A glimpse into salvation

When we choose to become born again, we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. This gives us access to the inheritance we have in Him by God the Father. After my previous post titled "Focussing on our inheritance", I would like to share more on this subject using Scripture as a guide. I encourage you to join me as we open our Bibles together to the referenced Word in this post and may the Holy Spirit guide your understanding.

As (new) believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour what does salvation mean for us?

1. It means that we have accomplished the first step which is confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:8-11). Salvation is not a secret affair.

2. It means that we are reminded of the truth that we were created in the image of the most High God as seen in Genesis 1: 27 NKJV which says; "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

3. Being created in God's image also means He gave us dominion which gives man superiority over the other animals and creations in the earth (Genesis 1:26).

4. It means that we have been saved and the power of sin to contorl our lives is broken. Sin was introduced by the evil one to Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. As a result, we who are now born again in Christ Jesus are no longer bound to the consequences of eating the forbidden fruit as seen in Genesis 3:16-19. This gives us access to God's grace that enables us to exercise our dominion.

5. It means that it was never God's intention for sin and iniquity to separate us from Him. We are His children. Imagine the unhappiness that would come as a result of a parent and child who are separated. Isaiah 49:15 - 16 says that are our names are written on the palms of God's hand - "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palm of my hands..."

6. It means God's precious love for us as humanity led him to give His precious Son Jesus Christ who came in flesh (1 John 4:2) and us who believe in the Son have everlasting life (John 3:36).

7. It means sin no longer has power over us because Jesus died on the cross to make us whole and one again with the Father as it was in the Garden of Eden before sin was introduced. Ephesians 1: 7 reminds us "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace".

8. It means that it is only by God's grace that we have been saved (Romans 6:14). It is important to remember that God's love for us as His children is not merited based on "good actions."

9. It means as believers on this salvation journey, we choose to consciously receive God's love for us (Romans 5:6-11).

10. It means that through faith we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus which makes us sons and daughters of the Almighty God. Romans 8:14 - 17 NKJV "...we received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness that we are children of God and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together".

11. It means our Heavenly Father knew us before we were formed in our mother's wombs (Jeremiah 1:5) and He knows the plans that He has for us. Jeremiah 29:11 AMP illustrates this best; "For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

12. It means all our past sins have been forgiven when we accept and confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. He that the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36) and there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

13. It means when we sin as believers, we must be quick to confess our sins to God and His mercy will prevail to forgive us. The Word in 1 John 1:9 tells us; "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

14. It means as believers we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:13-14)

15. It means that God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power, and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)

16. It also means that as believers the, the resurrection power that rose Christ from the dead lives on the inside of us (Romans 8:11).

17. It also means that we adhere to Jesus' example of being baptized in water by John the Baptist (John 3:21-22). When we are baptized in water, we are buried with Jesus in baptism in which we were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God who raised Him from the dead. So the death of Jesus was on the cross. The death of us was in baptism hence being raised into new creations after a water immersion. Colossians 3: 9- 10 NKJV encourages us to; "...put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,..."

18. It means all of us as believers have been called by God to live a life of faith and exercise it over area of our lives. The Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God. Paul in Romans 14: 23 NKJV says, "...whatever is not from faith is sin".

19. It means ultimately we were raised with Christ through faith in the working of God. Colossians 2:6-7 NKJV reminds us, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught abounding in it with thanksgiving".

20. This means that when we believe and know that we were raised with Christ, we seek those things which are above. Colossians 3: 2- 3 NKJV says "set your mind on the things above and not the things on the earth for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

21. As believers, it means we renew our minds daily so that we may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God (Romans 12:2). A great starting point to renew our minds is reading and speaking the Word of God, meditating on it day and night (Joshua 1:8); rejoicing and praying continually to our Heavenly Father with thanksgiving as this is His will for us as His children (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and making our needs known to Him.

22. It means that just as God loves us unconditionally, we love those around us which completes His love in us (1 John 4:11-12)

23. It means that in all we do as believers, we remember that all through Scripture we honour God's love for us when we are obedient to His commandments (John 14:15). This is in addition to praying, reading the Word, fasting (when required), fellowship with other believers, praising and worshipping Him in spirit (John 4:24).

24. It means we believers seek the Kingdom of God first and everything else shall be added to us (Matthew 6:25-33).

25. It means that our God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

26. It means that we are in the world but not of the world just like Jesus Christ (John 17:16) and are the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:12).

27. Most importantly, it means we are planted and are members of a church family. I cannot overstate the importance of having a church you call home during the salvation journey. Psalm 92:12-13 NKJV says "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God."

It is important to remember that the above is only a glimpse of God's love for us contained in Scripture through His Son Jesus Christ when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour. I hope to elaborate more on each of the above points in upcoming posts.

Until then, wishing you a lovely week and may God's plans and purposes for you manifest in your life In the Name of Jesus.