Why salvation? Without it we are just wandering around aimlessly through life. Not knowing our purpose in life or in what direction our life is heading. Only through accepting the Lord's gift of salvation can we finally realize why we are here on earth and where we will spend eternity. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. -Romans 3:23

When God first created the world, all was good and beautiful. Man and woman had a right relationship with Him and lived in harmony in the Garden of Eden. Sin then entered the world in the form of Satan who tempted Eve, then Adam, to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God discovered this and cast them out into the world to fend for themselves. Adam had to work the hard earth to get food and Eve suffered pain in childbirth.

This separated man from God and caused death. God then set in motion a plan to bring man back to Him through the blood of his begotten son, Jesus Christ. This can best be explained in the "Four Spiritual Laws":

Law #1
God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that He gave His begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

Law #2
Man is sinful and separated from God.
Therefore, he cannot know and experience
God's love and plan for his life.

Romans 3:23 says "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

Law #3
Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin.
Through Him you can know and experience
God's love and plan for your life.

John 14:6 says "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me'"

Law #4

We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord;
then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.

Ephesians 2:8,9 says "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as result of works that no one should boast"

Salvation is a gift from God. We cannot buy it or earn it through what we do here on earth. We can only enter heaven through belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." -Romans 10:9,10,13

Here is a sample prayer to ask for the salvation of Jesus Christ:

Heavenly Father, you are loving and good. You created a wonderful, perfect world which then became corrupted by sin. I am a sinner and desire a right relationship with You. Thank you for allowing your Son to die on the cross in my place to wash away my sins. I ask for forgiveness of my sins and to dwell in heaven with You. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.

"Salvation is immediately granted by God to all who accept His conditions of repentance, and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Along with that, God grants to every one who receives His gift of salvation, a Divine witness, a conscious knowing, that we ARE saved, and that we have God's Presence within us. He has promised never to leave us; although that does not say that WE cannot leave Him, should we choose to return to our old sinful way of life." )Excerpt from a booklet by Leon O. Poole and Adam Woeger.)

To illustrate my understanding of salvation, I wish to share my salvation experience. My parents believed in God, but we did not attend church or become baptized. It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I wished for salvation. One pivotal event was that I was to have surgery on both feet in October 1997. A friend of mine was telling me about his church from time to time, but did not push me to attend or join. As the time grew shorter toward my surgery, I was apprehensive and thought about asking my friend if his pastor would talk to me to ease my mind. I just couldn't get the words out.

Then the day before my surgery, my family and friends met at a restaurant for dinner. During the meal, my friend mentioned that his whole church was praying for my and my surgery. I was shocked that total strangers would do this for me. I did not understand the Christian life and the kindness it involves. The surgery went well and was successful.

In November 1997, my friend invited my husband, daughter, and I to attend his church for an "International Day" that they celebrate once a year to invite new friends of all nationalities. We were welcomed with open arms, enjoyed the sermon, and fellowship meal after the service.

We began to attend every Sunday. Then in December 1997, we approached the pastor and told him that we wanted to devote our lives to God. We met with him before the service and he discussed salvation with us. My husband, daughter, and I all prayed the salvation prayer with the pastor. At the end of the service, the pastor "presented us" to the congregation and we became members of the church. We were baptized as a family 2 weeks later.

My outlook at my life has been better and my daily walk with the Lord is growing each day. I prayerfully ask for the Lord's guidance before making decisions and am secure in my knowledge that I will be with the Lord in heaven when I die to this world.

- Author Terri aka christian_mom98