HOW GOD SAVES

Salvation depends on the Holy Spirit convicting my heart and spiritually opening my eyes to see, but I believe a few 'dots' connected in a my head, logically, as I accepted Christ. Knowing these can help us pray for and prepare for what God is doing in someone's life.

dot 1. FORFEIT "My way doesn't work."

Romans 7:23, 24

But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

I am controlled more than I realize by a destructive force called Sin. It has gone undetected because sadly it's the norm and is synonymous with living in my flesh. This means that, despite my best efforts, I act selfishly and break things/relationships if left to them long enough. And the same thing that allows my to destroy my own life is what simultaneously rips me away from a relationship with God (separates me from Him) because of a host of lies in the form of shame, pride and fear. My sin by nature of what it is, separates me from God.

dot 2. FORGIVEN "I need someone to pay the debt for my Sin."

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God set up the world to demand a penalty or a sacrificial payment
where there was disobedience to Him. And based on dot #1, I have done that already and desparately need what He has to offer to rescue me from my death penalty. So I don't have to die (though I deserve to) God provided a perfect sacrifice for all people for all time! Only Christ offers true forgiveness for my disobedience and by accepting his death as a substitution for mine, I am forgiven and made righteous and brought back into a good relationship w/ Him!

dot 3. FREE "I am free from the bondage of sin."

Romans 6:6

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

The selfish and sinful lifestyle that I was convinced was true freedom was actually a plastic, fake version of freedom that ultimately results in bondage, addiction and bitterness! By obeying and honoring God out of pure response to who He is and what He has done for me (not because i have to), i experience authentic freedom. Bondage disguises itself in freedom and freedom can get labeled bondage by those who haven't trusted Him yet!

I tend to consider salvation as this completely organic and super unique experience and though HOW it happen may be, WHAT God does in the mind of the person He is drawing to Himself is very clear, specific and biblically consistent.

Also, its necessary that the believer matures past the idea that the Gospel is all about them and into the truth that it is about God getting glory. That God did just 'help you out' but that He is up to something that no one/thing can stop and we worship/know a God whose Glory results in our Good! THAT is a powerfully loving God! That's my God!