Salvation: What is it? I didn’t really understand what it meant when I was growing up inside “ritualized religion.” No one ever talked about getting saved.
The definition of salvation is described as being delivered from the consequences of sin and preserved from destruction.
I knew I had sinned (and we have all sinned, because we were born into sin), but I didn’t know that I would need to be “saved” from the consequences of my sin! For the first time, as an adult, I was once asked, “Are you saved?” Yet, I didn’t know what this meant. I was ignorant!
I believed that if you didn’t go to Heaven, then you would certainly go to Hell. For awhile, I believed that if you were on your way to Heaven, but needed to still get rid of some sin, then you would go to a holding place called Purgatory. However, I was very disturbed by this teaching that someone had to pray for you to get out of there. I questioned my mom by asking her what would happen if no one prayed for you? Then you’d be stuck in this limbo forever? This is not Biblical at all!
I certainly wanted to go to Heaven, but I never had any assurance that I would get there when I died. I certainly did not want to go to Purgatory or to Hell! Purgatory is also not Biblical at all!
How about you? When you were growing up, did you have a confidence that you would go to Heaven when you died? Do you have this in adulthood? Do you have a confidence of your salvation right now?
God knew that someday I would come to a point in my life where I would call out to Him and He would save me. He knew that I would fully surrender myself and my life to Him. My faith would grow and I would come to understand that I could have this confidence of salvation and Heaven. I grew to love God with all my heart. I had a yearning to know Him.
“For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2 – NLT)
God accepts our repentance when we ask for forgiveness. He helps us to be able to turn away from sin. He has mercy on us, and we can receive His grace. Salvation becomes available to us because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In Romans 10:10 (NKJV) of the Bible, we learn that “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (My emphasis added in bold.)
The Bible tells us that: “…every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in My presence only, but now much more in My absence, work out your own salvation [my emphasis] with fear and trembling. For it is God that works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:11-13 – NJKV)
“For by grace you have been saved [my emphasis] through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, we are saved by faith.” (Ephesians 2:8 – NKJV)
I came to learn that some Christians even have a saying that they believe. They say, “once saved, always saved.” In many scriptures, this can hold truth for the follower of Jesus Christ. However, this statement also proves false, because I believe that it is possible to lose our salvation. Many are conflicted on this particular determination.
The scriptures explain that there is a way to either never gain salvation or to lose it altogether. Read these Bible scriptures as follows:
“When people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life” (2 Peter 2:20-21 – NLT)
“For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened — those who have experienced the good things of Heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the power of the age to come — and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing Him to the cross again and holding Him up to public shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6 – NLT, my emphasis added in bold.)
When we receive this beautiful gift of salvation; we can choose to keep it or not. We can continue to accept God and live our lives with Him and for Him, or we can decide to reject Him. This is our choice. Salvation is a choice. Have you chosen salvation? Only God can give us salvation through our faith. It is a free gift through grace from God. I pray (if you haven’t already) that you will be saved today!
“Show us your mercy, Lord, and grant us your salvation.” – (Psalm 85:7 – NKJV, my emphasis added in bold.)
Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.
God’s Word for Today: “Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation [my emphasis in bold] from day to day. (1 Chronicles 16:23 – NKJV)
Copyright © 2012 by Patricia Shehan
All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Bible (God’s Word) and is set in italics.
