What is Salvation?

Salvation means freedom. The Bible speaks of both physical and spiritual freedom.  God freed the children of Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. 

This is a symbol of the spiritual freedom God has for His people. He set them free from the bondage of sin. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, prayed, reminding God of “the oath which He swore to our father Abraham: to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (Luke 1:73-75). This deliverance and this freedom is spiritual. Our souls are freed from the shackles of sin so that we may live in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives. If we have not been freed from sin, then we do not have salvation in Christ.

Salvation is for us, here and now

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). These Bible verses show us that we are chosen to freedom. Yet this freedom does not come automatically. We need to do our part to obtain it. 

First of all, we need to repent of our sins. Only by admitting our guilt and realizing we have sinned against God can we attain salvation. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Secondly, we must believe. We must believe that by coming to God, confessing our sins, and accepting Him as our personal Savior, we are saved, because “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). 

Today is the day of salvation!

“For [God] says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). It is only through the grace of God that we are saved, delivered from sin. Therefore, the day of salvation is a day of grace. We can experience the full blessings of the love and grace of God because Christ paid for the salvation of mankind with His life. Only through Him alone is salvation offered to everyone. Today is the day of salvation, the day in which all people can come and be saved. Today is the convenient time. The time is now. Those who procrastinate, thinking there is a better time to draw near to God, will find a closed door and will not obtain grace if they do not act in the convenient time. 

“Once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and answering he will say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from’” (Luke 13:25), it will be too late. These words are said in conjunction with the second coming of Christ. Then the door will be closed, and the time of grace will be over. The door to salvation will never open again. The words of our Lord will condemn us on the last day if we do not heed them now! Yet, today is the day of salvation. Fortunately, there is still time. Make use of it. “Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).

W.S.

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