“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NASB).
Almost all of us know this verse. It is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible.
Based on the verse above, salvation is not complicated at all. But have you ever thought about how life-changing the salvation experience is? I have heard several preachers argue that salvation is the biggest miracle that God will perform in our life. So, let’s look at some biblical truths that may suggest why some people would make such a profound statement.
A genuine salvation experience results in obedience to Christ. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments,” John writes (1 John 2:3, NASB). This verse gives us a self-test of sorts. It says the way we know that we know Christ is that we keep His commandments. The next verse is even more emphatic: “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (verse 4).
How can John make such a bold statement? He leaves no room for exceptions to what’s being stated. He says everyone who claims to know Christ but does not keep His commandments is a liar. We conclude then that no one who truly meets the Lord can remain the same after the meeting.
Three Life-Changing Aspects of the Salvation Experience
Contrary to the opinion of some, salvation is not merely a religious ritual or experience. The resounding message of the Bible is that salvation is life-changing. These verses convey three life-changing components of a genuine salvation experience:
- “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17, KJV).
- “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because his is born of God” (1 John 3:9, NASB).
- “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14, KJV).
The verses above underscore the miracle of salvation. What is so amazing about it all is how we get to that point. Simply by turning our heart to God and placing our trust in Christ, God miraculously changes our life.
How can such a simply act of faith be so transformative? No wonder Paul the apostle says he is not ashamed of the gospel. He refers to it as the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (see Romans 1:16). And I emphasize the word “everyone.”
We don’t live for the Lord in order to be saved. But a result of our being saved is that we will live for the Lord. This is the life-changing power of a genuine salvation experience. We are what we are by the grace of God.
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.