We really need to get the true picture of what salvation is, and what exactly Jesus did for us.
To understand the misconception that many folks have, let’s look at an example illustration that many have used to explain salvation to people.
May liken the salvation that Jesus gave us to a man who was drowning in a sea, and then Jesus pulled him out. In this illustration Jesus is the ‘helper’ or ‘hero’ who rescued the man out of the sea and prevented him from drowning. To see Jesus as a rescuer in this manner alone is erroneous and does not give you the ‘real’ picture. Let us use the same illustration of the drowning man to establish the ‘true’ picture of the salvation that Jesus gave us.
In the case of the drowning man, we have to understand the circumstances surrounding his situation. This man was condemned to die in the sea. Let us suppose he had done something wrong and was condemned to die by drowning. So here is a man who had done something terribly wrong and was sentenced to die by drowning in the sea.
But just before he is thrown into the sea, Jesus comes and says, “Wait!! Free this man!! I will take his place and die for him. Free him, and throw me into the sea! You can let him go and I will be punished in his stead”
See that? That’s the ‘true’ picture of salvation. Jesus didn’t just ‘help’ us or ‘rescue’ us. Jesus actually took our place, and was put in our place. We ought to have died. We were all condemned to die. We were destined to suffer and to die for our sins. BUT, Jesus came and took our place. He died in our place, and was tormented in our place, and He paid the price for our sins. When you UNDERSTAND the price that was paid for you, you will understand the value of your salvation.
No! Think about it! You were supposed to die. You were condemned to die. But Jesus offered His life for yours. He identified Himself with sinners so that the sinners could be declared righteous. The bible says,
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” – 2 Corinthians 5:21.
So Jesus became us. He was made sin. He became us, with the very nature of sin that was in us. When he took our place, he sacrificed His freedom in exchange for our bondage.
To understand the misconception that many folks have, let’s look at an example illustration that many have used to explain salvation to people.
May liken the salvation that Jesus gave us to a man who was drowning in a sea, and then Jesus pulled him out. In this illustration Jesus is the ‘helper’ or ‘hero’ who rescued the man out of the sea and prevented him from drowning. To see Jesus as a rescuer in this manner alone is erroneous and does not give you the ‘real’ picture. Let us use the same illustration of the drowning man to establish the ‘true’ picture of the salvation that Jesus gave us.
In the case of the drowning man, we have to understand the circumstances surrounding his situation. This man was condemned to die in the sea. Let us suppose he had done something wrong and was condemned to die by drowning. So here is a man who had done something terribly wrong and was sentenced to die by drowning in the sea.
But just before he is thrown into the sea, Jesus comes and says, “Wait!! Free this man!! I will take his place and die for him. Free him, and throw me into the sea! You can let him go and I will be punished in his stead”
See that? That’s the ‘true’ picture of salvation. Jesus didn’t just ‘help’ us or ‘rescue’ us. Jesus actually took our place, and was put in our place. We ought to have died. We were all condemned to die. We were destined to suffer and to die for our sins. BUT, Jesus came and took our place. He died in our place, and was tormented in our place, and He paid the price for our sins. When you UNDERSTAND the price that was paid for you, you will understand the value of your salvation.
No! Think about it! You were supposed to die. You were condemned to die. But Jesus offered His life for yours. He identified Himself with sinners so that the sinners could be declared righteous. The bible says,
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” – 2 Corinthians 5:21.
So Jesus became us. He was made sin. He became us, with the very nature of sin that was in us. When he took our place, he sacrificed His freedom in exchange for our bondage.
Ee-yaah! Can somebody see this?
When Jesus was made ‘sin’ and took on the nature of sin in my place, God credited righteousness to my account. In other words, when Jesus was made sin, I was made righteous. When Jesus died in my place, I was given His life. There was an exchange!!!
But there are those who condemn themselves, and feel unworthy of salvation, those who think that salvation is for Christians and for the good boys and good girls. Listen! Jesus died for everybody. Jesus didn’t die for the righteous, he died for the sinners. He exchanged his righteousness and goodness for your sins, and said to God, “Father! Let them go. Let that man go. Let that woman go. I’ll die in his place. I’ll die in her place. ”
In addition, salvation is not our idea. None of us in our so-called wisdom could think of a plan to save ourselves or mankind from sin and death. We were not intelligent enough to think of a salvation plan. Salvation is God’s idea not ours. So I don’t understand those folks who try to exclude themselves from salvation. It was God who loved us and not us who loved God. It was He who loved us enough to send his Son to die for us.
