In the Bible, the word salvation means spiritual liberation. God frees us from the power of sin and eternal death when we repent to him of the wrongs we have committed and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior by faith.
In the process of salvation, there is someone who offers salvation and someone who is willing to receive it. God offers us salvation through Jesus Christ and we must accept it. It’s like when you need help to do something: it’s not enough that they offer you help. You must allow them to help you and receive the help in order to enjoy the result. Otherwise, it won’t do you much good. So, it is not enough to know that we can be saved through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. We must accept it.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; this does not come from you but is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Salvation according to the Bible is a gift from God, one that we did not deserve. And we receive it only by accepting it wholeheartedly. You don’t need to do anything else.
Salvation is through Jesus
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, a separation barrier was created between human beings and God. God had clearly told them what they could eat and what they could not. They chose to disobey God and eat the fruit of the forbidden tree: they chose to sin (Genesis 3:1-7). It is for this reason that, since then, we have all been born with the tendency to disobey God.
However, God did not sit idly by because he does not wish eternal death on anyone. Nope! God set in motion his perfect plan for the salvation of each one of us.
I don’t want anyone’s death. Convert, and you will live! The Almighty Lord affirms it.
(Ezekiel 18:32)
God’s salvation was made possible by Jesus, God incarnate. Jesus is the bridge that brings us closer to God. We have access to the Father thanks to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. In the book of Titus, in the New Testament, the state of the human being without Jesus and the wonderful change, accessible to all through him, are explained to us. God’s mercy reaches us and transforms us!
At one time we too were foolish and disobedient. We were misguided and were slaves to all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy. We were obnoxious and we hated each other. But, when the goodness and love of God our Savior were manifested, he saved us, not by our own works of justice, but by his mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, which was poured out abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior. He did so so that, justified by his grace, we might become heirs who hope to receive eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7)
Even when passions and sin reigned in our lives, God sent Jesus on his own initiative. He did it as a token of his goodness and his love for us, to save us and free us from the power of sin. Jesus cleared the way for us to enjoy eternal life with him. That is our heritage!
It seems to be a very simple concept, but it is one that many people struggle with. “How is it possible that I don’t have to do anything else?” many wonders. Others question whether Jesus is the only way, the only valid way to be saved as we read in John 14:6. But in the end, it’s all a matter of faith. Believing that Jesus Christ is enough. His work on the cross was enough and it is through him that we are saved.
Jesus Christ is “the stone that you builders rejected, and which has become the cornerstone.” In fact, in no other is there salvation, because there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved.
(Acts 4:11-12)
Other verses of salvation to meditate on:
For the wages of sin is death, while the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23)
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it through him.
(John 3:16-17)
For God saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of our own works, but because of his own determination and grace. He granted us this favor in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time; and now he has revealed it with the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, who destroyed death and brought incorruptible life to light through the gospel.
(2 Timothy 1:9-10)
CHECKOUT:
- can you lose your salvation As A Christian?
- The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation Meaning of Psalm 27:1
- What is the Grace of God according to the Bible?
Ways to receive salvation
What must we do to be saved? The truth is that it is not complicated at all, but it is vital.
Recognize that you need salvation.
The first thing is to recognize that we need salvation. We must recognize that there is evil in our hearts and that by our own means we cannot remove it.
Romans 3:23-24 says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that was brought about by Christ Jesus.” If we are honest, we have to admit that we have all done things that we are ashamed of, things that we know are wrong. Acknowledging this without excuses is the first step.
Accept by faith
Next, we need to accept by faith the grace of God that has redeemed us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Jesus rescued us, freed us from the slavery of sin, and freed us from the punishment we deserved for the bad things we have done. We need to accept by faith that immense gift.
Confess with your Mouth
Thirdly, we must express with our lips what we believe with our hearts: Jesus is Lord! Romans 10 says it like this…
This is the word of faith that we preach: that 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. Because with the heart one believes to be justified, but with the mouth, one confesses to be saved.
(Romans 10:8b-10)
A heart transformed by the power of God’s grace will move us to speak and bear witness to what God has done for us. We will declare that Jesus is Lord of our lives and of the entire universe. Jesus is God and by his work, we are saved!
When we are very convinced of something wonderful, we talk about it and share it with others. There is nothing more wonderful than the forgiveness, the grace, the salvation that God gives us! Talk about Christ! Share the message of salvation.
Other verses to meditate on:
Truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged, but has passed from death to life.
(John 5:24)
There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, for the same Lord is Lord of all and abundantly blesses all who call on him, because “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
(Romans 10:12-13)