In Christ - I am saved

I am saved...

I Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Titus 3:4,5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but because of His mercy He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit... 

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.

A Lamp for my Feet – Elisabeth Elliot – pg 38.

“Today I was tempted in a new way (the Tempter has a bag of many tricks) to ‘save’ myself.  This time it involved a matter of ‘face’ The Lord reminded me that I should let it go.

“We are always trying to save ourselves in one way or another.  It is impossible, except on the terms Jesus gave the disciples:  let yourself be lost (Mt 16:25 NEB). It was the only way Jesus could save the world, though the people challenged Him to save Himself.  ‘Himself He cannot save’ (Mk 15:31 AV) was what they said, uttering an eternal principle far deeper than they had any idea of.  It is true for us as well.  If we are going to obey the will of the Father, we cannot save ourselves.  We must give ourselves up, be lost – then, and only then, will we ‘find’ ourselves.”

I think it’s human pride to believe that we can do anything to make our situation “right” with God - on our own terms - and in our own strength.  There’s something in us that rebels at the notion of our salvation being out of our hands and totally and completely in His.  Many of us wouldn’t say that out loud – or even recognize it in ourselves – but it’s there.  I know it was there in me when I “accepted Christ.”  I thought I knew what that meant – that I was His now and a true Christian.  BUT – I still believed – deep in a place in my heart that I didn’t want to acknowledge – that my salvation was somehow linked to how good I was – or what I did – or didn’t – do.  It was only when I walked in the gutter that I realized my NEED for a Savior.  The truth had knocked me to the ground and it was only from that position – in my fallen misery – that I could truly receive the gift of salvation.  I know, now, that there’s NOTHING I can do to earn God’s favor – His gift of salvation – and there’s nothing I can do to lose it, either.  What release there has been in my life since I accepted that gift on His terms – I no longer have to struggle with whether or not I’m “good enough.”  I’m saved – 100% saved from the wrath of God – and I KNOW that heaven is my destiny!  Hallelujah!

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