MAX ON LIFE

9. When my husband and I became the parents of a baby girl, we started to attend Church. The pastor and others here talk about being saved, but we really don't understand what that means. Can you help us?

The best answer to your question is found in the Bible's best-known scripture:

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)

Why does God want to save us? "God so loved...." What parents can stand idly by while their child suffers in agony? Who would watch loved ones step toward a perilous pit and not stop them before they plunged into darkness? God loves us so much he wants to save us.... from the world, from Satan, from ourselves. The motivation that drives all his actions is love.... love.... love.... love. And his love is directed at you.

How does God save us? He gave his one and only Son....." A payment satisfies a debt. A gift appeases anger. A sacrifice dies in place of the guilty party. God saves us by offering his own sacrifice - his own Son - to pay for our massive debt of sin, to satisfy his immense anger toward our rebellion, and to relieve the burden of our guilt. Only one sacrifice was worthy enough to die for all the sins of all the people of all time. Jesus. He died as a sinless and perfect sacrifice on the cross.

What do we need to do to be saved? "Whoever believes in him...." The debt is too big to pay. Working ourselves to death wouldn't be enough. So Jesus, out of love, did all the work for us two thousand years ago on a cross outside the walls of Jerusalem. What must we do? Believe. Believe that Jesus died for you and me. Know that God is satisfied and our sin bill has been paid in full.

What will happen as a result of salvation? "Have eternal life." Jesus' death on the cross paid for our sins. Jesus' resurrection from the tomb promises our eternal life. We are no longer stuck on death row. We will be set free to enjoy life eternal with our Savior himself.

God saves us because he loves us.

God saves us through Jesus Christ.

God saves us when we believe.

God saves us from death.

The only question John 3:16 does not answer is, what about you? Have you been saved?

By: Max Lucado