Today is a great day because it is a day of Salvation!
What astonishing news, today is a great day because it is a day of Salvation! God never saves us partially. In other words, He never keeps us from particular circumstances. He frees us during our entire life, liberates, heals, blesses, and rejoices. But, what does mean eternal salvation? Well, the word eternal means forever, while salvation means all of those listed above. Throughout salvation, we are liberated, blessed, and healed.
All of us who are dead from sin, let’s come to life with Christ. It may be confusing how a living person can come to life again with Christ. It is spiritual life, and Paul in the Ephesians is talking about salvation. The day to be saved is immediate today. Because yesterday is already gone, and you may not see tomorrow. Therefore, today is a great day because it is a day of Salvation!
(Ephesians 2:1-13, KJV)
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
By grace through faith
The Apostle Paul strictly says, by grace you are saved and by faith in Jesus Christ. It does not come from you, nor is it the work of your hands. It is already an explicit gift from God. The gift of God is Jesus Christ and his work done on the cross. His intercessory death for us. In Christ, are all who are saved. By believing in Jesus Christ and accepting his sacrifice, after hearing the Gospel, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Salvation is a gift from God because we cannot be redeemed by our deeds, nor by intelligence, goodness, deeds, etc. Whoever summons the name of the Lord will be saved. But, how will you call the Lord’s name when you didn’t have faith in Him? How will you believe the one you haven’t heard? Therefore, we who are saved, need to spread the Gospel.
If we are saved by grace only, then we don’t need good deeds? No, it means that our good deeds have absolutely nothing with our salvation. We are doing good to people and the community because faith without works is dead. Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior gave us a perfect example of how someone should live. Lets us be Holy like God is Holy by his mercy. This question is constantly repeated throughout the history of the church, whether it is by the grace of God or by human deeds? The correct understanding of the Gospel is that it is by grace rather than by works. Which leads us to the following question: Can salvation be lost? In short: Salvation can not be lost. Have a look at these Bible verses to support this statement, just click here.
Today is a day of Salvation!
I remember not that long ago a man came to a Church. Also, I was a member of that community. To be more specific, I was a member of the evangelize team. So, a man came and received every word the pastor said, including salvation. After the sermon was over, I approached him and asked does he has any questions? Maybe he wanted a free Bible or treatises or something. He asked a question about Salvation. How is the day of Salvation today? Because the moment you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and have a seal of Holy Spirit, your name is engraved in the book of the living. A man understood the concept of salvation in his mind. Sadly, in his heart, he wasn’t ready to receive Christ. After accepting Christ, a person prays to God and asks for forgiveness of sins.
At that moment, I asked him to pray with me and to accept Christ, because today is a great day, today is a day of Salvation! He said, well, I am not ready yet. He planned to live a worldly life full of lust, and greed, and selfishness. My soul cried inside because I was so sorry for him. Then, he said that the moments before he dies, he would ask a pastor to pray with him, and then he will receive our Lord. The moment he said it, I knew that it would never happen. God is not to be ridiculed or mocked. After I explained to him that that is not likely to happen, he left. Nevertheless, he was coming back every Sunday, and every Sunday I said today is a great day, today is a day of Salvation!
Today is a day of Salvation!-part 2
His answer was:” I will accept Christ in old age on the deathbed.” Of course, there is no guarantee any of us will live that long. Young people and people, in general, die every single day. I saw that he was looking and seeking for the love of God but that the devil took him as a hostage with sins. God was fighting for him, but in the end, it was his desition, and his free will to accept Christ. There is nothing God wouldn’t do to saves us. His love cannot be measured. There is no sin so great that God cannot forgive. Not even such a great sinner when God cannot save. It only takes our free will and acceptance of His sacrifice on the cross. It is that simple.
One Sunday, that man didn’t show up for a Sunday service. Sometimes he would come alone, and sometimes with his wife. We became friends. I knew that something must be wrong. Somewhere during the service my phone rings. Although I turned off the tone on the phone, and I don’t use it in the Church, I went outside to answer it. It’s one of those calls you don’t want to get. His wife was calling. He died suddenly in his sleep. He never woke up. Never got the chance to repent for his lifestyle and his sins. In the end, God is merciful and maybe he repents the night before or the moments before his death. I don’t want to think about what will happen if he didn’t. The fires of hell are waiting for everyone who tries to trick God.
Conclusion
Doctor Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism said: “There is salvation outside the Church, but there is no salvation outside Christ!” Therefore, listen to the former atheist and don’t wait for tomorrow. Don’t wait to go to church or prayer meetings or whatever you are waiting for. Today, my dear friend, today accepts Jesus Christ! It is a free gift from our Lord God. Today is the day of Salvation!
I have one message for you to hold in your hearts today: No matter for dark is a situation you are into now, the new dawn is coming. With new dawn coming, there is time for offering. Give all of your battles to the Lord and take His peace!
