What is Salvation?

Let's start with John 3:16

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.

What this verse is saying to me:

This verse shows us that God loved us so much that He gave the life of His only Son for us.  Jesus took our punishment! He paid the price for our sins!  Then He offered us the new life that  He had bought for us.  What we have to do is except the gift that He offers us by believing in Him.  And believing in Jesus leads to everlasting life.  But, believing in Jesus is more than knowing that He's the Son of God, it also means putting our trust and faith in Jesus, For He alone can save us.

What makes you say that Jesus alone can save us?

Let's take a look at John 14:6

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

As we said in the lesson “The Narrow and Wide Roads”:

• As the way, Jesus is our path to God, the Father
• As the truth, Jesus is the only way to God
• As the life, when we believe in Jesus, He becomes part of our life, we know that He died for our sins, that He was buried in a rich man's tomb, that He rose on the third day and now He's in Heaven sitting on the right hand of God.  We know that as believers we will someday be able to spend forever with Jesus.

 

How do we know we will be able to spend forever with Jesus?

Well there are a lot of verses that tells us a true believer will have eternal life.  Here are a few of them:

John 3:15

Whoever believes in Jesus should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

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.

John 3:17

For God didn't send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through His Son might be saved.

John 6:47

Jesus said, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

1 John 5:11b-13

God has given us eternal life, and this life is through His Son, Jesus Christ.  For He who believes in Jesus Christ has life, but he who doesn't believe in Jesus, the Son of God, doesn't have life.  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, may know that you have eternal life, and that you may keep on believing in the name of the Son of God.

What happens to the people who don't believe in Jesus?

Let's take a look at some verses that tells us what happens to an unbeliever:

John 3:18

He who doesn't believe is condemned already, because he hasn't believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Discussion:

The word condemned means guilty and judgment is passed on them. 

John 8:24b

For if you don't believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

Discussion:

Now the word He in the above verse is Jesus.  And when you die in your sins you are forever with the devil, instead of Jesus.

John 3:36b

He who doesn't believe in the Son of God shall not see life, but the wrath of God will be on him.

Discussion:

The wrath of God means God's judgment and since they don't believe in Jesus they will end up with the devil in the fires of hell forever.

 

Receiving salvation is simple:

Let's see what Romans 10:8-10 has to say:

      8..The word is near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming.

Discussion:

The word proclaiming means what we are telling other people.

9..    That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord,” and you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.

10..For it is with your heart that you believe, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Discussion:

Has anyone ever asked you , “How do I become a Christian?”  Well Romans 10:8-10 gives you the answer.  Salvation is as close as your own mouth and heart.  If we believe in our hearts and say with out mouths that Jesus Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved.

Think about what you just read.  We hope you come to the right decision.