The Miracle of Salvation
Salvation is a marvelous miracle. In the wisdom and providence of God He made a way for each of us to have our sins forgiven. We can be saved from the fatal effects of sin in our lives. What a miracle! A sinful, finite human being can be reconciled with Eternal God and be adopted into His family, and to think it all comes as a free gift. We could never earn it or deserve it. God gives it to us by His grace and through our faith. It is certainly wonderful Good News for everyone in the world.
However, how does this miracle occur? What has to happen for a soul to be saved? What elements must come together? I know there must be repentance and true faith, but as far as I know, there is no one formula. There is not just one pattern. The process is as unique as each individual. God knows each of us, and He knows how to work in our lives to bring us to Himself. I believe He is faithful to reveal Himself and to draw each person on the earth to confess Jesus as Lord and to believe He died for us. However, He involves other believers in the process many times. He has told us to go into all the world and make disciples. Of course, we can't make people accept Christ, but we are to do our part in the process of sharing the truth. He depends on us to share His Word and to live out the truth in front of others. He uses us in the process of salvation for other people. What a blessing! The greatest experience in life besides being saved is to be used by God to bring another person to Christ.
Herein lies the dilemma. We must be very sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to when and how we are to share the Gospel. We must follow His leading about the persons we approach and the words we use. We are tools in His hands. He is the only one who can accomplish the miracle, but we are instruments for His glory. I am trying to live my life so that everyone with whom I come in contact sees Jesus in me and hears me say what He wants me to say to them. I fail sometimes, and it grieves me. However, if we all placed ourselves in the hands of God and asked Him to use us in the miracle of salvation as we go through our lives, I believe we would see more people come to Christ on a regular basis. I pray that each of us will pray that prayer and put ourselves in the hands of God for this eternal purpose, and then give Him all the glory for what He does through us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 32-34.
However, how does this miracle occur? What has to happen for a soul to be saved? What elements must come together? I know there must be repentance and true faith, but as far as I know, there is no one formula. There is not just one pattern. The process is as unique as each individual. God knows each of us, and He knows how to work in our lives to bring us to Himself. I believe He is faithful to reveal Himself and to draw each person on the earth to confess Jesus as Lord and to believe He died for us. However, He involves other believers in the process many times. He has told us to go into all the world and make disciples. Of course, we can't make people accept Christ, but we are to do our part in the process of sharing the truth. He depends on us to share His Word and to live out the truth in front of others. He uses us in the process of salvation for other people. What a blessing! The greatest experience in life besides being saved is to be used by God to bring another person to Christ.
Herein lies the dilemma. We must be very sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to when and how we are to share the Gospel. We must follow His leading about the persons we approach and the words we use. We are tools in His hands. He is the only one who can accomplish the miracle, but we are instruments for His glory. I am trying to live my life so that everyone with whom I come in contact sees Jesus in me and hears me say what He wants me to say to them. I fail sometimes, and it grieves me. However, if we all placed ourselves in the hands of God and asked Him to use us in the miracle of salvation as we go through our lives, I believe we would see more people come to Christ on a regular basis. I pray that each of us will pray that prayer and put ourselves in the hands of God for this eternal purpose, and then give Him all the glory for what He does through us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 32-34.