Saved
Christians talk a lot about being “saved.”
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 KJV)
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—” (Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV)
Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words defines saved as: deliver, protect, heal, preserve, do well, make whole.
In God’s context, “saved” means being rescued from eternal separation from God. It means living in God’s spiritual kingdom during your life and for eternity. If you are saved, you will one day receive a new body and a new earth, and you will live with God.
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruit of those who are asleep. For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22 WEBU)
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, ‘Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’” (Revelation 21:1-3 WEBU)
God tells us to love Him and one another.
“’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 26-39 ESV)
God loves us whether or not we love Him and each other. God loves us no matter what we do.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ” (John 3:16 ESV)
By God’s free gift of love and kindness, we can be reconciled to Him and avoid an eternity of separation from Him. This is possible because Jesus voluntarily gave himself to be a blood sacrifice to pay for all the sins of mankind forever. He allowed himself to be crucified, where he suffered and died. On the third day, he was resurrected from the dead, just as he promised, to show us that he was truly the Son of God.
Salvation (being saved) is a free gift from the grace of God.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8 ESV)
You might say “free gift” is redundant. Okay. In English, by itself, it is. The Greek word translates to “favor freely given” or “gift of grace” bestowed by God. “Free gift” emphasizes that it cannot be earned.
Like all gifts, we have to receive it voluntarily and intentionally. That means taking possession of it and accepting it. You have to decide you want it and act.
How does someone take possession of or receive the gift? John 3:16 tells us, “whoever believes in him (Jesus) should not perish, …” When the jailer asked Paul, Paul told him in Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, …” In his letter to the Romans, verse 10:9, Paul says, “because, 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.”
When you believe in someone, you trust them.
“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:15 ESV)
Children are trusting, teachable, nonjudgmental, and open-minded.
Some key things we are to do are to acknowledge our sins, be sorry for them, and turn away from them. This is called repentance.
When we believe in Jesus, we begin trying to be like Him. We try to behave like him and do what he told us to do. This is called sanctification.
You do not accomplish this overnight. You spend the rest of your life trying to become like Jesus.
Dear God,
So far, I have lived my life without you. I have sinned many times. I know I cannot save myself. I now accept your wonderful, gracious gift of salvation.
I believe that Jesus came to earth as a man to be a sacrifice for my sins. I believe He rose from the dead and returned to Heaven.
God, I can be stubborn and slow to catch on, but I will do my best to follow his teachings and commands for the rest of my life.
Please fill me with the Holy Spirit to help and guide me.
Thank you, God, for caring for me and for saving me.
Please help me start changing myself and my life to please you now.
Amen