Question 25: What is Salvation?

Read: John 3:16-21
Listen: John 3

Question: What is salvation?

Answer: Salvation is God’s gift of new life through Jesus Christ, rescuing us from sin and death.

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

John captures the heart of salvation—God’s loving response to humanity’s desperate need. God created people to be with him, know him and walk with him daily (Genesis 3:8). But Adam and Eve’s rebellion brought sin into the world, resulting in death. Sin separates humanity from God (Romans 5:12). Without salvation, all people are perishing. They face physical death, spiritual separation from God and eternal death. Jesus expressed the true meaning of salvation when he prayed, “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Salvation is more than just going to heaven after death. It’s restoring the relationship between God and people that was lost.

Salvation is not merely adding Jesus to our lives. It is not a self-help program to fix our weaknesses. Salvation is all-encompassing, and it changes everything about us. When we trust Christ, we become a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). God justifies us, declaring us righteous in his sight. He reconciles us, bringing us from being his enemies to being his friends. He adopts us into his family as beloved children. The Holy Spirit regenerates us, giving us a new spiritual life. The Spirit sanctifies us, transforming us to be more like Jesus. Salvation comes entirely by grace through faith. We cannot earn it through good works. We receive it as God’s free gift through trusting in Jesus’s death on the cross and resurrection.

 TODAY: You’ve been rescued from death and given eternal life. Thank God for his love shown through Jesus. If you haven’t already, place your faith in Jesus for salvation now. If you’re already a believer, take time to marvel at God’s amazing gift and consider sharing this good news with someone who needs to hear it. Learn more about salvation in our We Believe document HERE.