Salvation – Salisbury Baptist Church

Beyond the Sinner’s Prayer

12th January 2025

Salvation extends far beyond the initial moment of conversion or the sinner's prayer. A good representation encompasses both Jesus' ministry to the lost, as seen in His encounter with Zacchaeus, with its challenge for a change of ways and example of change in behaviour. Jesus’ call is not just to conversion but also for the new believer to pursue godly perfection. The Lord's work of salvation includes not only forgiveness of sins but also the ongoing transformation of the believer's character through sanctification, ultimately looking forward to Christ's return. This broader understanding of salvation helps explain why many Christians struggle with living the Christian life after conversion, when their new salvation needs time to find help and hope through the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work.

God Coming to You

22nd December 2024

The heart of Christmas lies not in our search for God, but in God's initiative to seek us. Through the Incarnation, God demonstrates His desire to reach humanity by sending His Son in human form. While religious observance and family traditions have their place, Christmas fundamentally represents God's personal approach to each individual, inviting them into a relationship through Christ. The Gospel narrative, particularly through the four evangelists, reveals this divine pursuit from different angles - showing Jesus as both Messiah and Emmanuel, God with us.

Little Ones and the Reality of Hell

29th September 2024

Jesus speaks about hell more than anyone else in Scripture, using the word "Gehenna" to describe a place of eternal, unquenchable fire. This teaching is difficult but crucial to understand. The Bible consistently portrays hell as a place of everlasting punishment for those who reject Christ. However, the same passages that warn of eternal damnation also proclaim the hope of eternal life for those who put their faith in Jesus. Salvation begins the moment we trust in Christ, receiving the Holy Spirit and becoming new creations. The gravity of hell should compel us to respond to God's offer of forgiveness and life through His Son.

Keys to the Kingdom: Understanding God’s New Covenant

25th August 2024

The Kingdom of Heaven, as prophesied in the Old Testament, was inaugurated after John the Baptist's death. This Kingdom is not a physical place, but God's rulership on Earth through Christ. Salvation comes not through good works, but solely through faith in Jesus' perfect life and sacrificial death. When we trust in Christ, we receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, uniting us with Jesus. This union with Christ is the essence of the New Covenant, offering a closeness to God at a new level than that available in the Old Covenant.

Almost Saved: The Peril of Looking Back

28th July 2024

Salvation is not automatic, even for those seeking to obey God. The story of Lot's wife serves as a powerful warning that one can be on the verge of salvation yet still perish. Like Abraham interceding for Lot, Christ intercedes for us, but we must respond to His call. Our heart's treasures can hinder our response to God. Some have felt God's call but did not fully commit. Now is the time to look to Jesus, not back at worldly attachments, and to take hold of the incomparable riches found in a relationship with Him.

The Three Steps of Salvation

28th July 2024

There are three stages in God's plan of salvation: justification (initial acceptance by God), sanctification (ongoing growth in holiness), and glorification (final perfection in Heaven). While all Christians are equal at the foot of the cross, not all progress equally in their spiritual journey. The story of Caleb in Numbers 13-14 illustrates the importance of fully surrendering to God, following Him throughout one's entire life, and living by the power of the Holy Spirit. These qualities set Caleb apart and enabled him to enter the Promised Land when others could not. As Christians, we are called to this same level of commitment and reliance on God's Spirit to fulfil His purpose for our lives.

Costs and Blessing of Motherhood

12th May 2024

In this Mother's Day sermon, we explore the unique challenges and blessings of motherhood through a biblical lens. By examining passages from 1 Timothy and Genesis, the sermon delves into the concept of the curse from the fall of humanity and its impact on women, particularly experienced through childbearing. It clarifies that salvation for mothers comes not through the act of childbearing itself but through faith in Christ who took the curse upon Himself. This message celebrates the sacrifice and resilience of mothers while pointing to the hope and redemption available in Jesus Christ. By Eve, the “mother of all living” beginning the journey of women across history in suffering bringing children into the world, Christ was born as the result. By His coming on the mission to be our Saviour and this including His death of the cross for our sins, the curse on humanity due to the all was lifted and salvation was available for all. Motherhood was a vital link in the answer of God to the curse of the Fall.

The Full Circle of Christ’s Love

31st March 2024

The sermon intricately weaves through the concepts of “Kenosis” and “Plerosis” (emptying and then returning to fullness) in the life, incarnation and exaltation of Jesus. The message highlights Jesus' journey from self-emptying humility to being exalted by the Father as Lord of all. It focuses on Christ's ascension, His ultimate authority, and the impact of His humility, then exaltation on our understandings of salvation and discipleship. The preacher calls for repentance, urging believers to reverse their verdict on Jesus — moving from being outside the Divine favour to acceptance within the “Beloved” — in the salvation that Christ has achieved. This message not only recounts the theological significance of Jesus' actions, but also emphasizes the practical implications for believers, calling them to a life of humility, repentance, and a deeper dedication to the exalted Christ as Lord and Savior.

Healing the Desperately Wicked Heart

24th March 2024

This sermon delves into core reasons behind Jesus Christ's mission on Earth, culminating in His death and resurrection, particularly focusing on the issue of human depravity. It emphasises the deceitful and desperately wicked nature of the fallen human heart, as illustrated in Jeremiah 17:9-10, and our incapability of self-redemption. The preacher underscores the necessity of divine intervention, where the only solution to this profound problem is the regeneration of the heart through Jesus Christ. Highlighting the essence of Easter, the sermon calls for a personal reflection on one's spiritual condition and the biblical invitation to experience the transformative power of Christ's love and sacrifice, promising a new, redeemed heart capable of truly reflecting God's image.

Remember Lot’s Wife

10th March 2024

The sermon explores the concept of salvation as depicted through biblical stories, particularly focusing on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This narrative emphasises faith, judgement, and God's grace. Abraham's intercessory prayer for Lot is used as an example of how faith and prayer play crucial roles in salvation of others. The sermon warns against complacency and the dangers of ignoring God's call, using Lot's wife as a poignant reminder of the consequences of looking back. It encourages the audience to embrace a full commitment to faith, akin to Abraham, and to be mindful of the generational impact of their spiritual lives. The key point is that salvation is not automatic but requires a responsive heart to God's grace and a willingness to separate from the world's values in the outworking of sanctification.