We would like to share with you the greatest news of all time. Something that every single one of us needs to hear and which can never be said to be irrelevant. The good news or gospel of God's salvation of sinners.
Why We Need Saving
The Bible tells us that God is a holy and righteous God (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). As such, He cannot tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13). It testifies that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We have gone our own way instead of God's way. All of us like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way (Isaiah 53:6). We have broken His law. The Bible also tells us that there are consequences for our disobedience to God's commands. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Two types of death are referred to here. A physical death which is the separation of the spirit from the body and a spiritual death which is a separation from God. Every single one of us deserves physical and spiritual death due to our falling short of God's perfect standard. And since God is a just judge, He cannot let any sin against Him go unpunished.
How God Saves
However, God demonstrated His mercy by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who never committed any sin nor ever fell short of God's perfect righteous standard. He treated Jesus as if He had committed man's sins by having Him undergo the punishment for sin. Jesus was crucified on the cross where He experienced both physical and spiritual death. He gave up His spirit and thus died physically (Luke 23:46). He also died spiritually as seen in the sky going black as He hung on the cross with His crying out, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:45-46). Three days after His death, He was resurrected, conquering the hold and finality of physical death for the ones who would trust in Him.
Who God Saves
The one that God saves through the death and resurrection of Christ described above is the one who recognizes their sinfulness and that they are deserving of nothing more than God's wrath that was poured out upon Christ. As a result of this, they repent or turn away from their sinful way of life and trust Christ to save them. God does not save any who rely on their works to try to earn God's favor. No works would ever be good enough and even our best works are tainted with our sin (Isaiah 64:6). God does not save those who think that they are okay because they are a good person. Due to our sin, none of us could ever be seen as such. Man's only hope to be saved from God's wrath is in embracing the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31) and that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).
Have You Been Saved?
So the question arises whether or not you have been saved from God's wrath. Has the Lord brought you to the point to see your sinfulness in light of His holiness? Have you truly repented, turned from your sinful life, and trusted in Christ and His work on the cross to save you? This is not a trivial question but one that is of an eternal importance. If you have any further questions pertaining to what it means to be saved, please call the church office. God Bless!
