WHAT man cannot controvert is the fact of human depravity. And in a bid to overcome that fact man devices various means called religion by which he thinks he could reach an acceptable level before his Creator. This underscores the need for salvation. Unfortunately no religion, since the fall of man has been able to rescue man from his depravity regardless of all the efforts and pieties not until the Lord God rose and came down to the earth in the form of man to do the work of salvation.
This is what Jesus Christ, the incarnation of the divine did by offering himself as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of man. We are redeemed and receive forgiveness of our sin, and his righteousness imputed upon us through his atoning sacrifice and death on the cross at Calvary. It comes not by religious work but by the unquantifiable grace. The scripture says, “for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men”(Titus 2:11).
So any claim to salvation is not found in any man devised religion nor comes from within ourselves but from the Person and work of Jesus Christ. He is grace personified, the embodiment of the divine compassion that passes human understanding.
Believers in Christ have the assurance of their salvation, as they have submitted themselves to the authority of the Creator which gives them confidence that no man can give. They are drawn closer to their Creator by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. The bible asserts: “But now in Christ Jesus you who are sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13). For by grace we are saved through faith in Him, and not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph 2:8).
Anyone that has given his life to Jesus Christ lives in that assurance of salvation. He has the God given confidence of His present approval and future acceptance by the Father.
Acts 4:12 declares: “Neither is their salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven by which we must be saved”.
This assurance is what many are forfeiting. It is out of love that the Lord brought us to himself, and gave us salvation. Jesus as the Lamb of God gave himself to be sacrificed on the cross of Calvary. This happened in the Jewish month of Nissan AD33. Yet some are still crucifying Christ, and God is not happy about that. Salvation is deliverance from sin, from punishment, from judgement. Only in Jesus we have that.
We have to have assurance of our salvation. It is often asked; are you saved? Some will answer without confidence, others will respond boldly, with full confidence. I once asked a young man the same question. He told me “let us enjoy this world in full first; God knows that we are coming to him”. Another woman responded; Pastor I cannot tell until we reach heaven. The careless will not be able to answer well.
To say you are saved or not, you have to remember what you declared at baptism that you renounced the world and sin, the flesh, the devil and all lusts. Your declaration at water baptism is a sign of salvation because Jesus said the one that believed and is baptized is saved. When you keep to it without wavering, your salvation is intact. But are you sure of that? You must have a testimony of your salvation with your confession.
STEPS TO GENUINE SALVATION
You accept the word preached to you, you are baptized and came to the Church.
You have to continue to hear the word as faith came by hearing, hearing the word of God. You will also meditate in it, and believe the word of the Gospel.
Repentance and conversion are very important to have genuine salvation (Acts 3:19, 17:30-31). Conversion is in the heart, for the heart is desperately wicked as the scriptural wisdom makes us to understand and it is imperative to be transformed by conversion.A confessed and converted person is not taken as ignorant again.
God wants you to grow and maintain your salvation. If you have not had the salvation try to have it. If you have gotten it, maintain it. A saved person will not return to do wickedness or walk in his old abandoned waywardness.
Paul the apostle never returned to his old life after his conversion on the way to Damascus. He remained steadfast in the faith even in the face of persecution, troubles and untoward circumstances.
Jesus received our sins on the day of conversion and would not die a second time for our sin. He who is saved must rise for the salvation of others.
In the scriptures we have examples of those who demonstrated genuine salvation. Zacchaeus in Luke 19:10 after encountering Jesus declared that he was ready to pay in fourfold whoever he had ripped off their property.
Also, we have one of the thieves on the cross who asked Jesus to save him after he had confessed that he was a sinner who deserved to be punished, yet he said, Jesus remember me when you get to your kingdom. Jesus showed him mercy at a point least expected, declaring today you shall be with me in paradise. It means you too can work out your salvation by accepting yourself a sinner who deserves the punishment of God, and repent of your sin. If you confess your sin the Lord his faithful to forgive and deliver you.
Many of us don’t make use of opportunities. Don’t let the salvation opportunity pass you by. What you confess at the sensitive moment of salvation is very crucial to your benefiting from the Kingdom of God. It is what you confess that you get. For Jesus to remember you, you have to throw away that which you held on to.
What about the Ethiopian Eunuch who was reading the book of Isaiah and could not understand it! As the Spirit directed Philip, he explained the scriptures to him that the text was about Jesus who had been sent to die for the sin of mankind. And the man confessed Jesus and demanded to be baptized. Don’t miss the opportunity for your salvation. The Bible says, the man went home rejoicing in the joy of salvation.
There is also the experience of the jailor and his household following the shaking of the prison where Paul and Silas had been incarcerated. The man wanted to kill himself when he noticed the doors of the prison had been opened. But Paul stopped him from killing himself and the jailor requested to hear the gospel preached of Paul and Silas, calling all his household. The scripture recalled after hearing Paul speak about the gospel of Jesus Christ they were filled with the Holy Ghost and were baptized. There was the joy of salvation in that household.
Ditto is the experience of Cornelius, the Gentile who received the gospel after Peter preached to him and his household; and the Holy Spirit fell upon them. It is significant to note that the man was considered to be religious, “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always” (Act 10:2). Yet there is something still missing in his life. And that his salvation which only comes by grace, not by work (lest any man should glory), but through faith in Christ. He got that salvation as the Holy Spirit fell upon his household while they spoke in tongues. Peter then asked can anyone restrain that these ones should be baptized.
Salvation is a free gift from God and you have to maintain it and hold it firmly.
BENEFITS OF SALVATION
- There is joy of salvation. With joy you with fetch water from the well of salvation. The man of God prays “return the joy of your salvation unto me”. Isa 35:10, Ps 51:12, Isa 12:3
- Salvation makes you to have peace with God because your sin has been removed and you have no case to answer again. Jesus is our advocate.
- A saved person has access to God. Some Churches still think you have to pass through a medium, like angel, holy mother, reverend father or pastor to reach God. No. Salvation gives you direct access to God, the Father.
- You also have confidence and boldness to serve God. No more fear. Fear is destructive. Many are returning to Satan because of fear. Saved people serve the Lord God because He loves them. They have reverent fear of God, not destructive fear. They don’t worship him out of fear that they would be destroyed by him but because He first love them.
- Believers who are saved are sealed with the promise of Holy Ghost. If you are serving without the Holy Ghost then your salvation is falling. There are many in the house of God that have not received the Holy Ghost. Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? Seek for Him, and you will have Him filling you.
- Your genuine salvation makes your name to be written in the book of life
- The saved are overcomers. We are more than conqueror through Him that loves us. With your salvation you are more than conqueror because there is no condemnation for you, nothing can stop you again from coming to the throne of grace.
- The saved person will inherit eternal life with Christ.
To take hold of these benefits, you must work for it. There is the possible of falling from grace (salvation). So, maintain your salvation. To fall from grace doesn’t mean that you are not coming to Church again but the sign is in backsliding. You are falling away from the truth, giving heed to the doctrine of the devil, which many are indulging today even in the Church.
Assurance of salvation is the joy in your heart. If there is joy in your heart with Christ Jesus you have assurance. But if there is no joy in your heart then salvation is not in your life. Joy is different from happiness. You can be happy but that is momentary (Matt 13:44)
We believe Jesus, though we have not seen Him. We are blessed because we believe. Then we are filled with unspeakable joy. Ultimately, we receive the salvation of our souls. I am saved because there is joy in my heart, in my house and in my place of work.
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