What does it mean to be saved?
What is salvation?
Ephesians 2:8-10
"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
The word “saved” comes from the Greek word “Sozo”, which means: "to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction."
There is no measurement that we can acquire to be good enough to receive life after death. We cannot do enough good works. We cannot be enough. However, we have a loving Father, the Creator of the universe, who loves us so much that He sent His Son on behalf of our wrongdoing and the evil in this world to save us all through His death on the cross. Three days later, He rose from the grave to show us death is not the end, but only the start of a new beginning in God’s Kingdom. This is all possible by salvation in and following Jesus Christ.
"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
The word “saved” comes from the Greek word “Sozo”, which means: "to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction."
There is no measurement that we can acquire to be good enough to receive life after death. We cannot do enough good works. We cannot be enough. However, we have a loving Father, the Creator of the universe, who loves us so much that He sent His Son on behalf of our wrongdoing and the evil in this world to save us all through His death on the cross. Three days later, He rose from the grave to show us death is not the end, but only the start of a new beginning in God’s Kingdom. This is all possible by salvation in and following Jesus Christ.
#1 Salvation closes one chapter of our lives and starts a new chapter.
The chapter of our lives without Jesus is a story that is based on limited, temporary power, influence, and authority. No matter how much we try, no matter how good we want to be, or how many good works we perform, we never know if it’s enough. But we learn from God in Romans 3:23 that “we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
When we begin to follow Jesus, that chapter of our lives ends, and a new chapter begins where our eternity and our lives on earth are defined not by our power or our good works, but by the saving grace and love of God through Jesus, His Son.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
When we begin to follow Jesus, that chapter of our lives ends, and a new chapter begins where our eternity and our lives on earth are defined not by our power or our good works, but by the saving grace and love of God through Jesus, His Son.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
#2 Salvation breaks chains and tears down strongholds.
Many people ask, “How could a good God ignore people or send them to hell?” The truth is, He doesn’t. Because of sin and evil in the world, we are disconnected from Him, and our destination is already on our way to hell. However, on the cross, Jesus took all of our sins, and He took upon Himself the evil of this world, and through His death, buried sin and evil.
Romans 5:8
“God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Romans 5:8
“God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
#3 Salvation is both free and costs us something.
As we already read in Ephesians 2, there is nothing we could do to earn salvation. God has provided it as a gift. There is a cost, though, and that is everything in our lives that isn’t designed to fulfill us or help us grow; we are meant to release it and give it all to God.
Ephesians 4:22-24
“throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
Ephesians 4:22-24
“throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
#4 Salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ.
Many people want to think there are various ways to overcome our sin and evil, and there are multiple doors into eternity. The truth is, there is only one way, and that’s through Jesus. He Himself teaches in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
While eternity is only possible through one Way, Jesus, the Good News is that He came to this earth, died for us, and rose from the grave to set us free once and for all time!
While eternity is only possible through one Way, Jesus, the Good News is that He came to this earth, died for us, and rose from the grave to set us free once and for all time!
Who can be saved?
The Bible teaches us in Romans 10:13 that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”. This same chapter also outlines HOW we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Take time to think and pray on the words below, and if you want to ask Jesus into your life and heart, break the chains of sin and death, declare and believe in Jesus Christ, and feel free to reach out to one of our pastors for assistance and guidance!
Romans 10:9-10
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Romans 10:9-10
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.