Why Do We Need Salvation?

SCRIPTURE:

OBSERVATION:

At the end of nearly every New Hope service, we take a moment to give people an opportunity to raise their hand and say YES! to Jesus. As people raise their hand in this act of faith, they receive salvation and become a new creation. However, have you ever asked yourself “why do we do this? Why do we need salvation?”

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul answers some of the most foundational questions about our faith. One reason why he writes this letter is to lay out a basic understanding of the Gospel for the Church, revealing its power, the reality of sin, the necessity of salvation, and the hope found only in Christ. In chapter three, Paul answers the pivotal question of “Why do we need salvation?”

So what is the answer? Because every single one of us are sinners. We need salvation because none of us are righteous, “not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12). Sin––the intentional or unintentional act of going against what is good, righteous, and virtuous––we cannot save ourselves from its consequences

What are the consequences of sin? Eternal separation from God and spiritual death. We are spiritual, eternal beings. When we pass away from this earth, we do not simply cease to exist. Rather, we go to one of two places: heaven and hell. Our sinfulness and unrighteousness precludes us from heaven––the perfect, eternal dwelling place God created to live with His children where there is no more sin, no more sorrow and sickness, and no more pain. 

Without salvation, our default destination is hell––the conscious, eternal state of separation from God, where grace is absent, mercy is refused, and the only thing that flourishes is every possible evil imagined. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”––this is what our human nature deserves (Romans 3:23). However, with God, this is not the end of the story, for “all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).

We need salvation because whether we are willing to accept it or not, all of us are on a crash course toward hell. Salvation is a course correction, allowing God to change our destination from hell to heaven. And more importantly, salvation is a new beginning in which we welcome the love, power, and peace of God into our lives, such that we become a new creation. Through salvation, we allow Him to cleanse us from every sin, every past mistake, and every consequence our actions have afforded us, and in an instant, we are freely justified––made right and made new through His grace.

APPLICATION:

Because of sin, whether big or small, all of us deserve death. Even the smallest sin and white lie keeps us out of heaven, for heaven is a place of perfection, and we fall short of this standard. However, this is not God’s will for you. God did not create hell for humanity––He created it for the devil and his demons. Rather, God desires to do life with you, to love you, and to be in relationship with you, forever. God created heaven for you and I, and although sin may keep us out of heaven, God, in His grace, created a way for us to still get there: salvation. 

Through salvation, He wipes away our every sin, gives us a new start, and “justifies” us such that we are made right and can enter into heaven––a perfect relationship with Him. And this salvation is not earned through good works, but rather, by simply “declar[ing] with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believ[ing] in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”...”for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Romans 10:9, Ephesians 2:8-9).

Despite what your sense of entitlement might tell you, you and I are sinners in need of a Savior. We deserve death, and without God, we fail. We are fragile. We fall short. The good news of the Gospel is that our sin isn’t the end of the story; God’s grace is. When we lay down our pride, admit that we need Christ, and believe in Him, and confess our sin to Him, we are saved. Yes, you are a sinner, but God is a gracious Savior. And all you need to do to be free is to receive His salvation.

The ultimate message of the book of Romans is that all people, everywhere have free and full access to the riches of God’s grace as they respond in faith to the Gospel. Through the death of His own son, He saved you and I from our own eternal death, and in this beautiful exchange, He gave His life so we could have life. God has made a way for every single person to be restored in eternity and have a fresh start here on earth through salvation.

At the end of nearly every New Hope service, we take a moment to give people an opportunity to raise their hand and say YES! to Jesus. And today, I want to give you the opportunity to receive salvation or to rededicate your life to Christ. Today, would you raise your hand, posture your heart, and say YES! to Jesus again as you pray the following prayer.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Jesus. Dear Jesus, thank You that You came, You died, and You rose again for my sins that I might have life everlasting. Change me, use me, and make me the person You created me to be. I turn from my sin, and I turn to You. I declare to You, to myself, to those around me, and even to the devil––Jesus Christ is my Lord. He is my Savior. I belong to Him. God, I receive Your gift of salvation. Thank You that I will spend eternity with You.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen