Salvation

Salvation, Theology

What is salvation?

Salvation refers to the act of God's grace in delivering his people from bondage to sin and condemnation, transferring them to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Col. 1:13), and giving them eternal life (Rom. 6:23)—all on the basis of what Christ accomplished in his atoning sacrifice. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8).

Why do I need to be saved?

I am a sinner. All people have sinned, or fallen short of God’s design.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

I deserve God’s judgment. Because of my sin, I deserve the wrath of God.

“For the wages of sin is death...” Romans 6:23a

 “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

 Apart from Christ we are…“by nature children of wrath.” Ephesians 2:3

 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way…” Isaiah 53:6a

How is it possible for me to be saved?

Jesus took the punishment that I deserve. He died in my place, taking on the full wrath of God.

“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

 “…the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6b

Jesus is God. The infinite God is the only One who could pay the penalty of sin. We have sinned against the infinite God, therefore the trespass is infinite.

Jesus, “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

What must I do to be saved?

Repent of your sin and turn in faith to Jesus as Lord and Savior.

“…the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23b

 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

 “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

 

What now, since I have been saved?

Tell someone. Rejoice and let others rejoice by telling them of your new life!

Be baptized. Baptism is an outward expression of your inward faith and symbolizes what has just happened to you inwardly, dying to your old self and being born to walk in newness of life.

 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

Other passages about my salvation:

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:3-7

 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:3-10

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18


Let me know if you have given your life to Jesus!