Even as complicated as Scripture can seem, salvation is one of those areas that is clear as glass. God wanted to make sure of that because God desires a personal relationship with you. It was God who loved you first; 1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” One of the wonders of His salvation is that our sin did not deter His love for us, but instead, caused Him to prove His love for us. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus said in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” No one made Jesus give His life and no one took His life from Him. He willingly gave it for you. John 10:17-18a reminds us, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.” This loving and willing sacrifice paid the penalty that sin brought.
We all have sinned—every one of us. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Because of our sin, what we have earned, and what we deserve, is death—physical and spiritual eternal death. However, God offers the gift of eternal life through the sacrifice Jesus made. Romans 6:23 gives us the good news: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Then, to further prove His love and His desire to have a personal relationship with each of us, He didn’t sit back to see what we would we do. He pursued us! In John 6:44a, Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” What an amazing God and Savior! To know that we would not pursue Him in our sinfulness, and yet choose to pursue us anyway! Wow! God loves you, God sacrificed Himself for you, and God has pursued you! Therefore, to begin the sweetest relationship you will ever know, all you must do for Him to save you is ask. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
