WHAT IS SALVATION? THE DICTIONARY DEFINES IT AS "The act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger or great calamity." THAT IS WHAT JESUS DID FOR US IF WE WILL JUST ACCEPT IT. AND "Appropriately in theology, the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness. This is the great salvation."
IT HAS OFTEN BEEN PRESENTED THIS LAST WAY AS THE WAY TO ESCAPE THE JUDGEMENT OF HELL. PEOPLE ARE BORN AGAIN WITH THIS KIND OF SALVATION BUT I THINK THEY LOOK AT JESUS AS THE ONE WHO WILL DELIVER THEM BUT NOT THE ONE WITH WHOM THEY CAN HAVE AN INTIMATE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. SALVATION IS THE ONLY WAY OF GETTING INTO A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. WE LOST THE CLOSENESS WHEN ADAM SINNED. SIN SEPARATED US FROM GOD BUT THROUGH JESUS, SIN WAS TAKEN AWAY. IT SAYS IN 1ST CORINTHIANS 15:22 "For as in Adam all die , even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
WE WERE BORN INTO A SINFUL WORLD. NO ONE HAD TO TEACH US TO SIN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TEACH A SMALL CHILD TO STEAL A TOY OR TO TELL A LIE. THE BIBLE SAYS IN ROMANS 8:32 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
MOST NON-CHRISTIANS ARE FED UP WITH RELIGION AND I AM AFRAID IT IS THE CHURCH THAT HAS CAUSED IT. NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF THE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS CAN BE DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD BUT YOU TAKE THAT ONE PERCENT THAT IS OUT DOING THEIR OWN THING AND THAT GIVES THE REST OF US A BAD NAME.
THE NON-BELIEVERS USE THIS AS AN EXCUSE. "WELL, IF THAT IS THE WAY CHRISTIANS LIVE, I DON'T WANT ANY PART OF IT". HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SOMETHING ON THAT ORDER BEFORE? I HAVE AND IF ALL CHRISTIANS WERE OUT DOING THERE OWN THING, I WOULDN'T WANT ANY PART OF IT EITHER.
WHAT THESE PEOPLE NEED IS TO HEAR ABOUT THE LOVE THAT JESUS HAS FOR THEM. THEY HAVE AN EMPTY PLACE INSIDE OF THEM AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO FILL IT. THEY NEED JESUS TO FILL IT FOR THEM BUT HOW ARE THEY GOING TO KNOW UNLESS ONE OF US TELLS THEM. WE HAVE SUCH A BIG JOB TO DO AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT MUCH TIME IN WHICH TO DO IT. JESUS SAYS MATTHEW 9:37 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few." I AM READY TO STEP UP AND DO MY SHARE, HOW ABOUT YOU?
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
