What does it mean to be saved?

The dictionary definition of save is to be rescued or saved from harm or danger. Biblically speaking, when someone is saved, they are saved from sin and the penalty it comes with—death. When someone sins, scripture says they will be paid death. For the wages of sin is death. We now live on the earth, but there is an eternity after we pass on, and whatever choices you make on the earth determine where you spend eternity.

There are two places in eternity; the choice is up to you. You get to choose where you spend forever. Matthew 25:46 says

Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.”

So eternal punishment is hell, and eternal life is being in paradise with our Heavenly Father.

What is sin?

Sin is breaking God’s law. It is rebellion against God. When a person rebels against established laws, consequences are applied. All of us understand laws to some degree, even a small child. When children are taught right from wrong, they will learn that there are direct outcomes associated with each decision. In God’s kingdom, there are plenty of established laws as well, and when these laws are broken, there are subsequent outcomes.

How did sin come onto the earth? How did sin and death enter?

God created the first man, Adam, and his wife Eve and placed them in a perfect environment, the garden of Eden, and they were to take care of it. Remember how we talked about the importance of laws? Well, when God gives us laws, it is out of his great love for us. God’s laws are for our good. When we break God’s laws, we not only harm ourselves, but we can harm others as well. Therefore, when God tells us to do or not do something, it is only to protect us.

So God gave Adam and his wife everything they could ever dream of, but He had one request. He told them they could eat from all the trees in the garden except one. He also told them the consequences if they chose to disobey. The day they ate from the tree, He prohibited them from eating; they would die. They broke that law, and guess what happened next?

Their lives instantly changed forever. They were no longer in a perfect environment, perfection was lost, guilt was introduced and sin and death entered their new reality. Sadly, they became disconnected from God, and that’s what sin does—it separates us from our Heavenly Father. They tried to hide from a God they were created to be in communion with. Being detached from the source of life will only breed confusion, discontentment and a whole lot of pain.

So we see that disobedience gives birth to sin and sin brings condemnation and death. Death immediately entered their once perfect environment. Adam recognized he was naked as his innocence was lost. He also experienced a new emotion, shame; we were never designed to know this. There was so much death around them that their second son killed the firstborn. There was so much sin. Sin was born, and death through sin was born as well.

So now all humanity has this DNA of sin, the sin nature. We live by natural cravings and thoughts that are not of God; that is why you see so much corruption in the world and a complete lack of self-control. There is a great deal of lawlessness because sin has no boundaries. But the Lord God had a plan all along.

Because we are all sinners, we need a saviour who can both deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and also reconnect us to our Heavenly Father. So God always had a plan of action. He sent his only son, Jesus, who came into the world to deliver us from ourselves- our (natural tendency to) sin and its penalty and He made it simple for us.

Romans 10:9 says
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So Jesus has paved the way back to the Father for us. He reconnected us to our Heavenly Father. The Bible says blessed are those who have not seen but have believed. We were not there with the twelve disciples, who got to witness the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, but the Bible says we are more blessed because we have not seen, yet still believe. So by believing and placing our faith in Jesus, we are saved by the grace of God.

What happens when you are saved?

Immediately, we are reborn, regenerated, and born again. So we are brought back into right relationship with Father God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Jesus made a way for us to live the most fulfilling and joy-filled life on earth.

Additionally, our sins are instantly forgiven and canceled. We are rescued from the kingdom of darkness and become part of God’s kingdom. We get the opportunity to live the most amazing life as citizens of God’s kingdom. What’s more, Jesus comes to live within us, and the list goes on.

Baptism: Now that we are reborn, we want to make it official. We want people to know, much like we do with a natural birth. When your child is born, you want to tell everyone you know. That is what baptism is. We express our faith in Christ by publicly declaring Jesus as our Lord and Savior through water baptism. Christ modeled this for us, which means it is pretty important. He was sinless, yet he was baptized, and when he was, the Father’s voice came from heaven and said He was well pleased with Jesus.

Baptism is pleasing to the Father. It is also symbolic of our new birth. When you go down into the water, it represents your old life being buried, and when you come up, you are raised as a brand new person in Jesus. This begins the wonderful journey of living a life pleasing to God.

So because of Jesus, we are saved from sin and death, and through faith in him, we get to live forever in paradise. In addition, we get to live the most amazing life while on the earth. Praise God for the cross!