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Our Need For Salvation
John R. Gentry
Beginning with this article, and for the next several, I want to discuss what the Bible teaches concerning salvation. If at any time you desire to have a personal study about your salvation, contact us and we will study with you.
We are lost in sin and Jeremiah tells us that we don’t have the ability in and of ourselves to correct this (Jer. 10.23). However, God certainly has the ability: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” (Titus 2.11).
Unfortunately the many denominations teach various conflicting ideas about salvation. God, however, has one plan for us to be saved (Eph. 4.4-6). The division of the denominations cannot produce this one plan. But why do we even need a plan for our salvation?
Because man is a sinner. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3.23). “Sin is lawlessness” or “a violation of the law” (1 John 3.4). This means we sin by breaking the law of God; i.e., when we do something he tells us not to do, or we don’t do something he tells us to do. But that’s not all...
Because sin leads to death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6.23; cf. Gen. 2.16-17; Jas. 1.14-15). Death in the Bible always refers to a separation. This is why Isaiah said, “Your sins have made a separation between you and your God” (Isa. 59.1-2). If we fail to obey God’s plan for our salvation and we die physically in that state, the Scriptures teach we will spend an eternity separated from God in hell fire (2 Thess. 1.7-10; Matt. 25.41).
Because being good cannot save. Luke tells us of a good man in Acts 10. Cornelius was “a devout man who feared God...gave alms generously...and prayed continually to God” (Acts 10.2). Though he was a good man, he was not saved (Acts 11.13-14). We cannot be saved by living a good, moral life; we need God’s plan for our salvation.
Because we must do what God commands. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he does the will of my Father” (Matt. 7.21-23). Jesus provides salvation only to those “who obey him” (Heb. 5.9). “Those who do not obey the gospel...will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the Lord” (2 Thess. 1.7-10).
Folks and friends, we need a plan for our salvation. We can’t save ourselves. Only by knowing and obeying God’s plan for salvation can we have hope of an eternal home in heaven. Have you obeyed God’s plan for your salvation? If not, why not?
originally published in the Banner-Gazette
2007.08.01