Meet Jesus Christ

The Greatest Miracle of All: Salvation

Salvation is the greatest miracle of all. If you have not yet experienced this miracle, why not now? Jesus said we must be born again, and the saving Gospel is simple to understand:

1. We are all sinners, born in sin, rebels following the prince of the power of the air, the devil, and headed for hell. The wrath of God is on us until we repent and turn to Jesus Christ.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Ephesians 2:1–3

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

2. God has provided the only solution to our terrible situation: We must repent of our sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, and be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:36

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:12

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18

3. How is one born again?

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:8–11

4. But how do you get that kind of faith? Read the Bible and pray for the gift of saving faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for forgiveness for lacking it.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, John 1:12

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— Romans 2:4–6

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3–8

5. We become new creations in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

 

Freedom from bondage is an earmark of the work
of the Holy Spirit in salvation.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11–14

Are you assured about your salvation,
or do you ever fear losing it?

The battle over whether or not we can lose our salvation has continued for centuries, with different denominations sometimes having different stances. The debate will probably continue until the Lord returns, but although there isn’t always clarity, the Bible does have powerful things to say.

Basically, whereas losing salvation may be impossible or incredibly hard, you can throw it away. But if someone is genuinely saved but is weak, then it’s difficult, if not impossible, to throw it away. The Lord does keep even foolish Christians, though Paul warns against such foolishness:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:6–7

Further on, in Galatians 5:2–6, Paul warns the Galatians against abandoning grace and going back under the law, which was the condition prior to the coming of Christ. He says what matters is faith working through love.

The following verse from Hebrews has caused much consternation and deliberation:

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4–6

Some suggest that this verse refers only to unbelievers who were once intellectually convinced but not regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Others see it as referring to a momentary experience only.

The tasting of truth is not enough to keep from falling away from it. One must come all the way to Christ in complete repentance and faith; otherwise, they in effect re-crucify Christ and treat Him contemptuously. Those who sin against Christ in such a way have no hope of restoration or forgiveness because they reject Him with full knowledge and conscious experience. (See Does Hebrews 6:4-6 mean we can lose our salvation?)

Note that in 1 Corinthians 5:1–5, although wrong sexual activities can open the door to the demonic, sometimes God chastises in order to save. The following verses also warn about losing salvation: Hebrews 3:14, 1 Corinthians 15:1–2, 1 Corinthians 5:1–5

But in spite of the above verses, we believe God wants us, His people, to trust Him and have peace about our eternal salvation, for the Bible also says the following:

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

Also Read: Jude 1:24, Romans 8:16. John 10:29, and Philippians 1:6.