Salvation – The Gospel Explained
The reason there is trouble in this world is because men are sinners. Not just you (and me!), but ALL men are sinners.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23
We can see that around us everywhere, it certainly doesn’t take much looking to see people lying, acting mean, cheating, and stealing. It doesn’t have to be proven because it is obvious that men are sinners. Men also do some good things, but how many times do you have to steal before you are a thief? ONCE!
So also one sin proves a man to be a sinner – and we have all done many more than one.
The first part of Romans 6:23 tells us: “For the wages of sin is death;…”
Since all men are sinners, according to God’s Word all men have earned death. If you read the start of the Bible (Genesis) you will find that sin is the reason we have death at all, but this verse is talking about more than physical death. It is talking about an eternal death in the Lake of fire according to Revelation 20:14,15
This is the punishment that comes because of sin – this is death that our sinful actions have earned for us.
And since all men have sinned, that means that all men have earned this death.
That is not good news – but the Bible speaks of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Gospel means “good news”, and the good news is that although all men have earned this eternal death, God has made a way for us to avoid that punishment.
The rest of Romans 6:23 tells us: “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
God has given us a gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. We deserve eternal death because of our sin, but God has made a way that we can have eternal Life through Jesus Christ. THAT IS GOOD NEWS!
So how do we get this gift of salvation?
How do you get any gift? If you work for a gift is it still a gift? No, that would be payment, something you earn.
But Eternal life is a gift.
In the Bible book of Acts a man asked this question: “… Sirs, what must I do to be saved And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:30Acts 16:30
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
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Pretty simple really – believe on Jesus Christ to be saved.
A quick look back in the book of Romans gives us a little more information.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9Romans 10:9
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
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You see, eternal life is not something that is hard to get – it is not something that you have to be good enough to earn (that would make it wages, not a gift); it is not something that you have do enough good things to outweigh your bad things before you get it; it is not something that you have to do spectacular and heroic things to gain.
Eternal life is gained simply by believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins (and mine) and that He rose again from the dead to prove that His sacrifice was acceptable; and by confessing this to God in prayer (not to a man by the way). This is the free gift of salvation.