“…… for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”-Acts 4:12
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Salvation which is eternal life, or everlasting life comes from believing in Jesus Christ alone. Acts 4:12 confirms Jesus is the true certified author of our salvation. There is no alternative and that includes the law of Moses -Romans 8:3. The whole plan of God for salvation unto man hinges on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Yes! The sacrifice Jesus made for the world is far greater than anything you can imagine. All that God expects from us, is faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Your salvation is therefore an acceptance of what Christ has done, not an effort to get Christ to respond to you. Praise God!
You need to understand your status in Christ as a believer so you can enjoy your freedom in Him. When you Know and understand the value of your salvation, you cease to be manipulated.
Before the cross
Separation from God by sin, was the status of man before Jesus went to the cross- Romans 3:23. And while we were dead in our sins, God loved us, made us alive with Christ, forgave us all our sins, and also reconciled us to Himself -Colossians 2:13-14, Romans 5:8. Bible says God did all that for us when we were still sinners and ungodly people not when we were righteous people-Romans 5:6. In fact, God made peace with His enemies not friends -Romans 5:10. All these were made possible through the one-time, for -all-time, sacrifice of Jesus Christ- Hebrews 10:12.
Eternal life, Righteousness & more
Our sins are forgiven. Praise God! But salvation must not be reduced to only forgiveness of sins. It should not be merely equated with a legal acquittal. To be acquitted is great news but salvation is more than just a judge acquitting a defendant. That is what God did for us plus more.
Salvation must also not be seen as some kind of fire insurance meant to keep us out of hell. The whole aim of salvation was not just to set us free from the penalty of sin, so we can escape hell and go to heaven. It is far bigger than that. Let me explain this.
The eternal life assurance of our salvation-1 John 5:13, John 5:24, means God would have still allowed Jesus Christ to die for us, so we can enjoy a relationship or fellowship with God. This is because eternal life is a personal relationship with God by getting to know Him and Jesus Christ according to John 17:3. The use of “Know” in this verse is not just “knowledge of God” or knowing some facts about God but, “having an intimate and personal relationship” with God. In Philippians 3:8, Apostle Paul describes the opportunity of knowing Christ as a “priceless privilege and supreme advantage”.
Eternal life is the reason why Jesus said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus in John 11:25; “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;”. Eternal life is instant at the point when you believe and continues after death. You don’t get it only after death otherwise the Bible would not have used the present tense of the verb “Have” when it said “that anyone who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”-John 3:16 (emphasis mine).
For our relationship with God to be possible, God had to first make peace with man. Verse 19 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5 says, “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself not counting their trespasses against them,”- 2 Cor 16-19, Romans 5:10-11. Reconciliation means there is now peace between God and man through the blood of Jesus -Colossians 1:19-23. Hallelujah! Believing in Jesus leads us to the gift of eternal life while punishment awaits those who reject the sacrifice of Jesus Christ -John 3:16, 18, 36.
The good news is that we don’t only have a full pardon; we are also made righteous before God. This is a gift and not a reward for the good acts one undertakes including the long hours you pray or fast. And that is why our righteousness is by faith only in Christ Jesus according to Galatians 3:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and Titus 3:4-7. When you understand that your righteousness is by faith in Christ Jesus, boasting is eliminated.- Romans 3:27.
Don’t trust in yourself for righteousness because when you fall short, your conscience will condemn you. Any works should be the result of your faith in God, not a condition for righteousness. The Bible says righteousness outside of Christ Jesus, is like dirty rags- Isaiah 64:6.
We were by nature, children of wrath as captured in Ephesians 2:1-3. But our belief in Christ Jesus has transformed us into children of God – Galatians 3:26. Hallelujah! I like very much how this is written in John 1:12-“He gave us the right to become children of God”. It is only those who have believed in the Son, that have this right. You are a child of God, let no one deprive you of this privilege. The Bible says we are “partakers of the divine nature”-2 Peter 1:4; we have “passed from death into life” (John 5:24).
As believers in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit living in us is our seal and He bears witness to our identity -Romans 8:16. The Bible says we are now members of the household of God- Ephesians 2:19, with a right to the inheritance of all the promises of God. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, black or white. We are all presented with the same opportunity to know God -Galatians 3:26-29. As a child of God, you have full access to your heavenly Father anytime, any day. You don’t need an appointment to speak to God. And you have the confidence to approach God through Christ Jesus -Ephesians 3:12.
I want you to see Jesus at the center of your salvation always. You are complete in Him according to Colossians 2:10. It is not what Jesus has done plus your performances, otherwise, it ceases to be grace as captured in Romans 11:6. Our perfection is in Christ Jesus and our failures do not sever or jeopardize our relationship with Him. Remember, your greatest doing is to “believe” – believe in Jesus who did it all for you at the cross! John 6:29, John 6:47.
Recommended Watch: “YOUR SALVATION IS IN CHRIST JESUS” with Patrick E Quainoo. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more.
YOUR SALVATION IS IN CHRIST – YouTube
YOUR SALVATION IS IN CHRIST-2 – YouTube
YOUR SALVATION IS IN CHRIST-3 – YouTube
YOUR SALVATION IS IN CHRIST-4 – YouTube
YOUR SALVATION IS IN CHRIST-5 – YouTube
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