Saved from What?
No more important question can be asked by a human being than, "What must I do to be saved?" But the pressing question remains: "From what must I be saved?" The answer is: "the wrath of God." Being "saved" refers to being saved or delivered from the wrath of God which is still to come. A prison guard once asked that question, and the simple reply came, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31 NLT). Carefully read those words.
To "believe" is to trust, and to trust "in" the Lord Jesus is to reckon that what He accomplished by dying for your sins on the cross, and by being raised from the dead, He did so that you could stand holy and blameless before God Almighty (this is called being "justified," which refers to God viewing you as though you had lived as Jesus lived: sinless).
Knowing There is a God
Scripture insists that the heavens and the earth are presently declaring the glory of God, displaying His handiwork. Day after day they are speaking to us. Night after night they reveal knowledge. "They speak," writes King David, "without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world" (Psalm 19:3-4 NLT). The apostle Paul declares that all people can know that there is a God because God has given evidence of His presence.
Ever since the creation of the world God's eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things He has made, so that all people are without an excuse (Rom. 1:19-20). God, in His incredible love and wisdom did not leave humanity without a witness to His awesome power, love, providence and concern for the creatures whom He created in His image (Gen. 1:26-27).
Knowing God
But knowing that there is a God is not the same as knowing Him personally. God, through His Son Jesus Christ, has foretold and promised that the gospel (which simply means "good news") of His kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the peoples, and then the "end of time (or age)" will come (Matt. 24:14).
Because God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4), and because He is not being lazy about His promise to return, He is being incredibly patient toward you, granting you through the work of the Holy Spirit to come to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus (cf. Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11; Rom. 1:16-17; 2:4; John 6:44; Phil. 1:29). He is using His servants to spread His gospel to all people in all nations. This post is one part of that mission. You can know God personally and become a child of God through receiving His Son Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13). This is an incredible part of what it means to "be saved from God's wrath."
The "good news" is that people can be saved or delivered from the consequences of their sin, which is a conscious torment of eternity in a place called hell, initially created for the Devil and his followers, God's enemies (Matt. 25:41). By the grace or undeserved kindness of God, through faith in what Christ Jesus has accomplished on behalf of all people, salvation is offered to all, but only experienced by those whose faith is in Christ Jesus. Perhaps you have stumbled upon this post, not understanding the gospel or the need for "salvation." Let me briefly explain.
Explanation of Our Fall from a Right Relationship with God
When God created Adam and Eve, the first human beings, He provided for their every need, and commanded them to not eat from one certain tree. But by the craftiness of their spiritual enemy, Eve was deceived and disobeyed God's only command. She ate from the forbidden tree, displaying her willful disobedience. She also tempted her husband Adam to disobey, and he did so willingly -- he was standing right there beside her.
The consequences for their disobedience were devastating. The earth was subjected to entropy (a breaking down), as were all living creatures, including human beings. But God, knowing beforehand all events, prearranged a remedy to reconcile all things back unto Himself through the selfless, willing contribution of the life of Jesus Christ, His only Son, who lived a sinless life, pleased the Father in all things, and who suffered for the sins of all sinners, and was raised to life by the Father, so that those who would trust in His accomplished work may be saved from God's wrath (John 3:15-17, 36).
Explanation of Our Recovery from the Fall
A beautiful scene in heaven reveals four living creatures and twenty-four elders falling down before the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, singing to Him: You are worthy, for You were murdered, and have restored unto God -- by Your blood -- out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made them a kingdom and priests to our God; and they shall reign upon the earth (Rev. 5:9-10). The Lord God will be glorified and worshiped by His work done in the earth -- restoring redeemed humanity and creation unto Himself. By "redeemed humanity" we mean those who have trusted in Christ. Those who refuse to trust in Him will receive God's wrath (John 3:36).
Not only will redeemed humanity be restored by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, but also all of creation is patiently waiting with eagerness for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it too will join God's children in an incredible freedom from death and decay (Rom. 8:19-21). God's purpose is to make all things new again (Rev. 21:5; cf. Isaiah 43:19; 65:17; 2 Cor. 5:17; 2 Pet. 3:10-13), and He will not fail. God is a perfect Savior and will perfectly save and reconcile all things unto Himself through His Son Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:18-19; Col. 1:19-20), whom He made the heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds (Heb. 1:2; cf. John 1:1-3).
Will You Trust in Christ and Be Saved?
The grace of God which brings salvation to lost sinners (Titus 2:11) redounds to His glory. The very angels of heaven rejoice when one sinner repents and turns to God for salvation (Luke 15:10). Paul states, in an unqualified statement, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all" (Titus 2:11). Since salvation is available to all people, all includes you, the one reading. Are you trusting in Jesus now? Will you do so now?
There is no magical prayer to repeat that will "get you saved," so to speak. You trust in what Christ has done for you, and you confess Him as Lord to all people (cf. Rom. 10:9-10). Begin your restored relationship with God by merely speaking to Him. Thank Him for forgiving you of your sins through Jesus Christ. Read His word. Worship at a Bible-believing church.
E-mail me if you have any questions. I will do my best to help you find a church in your area, so that you may worship with others in a Bible-believing church, and grow in your faith and in your salvation.
William W. Birch: williamwbirch@gmail.com or remonstrants@hotmail.com
