HOW TO BE SAVED BY JESUS CHRIST
People search everywhere for peace while the door of mercy stands open before them in Christ. They labor to cleanse themselves, to improve themselves, to make themselves worthy of heaven, yet the sinner cannot wash away his own guilt any more than a drowning man can pull himself from the sea by his own hair.
The gospel begins with the terrible truth that we are lost. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The heart of man is not merely bruised by sin. It is corrupted by it. We have broken the holy law of God in thought, word, and deed. Yet into this darkness came Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth, carrying in His own body the salvation we could never earn (John 1:14; Romans 5:8).
The Son of God came down from heaven and clothed Himself in flesh. He walked among sinners though He Himself was without sin. He healed lepers, forgave harlots, received tax collectors, and opened the gates of mercy to the brokenhearted. Then at Calvary He bore the judgment our sins deserved. The wrath against sin fell upon Him so that forgiveness might fall upon us. He died for our offenses and rose again for our justification (Isaiah 53:5-6; Romans 4:25).
Salvation is not found in church traditions, moral effort, family heritage, or human wisdom. Salvation is found in a Person. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
How then is a man saved? He must come to Christ in humble faith. He must cease defending himself and cast himself upon the mercy of Jesus. The sinner must repent, turning away from sin and toward God with a broken and willing heart (Acts 3:19). He must believe the gospel, trusting not in his own goodness but in the finished work of Christ upon the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is not merely agreeing with facts about Jesus. It is leaning the whole weight of your soul upon Him. It is saying, “Lord, if You do not save me, I cannot be saved.”
The Lord Jesus invites weary sinners even now. “Whoever comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37). There is mercy enough in Christ for the worst sinner who will come. The blood He shed is sufficient to cleanse every stain. The risen Savior still calls people to follow Him, to confess Him openly, and to enter into Him through obedient faith and baptism (Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3-4). The grace that pardons also transforms. Christ does not merely rescue men from hell. He rescues them from the dominion of sin and teaches them to walk in newness of life.
Do not delay your soul’s salvation. Life is a vapor, and eternity is near. The same Christ who now stretches out pierced hands in mercy will one day come again in judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). Today is the day of salvation. Come to Jesus Christ while the gospel invitation is still sounding through the world. Fall before Him with repentance and faith, and you will find that the Savior who died for sinners is mighty to save completely all who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25).
BDD
