International Gospel Hour

Guest (Male): The words of Jude were written concerning our common salvation. Let's look at that salvation today right here through the airwaves of the International Gospel Hour. Let's study.

J. Webb: Hi, this is J. Webb for International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, churches of Christ have proclaimed God's word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archey of International Gospel Hour. Let's begin.

Jeff Archey: Well, thank you to our J. Webb as always, and greetings to all of you. We are delighted to have you with us today for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. We're honored for each and every listener. Now, if you are a newer listener to our broadcast, please know we have a number of options for your listening pleasure and your Bible study.

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Our lesson text today is Jude 3, which reads: "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Now the meaning of the word "common" here is not something dirty, nor does it imply inferiority.

Rather, the word "common" implies that this, the salvation of Christ, is obtainable by all. Everyone can be saved, and it is that common salvation that supplies so much to the one who is saved. We're going to see its demands within today. But first, as I mentioned moments ago, we have a few more words about our Hispanic work here at International Gospel Hour.

J. Webb: International Gospel Hour, in collaboration with spanishbibleschool.org, presents a biblical podcast for our Spanish-speaking friends. Please join Marlon Retana for Cristianos Fieles, also known as Faithful Christians, at your favorite podcast platform. That's Cristianos Fieles with Marlon Retana. You can also hear the broadcast at our website internationalgospelhour.com.

Jeff Archey: Now friends, let's talk about the common salvation. I submit to you first of all that the common salvation demands a common Father, God the Father. Ephesians 4:6: "one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." And we're reminded in Matthew 23:9: "Do not call anyone on earth your father, for one is your Father, He who is in heaven."

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 4: "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." Quick lesson friends: no man upon this earth has the right to consider himself God, a demigod, or any type of God or father, only God the Father in heaven. The common salvation demands a common Father. He is the only one to whom we turn.

I submit to you second that the common salvation demands a common Savior. You see God sent his only begotten Son into the world to save us (John 3:16). In Romans 8:3: "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh." And we note in 1 Timothy 2:5: "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." You see the common salvation demands a common Savior, one that is specific.

How about the common salvation demands a common church? In Acts 2:47 on the Day of Pentecost, they were all added to the same body. If you were to launch back or leap back in time and to look at what denomination you are now a part of, nobody would know what you were talking about. They knew they were added to Christ, added to His church.

And friends, we understand that the one church we read of in the New Testament is the one of which we should be a part, and that is the one we will aim you toward here at International Gospel Hour because that's the one the Bible aims us toward. One body has many members. We note that from 1 Corinthians 12, how Paul takes the physical body and shows how it has many parts and responsibilities. Well, the church has many members. That doesn't mean that there's a number of denominations. No, he's talking of one body and the members of that one body. And the common salvation demands a common church. We labor together.

The common salvation demands a common name. Friends, denominational groups have many names. They really do. I'm sure, and I mean this graciously, you may be a member of a denominational group, but may I ask you in light of scripture, can you find that name, that group in the Bible? There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12), and that being Jesus Christ. He promised to build his church (Matthew 16:18), and he did. Because the common salvation demands a common Father, a common Savior, a common church, and a common name under whom we are saved.

The common salvation demands a common system of worship. In Acts 2:42, we find how they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, breaking of bread, and in prayers. All that believed were together according to Acts 2:42 through 46. In John 4:24, God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. So we need to understand God's guidelines for worship and not ours.

And we cannot transgress and go beyond that which is written. If anybody brings something the totally opposite of what God would have, then we need to reject them (2 John 9 through 11). Sectarianism is just the very opposite of God's way. The common salvation demands a common system of worship. It is to be of the same.

The common salvation promises a common reward. That crown of life as mentioned in Revelation 2:10, known as a crown of righteousness in 2 Timothy 4:6 through 8, and yet a crown that is the greatest victory of all, for it is an incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:24 through 27). That's where Paul was talking about how they would run the race and to receive a crown.

When my wife and I visited the city of Corinth with a number of other Christians, we learned about the corruptible crowns. Sometimes they were made with celery, believe it or not. Well, of course it's going to fade and it's going to be corruptible. But there's an incorruptible crown that will be given on the day of judgment. Dear friends, the common salvation.

What did Jude write once again? "It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." That common salvation. Friends, would you like to pursue more knowledge of the common salvation? To learn of God the Father, the Savior Jesus Christ, the church which he built, the name and the church of which we are saved, of worship, and that reward that awaits us? We've got a special study that will help you toward that end. And get this folks: you can work on it in the privacy of your own home. Here is our J. Webb to tell you how you can receive the God and Man study.

J. Webb: An additional Bible study by mail is now available from International Gospel Hour. It's titled "God and Man: How to be Saved from Sin". This study booklet addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man, and friends, like all materials, it's free. Call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say "God and Man".

Or you can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the contact tab, and leave us the same information: name, address, and type "God and Man" in the message box. Another Bible study that is free from IGH and our friends at god-and-man.com. That's G-O-D dash A-N-D dash M-A-N dot com. We'd love to hear from you.

Jeff Archey: Well, friends, I realize that's a lot to grasp right there with God and Man. The best way as J. said, the easiest way is just call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and we will get it in the mail to you. It's a great Bible study, and we think it will help you in your personal study and maybe answer a lot of questions that you have.

Today we remember the late brother Truman J. Cobb. I call this lesson "From the Files". I have a collection of sermons from our friends at polishingthepulpit.com and my involvement there, and I love to share these lessons for they still preach just as powerful today as before. So I hope that you and I have grown in our knowledge of the common salvation as stated in Jude verse 3.

Again, the International Gospel Hour is under the oversight of the elders of the West Fayetteville, Tennessee Church of Christ. Our mailing address is PO Box 118, Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334. Again our toll-free number is 855-444-6988. We'd love to hear from you and we'll continue our studies together at another time. Thanks for joining me today here on the International Gospel Hour. I'm Jeff Archey and friends, keep listening.

J. Webb: Thank you for listening to our broadcast today and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God's word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com.