Walk of Life, Day 18 April 2022, Thoughts on Hope On Resurrection Of Christ

Hope Of Salvation

Salvation simply means being saved. God made all his creations perfect. No living thing that God created was unholy. All obeyed God, only man was given gift of freewill. Disobedience brought sin into this world and man lost the fellowship that he enjoyed with his maker. When men became wicked and corrupt, God grieved for creating mankind and wiped them all by sending floods. He saved only Noah’s family who were in the ark.

From the beginning, God had plans of saving mankind from the hands of the Evil one. He gave set of rules to his people to follow through Moses so that by upholding His laws and commandments, they could live a just and righteous life. This arrangement was made so that they would be saved through the Law. To make atonement for their sins, animal sacrifices were made. Day after day the priests would stand and make the same sacrifices at the altar, but the blood of bulls and goats was not able to cleanse the peoples sins completely.

This arrangement was only for the Jews, his chosen people. But God’s plan of salvation was for all his creation. “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3,4. So God sent his son who is without sin to become a pleasing sacrifice and make atonement for the sins of all creation once for all. God set aside the first arrangement to establish the second.

Salvation is not gained by good deeds as many people commonly believe. It is a gift given freely to all those who repent for their sins.

• One might be a born in a Christian family but he/she has to be born again, baptized and should put the word of God in practice to receive salvation.
  “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16: 31
• Those who search for the truth irrespective of caste, creed, gender, religion and country and find it in Christ, also will receive salvation.
  When an Ethiopian eunuch was searching for the truth in scriptures, God sent Philip to tell the good news about the risen Christ. The eunuch believed, got baptized and received salvation.
  ^“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
• God has set apart some people for salvation. Although they are not Christians nor seekers, God will make himself known to them through Christ to fulfill his purposes.
  Paul, a Pharisee hated believers and persecuted the church. Even then, on the way to Damascus, Lord Jesus made himself known to Paul and used him to carry the gospel and plant churches in many Roman provinces.
  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
• Yet for some God chooses to save at the end of his/her life.
  The criminal who was crucified with Christ repented for his sins and received salvation from God just before his death.
   “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:16

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Therefore let us praise God with a song S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N.

No you can’t get to heaven without S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N (2)
Shout it out, loud and clear  S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N
Sing it out, far and near S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N

No you can’t get to heaven without S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N
as a gift of his love you receive S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N

Acts 16:31 S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N
Just believe and receive S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N.