Salvation & Witnessing #83

What does it mean to be "saved?"  How does a person obtain eternal salvation?  Once I'm saved, how can I lead others to salvation from their sins through Jesus Christ?

Terry, Dan and Brian tackle these questions in this edition of "Finish Strong."  They'll walk you down the "Romans Road to Salvation" and explain what it truly means to be saved.  They will teach you some powerful and practical ways to share your faith with others.

Discover a deeper walk with Jesus and learn how to let the light of God shine through you each and every day!

Transcript

Dan Wheeler: 0:02

Okay, so you've probably heard the terms saved, and salvation. But what does it really mean? What does it mean to be saved? And do I have to be saved? And if so, what am I saved from? My name is Dan Wheeler. I'm one of your hosts on Finish strong. And the other two hosts are Terry Steen and Bryan rollin, guys, you know, as all three of us kind of grown up in the church, we know what saved and salvation means. We almost just take it for granted. But I'm sure that if you're not a Christian, those are kind of strange terms.

Terry Steen: 0:36

Yeah, what what do

Dan Wheeler: 0:38

I need to be saved from?

Terry Steen: 0:41

And when you think about it, this may be the one most central important point of being a Christian. And for some reason, maybe it's because we, like you say, have been in the church all this time, but it's our 83rd episode, and we're coming into this right now. But how important is salvation to a Christian? Yeah,

Brian Roland: 1:05

yeah. And you know, it's, it's funny, because some people you talk to undergo what I need to be saved for. I believe in God. Saved. I'm a good person. Yeah. And it's, this is a good topic. We're gonna cover some good stuff today.

Dan Wheeler: 1:20

Yeah. In the Bible, we read in Romans 10, verse nine, that if we confess with our mouth, the Lord Jesus, and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. Okay. Is that all there is to it?

Brian Roland: 1:37

Well, let's, let's break it down. Let's look at the confession of sins and repentance. Repentance itself or a confession of sin, and repenting is the same thing like have repenting is turning around, if you're going one way, you clearly do a 180 and go the other way, saying, Okay, I don't want to go that way anymore. I'm trying to, I want to stop, I want to get out of that lifestyle. And so you're repenting from that you're going the other way. Romans 10, nine through 10 says, If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. That says that for it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confessed and are saved. And it's interesting, is it because we are telling people that we believe in Jesus, and that we've, we've confessed to him, that we want him in our heart? And we're saying that people see that in us. And that's what the Bible saying if those other verses talks about if you don't confess Me, I won't. You don't say you know, me, I don't know you to the Father. I know I'm throwing my own words in there.

Dan Wheeler: 2:50

If we don't confess them before men, he won't confess us to the Father. Yeah. Right.

Brian Roland: 2:54

And I often think about that when people say, Oh, you Christian, first thing that hits me and I'm going Yes, I am. I'm not going to back down from that, because I know what the Bible says. And I believe that that's what would happen. But then, let's look at repentance. Repentance, would be the now I gotta put some notes here for that. So the Bible clearly teaches us at the moment a person turns from his sin and trust in Jesus to be forgiven of his sin, he is saved. So it's when we turn away from that sin to and we believe in Jesus. It's interesting that Jesus when he was healing, a couple of people, especially the paraplegic was the first thing he said, he goes, Your sins are forgiven. And then he held them in because he saw his faith. And so he healed them right there, but his sins were forgiven. And that's what he does. When we confess our sins. He, he cleans, it makes the slate clean. Yeah, he is our passage to heaven, and we have eternity with Him.

Dan Wheeler: 3:55

Yeah, we go back to Adam and Eve, they sinned. And sin separates us from God. So when that happened, we needed a bridge to God. And in the Old Testament, they were doing sacrifices and having to kill animals and burn incense. But Christ came to be the sacrifice once and for all. That's why what Brian is saying is so important that we need to confess our sins, we need to repent, turn 180 There's kind of this hyper Grace movement going around to the church that I think is very dangerous that says, Oh, I can live the way I want because God's gracious, he always forgives me. No, God says turn when Brian was talking about repentance, turning 180 means I don't want to sin anymore. I don't want that lifestyle. I'm turning from an ongoing, you know, and I remember as a kid, whenever there was an altar call, I was going forward. I just kept wanting to get saved because I wanted to be sure. And so once we really are saved and we've really made that decision, but I think we have to come to the point where we say okay, Lord, I'm sin. I confess I'm sorry, forgive me, but I'm going to do better. We have to try and live by the Spirit, not by the flesh. What does it mean to be saved? It means you are saved from the consequences of sin. What are the consequences? eternal separation from God? All right, you know, is separation from God. And so Terry, I mean, it's not quite as easy as people want to make it. I mean, you can't just say, I'm sorry, Lord, and then just keep going and live in the way you want.

Terry Steen: 5:29

Right? Yeah, exactly. And I remember when I was a kid, I was so far the other way that I felt like any sin that I committed, I was going to hell. And that's why I had that, like, you're saying, you had to go to the altar, you had to keep confessing every even if you didn't feel like or know you were sinning. And so there are many perceptions out there. But I think there's one process that I've heard called the Romans road. And if you're not a Christian, listen to us as we talk through this. If you are a Christian, what a great witnessing tool. This could be. It's so hard, it feels overwhelming sometimes to get to the right scripture and be able to walk somebody through and back it up biblically. But this will do that for you. And it starts with that first step, which is Romans 323. And it says, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Being good doesn't get it. We've all sinned, and that has to be established. So many people that I've interacted and talked with feel like they're a good person, and they're gonna make it there's no reason God wouldn't accept them because they're a good person. But we have to realize being good isn't good enough. Hmm. So, because sin we've all sinned, and what is sin? Do it separates us from God. So how can we be saved if we're separated from God? So we need a solution? How can we not be separated from God any longer? That leads to the second step, which is Romans five, eight. And it says, But God demonstrates His own love toward us. And that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Amen. So that second piece is so critical because it establishes His unconditional love. So many people talk about, you don't know all the things I've done, there's no way God's going to forgive me. I might as well not even try. God loves you, no matter what you've done. It's established there. We're not lovable. He loved us anyhow. We're sinners. He loved us. Anyhow, he loved us so much that He gave His Son which was the only way to salvation.

Dan Wheeler: 8:08

So the first step, we're all sinners separate from God, the solution, Christ's salvation, second step he gave gives us hope, because he loved us while we were yet unlovable. So I got those first two steps. Okay, Brian, what's step number three?

Brian Roland: 8:24

Oh, Romans 623 says, For the wages of sin is death. So I think we're finding out right there what, what sin does, it is death. But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. If we if we serve sin, those are the wages that we are gathering. And it's going, it's something we deserve. And we're going to we're going to, we're going to be penalized for that. It's a shame as the death and it's going to be attorney without God. But if we serve God, we get eternal life as a gift. And it's something that that we didn't deserve. I think Paul said, he said, choose life, when you make a choice, and that's what he's talking about. Because it's the breaking the law of God, it's punishment, and the punishment is death. But Jesus paid the price who wouldn't have to face that punishment? And so when we confess with our hearts, and repent, when we talked about before, it's, we're a new creature in Christ. And we have the knowledge of knowing where we're going, when that's done. And then that leads into what the Bible tells us in Romans eight one, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So those who walked not after the flesh, we're talking that those that are walking after the Spirit, and it's anyone who is accepting Christ is no longer condemned, excuse me, but has eternal life. So they're not going to be going to hell, and they don't know. They don't need to feel guilty anymore. And like you We're seeing every time you did something here the run up to the altar. And but that's not what it's about. I thought the same thing I thought it was a big film, you know, he's coming down to get me because everybody did something wrong. And that bothered me and I looked at turned away from it for a while because I said I don't I don't believe it. And it wasn't true. Which I found out later

Dan Wheeler: 10:19

on that he's not that thumb. He loves you. Right. Yeah,

Brian Roland: 10:23

exactly. Exactly. Yeah, one of the greatest

Terry Steen: 10:26

things about salvation is that peace that not having to feel guilty, right, you're on Earth, you know, no condemnation.

Brian Roland: 10:34

And what you're seeing the two when people feel guilty, it's it's, it's them, because they feel guilty about themselves. God has forgiven it, he's washed it away. We don't want to let it go. Because it's like, well, how can he How can you forgive me for this, you know, but it's true. Okay?

Dan Wheeler: 10:49

Watch their way. So those are the first four steps or first four stops on the Romans road. We've got, you know, the that we're all separated from God. That's the problem sin, the original sin separate us to we were unlovable, but God loved us even while we're unlovable, and he his son, he sent his Son so that we can have salvation, the only way by the way, then we read in Romans 623, that God has a law and there's a publish, punishment for not keeping the wages of sin is death. But Jesus paid the penalty, so we don't have to. And then Brian was just telling us step four, that anyone accepting Christ is no longer condemned. And we can know that. And then step five, the final step to being saved, is to believe that you're a sinner is found in Romans 10, nine, we've quoted a couple times today and have faith that Jesus died for our sins, and made a way to gods. And if you believe that, then you confess, and that's your kind of confirmation. And Brian, I thought it was interesting the other day, when you said, Well, this confession, you typed, this is confession, really a testimony? And it kind of is it's an testimony that I confessed Jesus as my Lord. Right. And this is my my way now. So that's really what salvation is. Terry, that's, that's the Romans road. Yeah, yeah. And I think that it would be appropriate that as we've walked through this step, and maybe these steps, and maybe somebody has been listening very intently, and that God has spoken to them, of their need for salvation, that they realize they're a sinner. And maybe we should just pray a prayer that they could pray with us, to accept Christ to be saved. Right now. Amen. That's

Terry Steen: 12:45

the beauty. It can happen any time. You don't have to be in church, you don't have to be with a minister. You don't have to be at an altar somewhere. Because God hears you. As you pray, as we've said, He loves you.

Dan Wheeler: 13:01

Maybe you've tried what you think is everything else. You've tried all these philosophies, Eastern philosophies, maybe you tried all kinds of different churches. I'm going to tell you later on about a lady I was talking to, at the villages up by where Brian lives that was that way. But this is Terry, this is your chance. And Terry, if you wouldn't mind, for those that want to bow their heads and pray right now? Why delay it? Why delay it and do it now?

Terry Steen: 13:27

Exactly. All you have to do is say something like father, I realized now that I'm a sinner, that we're all sinners, and we all fall short. Yes, and that you love us despite our sin, sin separates us, but you brought away for us to have that sin removed, and that's through your Son, who you allowed to die on the cross for each of our individual sins. And I believe that and I accept that. I believe Jesus died for my sins. And now I don't have to die. Jesus did it for me, and I accept Christ. I'm willing to confess Him, I'm no longer guilty or under condemnation, because Jesus's blood has washed My sense of way. And I believe it. I have faith for each day that Jesus is my Savior, my lord, the person whom I will bow to the person whom I will live my life for. And I confess that today that I'm going to live for him the rest of my days. And I thank you, Jesus for dying on the cross. And for that forgiveness, in Jesus name. Amen.

Dan Wheeler: 14:46

Amen. Well, if you prayed that prayer, we'd love to hear from you. You can go on our Facebook page, which is fearless faith at EFF fearless faith FM If I'm 60, we have three logos, we love to know that you prayed that prayer with us. And then once you become a Christian, and as you grow in your faith, you want to share your faith. There's something called the Great Commission.

Terry Steen: 15:15

Yeah, that is found in the last chapter of Matthew, one of the last things Jesus was telling his disciples listen to the command that he's told His disciples, which is for us, were his disciples to go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even to the ends of the earth. So we have to disciple we have to teach, we have to baptize, that's his command, if we're not doing that. That's one of the primary functions that God has asked us to do, as Christians here on Earth. It really

Dan Wheeler: 16:06

is. You know, when the, when Jesus was getting ready to leave the Earth, that was his call to us, he said, Brian, he said, Go into all the earth and teach that nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, and but Brian, even if we can't go to other nations, we talked to people every day,

Brian Roland: 16:26

right? My neighborhood is my nation we're living at. And that's true for everyone. We've had the privilege of traveling around the world, I know you and I have Dan and Terry, and a lot of people haven't. And they're just some people have never left their home state, which I find interesting. But it's still true. But those those are your people right there. Those are the people that you reach out to, they're the ones that that you you love, then that they they see love that you're giving them. I mean, what did Jesus say love others, like I loved you. That's what, that's what he told us, he wanted us to do. And just by doing that, if you love somebody, you're not going to be hateful to them, you're not going to curse them out, you're not going to get upset with them, you're going to love them. And that's what it's about. And that's what he said about you start with your neighborhood start right where you're at, and then expand it out from there. Yeah,

Dan Wheeler: 17:22

they'll know your questions. They'll know your follow me by your love lovers of God. And he that loveth is born of God knoweth God, He that loveth not knoweth not God. So, you know, that's very important that loving and Terry, we can speak volumes by how we live, we don't always have to use a lot of words, people see our character.

Terry Steen: 17:43

That's right, that's what I was just going to mention is that we would probably be shocked as to how much we're being watched, especially if we say we're a Christian. And they're aware of that. And if we say we're a Christian, that kind of puts the antenna up in, they want to see if we're putting our life where our mouth is kind of thing. So that's so important. And like you say, loving, that's the key and John 1334 35 A new command, I give you that you love one another as I've loved you. By this, they will know that you are my disciples. So if there's no other way that someone can tell you're a Christian, it better be by your love.

Dan Wheeler: 18:31

Boy, that's so true. So true. You know, Brian, you and I had a an interesting experience. So the week you were there with me, Deb was there. Remember, we met that couple and the guys were from Ohio. One was from Michigan, but they're both Ohio State fans. We're having fun and going on. And then then we kind of moved away. And the lady, the one lady after while she said she realized that she recognized my voice when I told her us. And QVC said, Oh, I know who you were. And then she came over and sat down next to me. And just started talking, and I'm not even sure how it opened up. But she said that she had been an all these she tried the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church and, and the Catholic Church has raised a Catholic and she said to me, she said, you know, Dan, I really feel like things are getting better. And we're gonna move into a better time. And you know, God just gave me wisdom. I could feel Brian and Deb praying for me because she was, you know, direct these questions to me and I was like, Okay, Lord, let's go for let's be bold. And I said, Well, I think I know pretty much what you're saying. You think it's the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, you think we're going to want come into the state of higher consciousness and all that righteous? Yeah. I said very familiar with the New Age Movement. I told her Brian and I worked on this documentary. And I said, Can I be honest with you? I think that's a bunch of baloney. And I said The Jesus Christ said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. I said, we went to these conventions where they were accepting Buddhism and Confucianism, Tao ism and energy transfers and transcend them. I said, it's all garbage. It's all false. I said, there's only one person who ever claimed to be God, that was Jesus Christ. No other leader of a religion has done that. One time, a Buddha was just a man. And he came up with his philosophy that we needed to escape our physical life. He died and he remained dead. He's Confucius in the tomb. Mohammed formed Islam because he was mad at the Christians. And she just looked at me. But then she was so receptive to it, wasn't she, Brian, she, she was like, Wow, that's great. And then she wants to know about my book, she want to know about our ministry. She said she was gonna watch fellas face, she was gonna get my book, hurricane of love. And you know what? It taught me that people want to hear the truth. And we were doing them a disservice when we just say, Oh, that's interesting. Yeah. You know, no, we have to say, we know, we know, we found the truth. And if we stick with that conviction, people are gonna listen. Boy, it taught me a lesson.

Brian Roland: 21:15

It sounds like it sounds like the disciples, you know, it's like, they got in bold, and bold. And when when they saw Christ after he returned, it's like, wow, we're ready to go out, especially when the Holy Spirit came down. They're on fire. And they weren't going to stop. They don't care what anybody was saying about it. They're gonna know I saw it. I know.

Dan Wheeler: 21:32

Well, after she she loved your wife, Deb said could job do. Without that wasn't me. That was that was the Holy Spirit. Because I've never been able to be that bold. And from now on, I was in store today. And I got my stuff. And I think I might have shared this with you guys. But I told the lady, you know, I'm having a rough day, because my, one of my best childhood friends had died. This is so important to know where you're going and, and know Jesus and how many hearts she goes, Well, I don't know about that. And I started talking to her. I said, Ma'am, no, I do know, I know about that. It is the only way she was? Well, gosh, good for you.

Terry Steen: 22:17

You know, I, you know, Dan, your antenna kind of went up on a couple of those things. And I think one thing we have to do as Christians, we can't just be plowing through life, we have to listen well. We have to get our spiritual antennas up and be listening for the opportunity. But listening for somebody who might be down might be in need, might be depressed, might have had someone lose their best friend. And that may be just the opportunity for that point in that person's life for someone like us to come along and speak into their life. And that may be just the at the point that they're ready to hear what we have to say. So we need to be listening for God's speaking as to who we talk to, when we talk to him where we talk to him. I feel in my life, I have let many opportunities go by because I haven't been as receptive as I should and listened well.

Brian Roland: 23:23

I had a thought but it just passed my mind. I was listening to you so

Dan Wheeler: 23:28

teria whatever happens to me all the time. You know, but that's that's really true, Terry, and you know, Brian, I think what you were maybe thinking of is that we need to be praying for the Holy Spirit's wisdom that we don't pass those opportunities. There's people sitting on the street with signs begging for help. They're a ready made audience Let's go sit down and talk to him. Let's hear their story. Let's listen let's take time you know that's a gift that we have now that we're retired that's not what

Brian Roland: 23:59

I was thinking. I was thinking but

Dan Wheeler: 24:01

I did remember okay it's what was my point a good one anyway,

Terry Steen: 24:06

it was a very it was a good idea

Brian Roland: 24:13

what Terry saying your antennas up but I know that I pray that the people that I run into that that the Lord softens their heart, that they'll be receptive they want to be receptive and that so I just pray that every day before I go out or when I wake up from meet somebody today or pray that their their heart you soften their hearts, though they'll be receptive want to hear,

Dan Wheeler: 24:34

but that's a perfect segue into our final section on finishing strong. How do we finish strong sharing our faith with others and why that's a great idea. Brian, praying that God will prepare the soil because Terry, you know, Jesus talked about the hard soil that didn't accept the Word and nothing you know, when the sun was up, it was scorched, but the good soil and good fertile ground for that grew and it bore fruit.

Terry Steen: 24:59

Yeah, we need to pray every day that God puts that right person in our path that God puts someone in our path. Can you imagine it? God saying now? I'm not going to do that for you? Yes, we know God's gonna do it. Yeah. And we have to be ready. Okay, man,

Dan Wheeler: 25:18

what an opportunity. We're having you on Brian up where you live, man, those are people we are age, they are ready what that guy says God's waiting room, you've got such a fertile mission field there. We don't have to go around the world.

Brian Roland: 25:33

And then, you know, I said, I mentioned it before in the morning cup, is that Deb and I love to go to the restaurants around here. And we really enjoy that. Some girls got some good food, some places, but we we always sit at the bar. And we sit right in a corner so we can be like facing each other. But when we're there, we meet everybody. They're all they're all. They're all so eat at the bar. And when we start talking to them, and inevitably, it's you know, what do you do? Well, I'm a fearless faith. And it was fearless faith. In course that right? They're talking about about it too with us. And we, we share we share the word with people right there to tell them how to reach us. And people always pull out their phones. And he put this in here and let me write this down. And they're calling your website into our finished drawing. But it's our chance and that's that's that's the people that I'm praying that God softwares are hurt before we go and I've always been able to share what what I do and what I believe.

Dan Wheeler: 26:24

Yeah. Well, we've got a great opportunity. And you do too, you who are listening. Maybe you feel like you just haven't done much witnessing and it's never too late to start. Or maybe you are saying I need Jesus, I need something in my life. I've tried these other philosophies I've I've looked for the Age of Aquarius. And when you get to the end of the rainbow, there's no pot of gold. Well answer Jesus is waiting for you right now. And it doesn't have to be the end of the road it can be the beginning of a new life. So just ask Him into your heart. Ask him to forgive you of your sins. Say Lord, I want you to be in charge of my life. I want you to lead me guide me I want to serve you. There is no better life to live than a life that is serving Jesus and working for the Kingdom. Well guys, another great episode of finish strong. And I always say I'm glad I'm finishing strong with you guys. Were three lifelong friends since college days and we had hair and when we were immature before we became so mature we'll stay mature. Stay strong, finish strong. And we'll have hope that you will join us for our next episode of finish strong God bless everybody.

John Matarazzo: 27:52

Thank you for listening to finish strong. For more information about finish strong and fearless faith. Check out their website s face.org. Make sure that you rate and review this podcast to help more people accomplish their God given purpose so that together we can finish strong