Salvation

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…

The question of  “What happens after you die?”  has been asked for centuries and the answer varies depending on who you ask.

For Christians death is the end of our mortal existence and the beginning of our eternal, immortal, life in fellowship with God.

It is the hope of heaven, of paradise, of perfect love, peace and joy with the God who created us.

The term Salvation is often used to describe the hope that Christians have.

Salvation means preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.

In Christian vocabulary it means deliverance from sin and its consequences which are brought about by faith in Jesus Christ.


Eternal life is defined in the Bible as:

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

The way to eternal life is also defined in the Bible:

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

And

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The means to salvation is by the grace of God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.  Titus 2:11


Simply stated:

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”  Romans 10:9-15


The Good news:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,   I Corinthians 15:3-4

God created us, but we rebelled against God. The consequence for that rebellion was death. But because God loved us so much He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the consequence of rebellion upon Himself. Jesus died for us so we could have a path back to God.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Jesus was crucified, died and was buried.

But it did not end there. He was raised from the dead, appeared to many, gave instructions to His disciples to share this “good news” with the world and then ascended into Heaven where He reigns as Lord of all.

And that is the Hope that Christians have.

Death is not the end.

It is the entrance to eternity, to eternal life, with the God who loves us and saved us.