Salvation is like…

Christianity is the only belief where one can be saved from their sins. Salvation means a lot of things to a lot of people, but there is only one way, one door , and one truth. It is this simple. A person hears, or reads the Word of God. The Holy Spirit convicts them of their sin. The person feels sorry for the things he has done that is contrary to the Word of God. Then we turn from what we know is wrong and we turn towards God.  ^“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV And if we are not sorry for our sins then we have no desire to turn from sin. When we confess our sins to God that we need salvation and forgiveness of our sins then Jesus does the converting. We simply have to take the first step He does the rest for us. The plan of salvation is as follows, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24 NIV

Salvation is like a new birth. Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” John 3:5 NIV  Born of the water is the hearing of the Word of God. That is where we receive our faith.  ^“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 NKJV To be born again we must hear the Word, believe the Word, and receive the Word by faith. God’s grace does the saving. “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” 1 Peter 1:23 NKJV  To be born again means to become a new creation in Jesus Christ. To fervently seek out the Word of God for direction, instruction, and encouragement.

Salvation is like a marriage. When we accept Jesus as our King and Savior we are adopted into the family of God. We, the church, are the bride of Christ. The concept of earthly marriage between a man and a woman was created to emulate the marriage between Jesus and His church. A true marriage will consist of love and affection between two individuals becoming one person. They will devote their lives to each other. They will make sacrifices for each other. The same is true when we accept the Word of God as being true.  “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!  Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”  Revelation 19:6-7 NKJV  In heaven we will celebrate the marriage feast of the lamb where the church will be joined to Jesus Christ for all eternity.

Salvation is like living water.   Jesus came into the city of Samaria. Being weary from His journey He sat beside Jacob’s well and asked a Samaritan woman to give Him a drink of water. She asked Him why for the Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. Jesus replied and said, “ If you knew who you were speaking to, you would have asked Me for living water.  Whoever drinks of the water from the well will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water I give will never thirst again. It would be like a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. This fountain of water is the Word of God the words that Jesus spoke. His crucifixion made it possible for every one of us to go directly to our Heavenly Father.  Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24 NKJV Thanks to our King and Savior, Jesus Christ, we can now pray to our Father without having to go through another person, or priest. Christ is our mediator, and thanks to Him, we can personally communicate with God through Bible study and prayer. The  story of the “ woman at the well” can be found in John 4:5-42

Salvation is like being cured of an incurable disease. There is a pool of water in Jerusalem called Bethesda. There many sick people would wait by the pool for an angel to stir the water. Then whoever would first set their foot in the water would be cured. There was a man beside the pool who had been sick for 38 years. When Jesus saw him there He asked the man if he wanted to be cured.  The man explained that he had no one to put him in the pool when the water was stirred. Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. John 5:8-9 NKJV Jesus Christ is the Great Physician and He can cure us of any sickness we may have. Weather it be physical, mental or spiritual. Through the man’s faith he was healed. All spiritual illness comes from living outside of the will of God. When we do things that He doesn’t approve of, it separates us from Him. Christ came into the world, not to condemn us of wrong doing, but to save us by the sacrifice he made for us, thereby enabling us to be reunited with God. For more details on this miracle read John 5:1-16

Salvation is like the wind. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 NKJV The wind represents the Holy Spirit. He comes and goes where He wills, but no one knows where. When we accept the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Holy Spirit dwells within us. He guides us. He comforts us. He leads us to right living. When we have trouble praying He prays for us. He is there within our mind waiting to have fellowship with us. We can’t see the wind, but we see the results of the wind’s power. We cannot see the Holy Spirit, but as our prayers are fulfilled we see the results of His power. When we read the Bible the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. He calls us to Christ, and we are born into the family of God. I don’t care how good we are if we are not born again then we are lost. Have you ever felt the tug of the Holy Spirit in your heart? Have you ever felt that you should be a Christian and have turned away from your conviction? I urge you to turn towards God and away from the things you do that separate yourself from Him. Give your life a chance to be set free.  It is yours for the asking.