Interim pastor, FBC Jasper
Do the best you can; go to church; be baptized; be sincere.”
These are typical answers often given by non-Christians as to “how to know God.”
Unfortunately, in trying to give a correct answer, Christians frequently use “big Bible words” like justification, redemption and reconciliation — none of which is remotely understood by the non-Christian.
Omitting theological vocabulary while seeking to give a simple biblical guide to the nature of salvation, it might be said that “Salvation is a personal relationship one has with God that involves one way, two sides and three stages.”
Jesus gave the one way in John 14:6: “I am the way … no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
Believing in His death on the cross and His resurrection to become a Christian, I make Jesus Christ “No. 1” in my life.
All of us have something/someone in our lives that is “first.”
To be a Christian, that “someone” must be Jesus Christ.
Paul gave the two sides of salvation in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are you saved through faith.”
God’s grace and man’s faith do not imply that salvation is 50 percent of God and 50 percent of man; it is 100 percent of God — but His gift of eternal life must be received by our faith in Him.
Simply, saving faith is commitment to Jesus Christ.
The three stages of salvation are seen in Romans 13:11b: “… for now (the present) is our salvation nearer (the future) than when we first believed (in the past).”
In the past, God delivered us from the penalty of sin; in the present, God delivers us from the practice of sin; and in the future, God will deliver us from the very presence of sin.
No wonder it is called “good news.”
Our past can be forgiven; our present can be changed; and our future can be guaranteed.
In the words of the Psalmist (Ps. 39:7): “And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.”
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