No 5
(Salvation)
For a Christian, salvation is a grace
gift from God accomplished by Christ on
the cross, brought to our heart by the Holy Spirit and acquired by us through
faith (Eph 2 :8). Our salvation is
once and for all delivered to us (Jude 2) and can never be lost because we are
preserved in Jesus Christ (Jude 1).
Fellowship with God is made possible by our salvation because He sees us
as perfect, through Jesus Christ. The
common salvation (Jude 3) is what binds all Christians in the Body of Christ
and it is what makes us bold, courageous and persevering. Why would anybody want to die for Christ
(Cassie) if there was not a spiritual assurance that our place is reserved in
heaven (John 14 :6). Just before Stephan died, the Bible says in
Acts 7 :55 that : « he could see the
glory of God and Jesus Christ standing on His right-hand side ». There
have been countless martyrs throughout the centuries and in the face of
unbelievable hardship, the assurance of their salvation is what made them
persevere. God is the only One that can
save us; we can’t earn our salvation or stand by ourselves. God, in His graciousness, made it very simple
for us to become citizens of heaven : "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you
will be saved--you and your household."
Acts
Once saved, God begins the process of sanctification in us and for the rest of our earthly lives, we
become more and more like Jesus Christ.
What the Lord has begun in us, He will complete it until the day of
Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6). When we die and
go to be with the Lord, the righteousness of Christ, that was
imputed to us at the time of our salvation, translates us into glory and
we shall be forever with the Lord.