Everyone who calls on His name will be saved.
~ Joel 2:32
Saved
The Bible says that if you confess that Jesus is the Lord, and believe that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. That is an emphatic promise: You will be saved. There are just two conditions in view. Speak up and proclaim that the name of the Lord is Jesus. And believe that Jesus rose from the grave. The grammar of the word ‘believe’ is present continuous, which implies ongoing faith, and this requirement is confirmed in other places in the Bible.
Faith is the key. Believing in Jesus. And continuing to believe in Him.
The question is: What are you saved from? And, what are you saved to?
You are not saved from a miserable life and brought into a rich material existence. You may receive this blessing but this was not the experience of Paul, nor of other apostles, nor of multitudes of people who have become Christians. For them, when they came to faith, their lives became more difficult – except that they knew that their eternal destiny was assured and that their future would be magnificent.
Everyone knows of celebrities who live long, happy, healthy and prosperous lives and who have no faith. How, some ask, did they get so lucky?
The effect of salvation will be known in the world to come. It will be salvation from the judgment of God.
If we are trusting in Christ then no punishment awaits because He has paid the price on our behalf.
Salvation will be from God’s righteous condemnation and will be unto eternal life.
This future endless existence will be in a perfect world, with sights and sounds that are too wonderful to imagine. There will be no sorrow and no shame. And we shall be in the presence of the King – Jesus, who redeemed us.
... continue reading: What does the gospel mean?
