HAT IT MEANS TO BE SAVED

God teaches us in Romans 10:9-10(NLT), “9 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. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” Most people hear the word ‘saved’ and think of it in very general terms. Being rescued from harm or danger immediately comes to their mind. So, if a person doesn’t perceive that he or she is in immediate danger, they may not understand the staggering importance of salvation and being born again through Jesus Christ.

In truth, there is nothing more harmful or dangerous than to spend an eternity cut off from the One True Living God, and therefore being in perpetual eternal darkness and despair. It’s a fate far worse than our minds can comprehend, and this is the reality of all who are not saved through Jesus Christ. God proclaims in Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT) that He has “rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” God freely offers us His love, rescue, and help, but it is our responsibility to accept what He offers. Our earthly experience is an opportunity to do just that, to accept God’s love and help by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.

JESUS IS LORD!

The psalmist said about our Heavenly Father in Psalm 144:2(NLT), “He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in him.” Through

Jesus Christ, God has made salvation from eternal darkness and damnation available to us, but He will not force anyone to accept the salvation He offers. Love never forces, it lovingly guides. Our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ is delighted to guide us into salvation and into his magnificent light, but we must be willing to make him Lord. This means that we must turn our whole lives over to him.

Regarding the royalty that most of us are acquainted with, the title of “lord” is given to some people that have been exemplary at their talents, skills, or abilities. In earlier Biblical periods, this word “lord” had even greater importance and significance. It was a royal distinction of tremendous respect and honor. So, a lord is a distinguished title for someone of superior rank and is the very best of all that is esteemed. Before we come to Jesus Christ and make him the Lord of our lives, we had assumed that title. Before salvation, we made our own choice and decisions, and many of those sent us down a very troublesome path. Once we accept the salvation that Jesus Christ offers, we transfer lordship to him. He then has Lordship over us and is in charge of our entire lives.

Loving God Is A Choice

Genesis 1:26 tells us that God created human beings in His own image. Like Him, we are self-governing. We make our own decisions, and we get to decide who we are going to be. We decide whether we will be a child of God or a child of satan. An in between doesn’t exist. Jesus Christ makes it clear in Matthew 6:24 that we can’t serve two masters, we will love one and hate the other or vice versa, but we can’t serve both. We’re not built that way.

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God has given each of us the gift of freewill, and Romans 11:29(NLT) says, “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” God is all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect and magnificent in every way. He never has to do a do-over or a take-back. He does things perfectly from the very beginning according to His divine design. He means for us to have what He wants to give us, and He is faithful to the gifts He gives. He will not override our free-will choice.

God offers us salvation and it is a free gift. We can’t do anything to earn it. Heavenly Father freely offers us the blessing of spending an eternity