Salvation 101

In this 4 part mini-series, we jump into the book of Acts to understand the fundamentals of salvation. Walk through this series with a mentor or group!

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Shownotes

Today we’re starting a 4-week mini-series on salvation:

  • Today: Is anyone too far gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
  • Next week: How does conversion actually work? (Acts 9:1-19)
    • Looking at Saul’s conversion story
  • After that: How can you know if you’re really saved? (Acts 9:20-31)
    • Paul went about preaching the gospel immediately
    • The disciples in Jerusalem didn’t believe he was really saved!? After 3 years! 
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Even believers who have seen the power of God at work in their own lives can doubt God’s ability to change others.
  • Then: Did God Change How Salvation Works? (by works in OT, grace in NT) (Acts 10:1-11:18)
    • https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-salvation.html 
    • Circumcision
    • Sabbath
    • Temple
    • Kosher laws (Acts 10)
      • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) What was implicit in the teaching of Jesus is now made explicit. The clean and unclean provisions of the law were temporary, designed to keep Israel a holy and distinct people, until the time when Jews and Gentiles could receive the forgiveness of sins and sanctification on the same basis, through faith in Christ (Acts 20:32; 26:17-18; cf. 15:9, ‘having cleansed their hearts by faith’). By the time he explains the vision to Cornelius and his household, Peter recognises that he should no longer allow the levitical laws to keep him from associating with Gentiles (v. 28). The events that follow (vv. 30-48) make it clear that Gentiles do not have to become Jewish proselytes in order to benefit from the messianic salvation.
    • Acts 11:18 (NLT) 18 When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”
      • God’s role: he gave them the privilege
      • Sinner’s role: we repent and believe
      • Believer’s role: we stop objecting and begin praising

Q. Is anyone too far gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)

  • I often meet people who assume the answer is yes…
  • Past Sins: Many people believe that their past mistakes, whether big or small, make them unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness. They may feel too “dirty” or guilty to be accepted.
  • Current Sins: Those battling ongoing struggles, such as addiction or habitual sin, may feel trapped in their behavior and believe that God has turned away from them.
  • Feelings of Unworthiness: Some individuals struggle with low self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy. They may feel they’re not “good enough” for God because of how they perceive themselves, often because of sins against them.
  • Spiritual Doubts: People who struggle with doubt or uncertainty about their faith might think God would reject them for not being “strong” believers. Compare your faith with someone else’s.
  • Today we’re going to see the story of a guy who was definitely too far gone for God, at least from a Jewish religious perspective. But he kept seeking anyway, and he found the surprising answer to this question: No one is too far gone for God!
  • Let’s get to the text…

Desert Road

Acts 8:26 (NLT) 26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

  • Previously: Philip was in Samaria leading a revival!
  • Must have seemed strange that God would send him away from Samaria to a desert road going nowhere!
  • Away from Jerusalem, where God was on the move
  • Toward Gaza – either the old city, destroyed by Alexander Jannaeus in 96 BC, or the newer city which replaced it in 56 BC (Pillar New Testament Commentary)
  • (IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Philip might have no one to preach to on a little-traveled road that would lead by a deserted city, and after the revival in Samaria this command must seem absurd to him; but God had often tested faith through apparently absurd commands (e.g., Ex 14:16; 1 Kings 17:3-4, 9-14; 2 Kings 5:10). The term translated “south” can also mean “noon”; traveling at noon was very rare (see 22:6; comment on Jn 4:5-6), so this detail, if intended, would make the command seem even more absurd.
  • Barrett 1994, 422-3. There are 25 uses of mesēmbria in the LXX and all except Dn. 8:4, 9, appear to mean ‘midday’. Cf. Acts 22:6 for Saul’s conversion ‘at noon’ (peri mesēmbrian). Spencer 1997, 94, argues that travel at such an extraordinary time and under such unusual circumstances has the literary effect of suggesting an opportunity for ‘world shattering knowledge and experience’.
  • Desert road leading nowhere – is that where you find yourself metaphorically?
  • God sent Philip there with a message to share
  • Now he just had to see who was traveling down that road…

The Eunuch

Acts 8:27-28 (NLT) 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

  • Ethiopia = Cush in the Bible, not modern Ethiopia. Today, part of Sudan.
  • Is 11: 11 (NLT) In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people—those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia…
  • Zephaniah 3:10 (NLT) My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (Cush) will come to present their offerings.
  • Eunuch = devoted
  • to the queen
  • Castrated males held positions of honour and trust in oriental courts (cf. Herodotus, Persian Wars 8.105; Philostratus, Apollonius 1:33.6).
  • to the God of Israel
  • Traveled a long way to worship at the temple
  • Even though he could never become a full Israelite
  • Deut 23: (NLT) 1 “If a man’s testicles are crushed or his penis is cut off, he may not be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.”
  • (P. H. Kern, ‘Paul’s Conversion and Luke’s Portrayal of Character in Acts 8—10’) the eunuch represents ‘the ultimate outsider, not even capable of circumcision should he desire it, and inadmissible to the temple.’
  • Probably could go no further than the Court of the Gentiles, and could not even bring any sacrifices required by the Law
  • (D. R. Schwarts, ‘On sacrifice by Gentiles in the Temple of Jerusalem’, in Studies in the Jewish Background of Christianity (WUNT 60; Tübingen: Mohr, 1992), 102-116) Gentile sacrifices could have been regarded as gifts brought to the temple authorities for the upkeep of the building or for the use of others in the temple ritual, but not strictly for the benefit of the offerer.
  • Reading from Isaiah
  • Hungry for scripture
  • Devoted beyond the ritualistic trip

Acts 8:29 (NLT) 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

  • What a picture!
  • This is the verse we use to describe mentoring
  • Walk along beside someone to help them pursue God

Acts 8:30-31 (NLT) 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

  • More signs of his desperate search
  • Philip would have been nasty!
  • Yet the eunuch invited him to sit in his bougie carriage

The Passage

Acts 8:32-33 (NLT) 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.

And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

33 He was humiliated and received no justice.

Who can speak of his descendants?

For his life was taken from the earth.”

  • Isaiah 53:7b-
  • So he had already read this part:
  • 3 He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
  • The eunuch could relate!
  • 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
  • The eunuch recognized he was a sinner

Acts 8:34-35 (NLT) 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

  • Philip knew the secret: all of scripture points to Jesus
  • Beginning with this same Scripture (Is 53) implies Philip kept reading…

Isaiah 56:3-5 (NLT) 3 “Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD say,

‘The LORD will never let me be part of his people.’

And don’t let the eunuchs say,

‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’

4 For this is what the LORD says:

I will bless those eunuchs

who keep my Sabbath days holy

and who choose to do what pleases me

and commit their lives to me.

5 I will give them—within the walls of my house—

a memorial and a name

far greater than sons and daughters could give.

For the name I give them is an everlasting one.

It will never disappear!

Close

Q. Is anyone too far gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)

  • No! This is what the eunuch learned: his uncleanness, his unworthiness, his unJewishness, nothing could separate him from God anymore. Jesus opened the door for him with his death and resurrection, and the same is true for you. Don’t let your
  • Past Sins
  • Current Sins
  • Feelings of Unworthiness
  • Spiritual Doubts
  • …get in the way of a relationship with God.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • Gospel Close

Want to put your faith in Jesus? Check out this topic.

Talking Points:
  • We live in a world that encourages us to seek our own will, usually to the detriment of our spiritual health. You might be sitting here thinking about all the past mistakes and sins you’ve committed, wondering if it’s too late. Today as we start a new mini-series within our study of Acts, we’ll be asking the question: Is anyone too far gone for God?
  • Starting today in Acts 8, we see the story of a guy who was definitely too far gone for God, at least from a Jewish religious perspective. But he kept seeking anyway, and he found the surprising answer to this question: No one is too far gone for God!
  • After leading a revival in Samaria, God then sent Philip down a desert path that seemingly led nowhere of value. Doesn’t life feel like this sometimes? Regardless, Gad had equipped Philip with a message to share. Acts 8:26
  • Upon traveling down this road, Philip encountered a man seemingly unworthy of God’s attention: “a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia.” Philip began to understand why he was there… Acts 8:27-31
  • After walking alongside the eunuch, in more ways than one, Philip seized the opportunity to share the message of Jesus with him! He did not hesitate to share the good news, no matter how “unworthy” this guy seemed. Acts 8:34-35
  • Is anyone too far gone for God? No! This is what the eunuch learned: his uncleanness, his unworthiness, his unJewishness, nothing could separate him from God anymore. Jesus opened the door for him with his death and resurrection, and the same is true for you.
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. Before listening to the podcast, how would you have answered today’s question? What are some examples of things that might make us think we’re “too far gone for God”?
  3. Describe a time when you have felt unworthy, or have had spiritual doubt. Did this draw you closer to the Lord, or further?
  4. Read Acts 8:27-28. What are some things we can learn about the eunuch based on this passage? What made him “unworthy”?
  5. Despite the things he had done, what actually made the eunuch worthy of receiving Jesus’ good news? How is this applicable to all of us?
  6. Read Acts 8:29-30. Identify a ‘Philip’ in your own life. How has this person walked alongside you, and what are some ways God has used them to encourage you? 
  7. Read Romans 8:38-39. Are you convinced too? Or are you too far gone for God? Explain your answer.

Shownotes

How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?

  • Part 2 in our mini-series on “Salvation”
    • Last week: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
      • Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
    • Today: We’ll look at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
      • – and what we can generalize from his experience.
      • His case is so interesting, because 
        • One, we have it on record
        • Two, his later writings give us the answer to this question!
  • I want to start by asking you how it worked for you
    • How did you come to faith in Jesus? 
    • Or, for some of you: have you come to faith in Jesus?
      • If you’re not sure, we’ll invite you at the end of this message

First, what do we mean by conversion?

  • Sys Theo #8: “Elements of Salvation” 
    • Broadly speaking, salvation is the application of the work of Christ to the life of individual persons. At its core, the word means “deliverance”…
      • From sin
      • From alienation from others
      • From guilt and shame
      • And more!!!
      • Galatians 1:4 (NLT) 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.
    • “Conversion” is one of the elements of salvation
      • Other elements: intellectual assent, conviction, illumination,
      • Conversion marks the beginning of the Christian life. Conversion is the individual’s response to the gospel invitation. It can be considered as a single event with two inseparable aspects: repentance and faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21).
      • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
      • Actual conversion is instantaneous, but viewed from a human perspective, it may not be possible to pinpoint when it occurred. At some point, a person responds to the gospel in repentance and faith and is made alive by God. But the reality of that conversion may not be apparent until much later, as it begins to bear fruit.
      • Conversion doesn’t happen the same way for everyone. Today we’ll look at how it happened for Saul – let’s get to the text…

Acts 9:1-2 (NLT) 1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

  • “Followers of the Way” – they weren’t called Christians yet. Still just Jews in the synagogues who believed that Jesus was the way!
    • It’s a way, not just a set of beliefs. 
      • ‘the way of salvation’ (16:17), 
      • ‘the way of the Lord’ (18:25) 
      • ‘the way of God’ (18:26)
      • Mk 14 (NLT) You teach the way of God truthfully.
      • John 14:6 (NLT) 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
  • There are only two ways:
    • The Way that leads to life: the way of Jesus
    • The Way that leads to death: which goes by a million other names
    • Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV) 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
    • Conversion happens when you leave the way of death to follow the way of Jesus.

Acts 9:3-4 (NLT) 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

  • Not just a light; later (Acts 22, 26) Paul says he saw Jesus
    • 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT) 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
    • The point: No one can be converted without seeing Jesus for who he is. 
      • When Saul saw this, he fell to the ground
        • Like other stories of people seeing God (Ezk. 1:28; Dn. 8:17; Rev. 1:17)
  • Then the question: why are you persecuting me?
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Properly understood, this question would challenge his whole belief system and pattern of life.
      • IOW this was the fork in the road
        • We all come there when we meet Jesue
          • Will you continue with your old way that leads to death
          • Or will you repent and follow the way of Jesus?
      • For Paul, this was the beginning of CONVICTION

Acts 9:5-6 (NLT) 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

  • For Paul, this was the beginning of INTELLECTUAL ASSENT
    • Learning the basics of the gospel and who Jesus is
    • Coming to terms with this new information
  • Note: Saul is still a seeker here. This still happens today:
    • Jesus begins to reveal himself, sometimes in a shocking manner
    • Our way of living/thinking gets exposed
    • We just have to take the next step
      • Jesus doesn’t give Saul all the answers, just the next step
      • Q. If you’re a seeker, what’s your next step?
        • Read your Bible
        • Find a solid church
        • Meet with a mentor

Acts 9:7-9 (NLT) 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

  • This is the place everyone must come to before conversion: humbled, powerless, like a child
    • My favorite word for it: submission. 
      • Nobody likes that word. That’s why I like it.
      • You can’t come to Jesus unless you’re willing to submit to him
        • There can be only one king on the throne of your life
        • …and you can’t be it
    • Previously, Saul was so arrogant and in charge
      • Now he’s powerless and led by the hand to Damascus
  • Matthew 18:3 (NLT) 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Here’s the rest of the story:

Acts 9:10-12 (NLT) 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”

  • Again, humiliating for Saul
  • He was going to Damascus to imprison guys like Ananias!?
    • Now he’s going to receive healing from this guy

Acts 9:13-16 (NLT) 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

  • What a turn around! 

Acts 9:17-19 (NLT) 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

  • This is another essential element on the road to conversion: ILLUMINATION
    • In the biblical sense, “illumination” refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in helping individuals understand and apply the truths of Scripture. It’s the process by which God reveals spiritual truths and insights to believers, enabling them to grasp the meaning of Scripture and how it applies to their lives. 
    • The HS is always illuminating our understanding as Christians, but the first time it happens is groundbreaking: like scales falling from our eyes. Sets us up for conversion. In Paul’s words:
      • 2 Corinthians 3:14 (NLT) 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.
      • 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NLT) 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
  • Notice one more element important to conversion: A believer to share the good news
    • Why didn’t Jesus just do all of this on the road earlier?
    • He wants to use his people to share (that’s what Acts is all about)

Later in Acts Paul explains his conversion with one more important detail:

  • He recounts that Ananias said this:
  • Acts 22:16 (NLT) 16 ‘What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
    • This is called CONFESSION. Paul later explained it to the Romans:
    • Romans 10:9 (ESV) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So, according to Saul’s experience (and later teachings),

  1. How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?

Let’s summarize the elements:

  • Conviction of sin, recognizing that your old way leads to death
  • Intellectual assent, acknowledging that Jesus is who he says he is
  • Illumination, letting the HS remove the scales from your eyes
  • Culminates in Conversion, which boils down to two earthly responses:
    • Repentance: changing your attitude toward God 
      • And confessing it
    • Faith: trusting Jesus for salvation
  • The spiritual benefits include things like
    • Forgiveness of sins,
    • Regeneration: being “born again”
    • Justification: being made right in the court of heaven
    • Adoption: becoming children of God
    • Reception of the HS, as we’ve seen throughout Acts
      • For continued illumination
      • And for empowerment to be his witness!

So, have you been converted?

Talking Points:
  • We often hear about people coming to Christ in dramatic and amazing ways, while others might look different. Regardless, the gift of salvation is miraculous! In today’s topic, we continue in week two of our Salvation 101 mini series, and we’ll be answering the question: How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?
  • In today’s case study of Paul, we see that conversion is one of the crucial elements of salvation, along with intellectual assent, conviction, illumination, etc. It marks the beginning of the Christian life and is an individual’s response to the gospel invitation. 2 Corinthians 5:17
  • There are only two ways: the way of Jesus (life), and the way of everything else (death). Conversion happens when you leave the way of death to follow the way of Jesus. Acts 9:1-2, Matthew 7:13-14
  • No one can be converted without seeing Jesus for who he is. Paul saw Jesus for who he was, and was convicted of his persecution! Acts 9:3-4
  • Paul was rendered blind, and was placed into a posture of submission to Jesus. We are called to follow Jesus, but you can’t come to Jesus unless you’re willing to submit to him. Acts 9:7-9
  • We see one more important element of conversion when Ananais goes to Paul: a believer to share the Good News of Jesus. Jesus could just do it all himself, but Acts shows us that Jesus desires to use his people to share the Good News! Acts 9:17-19
Discussion:
  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. After listening to the podcast, how would you explain conversion in your own words?
  3. Have you ever heard someone’s conversion story and thought it was more dramatic than yours? What is the truth about all conversion stories?
  4. What are some things of this world that personally lead you down the way of death? What are some things you can do to change course?
  5. Read Acts 9:3-4. Describe a time you were convicted of something. Did you respond like Paul? If not, how did you respond?
  6. Why is the word “submission” generally disliked? What does it mean to “submit to Jesus”?
  7. Think of someone in your own life who might not know the gospel? What is a way you can help guide them towards that?

Coming soon!

Coming soon!

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