Guardian

“And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21)  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

IN the Bible, the word ‘salvation’ denotes ‘deliverance’ from any kind of evil, whether physical or spiritual. It is the entire process by which man is delivered from all that interferes with his true service and worship of God.  The idea of salvation is rooted in the Old Testament (OT). It involves deliverance from danger or evil; battles (Exo. 15:2); troubles (Ps 34:6); enemies (II Sam 22:3); reproaches (Ps 57:3); violence (II Sam 3:10); exile (Ps 106:47); deaths (Ps 6:4) and sin (Ezek. 36:29).

God is a deliverer. He also ordains deliverance. He is often spoken of as the saviour (Isaiah 43:3); Jer. 14:8), a title which in the New Testament (NT) is usually ascribed to Jesus Christ. Initially, the plan for salvation was primarily for the Israelite, but the prophetic horizon broadened and salvation gradually included Gentiles as well as Jews (Isa 49:5-6; 55:1-5).  Salvation is, basically, deliverance from sin and various evils, which are the consequences of sin (Ps. 51; Jer. 41:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-29).

In the OT, complete trust in God was the most important of human conditions for salvation. Next was obedience to God, as expressed in the various codes of His laws.  However, God was not satisfied with a mere legalistic fulfillment of the letters of the laws but genuine repentance from sin.  Forgiveness of sin was premised upon repentance. Most sins at that time required sacrifices as an act of repentance.

To the Pharisees of His (Jesus’) days, salvation was a reward given to the man who perfectly lived up to the requirements of the law; but Jesus says that He came to seek the lost (Lk. 19:10) and that salvation is through faith in Him, the Son of God (John 3:16). The central theme of the entire apostolic age gospel is the salvation brought by Jesus. The entire NT lays emphasis upon the suffering and death of Christ as the accomplished works of salvation. The salvation of Christ is not only deliverance from future punishment; it also contains all the redemptive blessings of justification and adoption.

In Christ, the believer is dead to sin (Rom. 6:2). He has crucified the flesh or the corrupt human nature (Gal. 5:24) and has become a new creature (II Cor. 5:17). He is free from the law (Rom. 6:14; 7:6) and has exchanged bondage for freedom of the new man in Christ. (Col: 2:14; Gal. 5:1, 13, 18). The reception of the deliverance is made possible by, not mere mental assent to certain doctrinal propositions, but repentance and whole-hearted commitment to Christ as Saviour and Lord (Rom. 3:28; Eph. 2:8).

The ultimate cause of salvation is the divine mercy of God. It is entirely underserved, but attained by God’s grace alone. The death of Christ will not be meaningful in your life as a person if you fail to accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. The greatest love of God to mankind is giving Christ as sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins. (John 3:16)  Christ says in John 15:13,  “Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends”.  Verse 14 makes it clear to us that you and I are His friends.

I implore you as the year ends to think over your past life and ungodly deeds, confess all known sins, and repent of them. Go on your knees and invite Christ into your life as Lord and Saviour. Dedicate your life to Jesus Christ and determine never to return to your old way of life, and He shall gladly and abundantly forgive and forget your misdeeds.

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