“Salvation is from the Lord”

When it comes to matters pertaining to life and death, every religion has its answer to the universal problem of sin and how to deal with it in daily life. Christianity is the only religion that deals with the problem of sin from the perspective of God the Creator and Redeemer. Christians understand that redemption from sin comes from God alone.

“Salvation belongs to our God” is what we confess and sing from the Holy Scripture (Jonah 2:9; Ps. 3:8; 37:39; Rev. 7:10). It is by His grace alone and not by our own work or effort. Ultimately salvation is God’s work accomplished through the person and work of the Redeemer, Christ Jesus, whom God has sent, and applied to us by the Spirit Himself.

While we live, many of us worry a lot about how to face or escape the final judgment of God on sin. We fear death because we know that we must face our Creator and give an account of our lives. We also know that we have not done enough to satisfy or to pay for the penalty of our sins and transgressions. Well, the bad news is, we can’t do anything to pay for our sins and to pacify our guilty consciences.

However, the good news is, God Himself has provided a perfect mediator and substitute for us who is both God and man. He is truly man, truly righteous and sinless, and able to carry our sorrows and sins under the terrifying wrath of God since He Himself is also God.

He is our Lord Jesus Christ whom the Scripture calls ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’ (John 1:29, 36). He is our great High Priest who offered Himself as the once for all sacrifice who truly secured our redemption. His atoning sacrifice fully paid for all our sins and purifies ‘our conscience from dead works to serve the living God’ (Heb. 9:11-14).

This knowledge of God’s saving work in Christ truly brings new life and joy, comfort and courage, to those who penitently repent from their sin and wholly entrust themselves to God and His promises. No other religion gives assurance and confidence to their adherents that God and God alone is able to save His people through and through, from beginning to end, except true Christianity.

Scripture passages like Romans 8:31-38 are emphatic in assuring believers in Christ of their salvation in Him. “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?… I am convinced that neither life nor death…will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

No other religion brings such great comfort and joy to a sorrowing sinner who is terrified of the coming wrath. No other cult or group gives such reassuring peace and confidence to a troubled soul looking for refuge from his relentless conscience accusing him of his many offenses and transgressions against God and against His holy law.

Only true Christianity that boasts in the Lord and of His redeeming work in His Son can provide words of hope and assurance that say, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…In him [we] were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:3, 13-14)!