Ephesians 1:13
How does a person go from lost to saved, from not knowing Jesus to knowing Him, from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ? What are the elements of this sacred process of entering into the kingdom of God? What must happen to obtain salvation? These are the questions explored in this small verse in Ephesians. Scott shows that the gospel must be preached and heard; there must be a response of faith; the Spirit must cause new birth. From start to finish it is God doing the work. The last part of the message is an exhortation to the church about the importance of preaching the gospel because no one will be saved unless the gospel is preached (Romans 10). Strong reasons are given to preach the gospel even if most reject it and the effort to communicate has negative effects socially most of the time.