Basic Beliefs - March 2025
Salvation Comes Through Christ
The last few months in our blogs we have been discussing the basic beliefs of Christianity. This month is the most foundational of all: Salvation comes through Christ. There is no salvation in any other name. Jesus is the only way to eternal life and heaven. But before we fully make that point let’s take a step back and look at the big picture.
Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That same book of Romans tells us that the wages of sin is death. What we “earn” with sin is always death and corruption. So everybody sins and everybody is set to receive the “wages” of that sin, death and separation from God.
The only way to pay for the sins that we have committed is through the shedding of blood. (Hebrews 9:22) Unfortunately, the shedding of our own blood isn’t good enough. Only the blood of a person without sin can pay the price for our sin. That’s why we need Jesus. That’s why only Jesus will do. He is the only perfectly sinless man to ever walk the face of this earth. He is the only one who could satisfy the claims of justice and thank God He chose to give his life for us.
Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Then the Apostle Peter tells us that we were redeemed with “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
So this is why Jesus said, “I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) He didn’t say he was a way to salvation. He was saying that He is the only way. There is no other way to get to heaven.
Many will try to earn their way to heaven by doing good things. They think if they can just do enough good, or do more good than bad, then they will be accepted in heaven. You can never do enough to earn your salvation. Perfect blood must be shed for your salvation and because you have sinned your blood isn’t good enough.
We quoted the first part of Romans 6:23 earlier. Now I want to quote the last part of that verse too. It says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” What Jesus did for you is a gift. You can’t earn eternal life, you can only earn death. But Jesus paid the price for you making eternal life available to you.
So let’s close this out with part of a message Peter preached in Acts the fourth chapter. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.” Jesus is the only way to salvation. Accept his free gift for you and take that eternal life that he paid for. How do you do that? Pray this prayer and you will be saved.
“Father God, I believe that Jesus died and shed His blood for my sin. I believe that He rose from the dead on the third day. I accept His sacrifice made for me and I ask you to save me today. I make Jesus the Lord of my life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”