in Jesus. Make tonight your moment!

Find confidence in your salvation. Go back to that moment.

#2 – Reach out

Problem No.1 – The majority of people in the world haven’t heard the gospel, and are destined for an eternal hell unless they hear and believe.

Problem No.2 – Christians are living as if Problem No.1 doesn’t exist.

If it’s not a what, but a who, anyone can share the G.O.S.P.E.L.!

LANDING

Prayer Time