Jesus died that we may be saved. That salvation has several aspects that you might not be aware of.
Saved from the penalty of sin
We have broken God’s laws, so we should receive the death penalty. But when Jesus died on the cross, God placed on him the blame for all the sins of the world. Jesus bore the penalty for our sins so that we would not have to. Once removed, God cannot put the penalty for those particular sins back onto us.
Saved from the power of sin
In the past, I sinned because it was my nature to do so. It was normal to have nothing to do with God all day long. My mind was set upon what I could see, feel, taste, touch, and hear in the world around me. I was moved by those things. Saved from the power of sin, I can now be moved by spiritual things, such as the love of God.
Saved from the corruption of sin
We were made in the image of God. But sin had corrupted that image. When I believed in Jesus Christ, God put the Spirit of Christ in me. Spiritually, my sinful nature went into the tomb with Jesus, and my new nature rose from the dead with Jesus. Now day by day I can become more and more like Jesus as he lives his life through me. This is the process of sanctification, where we are being saved – salvation is an ongoing process. You can reverse this process by various grievous choices.
Saved from the presence of sin
When we die and are resurrected, we will be saved from the presence of sin. Sin will not inhabit our resurrected bodies. Sin will have no place in the kingdom of God to come.
In this life, if we sin, we will bear some judgment or consequence for it. Jesus often disciplines his people in this life to deal with sin so that we will not have to face judgment for it in the life to come.
What Do You Think?
a. If you claim to be saved, have you found deliverance in more than one area noted above?
b. Are there any other religions that claim to save us in the same way Christ does?
c. If you are saved, but still want to toy with sin, then what exactly are you saved from?
