Ordinarily, to save something or to save a situation means stopping or preventing that thing from going into ruin or destruction. For instance, to save a job means preventing that job from becoming extinct. This could be done, for example, by redefining it or reinventing the job in order to make it continually relevant and on-going through, say, adding more responsibilities.
You may begin to wonder by asking : How does this relate to humans and their souls?
Well, you must realise that the human race which you are a part of is a fallen race. We are talking of a race that had fallen out with God, a race without hope. Therefore, it implies that if humans are allowed to remain the way they are, they are on their way to total ruin.
This is why the bible says in Romans 3 verse 23, 'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.'
The bible also says in Romans 3 verses 11 and 12,
'There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.'
This simply means that man needs to be saved if he is not to go into eternal ruin and perdition. The bible says in Psalm 9 verse 17, 'The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all nations that forget God.' Another word for the wicked is the sinner. Man or humans need to be saved from sin.
Man is on the road to judgement. He has an appointment to keep with God. In his current state, he is not ready to meet God. The only voice awaiting him as he approaches God's judgement throne is : DEPART. It is simply because sinners cannot dwell with God. The bible states in Psalm 5 verse 4, 'For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.'
In order for man to be saved, something has to be done about him and for him. First and foremost, it is certain that man cannot save himself. There is nothing devised by man that can save man.
To be honest, man has devised a lot of things: Religion, education, reformation, imitation, regulation, morality, reorientation, segregation, subjugation, indoctrination and several other things.
It may surprise you to know that none of these things can save man. If man believes that he can be saved by any of these things, he is already doomed.
If we must be honest with ourselves, we need to be humble enough to admit that the only person who can save man is the one who created him. This is no other person than the Almighty God.
This is why the bible says in Acts 4 verses 10 and 12,
'Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. Neither is there salvation in any other : for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.'
Jesus Christ is God's perfect provision for human salvation.
Steps to salvation:
1. Man must acknowledge his need for salvation. He must want it. He must desire it.
2. He must accept God's provision for his salvation.
3. He must repent of his sins according to God's Word.
The bible says in Acts 17 verses 30 and 31, 'And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.'
4.Man must then accept God's salvation. Jesus Christ is God's salvation.
To mark Him out as the only salvation of God, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said certain things or made certain claims which were never made by any other person:
1. 'I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.' John 14 verse 6.
2. 'I am the door : by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.' John 10 verse 9.
3. 'I am the resurrection, and the life : he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:' John 11 verse 25.
4. 'I am the bread of life : he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.' John 6 verse 35.
5. 'I am the light of the world : he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.' John 8 verse 12.
All those who have come to the Lord Jesus Christ have found that He is all these things and more.
This is your time of visitation. Do not miss it.
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