How to Secure Salvation

(James 1:21)

Previous Lessons

• Today represents our fifth lesson in this series of lessons taken from the book of James.

• In our series we are focusing on “How To” Christianity.

• In our first four lessons we have discovered:– How to Survive Trying Times (1:2-4)– How to Obtain Wisdom (1:5-8)– How to Survive Temptation (1:12-18)– How to Address Our Anger (1:19,20)

How to Secure Salvation

• The Right Aspiration

• The Right Attitude

• The Right Action

The Right Aspiration

• Without question, we must have the right desire if we are going to secure our salvation.

• The key thought concerning this matter is the phrase “lay aside.” In essence, we must first have the desire to “do away with” or “put away” certain things if we are going to secure salvation.

The Right Aspiration

• What are we to lay aside?

– All filthiness (that which defiles or stains the soul)– All overflow of wickedness (an abundance or

exceeding measure of evil)

• Why is this necessary? It is necessary to lay aside these things in order to secure our salvation because without doing so we would never be in a position to receive God’s word! (Luke 8:5-8,11-15)

The Right Attitude

• Beyond the need for possessing the right aspiration, we also need to develop the right attitude if we are going to secure our salvation.

• The key thought in our text concerning the right attitude is found in the word “meekness.” James is telling us that salvation is secured not by the proud but by the gentle and humble of heart!

The Right Attitude

• What, though, does it mean to approach or embrace the word of God with meekness? It means we are to appreciate:

– The Purity of the Word (Ps. 12:6; Prov. 30:5)– The Perfection of the Word (Psalm 19:7,8)– The Peace of the Word (Psalm 85:8)– The Power of the Word (Matt. 7:24; Heb. 4:12)– The Permanence of the Word (Isaiah 40:8;

Mark 13:31)

The Right Action

• Beyond just possessing the right aspiration and attitude, we must also possess the right action if we are going to secure our soul’s salvation.

• The key principle is that we “receive the word implanted.” This concept harkens back to the parable of the sower we discussed earlier. Truly, a prepared heart is in a position to receive the word of God.

The Right Action

• The word “receive” used here means “an eager and deliberate reception of what is offered.” Implied in the idea of receiving God’s word is acting upon it!

• When we receive God’s word, it produces faith (Romans 10:17) and that faith causes us to obey (Hebrews 5:9).

• When we receive God’s word by means of obeying it, it is then that we secure our salvation. (Romans 5:9,10; Hebrews 7:25).

Putting It All Together

• In order to secure salvation, we must possess:

– The Right Aspiration (Put away sin)

– The Right Attitude (Meekness)

– The Right Action (Obedience)