John 3:16-17 “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.”
This last Sunday, Retired pastor and Reserve US Coast Guard officer Wayne Palmer preached a Sunday sermon message on “Salvation”. With his prop “Coastie the robotic Cutter” ship, he stated that the primary objective of the US Coast Guard was to save lives as an military organizational instrument of salvation.
Psalm 3:8 “Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people.”
The Greek word for “Salvation” here is “yᵊšûʿâ”, meaning welfare, prosperity, deliverance from sin, salvation by God, victory over death. Psalm 18:2 states, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” The two forms of salvation are physical and spiritual. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines “salvation” as: (1) The act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger or great calamity. (2) Appropriately in theology, the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness. This is the great salvation. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2Corinthians 7. (3) Deliverance from enemies; victory. Exodus 14. (4) Remission of sins, or saving graces. Luke 19. Luke 19:10 affirms, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
There are many types of physical destructive items and behaviors, dangers and calamities in life, but many means of physical salvation items and methods which are of great importance. Yet, it is only temporary in this earthly existence. So, what are we saved from by Jesus is spiritual death and eternal destruction. Why is this salvation necessary? Romans 3:21-24 explains, “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 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,
Ephesians 2:1-8 confirms that “you He [God] 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. 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.
One day, each of us will die and stand before Jesus on Judgment Day. Romans 6:22-23 states, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. Romans 10:9 proclaims: “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Jesus is Lord and our spiritual life preserver. Believing and following Him alone floats our boat. Be accountable to God and counted for. Set spiritual goals that guide your physical thoughts, words and actions, then use them or lose them. And as Jesus commissioned us all, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”, because Jesus said: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen. He is the way, the truth and the life.
In Christ, Brian
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