The Salvation Moment
There are many ideas of what should happen in a person’s life when they ask Jesus to be their Savior. And there are many different experiences from those who have made this faith-led decision. Though every person and every decision will involve different stories and events, the Bible alone must be the source of what God has done in that moment of time. Here are six verses to begin clarifying what the Bible says happens when a prayer is made of faith in Jesus.
“you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:20
You Were Bought at a Price
Picture yourself as a slave on a trading block and God just made the highest bid. The only other bidder was Satan. The item up for bid, your soul. You now belong to your Creator. Your priorities, desires and life goals are now subject to the will of your new master. But a master who loves you and wants only the best for you is a master you can trust all throughout your life. The old life has gone. The new life before you is one of pleasing your new Master.
“he [God] predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will–” Ephesians 1:5
You Were Adopted
As fast as the word “Sold!” escaped the auctioneer’s mouth in this picture of slave trading, the purchased one becomes the child of the high bidder–a child of God. Though we were all created by God, we don’t become His child—a member of his family—until we take that step of faith (John 1:11-12). The life before Christ, though it may not have seemed that way, was a life of slavery to Satan and the ways of this world. The life with Christ is one of family closeness and shared love.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1,2
You Were Freed From Condemnation
There may very likely be no feeling of freedom at this moment in your life. You may even ask, “What am I freed from? I was no slave.” The Bible says that we must obey ALL the law–all the Ten Commandments. An impossible task; no one can do it (See James 2:10). Therefore, freedom from condemnation is found only in Jesus Christ. John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” When the believer in Jesus faces judgment day, the Judge only sees the righteousness of Jesus.
“…our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,” Philippians 3:20
Your New Citizenship is Now in Heaven
The world around you is filled with people of different citizenships, different causes, and different principles. As is only too evident in the news, these different citizenships can bring greatly opposing missions and outlooks on life. This can lead to damaging disagreements and even war. With our adoption as God’s children, and our eternity in heaven secure, the matters of this world have no hold on us. The world around us is passing away (See 1 John 2:15-17), but our world is with God for all eternity.
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NASB)
You Become God’s Temple
A temple is where God lives, and you are that temple. In the days of Moses in the Old Testament, the temple was a very portable tent. Then Solomon was the one to carry out the building of a permanent temple. But with the death and resurrection of Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, Jesus comes to live within the new believers to give them the power to live out a life that will please God. The impossible task of living a life of victory over sin now becomes possible with the power of God living within us as His temple.
“… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
You Become a Witness for Jesus
From your moment of faith in Jesus you become His voice and actions to a world that does not know Him. Jesus’ disciples two thousand years ago had this responsibility, and now it is passed on to every believer today. A witness in a court room carries a great responsibility. He must tell the truth. As a witness for Jesus, we must not only tell the truth that we know about Him, we must show it in our every day lives. There is a world around the believer that needs desperately to experience the new life and power in Jesus (See John 10:9,10).
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