Steps to Salvation
Salvation
…yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Romans 6:17
1. Hear
The gospel of Jesus Christ must be individually heard and we have to make the decision to follow God and His word, because the Bible teaches that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
2. Believe
Belief in the gospel is essential to the obedience of God’s Word. Mark 16:16 teaches, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
3. Repent
Repentance of sins must be made in order to be saved as we can read in scripture throughout the new testament. The decision to turn away from sin and commit to living for Jesus is required. (Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30, 31, 2:38)
4. Confess
When we confess, we verbally say out loud that Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 16:16), that He died, was buried, and was resurrected for our sins. (Romans 10:9-10)
5. Be Baptized
Baptism is for the remission of sins and is essential for eternal salvation. (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Matthew 28:18-20)
6. Live Faithfully
The Christian walk should continue until Jesus returns. This is something that can be difficult, but being a part of the family at Lithia Springs we strive to be with you on your journey in life. As you strive to be of Service to Him. Living faithfully is a life-long and willing commitment that is done through agape love to our Lord and Savior. (1 Corinthians 15:58, Revelation 2:10)
What To Expect in Worship
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth”. John 4:24
We want our worship to be pleasing to God first and foremost. That is why we look to the Bible and the example of the early Christians to see what they did. When you gather with us at Lithia Springs on any Sunday, this is what you will see. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Singing
At Lithia Springs, we take our worship very seriously. We desire to sing praises to our almighty Father using the voices God has given us. (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12) If you are visiting with us and are not familiar with the songs that we are singing don’t be embarrassed. The words and music will be projected on our screen and there is a song book in the back of the pew in front of you.
Praying
There are countless reasons for us to be thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the cross. One reason is that prayer allows us to communicate freely with our God. We believe that prayer is extremely important to keep ourselves focused and aligned with God and His will. We believe in the power of prayer and we often pray for specific desires, needs, and for our country.
Preaching
Our God inspired His scriptures for a reason: so that we might learn from them. Every Sunday a Biblically-grounded sermon will be given, and each lesson will be founded in Scripture while its preparation will have been saturated with prayer the week before.
Invitation – While it is not our goal to manipulate you or guilt you into making any decisions, as Christians, we are called to share the Good News with everyone, and it is our desire for you to join the Body of Christ. Because of this desire, there will be an invitation to align yourself with Christ in baptism after the sermon is over. This time, however, is more than just a time for baptisms. If someone does come forward to be baptized, they will be baptized by immersion for the forgiveness of their sins according to the scriptures (Acts 2:38, 8:35-39; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12). Most importantly, this is not a time to feel pressured. You will by no means be expected to come forward or to identify yourself in any way that makes you uncomfortable. At this time we also invite members to come forward with anything that they may be struggling with and are in need of prayer.
Lord's Supper
It is our desire to never forget the sacrifice Jesus made for us and by which we are saved. Based on the teachings of the New Testament and the example of Jesus Christ, we partake in communion every Sunday in remembrance of that sacrifice.
The Bread – A short devotional will be offered by a member of our congregation, reminding us of the importance of Christ’s sacrifice, followed by a prayer and the eating of the unleavened bread, symbolizing the body of Christ, offered on the cross for our sins. As each participating individual eats the bread, they do so in obedience to Jesus’ words, “Take, eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26).
The Cup – After a few more comments, a prayer will be offered for the cup, which symbolizes the blood of Christ. Each participating individual will take their cup and drink it, remembering Jesus’ words, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).
Examining Ourselves – We encourage baptized believers to partake in communion every Sunday. Joining with us around the Lord’s table is a confession of one’s faith, and each person should examine themselves before partaking, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). If one is not in the right state of mind, they should feel free not to participate.
Giving/offering
As a guest, we do not ask you to give any money at all. But there will be a time in our service when our members will be encouraged to give in the collection plate that will be passed around or online. A prayer will be offered for the ministries we are supporting. We know that nothing is achieved without the grace of God, and that our resources have come from Him. Knowing this, it is our desire to glorify Him with our gifts, as seen in the model of 1 Corinthians 16. Again, there is no pressure for our guests to participate.