Titus 3:4-7
Human beings like to think of themselves as good. That’s why many people find it hard to admit they are sinners who can’t save themselves. Even if they admit their need for a Savior, they want to believe that something within them makes them worthy of salvation. But clinging to such false concepts is actually what keeps them from being saved.
Salvation can be defined as the work of God’s grace by which He pardons our sins and bestows upon us the gift of eternal life. This means we are saved not by our works but by God’s love and undeserved favor.
When Jesus died, He paid our sin debt in full and opened the door for mankind to be saved. And while salvation is a gift from God, it’s not ours until we accept it. To do so, we must respond in the following ways:
Belief. Saving faith is trust in Jesus as the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and eternal life (1 John 5:13).
Submission. When we receive Jesus as our Savior, we are acknowledging that He is Lord (Rom. 10:9-10). This means He has the authority to guide and rule our life according to His will.
Repentance. If Christ is our Savior and Lord, then we must turn from our old sinful lifestyle, which previously ruled us (Acts 2:38). We now hate sin and have a new desire for righteousness. Although patterns from our old flesh nature sometimes resurface, each time we fall, we have the privilege of turning back to God for forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).
Have you received God’s gift of salvation? If not, won’t you accept it today?