Children of God, many of the enemies of Christ, the false prophets would have you to believe, that all a person has to do to be saved is: believe. If that doctrine was true, Even the devils could be saved, for they believe and tremble. James 2:l9 thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. What is salvation? according to Webster, the saving of the soul from sin and death, as in Christianity by the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am of the opinion that being saved is, being spiritually alive in the body of Christ : free from sin, and being predestined to spend eternity with Christ Jesus in heavenly bliss: predestined to be heir, and joint heir with the Lord Jesus Christ, in the kingdom of God. To know what a person must do to be saved, let me explain what happened when sin entered into the world, and death by sin. When God created Adam, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, Adam became a living soul. Adam was whole, he had a living body, a living soul, and a living spirit. He was in paradise, a garden: a place of beauty, clean, both spiritually, and physically, a place were death did not exist. Genesis 2:7 and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living soul. Saints of God, God could see that it was not good for man to be alone, therefore he caused Adam to have a deep sleep, and he took a rib from Adam's side, and he created a woman, Eve, and brought her to Adam and they became man, and wife. Now God had give Adam a commandment that he could eat of Every tree of the garden, but the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But in the day that he eats of that tree he would surely die. Genesis 2:l6 and the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of Every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Beloved of God, when Adam transgressed that commandment, sin came into the world and it contaminated, and made unclean spiritually, the man Adam, and all mankind, for all mankind was in Adam at that time. Sin polluted, and made unclean the ground, the animals, the fish of the sea, the birds of the air. And when the spirit of God departed from Adam, all mankind died the spiritual death. Romans 5:l2 wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Now from the time that Adam sinned until Moses, thousands of years, death reigned upon all men. There was no hope of eternal life for those generations. God had a justified anger toward man, for polluting his creation. But when Moses was born God chose himself a people Israel, and allowed them to delay the spiritual death, by using the scapegoat. Leviticus l6:2l and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sin, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. Holy children, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. But it was never intended for the blood of bulls, and goats to take away sin: therefore, the sins of Israel came into God's rememberance Every year. Hebrews 9:22 and almost all things are by the law purged with blood: and without shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews l0:3 but in those sacrifices there is a rememberance again made of sin Every year. 4. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Brothers and sisters in Christ, there was not a gift in all the world that could be offered up for a propitiation, to make an atonement for sin. But God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten son into the world, as a Lamb of God to take away our sins. St. John 3:l6 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have Everlasting life. Saints of God, from the time that Adam eat of the tree of knowledge of good, and evil until Christ Jesus hang on Calvary's cross we as gentiles had no hope of eternal life. Thousands, and thousands of years gentiles perished. But when Christ Jesus hang on Calvary's tree, he tore down the partition between the jew and the gentile, and made of the two, one new man in Christ. Now we as gentiles, have hope of the most lavish gifts this world has Ever known. To be heir and joint heir with Jesus Christ in the kingdom of God, to receive such gifts as eternal life, an immortal body, and to live in a city where there is no graveyards: for there is no death, a city were there in no hospitals: for there is no sick, no pain, no blind, no cripples. A city where no man hates another because of the color of his skin: a city were abiding love reigns supreme. Ephesians 2:ll wherefore remember, that ye being in time past gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. L3. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. L4. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us: l5. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances: for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace. L6. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. Beloved of God, the enemy of all mankind, Satan the devil had taken all mankind captive, but with one sacrifice, Christ Jesus has sat us free. By putting on the armour of God, you child of God, can wage war against Satan and be victorious by the blood of the lamb, and your testimony. Revelation l2:l0 and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night. Ll. And they over came him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony : and they love not their lives unto death. Children of light, during the days of Moses, God had taught Moses, and the children of Israel how to apply the blood to save the lives of their first born. And when the death angel passed over, the first born of Israel lived, but the first of the Egyptians perished. You too child of God must learn how to apply the blood of Jesus Christ, that you and your house may live in eternity with our Lord. I would like for you with the eyes of faith look upon Jesus as he was nailed to the cross. Visualize the blood flowing from his brow, were the thorns have tore into his skin, and the blood flowing from his hands and his feet, and the blood flowing from the strips. Place your faith and your trust in that blood that he shed for your salvation. I believe that it is going to take perfect righteousness to receive eternal life. When you place your faith, and trust in that blood God, the father, allows you to declare the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission our sins past. When you declare the righteousness of Jesus you declare perfect righteousness, thereby you become perfectly righteous. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: beloved of God, eternal life is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, the question must arise, how do the children of God get into the body of Christ? we, the children of God, get into the body of Christ? We get in through baptism. L john 5:ll and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his son. Galatians 3:27 for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour has commanded us to baptize in the name of the father, and the son, and in the name of the Holy Ghost. But the apostle peter was inspired of God to record, that if we baptize in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins the person baptized would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Listen carefully children of God, except a person be born of water, baptized, and born of the spirit: receiving the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Therefore when I baptize, I baptize in the name of the father, and in the name of the son Jesus the Christ, and in the name of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38 then peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. St. John 3:5 Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Children of God, except ye repent: turn from doing your own will to doing the will of God, and be sorry for your sins passed: you will certainly perish. The carnal mind, the mind of flesh, and blood without the Holy Ghost is not subject to the laws of God. But when a man receives the Holy Ghost, the inward man the soul delights in the laws of God. 1 john 3:l behold, what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. 3. And Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, Even as he is pure. 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law : for sin is the transgression of the law. 5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins: and in him is no sin. 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Christian brethren, I would like to call your attention to the salvation of Noah, and his family: as an example of the salvation of the Christian,. For the salvation of Noah, has a remarkable similarity to our salvation. The bible says that Noah found grace in the eyes of God. We the Christian are saved by grace. When God told Noah that he was going to destroy the world, Noah believe God. We too as Christians are saved by faith. Noah built an ark, and was saved by works. We as Christians are saved by faith, and works : for faith without works is dead. The bible says that Noah did all that God commanded. We also as Christians must be obedient to the commands of God. Noah was safe from the wrath of God in the ark. We, as children of God, are safe from the wrath of God, in the body of Christ. Those outside the ark perished. It is my opinion all outside the body of Christ shall perish. As the water saved Noah, so also will the water of our baptism save us. Noah believed, and he and his family was save. If you truly believe you will not only save yourself, but you will save your family also. For the apostle Paul said these words "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."