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            The saving of our eternal soul, from the wrath of God that is coming, is of major importance—our destiny hinges on the decisions we make—regarding on whom we place our trust.  Hebrews 10:39 ”We are not of them who draw back to perdition [are destroyed]; but of them that believe [believing] to the saving of the soul.”  The saving of our soul is a matter of believing in faith on the Atonement Blood of Christ, and not turning away in unbelief.

            Knowing that God’s wrath and terrible destruction is coming on a faithless and unbelieving world—and knowing that most people will be judged guilty because they refuse to repent and turn back to God in faith—we must fully understand what it means to be saved.  The vast majority of people in the world will not meet God’s one requirement for escaping the flames—“that you should be believers in Him whom He has sent" John 6:29.

            The issue is far too important to go by opinion—only the Word of God can reveal the Truth of God on this vital subject.  We must know what it means to be saved.  When we begin to trust God in faith, Satan becomes active with temptations, suggestions, and discouragements to draw us away from a position of faith in God.  Even after years of trusting God, the devil still tries to get us away from that position of trust on the Blood of Christ.

            Denominational church members often seem pleasant and prosperous, while we may be tried, tempted, and discouraged—which is all from the devil.  He tells us that we are not where we should be spiritually, and will not get answers to prayer.  The truth is that Satan fights those who are actively trusting God right, and leaves alone those who are only passively professing faith.  In most instances, they are living like the world, and not trusting God for anything.

            Satan tries to convince people that passively professing to trust God means they are saved, but that actively trusting God by obeying His Word in faith means we are not saved—because we are trying to earn salvation.  If we are trusting God in faith, it will draw the fire of the devil.  Faith is not works, but faith is evidence of trust on God and a willingness to obey His Word.

            Eph. 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  The sin nature believes everything Satan suggests, and disbelieves anything God has written.

            We must not allow ourselves to be influenced by anyone, or by any opinion, but to conduct our life only by what God has written.  The Christian life is an individual matter between us and God.  The Word of God is the rule in everything.  John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  The Word represents the divine Trinity of One God in whom we trust.

            Denominational churches give a false sense of security, because if they are not actively trusting God in believing faith for the issues of this life, sudden destruction could overtake them 1 Thessalonians 5:3-5 ”While they are saying ‘Peace and safety!’ then in a moment destruction falls upon them, like birth-pains on a woman who is with child; and escape there is none.  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that daylight should surprise you like a thief; for all of you are sons of Light and sons of the day.  We belong neither to the night nor to darkness.”

            We must realize that peace, protection, provisions, health, healing, and all other needs are blood-purchased rights to claim in faith, and to enjoy in life.  We must consciously place ourselves, our loved ones, our homes, and vehicles, and everything under the Blood of Christ—believing in faith that God will protect them.

            Trials and temptations in life are part of trusting and believing God in faith.  The apostle Paul visited many places for Acts 14:22 ”Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations [hardships; afflictions] enter the kingdom of God.’"

            Wherever we are spiritually, the devil will always try to discourage us.  Tests of faith are part of living by faith.  1 Peter 1:6 ”In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be [if it be necessary], you have been grieved by various trials.”  We are to meet every trial according to the Word of God—that is how we hold fast to our faith on God.

            Our faith is refined by trials met scripturally, so these faith tests are of far more spiritual value than the monetary value of this entire world.  1 Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

            The everyday spiritual battle is to get our attention; then our life; then our soul.  Satan constantly tries to discourage people from trusting God in faith.  The devil wants us to be in an unsaved position of unbelief—which is not trusting God in faith for anything.

            All of God’s dealing with us is to give us Paradise, and all of Satan’s lies to our mind are to put us in the Pit.  John 10:10 ”The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”  Satan always opposes us in divine things—but will encourage us in worldly things.  His only purpose is to have our faith dissolved by the time we pass from life.

            God knows that if we believe in His Son and place a trusting faith in His Atonement, we will be saved.  1 John 5:13 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know [for certain] that ye have eternal life, and that ye may [continue to] believe on the name of the Son of God.”  Trusting God in faith is evidence that we believe in the One He sent John 6:29.

            The Christian life is like a school, with tests along the way, and God wants us to graduate.  The devil, however, is determined that we not graduate by not being prepared, but God is working to have us be ready by teaching and testing us along the way.

            We are prepared only through faith in Christ.  Colossians 1:22-23 ”He has now, in His human body, reconciled to God by His death, to bring you, holy and faultless and irreproachable, into His presence; if, indeed, you are still firmly holding to faith as your foundation,”—and continuing to trust God when tested.

            We are to see ourselves forgiven by faith in the Blood sacrifice of the cross, and to continue to trust God by asking for His Holy Spirit to inspire us in heart to trust Him in faith.  The only reason we meet with temptations, is so we can meet them scripturally.  After we have been tested “for a while” and have met them according to the Word, the “God of all grace,” will “perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” 1 Peter 5:10.

            Our trials can take many forms—a physical attack, a financial battle, an insulting remark, an unprovoked injustice, a reason to retaliate, or any other temptation—but no matter what it is, or how unfair it seems, we are to place it before God.  We are instructed Luke 6:35 ”Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest.”

            The Bible tells us how to meet things, so we can judge our own responses to people and situations; thus we can know if we are acting like the world, or responding like a Christian.  Many people think they have salvation, but there is more to the Christian faith than just professing to be a believer.  Being converted means our heart has changed.  Matthew 18:3 “Verily I say to you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

            Outward things like baptism, singing hymns, giving to charity, Communion, and saying prayers have no merit in themselves, but “keeping God’s commands is what counts” 1 Corinthians 7:19.  It is what happens after our conversion that shows whether we are really saved.

            There is a beginning, a learning process, and a perfecting of our faith in Christ.  There is a change in our thinking, and a revolution of our living.  Unless we are transformed from trusting in anything but God; and we learn to trust and depend on Him for everything—like a child—we would not enter God’s kingdom.

            Human opinions and false teaching have things backwards.  The Bible places the test of being saved at the end of the Christian life, but false teaching places it at the beginning—Once Saved Always Saved delusion.  James 1:12 ”Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test [been approved], he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love [loving] him.”

            The crown of life is eternal life—given to those who continue to trust God through trials and tests.  Many think that being born again is a guaranteed entrance into heaven, no matter what happens after professing faith.  Hebrews 10:38-39 ”Now the just [righteous] shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.  But we are not of those who draw back to perdition [loss of the soul in Hell], but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”

            Being saved involves three things—there is a beginning—when we confess our sins to God, and accept His Son as our Lord and Savior.  Next—which many religious groups do not teach and often oppose—is to commit our life totally to God—as they did in the Bible, and to receive the Holy Spirit Who inspires us to believe God in faith.

            Step three is to actually live day-by-day by faith in the living God.  If we meet things as God says in His Word, we will be on scriptural grounds, and in a trusting position concerning divine healing, daily finances, training of children, protection from harm or loss, employment situations, and in all other matters.

            Being saved means we are righteous in the sight of God—by believing in faith on the Atonement Blood sacrifice of His Son.  If we truly repent before God, commit our life to Him without compromise, and meet the circumstances of life as God says, we will not be “shrinking back from the faith,” but will be among “those who believe for the saving of the soul.”