Chapter Eight - Salvation
THE MEANING OF SALVATION
The word, "salvation," simply means being saved from something. It is commonly used when a person is delivered from some danger. The following three things are true:
The person to be saved was in danger of death.
Someone saw his danger and went to rescue him.
The rescuer was successful and delivered the person from the danger. He "saved" him.
The Bible uses the words "save," "saved," "Savior" and "salvation" many times. These words have the very same meaning in a spiritual sense as they do in the ordinary sense.
THE NEED FOR SALVATION
We need God's salvation for two reasons.
First, by natural birth we all receive a sinful nature. This sinful nature produces sinful thoughts, sinful words, and sinful acts. It makes us enemies of God. Read Romans 5:12,18,19; 6:16; 8:5-8; Genesis 6:5; Ephesians 2:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4; Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:20-23; Romans 1:21-32; 3:19-23. These verses plainly show us that we are sinners and we need to be forgiven. We are under judgment and we need to be delivered. We are guilty and we need pardon. We are dead spiritually and we need life. We are slaves and we need liberty. We are entirely helpless and we cannot save ourselves.
Second, God is righteous. God is holy. He will punish sin. He will "by no means clear the guilty" (Exodus 34:6,7). He has shown us His hatred of sin and He has passed sentence of judgment against all who die in their sins. This is eternal punishment away from God's presence. See John 8:21,24; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:22-31; Revelation 20:11-15. Because we are sinners and God is righteous, we need to be delivered or saved from the penalty of our sins. Our cry should be, "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30-31).
THE PROVISION FOR SALVATION
The gospel is good news. Even though no one deserves to be saved, God has shown us His wonderful grace and offers salvation now to you. This salvation comes through His Son, Jesus Christ, because He died for you. The Bible clearly teaches us two things:
Christ came to be the Savior of sinners (Matthew 1:21). The Son of God is eternal and equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He became man so that He could provide salvation for you. Read John 3:16,17; Mark 10:45; Matthew 9:12,13; John 10:11,15-18.
Christ provided his salvation through His death and resurrection. He bore your sins in his own body. He fully satisfied God's righteous claims against sinners when He died for you. God showed that He accepted Christ's sacrifice for you when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 5:6-9; Acts 4:10-12; 5:31; 17:31.
HOW TO GET SALVATION
All the work needed for your salvation was finished by Christ. What, then, must you do to experience this salvation?
The gospel is God's testimony about the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for you. See 1 John 5:9,10. Christ finished all the work needed for your salvation (John 19:30; Romans 4:5). You can be saved by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31 says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." You cannot earn this salvation by your own good works. See Ephesians 2:8,9.
To believe in Christ means "to have confidence, to trust." You must believe that only He can solve the problem of your sin that keeps you out of heaven. By a definite act of the will you must receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior (John 1:12). This is a very important act. Right now you may say from your heart: "Lord Jesus, I know that I am a guilty, lost sinner, but I believe that you took my sins on yourself and died in my place. I believe that there is nothing I can do to save myself and that you finished all the work needed to save me. I receive you now as my own Savior."
If you will do this, you will know what it means to "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ."
HOW TO BE SURE OF SALVATION
How can we know for certain that we are saved? We can know because God has shown us plainly in His Word. God clearly tells us that anyone who trusts His Son is forgiven. He is saved and has eternal life. In Christ he is safe and secure forever. Read Acts 13:38; 1 John 2:12; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 John 5:13; Romans 5:1; 8:1; John 10:27-30.
THE SCOPE OF SALVATION
Salvation has to do with the past, the present, and the future.
The past. We are saved from the penalty of sin because Christ endured the full penalty due to our sins (John 5:24; Romans 8:1).
The present. We are also saved from the power of sin and from its control over us. At the time we believe, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and He gives us a divine nature. As believers, we can enjoy deliverance from the power of sin in our lives (1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Peter 1:3,4; Romans 6:1-14). However, we are still able to sin. We still have the evil nature called "the flesh." If we want to be free from the power of sin, we must do the following:
Read and study the Word of God and obey it (2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:22).
Yield our bodies to God for a righteous and useful life (Romans 6:13; 12:1,2).
Always keep in touch with God by prayer (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Immediately confess to God every sin we know about and try with God's help not to do it again (1 John 1:8,9; Titus 2:11-15).
The future. Some day we will be free from the presence of sin. This will be when Christ returns. He will change those believers in Christ who are alive so that they cannot die. This is the final part of our salvation that we are looking for (Hebrews 9:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
THE RESULTS OF SALVATION
There are many results of salvation (Ephesians 1:3-14). We shall write down only a few of them:
Peace with God (Romans 5:1). We are no longer God's enemies.
Acceptance as sons in God's family (Ephesians 1:5; John 1:12; Galatians 4:5,6).
Joy in God as His children (Romans 5:10,11; 8:14-17; Galatians 3:26-4:7).
Living for God (2 Corinthians 5:14,15; Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 4:2-5).
Service to God in doing good works and telling others about Him (Ephesians 2:10; Matthew 5:16; Mark 16:15).
Worship, praise and prayer to God (John 4:23,24; Hebrews 10:18-22; 13:15; 4:14-16).
An eternal home in heaven (John 14:1-3; Revelation 22:1-5).