ONLY 3,000 SOULS SAVED: BY GRACE WE CONTRIBUTE TO SALVATION
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Only 3,000 Souls Saved
Acts 2:41
41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
a) Why were there only 3000 souls saved that day? Many were not saved, and remained part of "this twisted generation" (Acts 2:40). How do we explain that only a portion of the populace received forgiveness?
b) You might correctly say, “The 3000 were saved because they listened, believed, welcomed the gospel and obeyed it; the rest remained lost because they wouldn't and didn't.” That is virtually saying that people contributed to their salvation.
c) If everybody had an opportunity to be saved, but only 3000 took that opportunity, then God was fair and just to save only the 3000. But if nobody contributed anything except their sin, and it was all up to God, why didn't he grant forgiveness to everyone?
2. By Grace We Contribute To Salvation
a) It should be clearly understood that what we contribute to our salvation is of the same order as salvation itself — it is not of ourselves; it is the gift of God.
b) We don't decide the conditions for salvation. God tells us what we should do, and God grants us the opportunity to do it. So when we act in synergy with God, when we contribute our faith and obedience to our salvation, we do so by the grace of God.
c) From that perspective, we could say that salvation is received entirely by God’s grace.
d) God’s grace permits us to make a positive contribution of faith, repentance, loving obedience. We are saved by grace if we do.
The End ...
1. Only 3,000 Souls SavedActs 2:41
41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
a) Why were there only 3000 souls saved that day? Many were not saved, and remained part of "this twisted generation" (Acts 2:40). How do we explain that only a portion of the populace received forgiveness?
b) You might correctly say, “The 3000 were saved because they listened, believed, welcomed the gospel and obeyed it; the rest remained lost because they wouldn't and didn't.” That is virtually saying that people contributed to their salvation.
c) If everybody had an opportunity to be saved, but only 3000 took that opportunity, then God was fair and just to save only the 3000. But if nobody contributed anything except their sin, and it was all up to God, why didn't he grant forgiveness to everyone?
2. By Grace We Contribute To Salvation
a) It should be clearly understood that what we contribute to our salvation is of the same order as salvation itself — it is not of ourselves; it is the gift of God.
b) We don't decide the conditions for salvation. God tells us what we should do, and God grants us the opportunity to do it. So when we act in synergy with God, when we contribute our faith and obedience to our salvation, we do so by the grace of God.
c) From that perspective, we could say that salvation is received entirely by God’s grace.
d) God’s grace permits us to make a positive contribution of faith, repentance, loving obedience. We are saved by grace if we do.
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