by Kim Merz
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:11-12
The word that stands out to me in these verses is the word “salvation.” I looked it up in the dictionary and there are actually two definitions. One is as a noun: preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. The other is theological: deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ.
Salvation, our salvation, is a gift given to us by our God, through His Son, Jesus. Obviously, the theological definition is what is important to us as Christians and our faith. So along with that, I share these words from the hymn “Salvation unto Us Has Come:”
Salvation unto us has come
by God’s free grace and favor.
Our works cannot avert our doom;
the law can save us never.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone,
who for his people did atone;
he is our one Redeemer.
Because of Jesus, if we have faith, we can take these words to heart, take them literally. Because of Jesus, we can accept this gift of salvation from sin, death and the power of the devil. For without Jesus, we have no salvation. And then it would be just a noun.
Dear God, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Your Son Jesus to be our salvation. Amen.