WHY DO WE need salvation?
This is what the Bible said in Romans 3:23:
“For
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 NKJV)
The Bible explicitly said, “All
have sinned.” What is one of the consequences of sin? This the Bible answered
in Romans 6:23:
“For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.” (Roma 6:23 NKJV)
All men sinned, and the wages of
sin is death, thus all men die. However, the Bible teaches two deaths. The
first death is the cessation of life. What is the second death which is the
full wages of sin? The Bible answered this question in Revelation 20:14:
“Then
Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation
20:14 NKJV)
The second death is the
punishment in the “lake of fire.” Why it is called second death? This is what
the Bible says in Revelation 14:9-11:
“Then
a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships
the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he
himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out
full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire
and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the
Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no
rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives
the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9-11 NKJ)
It is called the second death
because it’s an eternal torment. The Bible said, “He shall be tormented with
fire and brimstone…And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and
they have no rest day or night…” this is the “wrath of God” that He will poured
to those who did not obey His commandments.
The second death will be bestowed
on Judgment Day. So, just as death is fulfilled and experienced by men, so will
the Day of Judgment:
“And
as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews
9:27 NKJV)
God appointed a Day of Judgment on
which He will judge the world in righteousness:
“Because
He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the
Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him
from the dead.” (Acts 17:31 NKJV)
Thus, what is salvation taught by
the Bible? Salvation from the “second death,” from the eternal punishment that
will be bestowed come Judgment Day. And because all men sinned, all men need
salvation.
Who will be saved come Judgment
Day? Apostle Paul explicitly answered this question:
“For
the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He
is the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23 NKJV)
No doubt that the Lord Jesus
Christ is the Savior. However, the Bible explicitly said that the Lord Jesus
Christ “is the Savior of the body.” The “body” referred to is the Church. Thus,
it is true that the “Church” is not the Savior but the Lord Jesus Christ,
however, the Bible also teaches that the Church is the one that will be saved
by the Lord Jesus Christ. So, how can a man be saved if he accepts only the
Savior and rejects the body or the Church that the Savior Jesus will save come
Judgment Day?
Among thousands of churches in
the world, the Bible made a clear statement on how we can easily recognize the
true Church that the Lord Jesus will save. This is what the Bible said in Acts
4:12:
“Nor
is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given
among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 NKJV)
The Bible explicitly said, “there
is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” There
is no salvation in any other name but the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 4:12 and 10). Thus, among
thousands of churches, we can easily identify the true Church that the Lord Jesus
Christ will save come Judgment Day, the Church called after His name. this is
one of the marks of the true Church given by the Bible.
Is your Church not called after
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? The Bible said, “there is no salvation in
any other name.” Which is the Church called in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and the one referred to as the body of Christ?
“As
for you, you are the body of Christ, and individually you are members of it. And
by God's appointment there are in the Church--first Apostles, secondly
Prophets, thirdly teachers. Then come miraculous powers, and then ability to
cure diseases or render loving service, or powers of organization, or varieties
of the gift of `tongues.'
“For
just as the human body is one and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many
as they are, constitute but one body, so it is with the Church of Christ.” (I
Cor. 12:27-28, 12 Weymouth)
Thus, if all men need salvation, then
all men need to be inside the “body of Christ,” the Church that He is the
Savior or that Christ will save come Judgment Day. This is the Church of
Christ, the one called after the name of the Savior. The bible said, there is
no salvation in any other name.”
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