There is no grander thought than the thought of being saved from sin in this life and enjoying eternal life in heaven with the Lord! Thanks be to God for His wonderful love and grace which make our salvation possible (Ephesians 2:4,8). By God’s grace there is His saving plan, there is the Savior, there is the saving message, there is salvation available in the Christ, and there are the saved people in the Christ.

The Saving Plan – Before the beginning of the world this plan, sometimes called God’s "mystery," was "hid(den) in God" (Ephesians 3:9). The plan was for Jews and Gentiles to "be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" (3:6). This is all "According to the eternal purpose which he (God, rdc) purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (3:11). The plan was for the Christ to come as "a lamb without blemish and without spot" for man’s redemption from sin (1 Peter 1:18-20).

The Savior – On the night of Jesus’ birth, God’s angel identified Jesus as man’s Savior, stating, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). How wonderful that the Father "sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (1 John 4:14). Jesus the Christ is not one Savior among many, rather in God’s scheme to save man from sin He is the one and only Savior! Of Him it is written, "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

The Saving Message – The only message that saves men from sin is the gospel of God’s Son. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). Even for those that have already become children of the living God, the saving message is still the word of God: ". . . and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:22). Thank God for the blessed news that He gives us in His word about how to be saved, and for the power of that word to convict, save, and cleanse us.

The Salvation Available in the Christ – We know that salvation is available to all for it is written, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11). Where has God provided such salvation from sin? Hear His answer: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24). Redemption is in the Christ. 2 Timothy 2:10 records this similar thought, "Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." The Father has designated that salvation is located in His Son, and no other place.

The Saved in the Christ – What must one do in order to have access to the salvation that God has prepared in Jesus? Galatians 3:27 answers such an important question in this manner: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (cf. Romans 6:3). The Bible says that one gets into the Christ by being baptized into Him. There is no other way! Does this mean that even if one does not believe in Jesus that his sins will be washed away if he is baptized? No. Baptism must be preceded by belief in Jesus (Mark 16:16), repentance (Acts 2:38), and confession of faith in God’s Son (Acts 8:36,37). However, baptism is the act that finally puts such a penitent believer into the Lord.

The saved in the Christ are called Christians, disciples of Jesus, children of God, members of the Christ’s body, saints, and priests. Those who have been baptized into the Christ must continue to walk in the light as He is in the light. For one to continue to do so will cause his sins to continue to be cleansed by Jesus’ blood (1 John 1:7).

How amazing that the God of heaven loved us so much that He has provided all that is necessary for our salvation. May we always be thankful for His saving plan, the Savior, the saving message, the salvation that is available in the Savior, and our brothers and sisters who are the saved with us in the Lord.

If you have not yet obeyed the gospel by being baptized into the Christ for the remission of your sins, you need to do so before it is too late! If you at sometime in the past became a Christian, but have since forfeited your salvation by not walking in harmony with the Lord’s will, why don’t you resolve to be reconciled to God by repenting and confessing your sins?

-- Roger D. Campbell