APP: God acted on our behalf in an awesome way to save us from spiritual death so that we could experience eternal life. He accomplished this through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Salvation is a free gift from God. There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn it or buy it. All of our efforts, such as doing good things, practicing traditions, being moral, performing acts of service, or even making intelligent choices are not enough to rescue us from the punishment for our sin. The only way we can receive this gift from God is by putting our faith and trust in Jesus. This act of surrender enables us to be brought back into a personal relationship with God. At salvation we also receive every good gift that God intends to give us—things like forgiveness, a place in His family, hope, peace, and a new power for living. Receiving these kinds of amazing gifts should cause us to be grateful for what God has given us. This gratitude should then motivate us to show our appreciation to God by serving Him through acts of service and kindness toward others.
The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
PSALM 27:1 NIV
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.
PSALM 62:1 NIV
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18 NIV
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of ypourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
EPHESIANS 2:8–10 NKJV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
JOHN 3:16 NKJV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
ROMANS 5:8 NIV