Christ Our Salvation

Christ is our salvation (Romans 1:16). The gospel is simple and clear for all to understand. Christ alone died for our sins according to the Scripture. He was buried and raised from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Christ is our salvation freely offered to all people everywhere without exception. Christ is offered for all to receive, calling upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). Believers confess Jesus as our Lord risen from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Jesus commanded His disciples to preach the gospel to everyone (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47). Christ offers himself to all people in all nations. Believing in Jesus our Lord is receiving him (John 1:11-12).

Christ is the salvation of every true believer from the condemnation of sin (John 3:17). Believers are saved from everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46). Believers are delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (1 Peter 2:9).

Christ is salvation received by faith or rejected by unbelief (John 3:18). Those who reject the gospel of Christ are judged and perish in their own unbelief (John 3:16). That's because they believe not the Son of God (John 3:36).

Receive God's Promises

We end our prayers with the word Amen. That word means "so be it." It's a covenant term from the Old Testament. When Israel entered into the old covenant, known as the law of Moses, they spoke collectively the word Amen to agree with the commandments. Today, we use the same term to end our prayers.

The old covenant law was conditional, based upon the obedience of the people. The new covenant is unconditional, based upon the complete and perfect obedience of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we pray "in the name of Jesus. Amen." That means believers in Jesus Christ our Lord receive all of God's covenant promises.

The Bible teaches that Jesus is our Amen, according to the new covenant, also known as the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20-21). Observe the contrast. Under the old covenant, the people promised with an Amen to obey God. Yet, they disobeyed. However, under the new covenant Jesus is our Amen. Jesus is the "Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation" (Revelation 3:14).

According to the law, we are all covenant breakers. In essence, we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Jesus came to fulfill the law and bring the promises of the new covenant. Jesus is our Amen of all the promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:20). All of the promises of God are for us through the perfect obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Be Free In Christ

Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). You are free in Christ from the condemnation of sin, the curse of the law, and eternal judgment. He purchased freedom for every believer at the cross, in His own blood. Believing the truth of Jesus Christ makes you free indeed.

Be free in Christ from the bondage of sin. Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). That's freedom from the bondage of sin, guilt, shame, and fear. All of us have been prisoners to the bondage of sin, until Jesus Christ makes us free. All who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ are free indeed. "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Be free in Christ from the past. We are free from the past with a new beginning. We are forgiven of everything that we have ever done wrong. We are reconciled to God and renewed in Christ. God is working all things together for our good, according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). 

Be free in Christ from the guilt of sin. Believers are cleansed from all sin (1 John 1:7). God has justified us by faith in Christ. Our sin debt is paid in full at the cross. We have a new life, even everlasting life in Christ (Romans 6:23). Thank God Almighty! Believers are free in Christ, free indeed.

True Faith Saves You

Charles Spurgeon said, "It is not great faith, but true faith that saves you; and salvation does not lie in the faith, but in Christ whom faith trusts. Faith as a grain of mustard seed will bring salvation to you." A mustard seed is a very small seed. So it is with faith. It's not how much faith you have, rather it is the one in whom you have faith.

True faith is focused upon Jesus our Lord. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He is the only true way to God the Father. Your faith in Christ is faith in the truth. The power is in the truth, not your faith. It is faith that receives the truth in Christ.

True faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit. He is sent to bear witness of the truth in Christ. He confirms the truth in your heart and life. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth to you through the Holy Scripture. Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 14:6). The gift of faith comes from the word of truth, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Romans 10:17). The word of Christ is the word of truth.

True faith abides in Jesus our risen Lord. That means true faith comes from the one who is the truth, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Your faith is always looking unto Jesus. Look not to yourself, nor any other but Jesus. He who is the author of your faith is also the finisher of your faith.

Who Are Sanctified?

Martin Luther wrote, "There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow."

In Scripture, all believers are sanctified in Christ. Sanctification is not the "second blessing," coming as a distinctly separate stage in the Christian life. One who believes in Christ is immediately justified and sanctified by the Spirit of God. 

As a true believer you are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2). The blood of Jesus sanctifies every true believer in Christ. We are sanctified, set apart, as God's people in Christ.

Believers are immediately sanctified, or "set apart" as the purchased possession of Christ. We are bought with the price of His blood shed at the cross. The cross work of Christ is applied to our lives in regeneration as well as sanctification.

For the believer, justification happened in the past upon trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. However, sanctification is past and present, leading to glorification at the return of Christ. Until then, believers are sanctified in Christ.

Why God Answers Prayer

Charles Spurgeon said, "God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart. When you are so weak that you cannot do much more than cry, you coin diamonds with both your eyes. The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but His love." 

Spurgeon prayed, because of the assurance that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Some may think it's only about saying the right words, so they read a prayer or memorize a prayer. You can say words without considering God is love. Spurgeon understood that prayer is about a relationship focused on God's love. He said, "The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but His love." 

Spurgeon knew that God answers prayer for "those who have no hope in anything but His love." If you really believe that God loves you, then you know that He will hear you. If you love your children, you listen to them. He who loves us, listens to our prayers.

Spurgeon understood that prayer is trusting God's love to hear and answer. We may not understand how or when God will answer our prayers. Yet, as Spurgeon said, "The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but His love."

Forgiven and Cleansed

God gave us a conscience. It tells us when we have done wrong. God made us that way not to make us feel guilty all the time. Conscience calls us to confession. That's how God forgives us and gives us a clean conscience. Confession of sin is simply agreeing with God that we have done wrong. God wants us to have a clean conscience. "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).

Christ died for all of our sins. When you confess sin to God, all of your sins are forgiven. The Bible teaches that God cleanses us upon confession of our sins.  We are made clean before God through Jesus Christ. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). That's how God forgives us.

Why do some people refuse to confess their sin to God and receive cleansing through Christ? There are at least two reasons. First, they don't know the good news in Christ. Secondly, they don't really believe the good news. The believer's confession of sin brings immediate cleansing through Christ. We can have a clean conscience today.

Do you have a sin from the past that makes you feel guilty? Confess it to God. Believe the promise of His word. God will forgive you. That's how God forgives us. That's the reason Jesus died for all our sins. Thank God for cleansing you through Jesus Christ. God will forgive your sins and cleanse your conscience.