SALVATION

 




SALVATION


Thank God for salvation! -- so easily discernible, so readily available, so completely reliable.

In the Bible, God declares in the following seven, simple, one-syllable words His whole plan of salvation for mankind.

He that hath the Son hath life. (I John 5:12)

This is so easily discernible, the most unlearned and ignorant can understand.  It is so readily available, the humblest human anywhere may have it by simple, sincere faith.  It is so completely reliable to all who believe, the worst sinner may rest with perfect confidence as though he were already present with the Lord in heaven.

When salvation is reduced to its most basic form we find it to be the "form" of a Man.  God says simply, but certainly and conclusively, that His salvation is a Person--His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  "He that hath the SON hath life."

When Simeon first looked at the infant Jesus, he exclaimed, "Mine eyes have seen (God's) salvation."  When Jesus entered Zaccheus' house He declared, "This day is salvation come to this house."  Thus salvation becomes as easily discernible as Christ is discernible, as readily available as Christ is available, as completely reliable as Christ Himself is reliable.  To have HIM is to have salvation.

Salvation on any other basis is spurious.  All other means of salvation are strictly of man--his own works, character, religion, wisdom, wealth, strength, position, or some other such "manly" virtue.  God says no!  If any of these could produce or procure salvation, then those who were not so gifted could not be saved, and those who were so gifted could boast of their achievement, and Christ has died in vain.

Salvation depends not upon who or what we are, nor yet upon what we have done, but upon Christ and what He has done, and upon our acceptance of Him.  Christ died for our sins, rose for our justification, and lives to plead our cause.  We receive Him and His redemptive work by faith.  And God promises:

He that hath the Son hath life.

Whether he be a naive youngster or a sophisticated oldster, whether he be rich or poor, whether slave or free, foreigner or homeborn, religious, non-religious, or irreligious, good or bad, noble or ignoble, it makes no difference--

He that hath the Son hath life.

Just seven, one-syllable words, but from the lips of God who cannot lie.  No room for doubt.  Simplicity itself.  Yet certainty.

He that hath the Son hath life.

But ONLY "he that hath the Son hath life."  "He that hath not the Son of God hath not life," warns God.  "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned:  BUT he that believeth not is condemned already."

-- Arthur E. Gordon


Bible references used: I John 5:12, John 3:17-18