SALVATION

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” 

John 3:16 (NLT)

I was sitting in one of the guest bedrooms in a log cabin in Colorado on a spring break ski trip with my youth group when my youth pastor walked in unexpectedly wanting to speak with me for a little bit. I thought maybe I was in trouble for something, but as it turned out he wanted to talk with me about accepting Christ into my heart because I had not yet been baptized. 

Of course, that all changed after the conversation with my youth pastor, and I was baptized shortly after returning home from the ski trip. I thought there was not anything else to salvation but saying the salvation prayer and getting dipped down into some water at church. Although this part of salvation is true, there is so much more to it than that. 

Salvation is obedience to God’s word and letting His word be the foundation of our lives. It is believing in Jesus Christ and confessing within our hearts that He died for our sins and was raised from the dead and will one day return to claim His kingdom. It is repenting of all our sins and accepting God’s grace and mercy. 

Salvation is a lifelong commitment to serving God however He leads us. It took me a long time to understand what being saved truly means, and now that I know it makes going through this journey, we call life so much more enjoyable and meaningful. My prayer for you is to build your life on the solid foundation of Christ starting with salvation and letting Him shape your life all according to His plan for you. 

Heart Questions:

What does salvation mean to you?

How has your life changed since accepting Christ into your heart?