By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8.
Yesterday we saw that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, in whom “we must be saved”. But how are we to be saved? How do we come to the point where we can say not only that Christ is the Saviour of the world, but that He is our Saviour, indeed my Saviour? We might even phrase the question: how do I personally obtain salvation, forgiveness and deliverance from sins? These three aspects are all connected in the word “salvation”.
The answer is given in today’s verse from the Bible. When it is a matter of eternal salvation, I cannot contribute anything myself, I am totally helpless and can do nothing; I am dependent on God’s grace in Jesus Christ. But by faith I can cling firmly to Christ. Because He died on the cross, forgiveness of sins can be offered to us freely. But I must claim it for myself by faith. Faith in the Son of God alone gives access to eternal salvation. Any personal achievement or glory are excluded.
Whoever sincerely puts his faith in Christ can say, “Jesus Christ is my Saviour.” Such a person then stands in an eternally secure relationship with Him. Believers are assured that “by grace you have been saved.” This is a fact that can no longer be questioned. True believers possess the salvation of their souls, and eternal salvation is assured for them (cf. 1 Peter 1:9 & 1 Thessalonians 5:9).