The Jesus saves slogan is everywhere, from signs at sporting events to banners thrown across the sky. In reality, few people truly understand what Jesus saves. They contain a great deal of power as well as truth.
It is Jesus who saves, but who is Jesus?
It is generally understood that Jesus lived about 2,000 years ago in Israel. Jesus is regarded as a prophet and/or a teacher by almost every religion across the globe. However, these job descriptions do not capture who Jesus truly is, nor do they explain how or why he saves. He is God in the form of a human being (John 1:1, 14). Jesus Christ saved us by coming to the Earth as a true human being (1 John 4:2). The next question is, why should we be saved?
It is Jesus who saves, but why do we need to be saved?
It is stated in the Bible that every human being has sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23). Sin refers to any action, word, or thought that contradicts God’s perfect and holy nature. Having sinned, we have been separated from God and deserve God’s judgment (John 3:18, 36). It is impossible for God to tolerate sin without punishing it. The only sufficient punishment for sin, due to the infinite and eternal nature of God, is an infinite and eternal punishment (Psalm 51:4). There is no just punishment for sin other than eternal death-separation from God. The reason we need salvation is because of that.
In what way does Jesus save?
The cost of our sins can either be paid by a finite person (each of us) for an infinite amount of time, or it can be paid by an infinite person (Jesus). Other options are not available. Jesus died in our place to save us. As a result of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, He paid the infinite and eternal penalty which only He was able to pay (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 2:2). To save us from an eternal destiny separated from God, Jesus took the punishment for our sins by taking the punishment that we deserved. He laid down His life for us (John 15:13), paying the penalty we should have paid, but couldn’t. In three days time, Jesus rose from the dead, which demonstrated that His death was indeed enough to pay for our sins, and that His life on earth can be used to conquer death for us (1 Corinthians 15).
What is the purpose of Jesus’ salvation? Whom does He save?
The gift of salvation from Jesus is available to everyone who accepts it by faith. All who give up trying to save themselves and fully trust in Jesus’ sacrifice as payment for sin will be saved by Him (John 3:16; Acts 16:31). It is only through faith that all humanity can receive salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice (John 1:12). The only thing we can do is trust Him.
Having understood how Jesus saves, and believing that He can be your personal Savior, you can now communicate the following to God as a act of faith: “God, I am a sinner, and I know that as a result of my sin I deserve to be thrown out of your presence for eternity. Thanks for loving me and providing the sacrifice for my sins through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, even though I do not deserve it. Ultimately, I trust only in Jesus to save me from my sins. I will live my life from now on for you rather than for sin. Your wonderful salvation has enabled me to live the rest of my life in gratitude. Jesus, thank you for saving me!”