• the sweetest teaching of the Bible is the eternal blissful rest of God’s people in his presence, before his face, forever
• the scariest teaching of the Bible is the final and eternal judgment of God’s enemies shut out from his presence forever
• therefore one of the most pressing subjects in the Bible is the assurance that you really are one of the saved, one of the saints, one of the redeemed, and that you will live forever with God in heaven on earth, not die forever in a terrifying place called hell
• so let’s talk about the word “saved” today

where it fits

• Paul’s clearest teaching about the final and physical return of Christ to judge his enemies in the world and save his people in the world

1 Thessalonians 5  ⁴ But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

what they need to listen for

• 3 necessary truths about how saved people experience their salvation

Saved people grow in the lifestyle of salvation

• Tries to tell the Thessalonians the difference between those who will be damned forever on that Day and those who will be saved forever when the Lord comes
• describes the difference between day and night

⁴ But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

• Call it reminds me of another passage, from the letter that Paul wrote to the Ephesian church, about a dozen years after he wrote this letter to the Thessalonian church

Ephesians 5    ⁴ Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

 ⁵ For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not become partners with them; ⁸ for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³ But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil, ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

• saved people live like they’re saved… children of light act like they belong in the light… they love the light and they dislike the darkness
• NB, back in first Thessalonians 5, this is a command: let us be sober, let us live like we belong to the light
• It’s remarkable how similar the 5th chapter of Ephesians is to the 5th chapter of first Thessalonians… Almost like Paul had a copy of his letter to the Thessalonians in front of him while he was putting together his letter to the Ephesians over a decade later
• lifestyle clearly, definitely changes when you become a follower of Jesus, but not automatically, and not all at once
• living in the light is a lifestyle that you have to grow into
• keep reading in Ephesians 5

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

• a bride who is brilliant, not blurry… clean, not dirty… beautiful not ugly… light, not dark
• it’s tempting to think that, since those words are clearly talking to husbands, they don’t apply to anyone except married men, that would be a mistake
• NB that when Paul speaks to the Ephesian husbands, he bases his reasoning on fundamental theological truth that is known by all the members of the Ephesian church, and really all Christians everywhere throughout time: The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for his bride the church so that he might sanctify and beautify us for his own enjoyment and delight forever
• the process by which LJC sanctifies and beautifies his bride is the washing of water with the word—whatever that means—so Let’s talk about that for a moment
• what produces the changed lifestyle of a saved person is the same thing that produces the transformation in the bride as a whole: ihe washing of water with the word… But what does that mean?

1. Baptism/ritual
2. Bible/gospel

• It’s by meditating on the word of God that the church as a whole and each Christian individually this gradually transformed enter the very image of Christ

Romans 12

¹ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

• Where did Paul get the idea that you learn a new lifestyle from the Word of God?

Matthew 4

⁴ … [Jesus] answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

• all the way back to Moses and the torah
• not saying God never does sudden, direct, mystical, miraculous transformations… just almost never
• the Spirit of God normally uses the Word of God
• Transforms the lifestyle of a child of darkness into that of a child of the light as we all prepare he will return of archaic and bridegroom
• saved people grow in the lifestyle of salvation

Saved people grow in the knowledge of salvation

⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

• “sober” = not drunk, thinking clearly with the mind of Christ
• not just practical living… doctrinal truth
• 3 tenses of salvation

1. understanding the Bible
2. understanding how to live

              Our salvation began at our regeneration

• we have been saved

1. Romans 8:24 – “For in hope we were saved.”
2. 1 Corinthians 6:11 – “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified.”
3. Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith.”
4. 2 Timothy 1:9 – “who saved us and called us with a holy calling.”
5. Titus 3:5 – “He saved us…”

• thanksgiving, joy, love

Saved by His pow’r divine,

Saved to new life sublime!

Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,

For I’m saved, saved, saved.

              Our salvation is progressing in our sanctification

• we have been saved, we are being saved

1. 1 Corinthians 1:18 – “to us who are being saved.”
2. 2 Corinthians 2:15 – “among those who are being saved.”
3. Philippians 2:12 – “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
4. 1 Peter 2:2 – “grow up into salvation.”

• confidence, diligence, devotion

              Our salvation will be complete at our glorification

• we have been saved, we are being saved, we will be saved
• Close connection with Christ’s second coming
• he is coming to destroy his enemies and save his people

1. Romans 5:9 – “we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
2. Romans 5:10 – “we shall be saved by His life.”
3. Romans 13:11 – “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”
4. Hebrews 9:28 – Christ will appear “to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
5. 1 Peter 1:5 – “a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

• hope, trust, diligence

⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

• saved people grow in the knowledge of salvation
• soteriology

Saved people grow in the assurance of salvation

• the sweetest teaching of the Bible is the eternal blissful rest of God’s people in his home and in his presence
• the scariest teaching of the Bible is the final and eternal judgment of God’s enemies
• therefore one of the most pressing subjects in the Bible is the assurance but you really are one of the saved, one of the saints, one of the redeemed, and that you will live forever with God in heaven on earth, not die forever in a terrifying place called hell

⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

• the clearest and most well-developed passage in the entire New Testament on the assurance of salvation

2 Peter 1 ³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

• the clearest and most well-developed passage in the entire New Testament on the assurance of salvation

what God wants them to do

• work out your salvation with fear and trembling

Eternal Father, in this very moment, we turn again from our sin and ourselves to you and your glory,

Trusting only in your Son’s sacrifice for our sins to make us right with you.

We want to shelter ourselves in the shadow of his cross,

Bathe ourselves in the blood that he shed there for us,

Rest ourselves on his redemption

Robe ourselves in his righteousness,

Renew ourselves in his resurrection,

Lose ourselves in his Lordship,

And find ourselves in his friendship.

We want him to become for us, for today and forever, wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and salvation.

For he is the One who suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to you, our Father.