LONG STORY
Growing up, my Mom and Dad frequently/occasionally took us to church. Both grew up in Christian families and going to church was part of the weekly routine. This carried on with us (my sister and I). I recall when we first started attending a new church when I was in 2nd grade, my Mom went into the church office and was led to the Lord (was saved). The church secretary asked me if I wanted to get saved, and naturally, I wanted to do whatever my mom was doing, so I agreed and said the sinner's prayer, with little understanding of what was going on.
For years, I went through the motion of being a good Christian girl, you know- sunday school, church all day sundays, bible study, vacation bible school, choir rehearsal with Mommy... I mean, it felt like we lived in church (we did though lol). Looking back, I did these things out of routine. I mean, we just woke up and went lol.
Fast forward to a missions trip in the Bahamas when I was 13, I don't remember the exact details, but I remember sitting in a church service during the invitation and my pastor spoke about salvation and God really started to prick my heart. Like, I remember just crying out of nowhere. My pastor spoke about how you have to know that you know that you know that you're saved. No one wants to miss out on eternal life because they thought they were saved and really weren't. I KNEW in my heart that back as a kid, I had no understanding what salvation was and that I wasn't truly saved. I was not 100% sure that I was headed to Heaven. I couldn't remember ever before truly believing that I was a sinner and that I needed forgiveness of my past, present, and future sins. That night, by the conviction of God and not by the pushing of anyone, I trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior and was saved! It was the most exciting thing! Like, the peace that came- whew! I didn't have to wonder about my eternal home anymore!
- Why do we need salvation? The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Listen- humans are wicked. Look around and see; there's no convincing needed. NONE of us are worthy of God's eternal riches. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ our Lord". We deserve hell; death; a life without God because of our "clown-ness". But He's such a loving God that He doesn't desire that for us.
- How did God provide salvation? The Bible says in Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth His love towards that, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." God's love is so great. I'm such a witness! Can't nobody tell me otherwise! Refuse to believe, but I KNOW that God loves me! I can look back over my life from minor to major events and truly say He loves me! He loved me AND YOU so much that He sent His son, Jesus to receive the consequences of our sin. Our sins deserve to be punished, yet Christ took on our punishment so that we could have salvation. WOW! That's powerful!
- How do we become saved? Here's the good news! FREE-99!! Salvation is a gift! I don't care what no one says, there is NOTHING you can do to earn salvation. NOTHING! 2 Peter 3:8-10 says, "The Lord... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with they mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." BELIEVE, folks. That's it! BELIEF! FAITH! How do you believe something that you can't see? Well, that's faith. The Bible and its events have been proven to have occurred, but if you don't believe, just ask the people around you truly believe and have experienced the goodness of God! His words are true! I just don't know how else to say it except to show it with my changed life. Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." I love that! God is not a respecter of persons; no one person is more entitled to salvation than another.
If you truly believe that you are a sinner (this is important because you have to understand that you have a need for Christ because of your sins) and realize that Christ took on your sins, which deserved/deserve death, and died for the very purpose of paying the price that you owed, and believe in him. Call on His name and you will be saved! Be ready for freeing peace, friends.
Here are some additional websites about salvation:
Romans Road To Salvation
Sinner's Prayer
Does it mean that I don't sin anymore or that I have super powers to withstand any wrong? No, but my life is forever different. Once I'm saved there's NOTHING that I can do to lose my salvation. Christ's payment for my sin marks my account paid in full for PAST debt/sins, PRESENT debt/sins, and FUTURE! Should I be continuously sinning still? Absolutely not, but I can repent of my wrong and know that I'm forgiven and Christ enables me to live a better life, become more like him, and tell others that they can have what I have and not be bound by the miserable life of sin and life without Christ.
I know I may have gotten very theological on you in this post, but if I'm truly heeding to what God has put on my heart to write, I can't ignore salvation! My salvation is the very foundation of this blog. It's through my beliefs that I can write as a changed person and give God the glory for all of the great things He has done in my life that I want to share with you all.
Sharing The Love Of Christ,
Dear Lord, Thank you for all of those that are reading this today. Thank you for seeing fit to bring them here. I pray that You will help me be an encouragement and example to anyone that reads it. Thank you for my salvation and sending your Son to die for my sins so that I wouldn't have to spend eternity away from you. Wow! What amazing grace and mercy! I pray that if anyone is reading this that isn't saved and doesn't know you, that they'll take the time to have their life changed through salvation. Use me, Lord, for your glory. Amen!
Tye Tribett- Beauty For Ashes
Big Daddy Weave- Redeemed
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