I.INTRODUCTION-- There should be no confusion over the plan of salvation. There is ample information, contrary to the claims of som, and it is plainly written, contrary to the claims of others. There are even references to "sample salvations."

II. LESSON--

A. Examples of "sample salvations."
1. Noah and family saved "through water." 1 Peter 3:20-21 "...the longsuf-fering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:

21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

2. The Children of Israel were saved by a "baptizm." 1 Corinthians 10:1-6a "For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and did all eat the same spiritual food; 4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ. 5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples........"
a. Notice that the saved in this sample were later rejected by God for their sins. They benefitted from the salvation of God, then turned away.
b. Jude confirms this salvation (and rejection). Jude 5 "Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not."
3. Jesus mentions also the cleansing of Naaman as a sample of salvation. Luke 4:27 "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
a. 2 Kings 5 tells the story.
b. All the elements of conditional salvation are there.

B. The salvation of the 3000 in Acts 2 is one of our clearest samples.

1. The Holy Spirit was active, but only to enable the Apostles to bring the message to the hearers.

2. The Old Testament prophecies confirmed the event of the death and resurrection of Christ. Luke 24:44-47 "And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures; 46 and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem."

3. An appeal for reasonable interpretation of the prophets, combined with words to establish faith (Romans 10:17), gave power to the message.

4. Salvation was by the WORD.
a.The sample is seen in the conversion of the Ephesians. Ephesians 1:13 "....in whom (Christ) ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, --in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."
b.The same is true with the Romans. Romans 6:17-18 "But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; 18 and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness."
c. James urges all men to be same the same sample way. James 1:21 "Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

5. Their actions on the day of Pentecost fulfilled the commission of Jesus. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16

III. CONCLUSION--

A. A sample is an example either of what you should do, or what you should not do. In this case, we should follow the example to be saved.
B. Follow and trust the divine samples which produce spiritual good, for you know they are right.

APPEAL-- Note the negative examples of the fate of the ungodly. 2 Peter 2:4-9 "For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds): 9 the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;"