Maximize Your Salvation

How many times have we heard this passage of scripture from Hebrews 2:3, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.” It is getting late in the evening as it pertains to human existence in this world. The Word of God is not ambiguous; only his creation is ambiguous as a result of sin. Nevertheless, there are a few things that the redeemed of the Lord need to understand clearly. Salvation is one of them; it is important that believers and servants of Jesus Christ understand the purpose, power, and privilege of salvation and the game plan Satan has devised to fight against it. The Word of God has spied out and identified the habits, objectives, schemes, and scams Satan tries to use to hinder us from receiving this precious gift.
If we believe the intelligence report in the Holy Bible, we will be victorious over the opposition Satan and his demonic family present. However, we will benefit more from the promise of abundant life in Jesus Christ. “I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). Unfortunately, even with this promise of abundant life for the believer, I still see many Christians who wear the salvation label but do not enjoy the lifestyle salvation offers. The question is why not? Week after week many Christians attend worship celebrations but fail to celebrate. They attend bible studies, workshops, seminars, as well as purchase books, DVDs and CDs that end up serving as table coasters and props for other items. Where is the implementation of excitement, enthusiasm, and expectation? Don’t get me wrong, there are those who understand the magnitude of their salvation and are living the abundant life before they get to heaven. However, many are still missing out on the earthly blessings offered in God’s earthly kingdom. I realize some do not understand what salvation is all about, and they treat it like I did: a one-dimensional event which occurs in ones life. I cannot believe how many benefits and blessings I missed out on because I refused to embrace my salvation as a relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ and a lifestyle for daily living.
I have been privileged to walk and serve in the salvation of the Lord for over forty years as a servant, pastor, preacher and teacher. You would think I would have a good understanding of salvation. Wrong! It has only been within the past twenty years that I received clarity and understanding. For many years I believed I could lose my salvation, causing my walk with the Lord to be tentative and confusing. Something didn’t add up. If God is so loving and gracious, why would God place something so special in my hands that I was certain to mess up? My daily mindset regarding salvation was if I did ten things wrong and five things right and died on Saturday, I would end up in hell. If I did ten things right and five things wrong and died on Sunday, I would go to heaven. For years as I preached and taught Bible studies, seminars, and workshops, the Holy Spirit constantly troubled my spirit in this area regarding salvation. I found myself wrestling with the question that if I had to spend every day keeping score regarding my good and bad deeds, how could I have time to effectively serve the Lord and others?
As my spiritual eyes began to open, I had an amazing discovery through the Word of God, not only was my salvation permanent, it was also based on having a personal relationship with God. I began to understand Hebrews 2:3a, “How shall we escape so great a salvation.” Wow! Salvation was not a one-shot deal but a continuous process as I matured in the Lord. I realized in my heart that my salvation required a heart, mind, and lifestyle change. Like a little child grows into a teenager, young adult, and adult, we do the same spiritually.
I realize much has been written on the subject of salvation, but I know what the Holy Spirit has given me to share will minister clarity and understanding to many who still wrestle with this subject. Like a good detective, I will share only the facts regarding salvation and support it with God’s Holy Word.
I will use the twenty-six letters of the alphabet to support our main scripture Hebrews 2:3 so we can experience the full benefit of John 10:10b, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” I will repeat certain scriptures intentionally because I want you the reader to receive the revelation the Holy Spirit has for you. This book I pray will be a ministering tool for everyone to share in witnessing the gospel, training church leaders for kingdom ministry, and orientating new disciples in Jesus Christ. Before we address the Salvation Alphabet, we must investigate the understanding of salvation.