Understanding salvation

Salvation from the judgment our sin deserves is all about what God did for us by His grace, and not about what we do to try to keep ourselves worthy of His grace.

This distinction cannot be overemphasized. Salvation is from the Lord.

“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might be made right with God” (see – II Corinthians 5:17-21)

Salvation is not a cooperative effort between me and God.

God doesn’t say, “If we can combine the sacrificial death of my Son with your faith and obedience, we will have what it takes to secure an eternal place in heaven.”

Faith is a trusting response focused on the object of trust—Jesus Christ. I am not trusting in my faith or my works or my effort to live a godly life (see: Galatians 2:21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5).

Our faith doesn’t accomplish salvation — nor is it the basis of for assurance of our standing with God (see: John 6:44, 65; Matthew 11:27; II Corinthians 5:17-21). Our faith is not a work of righteousness of which we can boast (see – Ephesians 2:8-9).

If we do not clearly understand these truths about salvation, we’ll find it much harder to build stable walk with God. If I have uncertainty of my standing before God, my walk with God will reflect it.

Assurance of being loved by the Father is the best foundation for a thriving walk with God! The apostle wrote: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us” (I John 4:16).

7 basic truths about God’s gift of salvation

1. Eternal salvation from the judgment our sin deserves is a gift God gives to undeserving people who recognize their need for God’s grace and forgiveness (Luke 18:9-12;Romans 3:23; 5:8; 6:23).
2. Salvation was accomplished by an act of God’s love and only through Jesus Christ our savior (John 3:16-17; 14:6; Acts 4:12; I Timothy 2:4-6; II Corinthians 5:19, 21;I John 2:1-2).  “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become right with God.” (II Corinthians 5:21)
3. Salvation is based on the mercy and grace of God – not good works we do to try to gain God’s favor (Ephesians 2:8-9). “God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” (Titus 3:5).
4. Salvation is given to those who turn to Jesus Christ and trust him as their savior (John 1:12; I John 5:11-12),
5. The kind of faith that trusts in Christ for salvation also transforms our lives. James 2:26 – “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
6. Salvation received by God’s grace must be our motive for godly living. It’s all about what God did through grace, not what we do to try to keep ourselves worthy of grace.
7. Salvation is eternally secure in Christ (John 6:37-40; 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39)

Steve Cornell