"Can
Jesus Really Save Us?"
This question is one many are asking today
and can only be answered by those who historically have been saved by Jesus
from their sin. Testimonies from many sources abound throughout these two
millenia since Jesus walked the earth, but the testimony of those in the Bible
are the most reliable.
Most will agree to the historical accuracy
of the Bible, although many disagree on doctrinal issues, the meaning of
certain passages and the translation that should be used. But, when it comes to
historical accuracy most will agree the Bible gives us an accurate account.
So,
let us examine the claims of the Bible through the eye of history and see if it
is true, "Can Jesus Really Save Us?" The first example we will
investigate is one of the most complete, and thorough accounts found in the
Bible, the transformation of the Demoniac of Gadara. Here in Mark 5:1-20 is the
story of a man who was completely possessed of the devil.
And let me underline the validity of this
man's testimony. Much of what he suffered in his Struggle with Satan prior to
meeting Jesus was evident in my own life before I was saved. This is not some
far-fetched account of an unusual event which occurred 2,000 years ago, no,
this is 20th Century reality! Men and women of today are repeatedly suffering
these same results of demonic influence and possession! Let us examine the text
and list the effects Satan had on this demon-possessed man.
1.
Unusual Interest in the Dead (v.2,3,5)
2.
Outcast of Society (v.2)
3.
Exceeding Fierce (Agressive, Hostile toward Others-Matthew 8:28)
4.
Unusual Strength (v.4)
5.
Self-inflicted Wounds (v.5)
6.
Continual Unrest (v.5)
7.
Continual Crying/Screams (v.5)
8.
Morals Out of Control (Luke 8:27)
9.
Mental/Spiritual Disorder/Split Personality/Schizophrenia (v.6,7)
10.
Isolated Himself from Others/Loner (Matthew 8:28)
This man was controlled by a great
multitude of demons, a "Legion, for we are many" (v.9) was the reply
of the demon who spoke to Jesus. These outward demonstrations of
demon-possession are certainly evident in the lives of multitudes of people in
our present day, and only Jesus can save from these demonically produced sins!
This man did what each and every person
must do, not just those who are demon-possessed, but all men regardless of the
degree of sin in their life for the Bible clearly teaches that "All have
sinned and come short" (Romans 3:23). All of us are born in sin, for
"As by one man (The father of all mankind, Adam) sin entered into the
world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men for that all have
sinned" (Romans 5:12).
This man "Ran to Jesus and worshipped
Him". It was in this one moment of time the Demoniac realized only Jesus
could save him from his tormented sinful condition, and he surrendered his
will, putting his faith in Jesus alone Who alone could save, and the results of
Jesus power to save him from demonic possession by delivering him from the
power of sin itself is evident in v.15 where the man is found "Sitting,
and clothed and in his right mind".
The immediate and complete transformation
is the evidence of a man that is truly changed from within. "Therefore, if
any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold
all things are become new." (II Corinthians 5:17) The peace of God now
controlled his attitude and actions "Therefore, being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) This
man's faith brought him into a new relationship with God. His peace was the
result of his being justified by his faith, no longer an enemy of God, he is
now seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.
(Ephesians
2:1-6)
Can Jesus Really Save Us? Well, Let us
examine the testimony of another man who also was transformed by the power of
the Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 9:1-31 Saul of Tarsus, a religious persecutor of
Christians is confronted by the Risen Lord Jesus as he travels to Damascus to bind and bring Christians back to Jerusalem.
The Lord in His glory appears to him in
v.3 and Saul falls down in His presence as Jesus speaks: "Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou Me? And he said "Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I
am Jesus whom thou persecutest, it is hard for thee to kick against the
pricks." Saul, in his ignorance was persecuting the people of the Lord
whom he sought to serve, and upon realizing this surprising truth he
"Trembling and astonished said, Lord what wilt Thou have me to do?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go
into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Saul then
became a chosen vessel unto the Lord Jesus Christ, preaching unto the Gentiles,
and kings, and the children of Israel the very truth that he once repelled and
persecuted!
His service to God is unparalleled in the
history of the Church, his God inspired writings in the New Testament are the
very central doctrines of salvation and church order making up the heart of New
Testament teachings. His life of suffering and service from that day on the
road to Damascus is probably one of the most heralded and historically accurate
of any man who walked the face of the earth except for the Lord Jesus Christ!
One more example from the book of Acts. In
chapter 16 Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in jail in the city of Philippi for delivering a certain damsel from
the power of another spirit. She had through this spirit "brought her
masters much gain by soothsaying".
Her masters took Paul and Silas to court
and falsely accused them and beat them casting them into prison. But:
"Paul
and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And
suddenly there was an earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were
shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were
loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the
prison doors open, he drew his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing
that the prisoners had been fled. But
Paul cried with a loud voice, saying Do thyself no harm: for we are all
here. Then he (the keeper) called for a light, and sprang in, and came
trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said,
Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the
Word of the Lord , and to all that were in his house. And he (the keeper) took
them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes (wounds); and was
baptized, he and all his, straightway." (Acts 26-33)
This man upon realizing that it was the
God of Paul and Silas who caused these miraculous events to occur, the
earthquake, opening the doors of the prison, loosing the bands of all
prisoners, keeping all the prisoners in the prison, immediately requested from
Paul how he too could be saved! Paul's simple, but direct response was:
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" Simply
putting your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, just as the countless men and
women throughout the ages have done, is the way to be saved!
Faith in the facts revealed in the Bible
concerning Jesus, His suffering and death on the Cross to pay the penalty for
my sin, your sin, and the sin of the whole world; believing that God in His
approval of Jesus' sinless sacrifice raised Jesus from the dead for our
justification, believing that Jesus ascended to heaven and is now seated at the
right hand of God the Father, faith in Jesus, that is what saves us, and yes,
Jesus truly can save us from our sin, and give us eternal life in heaven with
Him!
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