Salvation. I looked it up in the dictionary which defines it as, deliverance from sin and its consequences. Another definition I came across defines it is the preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.

More than often I’ve heard views of Christianity that depict an angry God and fearful people trying to escape his wrath and hell. Among other unfortunate reasons, I feel that somewhere down the line we possibly may have represented our faith wrongly, portraying a need for preservation from a God who threatens to send us to hell. Yes, I believe there is a hell. No, I don’t believe Jesus likes anyone ending up there.

We do not believe in a cruel and merciless God. We believe in a God who pardons our sin and forgives our transgression. He does not stay angry forever but delights to show mercy. He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. That’s what the Bible says.

I am saddened by our human capability to turn even the deepest love song to a resonating battle cry.

Unquestionably, as long as there is sin in our life we ought to work on it. We can’t be free from what we won’t stop doing. A legal declaration might keep us out of hell but it certainly doesn’t make us fit for heaven. However, salvation isn’t about getting us out of hell. It’s about getting sin out of us and our lives. Not because God will get mad at us but because sin robs us of our joy and life.

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. But Jesus, he came so we can have real and eternal life. More and better life than we ever dreamed of.

Now this is what we believe. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge, but to save the world through him.

He loved. He gave. He saved.  

Having said that, I am convinced that there is not a single person in this world who needs to be saved from God. The greatest need of all mankind is to be saved to God. I rest my case.