Salvation Is Your Ticket to Life

Salvation. That is the sum-total of what we have been talking about these last several weeks in Bible Insights. Repentance, faith, justification—it all adds up to salvation. Titus 2:11-12 says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." We are saved purely by God's grace. It is God's grace that "brings salvation" to us. God's grace leads us to repent, which involves a complete turnaround. God's grace teaches us to deny "ungodliness and worldly lusts." Turn away from all worldliness and sin. Instead, "live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."

Turn your life around. Leave your old sinful life behind (repentance) and live for Jesus (faith). Peter, preaching to the crowd on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2:21 said, "And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (justification). So there we have the bottom line, the basic formula of salvation: repentance plus faith equals justification.

Hebrews 12:1-2 spells it out more completely: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

This passage immediately follows Hebrews chapter eleven, often referred to as the "Hall of Faith," because it lists the many Old Testament saints who ran the life of faith with great success and endurance. They are our "great… cloud of witnesses." They, along with all the saints that have run the race of faith before us, testify as to how we run that race. We are to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us" (repentance), and "run with endurance the race that is set before us" (faith).

"Endurance" means "patience," or literally, "a remaining under," and can be translated "patient enduring" (W.E. Vine, M.A., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 370). It is related to another Greek word meaning "to abide under" or "to bear up courageously (under suffering)" (Ibid, 369). And how do we do that? By "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (justification).

When you run a race, keep your eyes fixed on the goal. Never look back. Never look to the side. Always look straight at the goal or you will slow down and run off the path. You don't want that to happen, so keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He is "the author and finisher of our faith" and the one who will bring us home to heaven (endurance or perseverance). Salvation is all about Jesus—knowing Him, following Him, and becoming like Him.

But to run the race, you first have to get into the race. You have to sign up for it first, then you can start to run the race. How do you qualify to start the race of the Christian life? By trusting Christ for salvation. You must believe that He died on the cross for you, for the forgiveness of your sin, and that He rose the third day from the grave providing life as well. You must believe, confess your sin to Him seeking His forgiveness, and you must receive Jesus into your life to be your personal Savior, and to let Him have all of you, all of your life. You can do that right now by praying and asking Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. Amen.

The Gift of Christ Jesus

Romans 5:16-18 says, "And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life."

It is very simple. Adam fell from grace—He sinned. This sin passed to all and brought with it judgement resulting in condemnation. But the free gift, which is the death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection, brought justification. Through Adam, death reigned, but those who receive God's grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through Jesus Christ. Romans 4:25 says clearly that Jesus, "was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification."

Justification is a very important doctrine. The person who receives Christ while on his death bed, or just shortly before they die, is as saved as the person who receives Christ at a young age and then spends years learning to walk more closely with Him, growing stronger in their faith, and becoming more like Jesus. The one who first believes in Jesus while approaching death, the so-called eleventh-hour conversion, is justified just like any other believer. That is why he, like the believing thief on the cross, will go straight to Heaven and find himself immediately in the presence of Christ where he will spend all eternity.

You are justified, or saved, by God's grace through faith. Good works won't save you. They are important for the believer for growing in faith, but belief in Jesus' death and resurrection is what gives you the gift of salvation. Trust Jesus by faith right now. Amen.

Justified in God's Eyes through the Cross

Romans 3:21-26 says: "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Justification comes "apart from the law" (v. 21). It cannot be earned through good works or good deeds done by us, or by any other merit we think we may have. Justification is provided for us only by the sacrificial death of Christ—by the shed blood of Christ on the cross. Justification is God's gracious gift given freely to all who receive Jesus Christ and His sacrifice by faith. God demonstrates His righteousness by bestowing justification on all who believe.

The penalty for sin is death. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 10:9 adds, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." When you trust in Jesus and His shed blood on the cross, you are acquitted or found not guilty of your sin. Your sin is forgiven and your fellowship with God which was broken because of your sin is restored.

Because of sin you had lost favor with God, but through your faith God's favor is restored. So justification is more than just acquittal concerning the penalty of sin. It is full acceptance by God. You are fully accepted back into fellowship with God. Your walk with Jesus is renewed. You are now "the friend of God" (James 2:23) and "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17).

"Propitiation" (Rom. 3:25) has to do with the appeasement of, or the satisfaction of, God's wrath. It carries the idea of being reconciled to God. The phrase "by His blood" (v. 25) is understood to be immediately connected to "propitiation" (W. E. Vine, M.A., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 906). Through the atoning, sacrificial death of Christ on the cross, God bestows His justifying grace on the sinner who believes (Ibid).

Trying to earn your way to heaven always falls short. It is strictly by grace through faith that you are saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 says specifically, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." There is nothing you can do to earn justification. You are strictly saved by God's grace through faith. At the moment of salvation you are justified, or declared righteous. The work of Jesus on the cross was finished, providing the way for your justification.

Romans 5:9 says, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Our justification comes through the blood. Jesus shed his blood for us. He paid the penalty we deserved to pay. We were the guilty party, not Him. Yet Jesus willingly took our sin upon Himself and paid the penalty of death on our behalf. He was our substitute. As a result, we are forgiven and justified by His blood, and saved from God's wrath. Our only response can be to trust in Jesus. Amen.

The Confession of a Thief

Jesus was not crucified alone. "There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left" (Luke 23:32-33). Three crosses side by side on the hill called Calvary.

Jesus spoke: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (v. 34). Nailed to the cross, Jesus spoke words of forgiveness to all who participated in crucifying Him. Hanging there in agony, struggling for every breath, Jesus spoke, declaring forgiveness for all. But the people standing all around mocked Jesus, ridiculing Him: "And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, 'You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross'" (Matt. 27:39-40).

Even the Jewish leaders got involved: "Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 'He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, "I am the Son of God"'" (vv. 41-43).

Not to be outdone, "The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, 'If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself'" (Luke 23:36-37). There seemed to be none who believed, none who understood.

The criminals who were being crucified alongside of Jesus even got involved. Matthew identifies them specifically as "robbers" (Matt. 27:44), or "thieves" (KJV). "Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, 'If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us'" (Luke 23:39). He did not understand; he did not believe.

The other thief did understand, however, so he rebuked the first thief: "But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom'" (vv. 40-42).

This second thief believed in Jesus. He confessed his sin, stating that he was justly condemned, "for we receive the due reward of our deeds" (v. 41a). This is a sign of confession, repentance, and saving faith. So he received justification from God. His sins were forgiven and he was acquitted, justified before God. Note Jesus' response: "And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise'" (v. 43).

There would be no time for growing in faith and learning to walk by faith. He was already hanging on the cross, dying. The important thing for him was salvation, going to Heaven when he died, which would be very soon. And that is precisely what Jesus assured him of—salvation. "Today you will be with Me in Paradise" (v. 43b). "Today!" There would be no waiting. He was acquitted, justified. He would be joining Jesus in Heaven that very day.

The thief who believed was justified in God's eyes. God saw him through the lens of Jesus and His blood sacrifice on the cross. Upon his death that day, his soul was transported straight to Heaven ("Paradise") where he would spend eternity with Jesus. That is what justification is—a sinner by repentance and faith is declared righteous by God. So when God looks at a sinner saved by grace, He sees the righteousness of Christ. Amen.