THINGS THAT ACCOMPANY SALVATION

TEXT- HEBREWS 6:9-12

INTRODUCTION

IN THESE LAST TWO MONTHS OF 1991 I AM PREACHING A SERIES OF SERMONS ON SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

IN THE FIRST MESSAGE I SPOKE ON THE TOPIC OF "PREPARATION."

BEFORE WE CAN GROW SPIRITUALLY WE MUST BE READY.

QUITE FRANKLY I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO JUST AREN'T READY TO GROW SPIRITUALLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO.

THIS MORNING OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN HEBREWS 6:9-12 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "THINGS THAT ACCOMPANY SALVATION."

IN THIS SECOND SERMON I WOULD LIKE US TO EXAMINE OURSELVES TO SEE IF WE POSSES THE THINGS THAT "ACCOMPANY SALVATION."

THE FIRST VERSE OF OUR TEXT SAYS, "BUT, BELOVED, WE ARE CONVINCED OF BETTER THINGS CONCERNING YOU, AND THINGS THAT ACCOMPANY SALVATION, THOUGH WE ARE SPEAKING IN THIS WAY." (VS 9)

IT SAYS, "...WE ARE CONVINCED OF BETTER THINGS CONCERNING YOU..."

BRETHREN, I AM CONVINCED THAT EACH ONE OF US COULD DO BETTER IN REGARDS TO OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

1 THESSALONIANS 4:1; "FINALLY THEN, BRETHREN, WE REQUEST AND EXHORT YOU IN THE LORD JESUS, THAT, AS YOU RECEIVED FROM US {INSTRUCTION} AS TO HOW YOU OUGHT TO WALK AND PLEASE GOD (JUST AS YOU ACTUALLY DO WALK), THAT YOU MAY EXCEL STILL MORE."

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE TODAY WHO THINK THAT THE ONLY THING GOD WANTS THEM TO DO IS BE SAVED.

YET, SALVATION IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

1 PETER 2:2-3; "LIKE NEWBORN BABES, LONG FOR THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD, THAT BY IT YOU MAY GROW IN RESPECT TO SALVATION, IF YOU HAVE TASTED THE KINDNESS OF THE LORD."

WHEN JULIUS CAESAR LANDED ON THE SHORES OF BRITAIN WITH HIS ROMAN LEGIONS, HE TOOK A BOLD AND DECISIVE STEP TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF HIS MILITARY VENTURE.  ORDERING HIS MEN TO HALT ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFFS OF DOVER, HE COMMANDED THEM TO LOOK DOWN AT THE WATER BELOW.  TO THEIR AMAZEMENT, THEY SAW EVERY SHIP IN WHICH THEY HAD CROSSED THE CHANNEL ENGULFED IN FLAMES.  CAESAR HAD DELIBERATELY CUT OFF ANY POSSIBILITY OF RETREAT!  NOW THAT HIS SOLDIERS WERE UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE CONTINENT, THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT FOR THEM TO DO BUT TO ADVANCE AND CONQUER!  AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID.

AS CHILDREN OF GOD WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE PROGRESS IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE.

SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP US DO THIS IS TO DESTROY OR GET RID OF EVERYTHING IN OUR LIFE THAT WILL HINDER OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

IN THE BULLETIN THIS MORNING YOU WILL FIND A HANDOUT QUESTIONNAIRE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS MORNING'S MESSAGE.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANT YOU TO TURN IN TO ME, BUT RATHER, PRAYERFULLY ANSWER AND EXAMINE ON YOUR OWN BEFORE GOD.

IF IN ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS YOU FIND THAT THERE IS SOMETHING HINDERING YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU BEFORE WE DISMISS IN PRAYER TODAY TO COME FORWARD AND COMMIT YOUR LIFE TO GOD.

AS WE STUDY OUR TEXT THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT FIVE WAYS WE CAN OUTWARDLY EXPRESS THE SALVATION THAT WE HAVE INWARDLY.