Saved through His Life

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10)

This is good news for all of us.

Consider the following:

1. God’s work
2. Our response
3. Our assurance

The time sequence is quite clear here. We were born God’s enemies. We cannot help it, but we’re still responsible for the state we’re in. Prior to any interest we had in God (or even before any of us were born), God secured our reconciliation with him through the death of Jesus. Our belief affirms it. It does not secure it—that already happened. Our belief is a response to God’s work, not the means of it.

Any who have experienced God’s salvation know that, at some point—in a way you can’t explain, God got hold of you and you responded by belief, repentance, and following a new way of life. Those are all responses, not the means of salvation. This should encourage all of us. We were never part of the solution. And we are not now, either. It is God’s perfect work on the cross that saved us and continues to save us. We have nothing to add. Nothing can improve on it. Be assured that this work is already done, and Jesus wants you to rest in it.

--Charlie