Salvation
Am I saved?" This is the
single most important question that each of us must face before we end our
short and transient days in this world. Maybe you have been living in shame and
darkness; maybe your life seems empty and aimless; maybe you have come to the
end of your rope and have no one to turn to. It's time to reach out your hand
to Jesus. He is the only Savior who can provide meaning to your life and hope
of an everlasting life.
WHAT IS
SALVATION?
We always hear the word
"salvation" from the mouths of professed Christians and evangelists.
But, what is salvation? Saved from what?
Webster's dictionary defines
"save" as "to rescue or preserve from harm or danger."
Applying this definition to the Biblical context, salvation is rescue from the
power of Satan and sin leading to eternal punishment in hell. The goal of
salvation is for human beings to restore their relationship with God, receive
eternal life, and enter the HeavenlyKingdom in the future.
WHY DO I NEED SALVATION?
Here is a common reaction to the
subject of sin: "yeah, I do make little mistakes every now and then, but
eternal punishment in hell? No way! That's for people who are really evil and
commit outrageous crimes, not me."
The Bible Defines Sin
As far as God is concerned,
disobedience to his laws is sin, and the result is eternal death. Failure to
worship and honor the true God who created us is in itself a great sin. Not
only so, we are often selfish, dishonest, jealous; and
our hearts are filled with hatred, bigotry, greed, and lust. In God's eyes, we
sin daily in our speech, in our conduct, and in our thoughts.
Everyone Has Sin
The Bible places everyone in the
world--old and young, men and women, rich and poor, well-educated and
unschooled, past and present--under the category of "sinners":
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23). However virtuous we may think of ourselves, we are actually sinners who
deserve punishment for our transgressions. All of us desperately need to be
saved from the dreadful end of eternal condemnation.
WHO CAN SAVE ME?
The Only Savior
No one other than the true God
himself. It is God who prescribes the Law for human beings; so only he has the
sovereign authority to condemn and the power to save humankind.
For this reason he came to the
world in the þesh as Jesus Christ. He came without
sin and lived a holy and blameless life on earth. He not only overcame sin in
his lifetime, but conquered sin and death by offering himself as a perfect
sacrifice on the cross for our sins and by the power of his resurrection.
The blood of Jesus Christ, shed
on the cross, opens the way back to God for everyone who puts his faith in the
Savior. After he ascended to Heaven, the Lord Jesus also poured out the Holy
Spirit on the believers so that they may lead a holy life just as he did.
WHEN CAN I BE SAVED?
Now. Accept the Lord Jesus as your
Savior today and submit yourself to his word while the door of grace is still
open. Tomorrow may be too late.
HOW CAN I BE SAVED?
Believe
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved." (Acts )
·
Believe in God's existence and trust his
sovereign power.
·
Acknowledge that the Lord Jesus is the one and
only God.
·
Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and
Savior.
Submit to God's word--the Bible, and to the gospel of salvation preached by the
true church.
Repent
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that
your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the
Lord." (Acts )
·
Confess to God, with sincerity and humility, all
your past sins, be they transgressions in your daily life, refusal to believe
in God, or belief in false doctrines.
·
Ask for the Lord's forgiveness.
·
Determine to change your ways and to obey the
commandments of God.
Be Baptized
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
(Mark )
·
Accept baptism performed by the true church
according to Biblical instructions for the remission of your sins.
Receive the Holy Spirit
"I tell you the truth,
no one can enter the kingdom
of God unless he is born
of water and the Spirit." (John 3:5)
·
Pray sincerely and earnestly for the promised
gift of the Holy Spirit, evidenced by the speaking of tongues.
·
Live by the Holy Spirit and become a new person.
Obey the Commandments
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father in
heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
·
Love God by practicing his word.
·
Love others as yourself by doing good deeds.
