Salvation
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power (like dynamite) of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
The definition of Salvation–Salvation is being saved or protected from harm or being saved or delivered from a dire situation. In religion, salvation is stated as the saving of the soul from sin and its consequences. Sometimes salvation is a past deliverance from the consequences of sin, sometimes it is a present deliverance from the grip of sin, sometimes it is a future deliverance from a world of sin. Salvation is not only seen as an event in the Bible that changes our destinies and our goals in life, but it is often seen as a person. That person is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Salvation is a MUST
Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Salvation is By Grace through Faith
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
Salvation is for Time and for Eternity
Hebrews 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation (the Lord’s coming) is nearer than when we first believed.
Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (our future).
Hebrews 9:26-28 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (future).
1 Peter 1:8-10 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
The Great Provision and the Great Division
John 3:16-18 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. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Passing from Death unto Life
John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Changing Masters
Romans 6:17-18 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin (Satan), yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness (Christ).
Conclusion
1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Those of us who believe the Bible know that we need to be saved. We need to be sure that we are trusting in the Lord and that we don’t just believe about the Lord. Eternal destinies are at stake.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of July 16, 2017