God's Promise of Salvation

Thought For Today - May 18, 2024
God's Promise of Salvation
By: Robert A. Searles

     A cry for help is heard from a lost and dying world.  A world  engrossed in sin and evil, shrouded in darkness, and seemingly without hope, clamors for answers, and gropes at the nearest floating straw which has no anchor.

     For centuries, since the beginning of time, and when disobedience to God entered the scene, evil has had dominion over the lives of men and women, causing them to murder, steal, lie, and commit all manner of cruelty and atrocities toward one another, and to blaspheme the Holy God who is their creator, and their source of life and well being, although wicked men and women may not recognize him as such.  God's laws are ignored, his Holy word desecrated, and his appeal to the lost to accept his mercy and loving kindness ridiculed, yet a lost world cries for help, but refuses to recognize it when it is offered.

     Whenever we have a physical emergency, or a life threatening situation, we send a call to the nearest aid station, such as to 911, the coast guard, the police, the firemen, the national guard.  We welcome the sound of the siren, and the first responders when they arrived on the scene.

     The inner soul of all mankind  is in a life threatening state called sin, a state which we are all  aware of because we have been given inherent awareness of our state of affairs.  God has declared all to have sinned and come short of his glory, and consequently, all are lost and without hope in the world,  being separated from God, and trying, by our own efforts to save ourselves.  The world while sinking deeper in the mire of sin, cries peace! peace! when there is no peace, help! help! when there is no help but that from God.

     The desperate man cries for help -”From whence cometh my help? The wise man who has discovered his source of help answers - “My help cometh from the Lord who has made heaven and earth.”  God has promised to help and save the lost if they will call upon him in truth and by faith, believing his promises.  God is not willing that any should be lost, but that as many as will call and trust him, he will snatch from the pits of hell and the miry clay, renew a right spirit  within them, clothe them with the garment of Christ's righteousness, and guarantee them a place in his kingdom, and give them eternal life.

     When the first responders come to save our physical possessions, and our physical lives, many times they risk and lose their own lives for the sake of those whom they are trying to rescue.  Jesus said: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man should give up his own life for his friend.”

     When a loving heavenly Father responds to the call of a lost sinner, he responds immediately to the call.  Rescue from sin and damnation is sure to the lost, and it is free to the one who receives it, but it was truly expensive to God who gave his only begotten son to leave his riches and  glory in  heaven to come to a sin cursed world to save  the lost. No one need to be lost forever and spend eternity in hell.  God has promised salvation to all who will believe and receive.

     Christ is the answer.  He is the first responder to the cry of our soul for salvation.  “Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that  come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession  for them.:” Hebrews 7: 25.

  “But the salvation of  the righteous is of the Lord; he is their  strength in time of trouble, and the Lord shall help then; he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them because they trust in him.” Psalm 37: 39, 40.

  “And it shall be said in that day, lo, this is our God; we have waited for him , and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him; we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Isaiah 25: 9.

  “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and broken down the middle wall between us.” Ephesians 2:14

     “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2: 8.9

     God has promised salvation to a lost and dying world, but how shall we  be  saved?  “And they said: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16: 31