Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 1:21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 1:21 "She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The LORD is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins." |
Subject: Saved from sin? |
Bible Note: Greetings Mommapbs! When confronted with a fiery trial or circumstance of immediate death, everybody - and I mean everybody! - will "claim" to be saved, people would be rushing to get into heaven like never before, even though they would only be doing it to avoid the wrath to come. Yes, Christ's grace is sufficient to keep us from falling! (Jude 24; Romans 16:25; 2 Cor. 4:14; 1 Peter 4:13) The sotierology of Christ simply says that there are some who will be saved, and some who won't. So if this is true, then how can we be sure that we are saved? The simple fact of the matter is, God intends and desires for us to have the assurance of our salvation, that is, if we are truly saved! But living a Christian life is not sufficient, in and of itself, for salvation (Romans 7:18,19). If such a man as Paul found it impossible to live as he should, in spite of his sincere desire to do so, then this will certainly be true of the rest of us. But what Paul could not do himself, Christ accomplished in him (Galatians 2:20). Just as Paul did, when one believes in his heart that Christ gave Himself for him- that is, He suffered and died as his substitute, bearing God's judgment for his sins- then he can know the real joy and peace of all sins completely forgiven. Since he was thus judged by God to be dead because of sin, he is then also reckoned by Him to be raised from the dead, to a new life in Christ. He thenceforth lives in and through the believer, and His power and guidance will enable that one to live a true and Christian life. Therefore, having been "born again" (John 3:3), the person can then claim all the Bible's gracious promises for assurances of salvation, some of which are mentioned in 1 John 5:13, 2 Tim. 1:12, 1 John 2:5, Romans 8:16, 1 John 3:14. These and many other Scriptures show that a person may rightly claim that he knows that he is saved, provided that he has been born into a new life through faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and his personal Savior from sin. The reality of this faith and his new life in Christ will be shown, both to him and to others, by his love and respect for the Word of God and for his fellow Christians, and will be confirmed in his own heart by the witness of the Holy Spirit, who has come to indwell him. Therefore, if one is really a Christian in the true sense, he should have genuine assurance that he is in full possession of God's great salvation. But, sadly, only few will find the way to salvation, even amongst Christians (Matt. 7:13,14), and those who respond to the call simply for "fire insurance" reasons will not fare well. But Christ alone is the judge of who will become saved and who will not; the best part that we, who are assured of this salvation, can play, is to attempt to build on this "fire insurance" by explaining that the saving grace of Christ is so much more than just providing an alternative to hell. And once those who simply wanted "fire insurance" can be exposed to the truth of what they have gotten themselves into, then perhaps they will also be able to reap the harvest with us. Blessings to you, Makarios |