Saved

 

Acts 4:10-12 “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

Most people understand what it means to be saved. The dictionary defines the word as being preserved from evil; injury or destruction; kept frugally [prudently or carefully]; prevented; spared; taken in time. But in the case of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, many wonder what they need saved from? In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “the Son of Man [speaking of himself] has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Many wonder how they are lost and on what basis this claim of being lost is based? They see a world entrenched in moral depravity, hate and violence but do not see themselves in the equation and therefore believe that they are basically good and not needing to be saved.

 

The issue is sin; what sin is exactly and what the judgment for sin actually is. Sin is not what you or I believe is “right” or “wrong” or just a mere poor moral decision by people. The word “sin” is defined as “The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts, purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God's commands or law. People do not understand just how sinful sin really is. Sin is ultimately against God and His authority over His creation. Sin is truly evil and sin is deadly serious because Romans 6:23 explains, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

 

Ephesians 2:1-3 explains the severity of the sin situation stating “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” We must understand that God is “Just” [upright; honest; having principles of rectitude; or conforming exactly to the laws, and to principles of rectitude in social conduct; equitable in the distribution of justice; as a just judge] and justice demands that sin be punished by God.

 

John 3:16-19, 36 proclaims, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. He dwho believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” What sins? The Bible lists sins of adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, drug abuse, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, lust, pride, liars, cheats, homosexuals, thieves, covetous,  drunkards, revilers, extortioners and more. We all fit on that list somewhere. Romans 3:23-24 confirms “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  

 

God is just, but God is love and merciful. Our Creator could invoke judgment immediately, but 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. God’s desire is to restore the sinner back to an upright position before Him. Salvation is being saved from sin and of the wrath of God [just punishment] against our sin. God’s plan of salvation was to send his sinless Son Jesus Christ to pay the price for the hellbound sinners of the world, saving all who believe by faith in the Savior of the world, repent and surrender the throne of their life in obedience to the Lord and become a discipled follower. Jesus is the blessed redeemer of mankind, the way to salvation.  

 

That is why Ephesians 2:4-8 can say, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” In Romans 1:16-18 the Apostle Paul declares, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” But the good news is that God saves.

 

Saved in Christ, Brian