Day 4: HOW CAN I BE SAVED, AND FROM WHAT? AM I A HOPELESS CASE?

On August 21, 2009 three Texas men went on an overnight fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico. During the night, within one minute, their boat flipped over. They had no time to send a distress signal. They climbed onto the hull of their boat, drifting 80 miles from the shore, waiting for rescue. They saw some oil rigs in the distance, but could not possibly swim that far. They saw some Coast Guard planes fly over, but could not get their attention. All their intelligence, all their strength, all their combined money in the bank, could not save them. They needed a rescue from outside of their own ability. This story illustrates for us the need for salvation. You need to be saved when you realize that you cannot rescue yourself. Someone else from the outside has to rescue you.

What does Jesus rescue us from? Jesus came into the world to rescue and to save us. As a matter of fact, he says specifically he came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). We can think of him saving us in three ways:

1.     Saved From Sin to Forgiveness: All of us have the selfish attitude of sin that ruins many aspects of life. Our sin defies what God commands. We cannot think our way or buy our way or power our way out of sin. Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins so that we may be saved from them. We will battle with sin as long as we live. But trusting in Jesus we can be assured we are forgiven and we are saved from sin.

2.     Saved From Eternal Death to Eternal Life: Every single human being will die. Jesus also died. But He rose from the dead on the first Easter Sunday. And He makes a promise in John 11:25-26, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." Believing in Jesus, we are given that gift of eternal life. John 3:16 says it quite clearly: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

3.     Saved From a Godless Life to a Godly Life: By a godless life I mean a life in which God has no part. God’s forgiveness is not desired, God's direction is not sought, God's will is not wanted, God's purpose is not fulfilled. A person may have a good life, but still have a godless life. A Godly life is one that believes in Jesus, receives his forgiveness and is empowered by God the Holy Spirit. Jesus saves us from a godless life to a Godly life -- one that knows God’s forgiveness and seeks God's purposes, God's direction, and God's will. A Godly life might not always be an easy life and in some situations a Godly life will experience severe persecution. But there is no greater life that you can have on earth than a life in which you are seeking to walk with God.

What must I do to be saved?

The fishermen above could do nothing to save themselves. They needed a rescue form outside of themselves. We can do nothing to rescue ourselves from sin, eternal death, or a godless life. But God rescues us through Jesus. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the keeper of the jail from a town named Philippi asked Paul,  (who was one of Jesus' followers) "What must I do to be saved?" Paul responded, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." For you, it's the same answer. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ: Believe that He died for you, believe that He rose for you, believe that He loves you, and you will be saved. Saved from sin; saved from eternal death; saved from a godless life. Saved for forgiveness; saved for eternal life; saved for a Godly life.

Am I a lost cause?

The reality is that we all are lost causes and we cannot rescue or find ourselves. But the Good News is that Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost!!! The Good News is that it doesn't matter how far lost you are. What matters is that you have a Savior and a Rescuer in Christ. And He still rescues from sin, eternal death, and a godless life.

This is a shocking statement, yet it is true: To be almost saved is to be totally lost. Don't read this and tell others you almost believed, you almost came to Christ, you almost were saved. That would then be saying that you are totally lost.

Those three Texas fishermen were almost lost. They clung to the overturned boat eating food they salvaged from the boat and drinking water mixed with some gasoline. Finally on the 8th day, another fisherman saw a white speck in the distance. He went to check it out and saw the three men clinging to the hull. He helped them onboard. They were saved, totally saved!

You can choose to wait for another boat to rescue you from sin and death, but there is no other boat coming. Important things like family and friends, education and job, money and possessions, good thoughts and good deeds CANNOT rescue you from sin and death. Jesus is the Savior! Climb on board through faith, and be saved. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, totally saved!

Prayer: Lord, the power of sin and death is great in me and around me. I confess that I cannot rescue myself. Give me the faith to receive your rescue, the rescue that you died providing for me; the rescue that assures me of forgiveness and salvation. And Lord, help me to participate in the rescue mission so that others may know of your wonderful rescue. Through Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.