Gospel Reflections #48: We Cannot Save Ourselves from Sin

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

These are the words of Jesus in response to the disciples who said, "Who will be saved? Man cannot save himself, Jesus said.

We cannot save ourselves by our possessions, our social status, our efforts, or our good deeds. No matter how good we become, that cannot be a condition for salvation either.

But God is able to save us. He opened the way for us to connect with God by bringing Jesus, who is God, into the world as a human being, and by dying in place of our sins. We are given salvation simply by believing and accepting it.

What is salvation? Is it "getting into heaven" or "being given eternal life"? In the end, it may be. I believe that "salvation" is God's taking us back from this world of bondage, where we seem to have freedom of choice under the influence of sin, but in fact, we have none at all, and restoring us to a state in which we are free to make choices. And as we use that freedom of choice to believe in and choose God, He incorporates us into His genealogy.

As we respond to Him with the joy of salvation, we come to know Him more, to commune with Him more deeply, and to desire to be one with Him. That is heaven and eternal life, being so close to God again because He made a way.

We are already saved by believing in the atonement of Jesus' death on the cross. Therefore, let us enjoy and share the joy of that salvation to the fullest. Let us be more proud of God's power. God is the One who can do anything!

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This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, a devoted student of the Bible who passionately embraces the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on the Gospels as a way to reach out to others and spread the message of Jesus. We're sharing her message here so that you too can experience the joy that comes from the Gospel that has filled her heart.