Understanding the Gospel of Salvation

The gospel of salvation is the most important of all news. The message of the gospel changes everything in this life and in that which is to come. If you miss salvation, you miss every thing!

Although the message of the gospel has been made complicated in our days, it is actually simple in the Bible. It’s all about what Christ did FOR US and how we should respond to it. Do you know what it is? Are you trusting in it?

As you read, I pray that you do it with the readiness of mind and that the light of the gospel will shine on your heart. May the Holy Spirit minister to you through this article. Amen!

Salvation Defined

Salvation is the gift of God granted to save the world from the penalty of sin. It is the most common biblical expression used to identify the subjective changes in peoples’ lives, when by faith they have receive the benefit of Christ’s death and resurrection.

The term salvation implies deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness:

“Although Jesus used this word only twice (Luke 19:9; John 4:22), He used many other expressions to describe salvation. The dramatic change in Zacchaeus was proof of his salvation. The Christian today should also demonstrate a change in his life to confirm this “so great salvation.” (2 Corinthians. 5:17-21). Redemption is forgiveness of sin. Salvation is justification. Being born again is a process whereby new life is imparted to the one who believes.” (Nelson Study Bible)

“The Heb. and Gr. words for salvation imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness. Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes such as: justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification.” (Scofield Notes on Salvation Romans 1:16).

Every Christian should be able to clearly answer the simple question: “How did you become a Christian?” There must be a time in your life when you experienced a change of heart and believed.

Even if you cannot remember a specific date, which is the case for many, you should still be able to explain where you put your trust now or what you are counting on to save you.

You Need to Know

Salvation is not an experience that you cannot have without the awareness of it. I’m talking about coming from being dead to sin to being alive in Christ; from loving and enjoying your sins to now disliking them.

From being a slave to sin and Satan to now obeying “from the heart that form of doctrine,” (Romans 6:17) that is, the gospel, and becoming a child of God. There’s got to be an awareness of this.

Remember, the process of getting saved is that: You realized you were lost, and that you couldn’t save yourself, and then when you heard the message of salvation, you believed with your heart. When did this take place in your life?

The Problem of Doubt

If you doubt your salvation, then you got a problem. Doubt is an indication of either the ignorance of what to believe, or simply the need for you to examine yourself (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Not only did Jesus Christ come to save us, His works also give us both the knowledge and the assurance of salvation:

Luke 1:77  “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins”

John 20:30-31 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

1 John 5:9-13 “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

There are people who might claim to be Christians but often wonder if they really are saved. And some have no idea what it even means to be saved. When you are saved, there shouldn’t be any doubt because you now understand that it’s not you, it’s Christ!

It’s not about your efforts to please God. It’s all about Christ’s perfect sacrifice, and that He did it all! So, if you’re doubting today, it might be a good reason for you to evaluate your beliefs. This lesson will help you through that process and you can start believing right from today.

When God created the heaven and the earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:1), everything was perfect.

Genesis 1:21 “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

Genesis 1:25 “And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

God created man in His own image. He gave man the gift of freewill which he should have used to worship God. But Adam and Even disobeyed God instead (Genesis. 2:16-17, 3:6-7), thereby bringing sin and death upon the entire human race.

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”

When God created the heaven and the earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:1), everything was perfect.

The Bible Says “All Have Sinned”

In addition to the sin (or sin nature) that we inherited from Adam and Eve, we have all committed our own sins. Sin creates problems between us and our Creator. It separated us from our God.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

See also: Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:10-13.

The Wages of Sin is Death

The Bible also says that the soul that sins shall die, the wages of sin is death. So, as a result of sins, we are all condemned to death and eternal torment in the lake of fire. Sin against an infinite God demands in infinite penalty.

Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” With the wages of sin being death, if nothing is done, it means we have to die and go to hell where we will suffer and pay the penalty of our sin for all eternity.

Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

This is a bad news for the unsaved!

Jesus Christ the Lamb of God

Our God is the holy and loving God, Who does not want anyone to perish. At the same time, He will not lower His standards concerning righteousness and the penalty of sin.

This makes Him provide a way of escape for us from the eternal punishment of sin through the sacrifice of His only Begotten Son. Everyone who believes in the finished work of Jesus Christ will be saved. This is the good news for the unsaved!

Romans 5:6-11, 21 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (an entire gospel in one verse).

See also: Hebrews. 9:26, 28; 10:14, 1 Timothy 1:15, 2 Corinthians 5:21.

As a sinner, you need to realize that Jesus died in your place (and rose again of course) and paid for all your sins. He did for you what you could not do for yourself. So, what will save you is trusting the completed work of Jesus Christ.

The Good News of the Gospel

The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). You’ve got to hear from the Bible how to be saved in order to be saved. That’s why the Word of God is crucial because it makes us to be wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15).

But where do we put our faith? That is, faith in what? Faith in the Gospel of Salvation! This means you must hear the Gospel to believe it.

Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Among other passages in the Bible, the Gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4;

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”

According to the above passage, the gospel can explained in five (5) points as follows:

1. “Christ Died” (verse 3)
2. “For Our Sins” (verse 3)
3. “He Was Buried” (verse 4)
4. “He Rose Again the third day” (verse 4)
5. “According to the Scriptures” (verses 3 and 4)

The Shedding of Blood

Christ died for in our place by shedding His precious blood. The blood represents His dead on the cross and that is what paid our penalty! Without the shedding of blood, there will be no remission (Hebrews 9:22; Leviticus 17:11).

Jesus died in our place for our sins. No one else did, or can do that. But it’s not just that He died, but see the expression “…how that Christ died…” in 1 Corinthians 15:3. How did Jesus die for our sin? By shedding His precious Blood on the cross!

Romans 3:25 “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God”

Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”

Colossians 1:13-14 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins”

1 Peter 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”

Hebrews 9:12 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

God Himself came to die for us on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16). He took on the human form, died and fully paid for our sins (1 Peter 2:24; 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:6, 8; Hebrews 9:28; 10:14). He bore our sins on His own body on the tree. He who knew no sin was punished as if He was the guilty one. He was buried and He rose again for our justification.

Salvation must be accepted by faith in the Person and finished work of Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Not by the works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5).

No man will be justified by works of the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16). We’re justified freely by God’s grace (Romans 3:24-25). Christ died once for all sins, past, present, and future (Hebrews 10:12-14).

Ephesian 2:8-9 says “for by grace are ye saved through faith…” Grace means getting the justification which we do not deserve. To be saved means to be saved from hell. “Through faith” means it is by believing.

It is a gift since it cost us nothing because Jesus Christ fully paid for it to give us eternal life at no cost to us—John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:35-40, 47; 10:27-29; 14:16; Romans 5:8; 6:23; 8:35-39; Hebrews 9:12; 5:9.

Simply Believe and Live

As already mention multiple times, the message of the gospel is very simple. If you understand the truth that you have sinned and offended God, you will also know that sins have wages, that is, consequences. The Bible calls is death, but this is eternal separation from God for all eternity.

The solution to the problem of sin is simple: admit your sins, repent and believe in Jesus Christ. That is, accept His redemptive work on your behalf and trust in His shed blood for the forgiveness of your sin, and you will be saved.

Romans 3:24-28 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

You Have a Crucial Choice to Make

Everyone has a free will. You can accept or reject the message of the gospel, I’m only responsible for sharing what the Bible says and letting you make your own decisions.

But your only good decision today is to come to the Cross and be washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Embrace the love of God for you! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved.

John 3:16 ” For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Acts 16:30-31 “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” God will accept you immediately and you will be saved.”

So, simply believe that Christ suffered and painfully died in your place, in order to pay the penalty of your sin. Remember also that Christ did not remain dead, He was buried (a proof that He actually died) and He rose again the third day. If you believe this with your heart, the Bible says that your sins will be forgiven and you will receive the gift of eternal life. (John 3:36; 5:24, Romans 6:23)

Would you reject Jesus today and keep trying on your own? You won’t get far with that option! Today could be your last chance! Jesus says:

“…he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36.

Or would you believe and trust Jesus Christ with your life and accept the free gift of Salvation? Jesus says:

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” John 3:36.

The Bible says if we trust in the Gospel, we are saved and sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). We have a mansion of gold, a dwelling place, in heaven when we die (John 14:1-4). Jesus says I have given eternal life to them that believe (John 10:27-28; John 6:47).

If you believe today and have put your faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, I congratulate you! You are now born again, and stand fully justified before God.—John 3:36; 5:24; Romans. 5:8-9; Acts 13:39.

Please spend some time on this website for articles that can help you in your Christian journey. While you are still here, check out this study that outlines in details What It Means to Be Saved.

Thank you for reading!