Salvation comes from an acknowledgement that Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth to offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin. In doing so, He takes our place and releases us from the bond of sin. We also gain access to peace and eternal life with God.
Salvation is a gift from God. Let’s look at the fundamentals of Salvation:
- Salvation is based upon faith in Jesus Christ and the acknowledgment that He is the Son of God.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
2. With salvation comes forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
“For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life (Romans 6:20, 22).”
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness(1 John 1:9).”
3. In order to be saved you must first admit that you are a sinner.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)”
4. Salvation is offered freely to all and is provided by God’s grace.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).
“But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many (Romans 5:15).”
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved (Ephesians 2:5).”
5. Those who acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God also believe that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins through His death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection.
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10).”
6. Salvation is accompanied by redemption, regeneration, justification, and peace with God.
7. Redemption means to be free from the slavery of Satan and sin’s dominion. God came to redeem man to Himself through Redemption frees one from sin and assigns that individual “righteousness” and everlasting life.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace(Ephesian 1:3-7).”
8. Regeneration isthe work of the Holy Spirit bringing one into union with Christ. We were dead spiritually, but made alive through faith in Christ Jesus. A new life is implanted into the life of a born again Christian.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new(2 Cor. 5:17).”
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).”
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7)."
9. Justification means deliverance from condemnation and declared “not guilty” in God’s sight. It is based on faith in the redemptive power of belief in Christ Jesus and the redemptive power of the cross.
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).”
“Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification (Romans 4:23-25).”
10. Peace with God comes to us when we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior. Peace with God is a product of God’s grace. He loves us and wants us to experience the peace that comes by means of salvation. The ultimate source of peace is eternal life with God.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1,2)."
