I. "WE BELIEVE THAT THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION ARE MADE FREE TO ALL
BY THE GOSPEL."
A. Revelation 22:17.
1. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
2. Only those who depend and trust in Jesus and Him alone will be saved.
B. Isaiah 55:1 - Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.
II. THAT IT IS THE IMMEDIATE DUTY OF ALL TO ACCEPT THEM BY A CORDIAL
PENITENT AND OBEDIENT FAITH."
A. Mark 1:14-15.
1. Jesus came preaching the gospel and declared that sinners must repent
and believe the news of salvation through Him.
2. There is no salvation apart from Christ Jesus.
3. today, the gospel message should be preached, and received, without
prejudice.
B. Other scriptures that teach this to be true are:
1. Romans 1:15-17 - Paul was willing to preach the gospel at Rome because
he was a debtor to all people.
2. Romans 16:25-27 - The mystery of Christs' coming to die for mankind is
now revealed through the preaching of the gospel so that all could repent
and be saved.
3. Romans 3:21-22 - There is no righteousness in keeping the law, but
true righteousness comes by trusting the righteousness of Christ, and that
righteousness is imputed to believers.
III. AND THAT NOTHING PREVENTS THE SALVATION OF THE GREATEST SINNER ON
EARTH, BUT HIS OWN INHERENT DEPRAVITY AND VOLUNTARY REJECTION OF THE
GOSPEL."
A. John 5:40 - These Pharisees were searching the scriptures, but they
refused to come to Christ.
1. Jesus said that lost sinners willingly stay away from him, they do it
because they want to.
2. Man's own will is depraved and contrary to God's will, therefore,
instead of coming to Him, they go away.
B. Many remain lost because they do not want to be saved.
C. Only when sinners want to be saved more than anything else will they
come to Jesus that they might have life.
1. It is not enough to believe that salvation would be "nice",
or would solve some of their everyday problems.
2. Salvation comes when the unbeliever realize their life is more than
the here and now, but involves all of eternity.
D. Other scriptures that teach this to be true are:
1. Matt. 23:37 - Christ desired Jerusalem to come to Him, but they
refused (and was destroyed). (Christ would have gathered Jerusalem as a hen
does her chicks.)
2. Romans 9:32 - Israel didn't receive righteousness because they sought
it by the keeping of the law, not by faith in the righteousness of Christ.
3. Proverbs 1:24 - This verse is a symbolic gesture. Wisdom (God) called
to the simple ones (sinners) to turn from wickedness, but they wouldn't
hear.
4. Acts 13:46 - Paul and Barnabas turning from the unbelieving Jews to
the Gentiles.
IV. "WHICH REJECTION INVOLVED HIM IN AN AGGRAVATED
CONDEMNATION."
A. John 3:18-19.
1. Jesus tells us in the 18th verse that men are condemned
already who reject Him as their savior.
2. Verse 19 says men are condemned because God has sent the
"light of the world" (Christ Jesus) into the world and men would
not come to the "light" for two reasons.
a. Because men love sin rather than Jesus and right.
b. Because if they come to the "light" of God their evil
deeds would be made manifest.
B. Other scriptures that teach this to be true are:
1. Matthew 11:20 - Those cities that had seen the greatest works of
Christ were condemned because they didn't repent.
2. Luke 19:27 - Right after the "Parable of the Pounds", The
enemies of Christ will be killed before Him.
3. II Thess 1:8 - When Christ returns, he will take flaming vengeance on
those that obey not the gospel of God.