The Seven Excepts of Salvation

From The Heart

Publish date: 10/05/2014

Because of mankind’s sin nature, people are always trying to find a way to “get away with” sin. They want to do their own thing and they want their sin to be acceptable with God. The problem is that, no matter how we would like things to be, we are still accountable to God and His judgment stands. The only way to be acceptable to God is to do what He tells you to do. The promises of God come with conditions that we need to meet. Here are some requirements God gives us. Unless we do these things, we cannot expect His blessing. Except and unless are synonyms. Here are seven “excepts” that we need to make sure that we do.

 
1. Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish:
 
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 
Luke 13:1-5 KJV
 
God can only forgive the sin of which you repent. He cannot forgive unrepentant sin.
 
2. Except you become converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven:
 
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 18:3 KJV
 
3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God:
 
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  John 3:3 KJV
 
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.  1 John 2:29 KJV
 
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  1 John 5:1 KJV
 
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  
1 John 5:11-13 KJV
 
Good deeds cannot earn salvation – you must be Born Again by faith.
4. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God:
 
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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  John 3:5-7 KJV
 
“Born of water” represent natural birth, and also the cleansing and regeneration of the Word and Spirit of God. “Born of the Spirit” is what happens when you receive Jesus, and are born again.
 
5. Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you:
 
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  John 6:53-54 KJV
 
Eating Christ’s bread and drinking His blood represent: accepting Him as Lord and Savior; becoming united with Him by believing in Him, and what He did, and by living for Him, devoted and obedient to Him. It means that His life has become ours.
 
6. Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven:
 
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:20 KJV
 
Righteousness is through Jesus and obedience to Him, not religious works alone.
 
7. Except one abide in Me ... he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned:
 
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  
John 15:4-6 KJV
 
Once you receive Jesus, and are born again, you need to continue to walk with Him and continue serving Him. You serve Jesus by continuing to walk in the righteousness He purchased for you – not by going back to the sin from which He already redeemed you. Continue to abide in Him.

Because of mankind’s sin nature, people are always trying to find a way to “get away with” sin. They want to do their own thing and they want their sin to be acceptable with God. The problem is that, no matter how we would like things to be, we are still accountable to God and His judgment stands. The only way to be acceptable to God is to do what He tells you to do. The promises of God come with conditions that we need to meet. Here are some requirements God gives us. Unless we do these things, we cannot expect His blessing. Except and unless are synonyms. Here are seven “excepts” that we need to make sure that we do.

1. Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish:

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 

Luke 13:1-5 KJV 

God can only forgive the sin of which you repent. He cannot forgive unrepentant sin.

2. Except you become converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven:

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 18:3 KJV

3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God: 

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  John 3:3 KJV 

If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.  1 John 2:29 KJV 

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  1 John 5:1 KJV 

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  

1 John 5:11-13 KJV 

Good deeds cannot earn salvation – you must be Born Again by faith.

4. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God: 

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. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  John 3:5-7 KJV 

“Born of water” represent natural birth, and also the cleansing and regeneration of the Word and Spirit of God. “Born of the Spirit” is what happens when you receive Jesus, and are born again. 

5. Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you: 

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  John 6:53-54 KJV

Eating Christ’s bread and drinking His blood represent: accepting Him as Lord and Savior; becoming united with Him by believing in Him, and what He did, and by living for Him, devoted and obedient to Him. It means that His life has become ours. 

6. Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven: 

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:20 KJV 

Righteousness is through Jesus and obedience to Him, not religious works alone.

7. Except one abide in Me ... he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

John 15:4-6 KJV 

Once you receive Jesus, and are born again, you need to continue to walk with Him and continue serving Him. You serve Jesus by continuing to walk in the righteousness He purchased for you – not by going back to the sin from which He already redeemed you. Continue to abide in Him.

 

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