Things to Consider: Our Salvation Is Important

"Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way."  - A. W. Tozer

Happy Monday to you!

No matter where we live, or what we do, we as Christians all have a common connection. It really doesn't matter whether one is a seasoned follower of Jesus Christ, or a new believer, we all have this thirst or hunger to know as much about Jesus as we can. I think that's just awesome!

I'm often asked to speak and/or teach, which I totally love doing! One of the most asked about topics, without question, has to do with our salvation. And why not? You have to admit, it is one of those things that can certainly make you lie awake in bed at night, staring at the ceiling!

This week, I'd like to try making salvation a little less daunting for you, if I can. To begin with, think about salvation as “a rescue from bondage or danger.” Many times the Bible uses salvation and saved when talking about worldly, physical liberation such as the apostle Paul's in Philippians 1:19.

More often than not, however, salvation is used in reference to eternal, spiritual deliverance (Acts 16:30-31; Matthew 19:24-25). So, what are we saved from? According to the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from God's judgment (wrath) of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Sin has separated us from God. The consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Both are not good!

At this point, the game should be over, right? Hang on a minute! Biblical salvation concerns our deliverance or rescue from the bad effects of sin. Better yet, the removal of it. Who exactly does the saving? God does. You see, only He can remove sin and save us from the penalty of sin (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).

Okay, so now we know that only God can save us, or set us free from sin. How does He do this? Referring back to the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has set us free through Jesus Christ (John 3:17). Basically, our salvation was secured through Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7).

We can learn through reading the Bible that our being saved (salvation) is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Ephesians 2:5; 8). Isn't this incredibly wonderful! It is given to us freely and lovingly by Our Heavenly Father. We can't buy it, trade for it, or earn it. It is exclusively available to us only through our faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

It's very crucial that we place all of our trust solely in Jesus Christ as the payment for our sins. As such, if we believe in Him, we will not perish (John 3:16). Which leads us to our final questions for today: "How can I be saved and what do I need to do?"

The Bible tells us that in order to be saved we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). Jesus Christ died for us and our sins. His death and resurrection made you and I acceptable to God. All we have to do is receive, in repentance and faith, the salvation that is offered by God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Without a doubt, there is no more important issue than where we will spend our eternity after we leave this world, otherwise known as our eternal destiny. Thankfully, the Bible is generously clear on our salvation (Acts 16:30; 31). Now, how about you? Are you saved..?

Scripture: John 1:12; Mark 12:30; John 15:5-6; John 15:10; Psalm 119:160

Prayer: Dear Jesus, Be with me today, and be my support. Every day is a blessing in Your name. I pray that I may set a good example of Your teachings to this hurting world today. Amen

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey