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Passing on the Truth about Salvation Salvation—It Really Is That Simple |
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By Arthur Ford, Ministerial Candidate in Kentucky |
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“What is salvation?” and “Why is it so important to be saved?” are questions that many of my coworkers have asked. Since most of them were not raised in church and do not have basic Biblical knowledge, I try to answer their questions by explaining how the relationship between God and man was intended to be.
It began with innocence, full of trust, fellowship and worship. The relationship was so pure and holy that Adam and Eve literally walked with God. They had freedom and authority over all creation except one tree. God warned Adam and Eve, “Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” The relationship between them was perfect. That is, until Satan planted the seed of doubt and pride in the hearts of Adam and Eve. Satan convinced them that they wouldn’t really die but they would become more like God. Their disobedience in eating the fruit God warned them about caused that relationship to change from godly communion to fearful shame.
Through this disobedience, sin entered the world causing a separation between God and man. Since there is no life apart from God, this separation now brought death. Sin and death now have a grip on God’s creation and no moral act or good deed by any sinner can ever cancel this debt. It is only though salvation that we escape this penalty.
So, what is salvation? It is God’s plan of grace to redeem His people, forgive their sins, and restore the relationship He desires to have with all mankind. It is a spiritual rebirth made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a gift of mercy and forgiveness that cannot be earned or paid for. It is received by asking forgiveness with godly sorrow and accepted through faith.
A friend and coworker of mine struggled with the concept of salvation as a free gift. He had served in the military for nearly 20 years and had been trained, as has much of society, by rewards for good behavior and actions and punishment for bad ones. The idea of free salvation being available to him, not because he had done something good, but because God knew he would do something wrong, just didn’t register in his thinking until he began taking his family to church on a regular basis.
The pastor of his church began a series on salvation. In one of the sermons the pastor explained how God began preparing His plan to free men from their sins before God even began creation—essentially saying that before man was in trouble God was already making a way out. When he heard this message, God revealed to him that as a father he had done the same with his daughter.
My friend had known that his daughter was doing something she shouldn’t, so he began making a way out of trouble without her even knowing it. When the trouble came and she confessed to her father, she was surprised to see that he was ready and waiting to help. Now with a better understanding, he has since asked for and received salvation full and free.
Why is salvation so important? It literally is a matter of life and death. The importance is shown in the book of John where Jesus spoke with Nicodemus in the third chapter, getting straight to the point, saying, “You must be born again.” We see its importance again with the healing of the sick man who was lowered through the roof: Jesus forgave his sins before healing his sickness. Salvation is not an option. It’s required. In Romans 3:23 scripture says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Since we are all guilty of sin, we are all in need of forgiveness.
Hebrews 9:22, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission [forgiveness] of sins.” This is why Jesus’ sacrifice was and is of upmost importance. We must receive salvation through Jesus, because our blood is not innocent and there is nothing we can do to earn righteousness, for our good works are as “filthy rags” in the sight of God. As good as we like to think we are sometimes, it still doesn’t compare to the goodness and character of God. It is His sacrifice, His shed blood, that makes our forgiveness possible. Romans 5:19, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam], the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man [Jesus] the many will be made righteous.”
After explaining so much of this to many of my coworkers I am often asked this next question: “How do you get saved?” And my answer is always the same: “It’s much easier than you think.” I follow up by explaining that God’s Holy Spirit convicts you of your sins and makes you aware of your separation from Him. With this understanding, if you repent of your sins and confess that Jesus is Lord, then God is faithful and just to forgive you of all unrighteousness. We need only to believe on the name of Jesus and obey. It really is that simple!
By salvation I mean not barely according to the vulgar notion deliverance from hell or going to heaven, but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health, its original purity, a recovery of the divine nature, the renewal of our souls after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness in justice, mercy and truth.”
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