Salvation is God’s grace. It is the gift of freedom from our sins that Jesus made possible by taking the punishment for our sins on the cross. Through this gift, 1 John 1:9 promises that “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is one of the most important promises of Scripture; it gives us freedom and hope for the future. God is faithful and daily invites us to find new life in response to that faithfulness.
It sounds too good to be true. It sounds too easy. Even though it may seem too good for words, or completely different from anything you have ever experienced before, it is the truth of God. This is the beauty and mystery of grace—receiving a forgiveness that we don’t deserve!
Salvation is for something, not just from it
Sometimes it seems like the Christian life is all about being saved and then helping other people get saved. But when we go a little deeper, we discover that being “saved” means that we are saved not only from something—our sins—but also for something.
It is important to realize that we are saved from our sins, but it is also important to realize that we are saved for something. We are saved so that we can carry out the purpose for which God has us on earth: to share the good news of God’s grace and to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world, showing God’s love through our actions.
Salvation is a process, not a one-time event
Receiving salvation through Jesus Christ isn’t the end of the process of being saved. It is the beginning of a lifelong process of being continually shaped into the people that God intends us to be. This means becoming more and more like Christ—something we do in grateful thanksgiving for our salvation. As we become more like Christ, God works through us to share Christ’s love and grace with the world.
Salvation is the free gift that God offers to us. Our lives, lived in a manner that pleases God, are our offerings of thanksgiving back to God.
