SALVATION

In Christianity’s point of view, Salvation can be defined as a saving or deliverance of human beings from sin and its consequences which include death and separation from God by Christ’s death and resurrection, and the justification following this salvation. In other words salvation means being rescued by God from the consequences of wrong doing (sin). By accepting Jesus as a Lord and saviour, one is committing his/her life to Jesus, giving him an upper hand to take fullcontroloverhis/herlifethroughsubmittingtohis(Jesus)Lordship.

How did God demonstrate His love through salvation?

Thebookof John 4:8 teaches us that God is love, not only does God love, but love is part of His essential nature. Love is who God is. In demonstrating His love, God sent His only son Jesus Christ to provide salvation for those who believe. God greatlylovedtheworldthatheevengavehisonlyson,sothatwhoeverbelievesin him should not perish but have eternal life-John 3:16. God demonstrated his love that while we were not even born yet, he was already at work to provide a way for us to spend eternity with him. Salvation is God’s free gift to all humanity. With regards to salvation being a free gift, the book of Ephesians 2:8-9 Amp version, providesthefollowing:

“For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favour drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own efforts] but it is the gift [undeserved, gracious] of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will (be able to) boastortakecreditinanyway(forhissalvation)”.

The afore mentioned quote makes it clear that salvation is indeed God’s free gift, there is no amount of work that can qualify one to be saved , it is purely God’s expressionoflovethatincludeseternallifetothosewhowillreceiveit[believe].

Are we all born sinners? Do we all need salvation?

Some believe that before anyone can be saved he/ she must have first committed certain sins or be old enough to have experienced life and made some mistakes. This view is futile and unbiblical. According to Romans 3:23, 6.23, Ephesians 2:1-5, the bible is clear that we are all sinners. From the very moment we enter this world until our final breath, we have a sinful nature. It does not matter whether one is a child or an adult, a good person, or a bad one, all of us are born sinners. To sin is to fall short of God’s perfect standard or to go against His laws. All humans have a natural tendency to go against the ways of God. Due to our sinful nature,weareallseparatedfromGodanddeservingofHispunishment.

According to Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, we inherited our sinful nature from Adam. Genesis 15:26-27 provides that, when God created Adam and Eve, He made them in His own image and without sin. However, they had the ability to make their own decisions and they chose to disobey God -Genesis 3. By disobeying God, they sinned and became sinful in nature and their children inherited this sinful nature and their children’s children and so forth. All human beings descends from Adam and Eve, consequently all humanity inherits a sinful nature or is born sinners. In explaining this, Romans 5:12 provides that “Therefore just as sin came into the world through one man , and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all are sinners”. Psalms 58:3 and Proverbs 22:15 providethatoursinisapartofusfrombirth,inotherwordswearebornsinners.

Our sinful nature is not something we can overcome on our own. Althoughpeoplecandogoodthings, they are not inherently good in nature and there is nothing they can do to neither atone for their sin nor choose to stop sinning by their own wilful power. In fact the bible declares that our acts of goodness [outside Jesus Christ-salvation] are like filthy rugs- Isaiah 64:6. But Jesus, the son of God is our only Hope.Jesushasovercomesin.Jesus was fully human and fully God. He became a perfect man, living a perfect life without sinning. He sacrificed His life on the cross and atoned both our sinful nature and our sinful actions. Romans 5:17 then provides that, “For if, by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the spirit of righteousness reign in life through theman,JesusChrist”.

In answering the question of “whether we are all born in sin”? The answer is definitely Yes, even a one-day old child, is a sinner from birth. Therefore, there is no need for waiting to reach a certain age before accepting Jesus as a personal saviour, or to go through tough times and make mistakes before we can accept Jesus as our personalsaviourbecausealreadyweareallborninsin.

In answering the question of “who needs to be saved”? We all need God’s salvation and no one is exempted from accepting Jesus Christ as his/her personal saviour, forwithouthim(Jesus)wecanneverseetheKingdomof God. Most people always confess their love for God (the father) but deny his Son (Jesus). Jesus is the gate to salvation, he is the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the father except through him –John 14:6. You cannot love God the father without loving his son Jesus, for everyone who loves the father also loves the son born of Him- 1John 5:1. Christ is one with the father, you cannot love God (Father) and hate Jesus (God the Son).

How does one become saved?

Romans10:9providethattobesavedonehastoconfess with his/ her mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in his/her heart that God raised him (Jesus) from the dead. I have heard many burdensome theories that people havecreatedforthemselvesthatarecontrarytothe word of God with regards to salvation, some believe that to be saved you have to first be clean, that is to be without sin. Some believe that for one to be saved there must be an audible voice that must first whisper in their ears. The word of God is clear that anyone who confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in his or her heart that God raised Jesus from the dead will be saved. This is a personal decision about one’s life. In supporting the view that accepting God’s salvation is a personal decision upon an individual, Revelations 3 : 20 says “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me”. You make a personal decision to let God take full control over your life, to watch over you, to provide for your needs, to take away your burdens,tofightyourbattles,tosustainyouandsoforth.

It is crucial that I reiterate the significance of accepting Jesus (as an individual/personally).There is an error that has been overlooked for a long time, people mistake goingtochurcheverySundayforsalvation.Itisnotwrong to attend each and every service at church, but the danger is in thinking that because one is attending all services he/she is saved. Some might have grew up in church, some might have been born by Pastors, it is very important that each person accept Christ personally and submit to his Lordship (confess with his/her mouth and believe in his/her heart that God raised Jesus from the dead). We do not inherit salvation from our spouses, friendsorevenfromourparents.

Are there any worst sinners before God that they are to be exempted from salvation?

In Matthew 11:28 we hear Jesus calling to him everyone who is weary and burdened promising to give them rest. This verse shows the depth of the love of God, all he wants is to set people free from anything that may be troubling them whether it be a sin, physical illness, emotional illness and any burden that might be troubling theirsoul. Thereisnoworstsinthatcannotbewashedby the blood of Jesus. Isaiah 1: 18 says “Come now, let us reason together, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shallbeaswhiteassnow,thoughtheyareredascrimson, they shall be like wool”. People might have given up on you, you might have even lost hope in yourself, you might have done the worst as per the sight of people and at the verge of being irreparable. But the Love of God has you covered, if you only confess with your mount that Jesus is Lord and believes with your heat that God raised him from the death, your salvation has come. God wants your will, he is not imposing himself to anyone. As highlighted above that God greatly filled with love, gave his only Son so that WHOEVER (own emphasis) believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life –John 3:15. The word “whoever”hasnogender,race,worstorminorsinner,but itaccommodateseveryone.

Peoplewillnotbecondemnedbecauseofcommittingsins but by not believing in the Son of God, that is a great sin that people will be condemned for. It is impossible to pleaseGodwithoutfaith.

What are the repercussions of not accepting the love of God that comes through salvation (not believing)?

John 3:18 provides that whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, BUT, whoever does not believe stands condemnedalreadybecausetheyhavenotbelievedinthe name of God’s only son. Verse 19 further says, though Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. I urge you today to choose light for condemnation awaits those who rejects the love of God, those who choose darkness over light. In John 3:3 Jesus asserted that “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdomofGod”.

What are the promises to those who choose to give their life to Jesus?

Amongst the promises to those who succumb to Christ’s Lordship,thefollowingpromisesareguaranteed:

Their sin is not to be counted against them, in Christ we are completely forgiven -1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians5:21.

They shall be adopted to God’s family, as 1 John 3:1 declares“seewhatkingoflovetheFatherhasgivento us,thatweshouldbecalledchildrenofGodandso weare”.InJesusweneednolongerbeseparatedfromGodbutcanbecomechildrenofGod.AllthosewhoreceivedJesus Christasasaviour,whobelievedinhisname,tothemhegavetherighttobecomechildrenofGod–John1:12-13.

Theyshallbecomenewcreatures(bornagain),2Corinthians5:14-21assertsthat“Therefore,ifanyoneisinChrist,thenew creationhascome.Theoldhasgone,thenewishere.ThisisfromGodwhoreconciledustohimselfthroughChrist...”

They will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to withstand the temptation to sin and Jesus will work to transform their heartssothattheywillbecomemorelikeHiminnature-1Corinthians10:13;2Corinthians5:17;Philippians1:6;Philippians 2:12-13.

God shall be their provider Matthew 6:25-34. Verse 33 provides that “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you” In other words there is no loss in seeking the will of God, for he shall ensure that your needs are providedfor.Heisindeedacaringfathertohischildrenjustlikeashepherdlookingafterhisflock.

God shall sustain their lives. According to the book of Colossians 1:17 God is before all things, and all things hold together inhim.1Peter1:5notesthatbelieversarethosewhobyGod’spowerarebeingguardedthroughfaithforasalvationready to be revealed in the last time. 2 Timothy 1:12 also provides that “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that heisabletoguarduntilthatDaywhathasbeenentrustedtome”.

On one day they will be reunited with God, in heaven and will be forever free of sin –Revelations 21-22. God is looking after his children even beyond death, he has prepared for them an eternal home with him. In John 14:2-3 Jesus asserts that “in my father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a room for you? And If I go andprepareaplaceforyou,Iwillcomeagainandwilltakeyoutomyself,thatthereIamyoumaybealso.