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SALVATION:
Spiritual rescue from sin and death; saving of the soul through the atonement of Jesus; redemption.
When God created us (mankind) He made us in His image except He inserted one fatal weakness, an inability to resist temptation. When we fall into temptation and disobey God, we commit sin.
The Hebrews (Jewish people) attempted to live sinless lifes for 2000 years but only succeeded in proving that it could not be done.
Sin cannot exist in God's presence, therefore He provided a way to atone for sin through the blood of specific animals and birds. "For it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul". Leviticus 17:11 However the Jewish people managed to corrupt the sacrifice making it a mockery to God.
He then provided His Son to teach them how to overcome their shortcomings. They rejected him as you are aware and demanded that Rome kill Him, unwittingly creating the perfect blood sacrifice. John 3:16
As the Jews rejected Him both in life and also in His sacrificial form, God decided to give Him to all the world (gentiles) thus giving you the opportunity to participate in God's love and to have eternal life.
Salvation is free and it is easy. It comes through grace and faith, God's grace + your faith. "By grace you are saved by faith, and not of yourselves: it is a gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast". Ephesians 2:8
There are just three easy steps to obtain it:
1) You must admit that you are in need of salvation (forgiveness) in that you have disobeyed God and are therefore a sinner.
2) You must recognize that Jesus Christ is God's Son and that He died for you, shedding his blood for your sin.
3) Put 1 and 2 together by stating, "Jesus, I am a sinner, forgive me of my sins and come into my life and be my Lord".
It's that easy and simple. There is no ritual, no deeds to be performed, no money to be spent.
It is a simple heart to heart relationship with Jesus.
As we remain living in our human bodies and are susceptible to temptation, and will continue to succumb to it, we must maintain our relationship with Christ daily. In so doing, He will change our souls. It may be an explosive event, or perhaps occur so gradually that it is almost imperceptible, but He will change you into a new creature. One that is totally acceptable to God. That is why it is called being 'born again'.
When God looks at you in the forgiven state, he sees His son's blood, and perceives perfection.
This is what makes a person a Christian.
"The only difference between a sinner and a saint, one is forgiven and the other one ain't" - - George Jones; Country and Western singer.
"We have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin. I have heard others, and I have heard myself, recounting cruelties and falsehoods committed in boyhood as if they were not (a)concern of the present speaker's, and even with laughter. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin. The guilt is washed out not by time but by repentance and the blood of Christ."
--C. S. Lewis
"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary.
To one without faith, no explanation is possible."
--St. Thomas Aquinas |
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