People yearn for salvation! They want salvation from boredom, salvation from a health crisis, salvation from loneliness, salvation from financial insecurity and the list goes on.
But while all those things are important, they pale into insignificance in comparison with the salvation from sin.
Salvation from sin is a strange concept to this generation but a real one, nonetheless. The key factor that separates salvation from sin from all those other types of salvation is this: All those others are temporal – they are locked into this life span alone. However, salvation from sin which Jesus gives, lasts into unending time.
This is why Christmas is a significant time of year for Christians. It is the celebration of Jesus coming into the world to save humanity from their sins (Mt 1:21 —21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”).
We can liken sin to a perpetual pandemic that cannot be beaten or escaped from. You can’t lock down to stop it spreading nor can you close yourself off from everyone to stop it spreading. Adam opened the door to it and let sin out of “Pandora’s box”. It infects everyone and carries on from generation to generation almost like it is genetically transferred.
Sin is predominately a relational “illness” which impacts our relationship with our Creator and then our relationships with one another. Most people usually realise they aren’t perfect and hate the fact that they can’t always maintain the best of relationships. If we struggle to maintain exceptional relationships with each other, how can we possibly do better at a relationship level with a holy God who created us?
Jesus was no ordinary man. People witnessed to His power over all the destructive forces of the world: over sin, sickness, disease, demons, death, and nature itself. Jesus is spoken of as Saviour. We need a Saviour – we need help!
We cannot manage our relationship with our Creator any more than we can with our neighbour, spouse, work acquaintances or friends. We may manage with some relationships, but that does not mean it is reciprocal. It is certainly not reciprocal with God. When people refuse to allow Him in their lives, it is sure certain they have a huge issue before them.
God is at the same time, angry that people have shut Him out, yet He loves those He has created.
If you needed proof that God does love us and wants us in a relationship with Himself, you only need look to Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ death we remember at Easter, was no mere accident. It was God’s demonstration: - Firstly, in showing the evil sin of humanity in that they have no place for God in their lives. Secondly, that a gracious God “took it on the chin”. That which we all, as sinful humanity, dished up to Him. This He showed clearly, by surrendering to death, even a cruel death.
Here is the combination of the demonstration: His love for us and the evidence of universal sin in that He died the death of an innocent man.
What is left now is that God has decreed by His own will and judgement that those who accept these truths and who look to Jesus as their Saviour will have their sins forgiven, may enter a relationship with their Creator and will receive, in a time to come, resurrected life.
Pastor David McAllan
Echuca Community Church
14°C