Are You Saved To The Uttermost?

m All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
The Bible says in Hebrews 7:24-25, "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." The "...This man..." in this passage is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. So the question in the title, are you saved to the uttermost? The Bible says in Romans 14:22b, "...Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." But the Bible also says in 1st John 3:20, "...if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart..."  I know one must believe and be baptized to be saved. For Jesus said in Mark 16:16, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." My reading of that scripture has always been that if you don't believe, it really doesn't make any difference whether you are baptized or not. This is what apostle Peter must have meant when he talked   about baptism saving us in 1st Peter 3-21. I'm glad I was baptized in Jesus name the week I turned to God.

 I love that chorus we used to sing in church "In the Name of Jesus." It goes like this;
     In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus. we have the victory,
     In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, demons will have to flee,
     Tell me who can stand against us when we call on His great name,
     Jesus Jesus, precious Jesus we have the victory.

I was never sure about the third line in the chorus. It was either, "tell me who can stand against us when we call on His great name," or "tell me who can stand before us when we come in His great name." I guess it doesn't make a lot of difference. The important thing is to be saved. So the question is are we saved to the uttermost? It takes the name of Jesus to save us. The Bible says in Acts 4:10-12 that God has given us a name by which we can be healed and by which we must be saved. So in putting Mark 16:16 and 1st Peter 3:21 together with Acts 4:10-12 it becomes evident that what apostle Peter said in Acts 2:38 is true. Any other way is simply the invention of carnal men.           

My friends, if you have thought in the past that just being baptized saves you, think again. The Bible tells about a man who the Bible says believed and was baptized. The man's name was Simon, commonly referred to as Simon the Sorcerer. In Acts 8:4-25 we are told of the great revival that was happening in Samaria. I won't print it all here. The Bible says that Simon believed also and was baptized. When he saw that when Peter and John laid hands on people they received the Holy Ghost, he offered them money that he also might have this power. I think he wanted to retain his power over the people. Apostle Peter said to Simon, "...Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." Peter went on and told him his heart wasn't right with God and of his need to repent. Simon then asked Peter to pray for him that the things Peter had spoken would not come upon him. (Remember what Jesus said in Mark 16;16) There was a problem with Simon's belief system. He needed to repent. Asking some man  to pray for you won't cut it. You need to go to God in repentance. (see Acts 20:21 to find out what Paul preached everywhere)

I don't know whether Simon had received the gift of the Holy Ghost or not. But it would appear that he had not. I believe that God won't give the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the true born again experience, to someone who has not fully repented. If you have been baptized in Jesus name and still have questions about your salvation, maybe a true repentance is in order. If you have truly repented of your sins and been baptized in Jesus name you will be saved to the uttermost.