Salvation

By Pastor Rob Harris

When God created the world, He intended it to be in perfect harmony with mankind. God gave us one command: do not eat from the tree of knowledge. However, humanity succumbed to temptation, committing the original sin and leading to the Fall of Man. This event fractured the relationship God intended to have with us, creating a chasm between humanity and God.

Despite this, God began a restoration process. He entered the Abrahamic Covenant, promising Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation and that his descendants would multiply. Yet, as with any covenant, there was an agreement: God expected obedience. Unfortunately, humanity continued to fall short, starting with the original sin and persisting through generations. To guide His people, God gave Moses the codified law, the Ten Commandments. But even with the law, man continued to sin, proving that we lacked the internal capacity to fully meet God’s standards.

In response, God provided a way to transform the human heart. The prophet Jeremiah foretold this in his writings:

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31–33, NIV)

This prophecy pointed to the coming of Jesus Christ, who would fulfill the law and provide a path for salvation. Jesus, who was with God at the beginning and is God, entered the world through the Immaculate Conception. His father was God, not a natural man, which made Him unique. As fully God and fully man, Jesus was able to resist temptation and live a sinless life. Satan tried to undermine Him, but Jesus, with His divine authority and power, overcame every test.

Jesus’ teachings were revolutionary, emphasizing love and grace over the punitive legalism of His time. Ultimately, His mission led to His death on the cross, a sacrifice planned from the beginning. Paul writes:

“All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.” (Romans 3:24–25, NIV)

Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled God’s promise to redeem humanity. His sacrifice nullified the punishment of death placed upon mankind. He volunteered, and God sent Him out of love for humanity:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)

Through God’s grace, salvation is offered freely. It cannot be earned through works; it is a gift:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9, NIV)

To receive this grace, we must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and surrender to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit empowers us to live a life characterized by grace, mercy, and love—a life modeled by Jesus Himself. The Spirit transforms our hearts, enabling us to live righteously and reflect God’s character.

Jesus came to fulfill the law given to Moses and to empower us through the Holy Spirit. His sacrifice as the spotless lamb stands for all time. By pledging our lives to Him, having faith in His promises, and acting on that faith through service, love, and worship, we align ourselves with God’s plan of salvation. In essence, Jesus Christ came to save us from ourselves and from the eternal consequences of sin.

How can we obtain this grace? God makes Himself known to every person. As we become aware of Him, we also recognize our sinful nature. This awareness should lead us to repentance and a desire to live a life that pleases our Creator. At this point, God’s Spirit convicts us, guiding us toward Jesus and His gospel. Accepting this conviction requires belief in Jesus’ restorative power and confessing Him as Lord:

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NIV)

This belief is what we call faith—trusting in what we cannot see but know to be true. Faith leads to regeneration, a spiritual rebirth where the Holy Spirit transforms our lives and empowers us to live according to God’s will. Jesus explained this to Nicodemus:

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3, NIV)

Regeneration gives us a new purpose and direction, enabling us to love as Jesus loved and live righteously. It is not a one-time event but a lifelong process of growth through prayer, study, fasting, and worship. This journey—guided by the Holy Spirit—is what God has prepared for us as His children.

To signify this commitment, we must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Baptism is an outward expression of our inward transformation and devotion to Him. By accepting God’s grace and serving Him wholeheartedly, we receive His unfailing love, mercy, and the promise of eternal life. This is salvation: God’s gift to humanity, offered freely through Jesus Christ. Let us embrace it with faith, gratitude, and commitment.