Today's Devotional: Save Me!

 

How We Are (And Aren’t) Saved

Do you still lack peace about your relationship with God? You can have assurance today. 

From Intouch Ministries

September 10, 2023

---

John 1:9-12

Salvation refers to the freedom that is gained when the Lord rescues someone and makes that person part of His family (Romans 6:6-7). This statement often evokes many questions:

            If I try to live morally, won’t God accept me? Questions like this assume that the Lord saves us on the basis of how we live. But Romans 3:10 says, “There is no righteous person, not even one.” Holy God will not have dealings with unrighteous people—in other words, those who haven’t trusted in Christ.  What’s more, Ephesians 2:8-9 specifies that salvation is “by grace ... through faith.” It is the “gift of God” and “not a result of works.”

            Won’t the Lord accept me because of His goodness? God is loving and good, but He is also just and cannot overlook sin. Pride makes us reject the idea that we need forgiveness.

            If I serve or help others in God’s name, aren’t I part of His family? Good works are wonderful, but they don’t reconcile us to God. Acts of service are an important result of salvation rather than the basis for it. Verse 12 of today’s passage shows that receiving Christ is the way to be in God’s family.

Salvation is a work of divine grace, not the product of man’s effort. Thankfully, when we respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, believe in Jesus, and are born again as God’s children (John 3:3), we can rest assured. 

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 43-45