The pastor asked a thirty year old man the question, “Are you saved?” He replied, “Yes, I’m saved.” “How do you know?” inquired the pastor. “Because I believed in Jesus, walked the aisle of First Baptist Church, Paducah, Kentucky when I was nine years old, and was baptized, the man replied. “And where do you go to church?” “Oh, I never go to church.” “Do you read your Bible, pray, and meet with Christian friends regularly?” “No, I do not.” “And you say you are saved.” “Sir, I told you I walked the aisle, etc. Why do you keep asking me these questions?” QUESTION: Was that guy saved?
- That Raises the Question, WHAT ARE WE SAVED FROM?
- Saved FROM the penalty of sin. “When Jesus died on the cross, He suffered our punishment for sin; He suffered the eternal wrath of God. By placing our faith in Jesus, we are saved from the judgment to come when sinners will be judged for their sins and cast into hell.[1] (Rev. 20:11-15).
- Saved FROM the power of sin – “When we place our faith in Jesus, we are saved from sin’s power over us. The Holy Spirit begins to work in our lives to make us like Christ. This is a lifelong process of becoming righteous like Christ that involves getting rid of old sinful habits such as lying, stealing, and gossiping, and acquiring the Christlike qualities of honesty, mercy, and love.”[2]
- Saved FROM the PERSON of sin – Satan. “While Satan will attack the children of God, we are secure in the Father’s hand. Jesus commented on this aspect of our salvation when He stated, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” [3](John 10:27-29).
- Saved from SELF – the middle letter of sin is “I,” which is in rebellion to Jesus Christ and righteousness. Thus salvation is being saved from our own destructive self.
- Saved FROM the practice of sin – When saved, one is born again which means he has God’s “Seed” in him, which refers to the principle of God’s life imparted to the believer at salvation, making it impossible for him t o continue in sin. “Whosoever is born of God does not practice sin.” Why? John goes on to explain, “for HIS SEED remains in him and he cannot practice sin because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:9).
- What Are We Saved Unto in The Present?
- We are saved unto a new creation – 2 Cor. 5:17.
- We are saved from the old sinful habits – 2 Cor. 5:17b.
- We are saved for good works – Ephesians 2:8-9.
- We are saved from a life of slavery to sin and become slaves of righteousness. “Being then made free from sin, we are become the slaves of righteousness.” ( 6:18).
- What Are We Saved Unto in The Future?
- An inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away (1 Peter 1:4).
- A home in the Father’s house – John 14:3.
- In the presence of Jesus and God’s children for all eternity – Rev. 21:3.
- From the presence of sin – Rev. 21:27.
[1] J. D. Payne, Evangelism, Colorado Springs, Colorado: Biblica Publishing, 2011, p. 34.
[2] Ibid. p. 34
[3] Ibid. p. 35.