Salvation
Salvation is the gift of God that comes to us by His grace alone, through faith alone, and on account of Christ alone. It is the unmerited favor of God toward us a sinful and rebellious people, based solely upon His great love and richness of mercy for us. Salvation isGod acting on man’s behalf in the death of His Son Jesus Christ to save sinners. Our works or deeds play no role in salvation and are definitely insufficient to satisfy God’s requirement for salvation simply because they are tainted with sin.
Our performance, as well, cannot satisfy God’s requirement of perfect obedience to His Law. Christ is the only one in the history of mankind who has kept the Law perfectly, we have not. Christ in His sinless life, perfect adherence to the Law, death on the cross, and subsequent rising from the dead has met all that God requires for salvation. And He did it all for us and on our behalf.
Salvation is received by faith alone. Faith, as well, is the gift of God that passively takes hold of what He has promised us in Christ: the forgiveness of our sins, eternal life, and salvation. It is a confidence and assurance that God is true to His Word, that what He has promised us is true for each of us personally who believe.
Believe
John 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Acts 10:43 “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Acts 16:31 “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
1 Corinthians 15:2 “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”
1 John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Ephesians 1:13 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,”
