The Word: Salvation

Committing your life to Jesus is not something to be taken lightly. None of us knew what it fully meant for our lives when we first believed, but we did it anyway - all as a matter of trusting that the good news we received was both true and that is was also meant to govern our lives.

But still, understanding what salvation is beforehand is simply vital. Salvation has this image of passing from death to life, from old to new, from illegitimacy to adoption, destination hell to destination heaven.

What is the point of salvation? Is it to be safe? Is it to just live life like you want and to know you are eternally safe? No, it's for the joy of being with God forever starting today that we are being saved.

Here is the idea of it all: without salvation in Christ, you are dead and you gotta get with the person who defeated death to get off this earth alive.

Jesus said it best when he told Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life." John 3:16. For a more extensive list of Jesus' words on salvation, click >>here<<. 

Other salvation verses include Romans 10:9-10,13, Acts 2:38 (both based on Joel 2's prophecy) and a bunch of others. My own personal opinion is that moving from death to life is as simple as accepting Jesus as absolute King, God and Savior over your life. It is quite clear from verses like Acts 4:12 and John 14:6 that Jesus is the only way for us to be reunited with God - which is salvation. It is purely grace through trust, not by the things we do, so that no man can say he's saved himself and boast about it, Ephesians 2:8-9. No, it is only by God's power and moving that one is saved, since no dead man can do anything for himself unless he is resurrected by God.

So lead people to turn from their old ways and give full allegiance to Jesus Christ. Have them say it out loud, and be very tender to the moment. If they have trouble saying it, but truly want to, help them form the words.

Be aware, though, that in so leading someone to the Lord, this is only the beginning, not the end: Matthew 28:18-20 tells us to teach and disciple people - an ongoing process - and to dunk them in water (see Romans 6:3-5 and 1 Peter 3:20-21 for an explanation of "baptism").
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Religious Word of the Day: Baptism. Okay - this is a touchy subject, but I don't really know why. Baptism is a Koine Greek word, it doesn't really come from English. When we see this word baptidzo (Greek) used outside of the Bible in other Koine Greek texts, it refers to things like a sunken ship or submerging pickles (lol). It means to "immerse in water". To see the source material I'm speaking of, click >>here<<. You have to read the whole page to see the full picture.