Salvation for All!

The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and life to men and women of every nation and people.

After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations!” He then dispatched his disciples to announce his Lordship and salvation to the “ends of the Earth.” The Gospel commenced with his Death and Resurrection; therefore, his life-giving message must be announced to all men. The Son of God has achieved salvation for his people!

God exalted Jesus to the Messianic Throne as promised in the Scriptures: “I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession,” and therefore he sends his emissaries to announce his sovereignty and salvation throughout the Earth – (Psalm 2:8).

[Photo by Minh on Unsplash]

Moreover, by bestowing the Gift of the Spirit on us, we are empowered to proclaim His Good News to the entire world, the one task assigned to us by him before his Ascension - “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the Earth” – (Acts 1:8).

This salvation is for men and women of every generation and nation without exception. Jesus died and God raised him from the dead so no longer must we live for ourselves but for Him, and now free from the bondage of sin and the fear of death - (Hebrews 2:14-18).

God loved humanity so much that He “gave his only born Son” so all men might believe and receive “everlasting life.” Jesus has bequeathed to each of us the ministry of reconciling men and women to His Father by proclaiming His Good News – (John 3:16, Acts 2:36-38, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

Because of his suffering “for our sins,” God raised Jesus from the dead and “highly exalted him, granting him the name that is above every name,” – JESUS - the name that means “Yahweh saves.”

The salvation promised by the God of Israel has become a reality for all humanity in this same Jesus. His Son has become the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth” who is “shepherding the nations” until the day when they will stand before him and his Father’s “Throne” in the New Creation – (Philippians 2:6-11, Revelation 1:4-6, 7:9-17, 12:5-11).

All nations belong to Jesus. His sacrificial death voided the legal claim of Satan over humanity. Moreover, his resurrection broke the iron grip of Death that held us all. This is a radical message of liberation from the tyranny of Sin, Satan, and Death that all men and every nation must hear – (1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Philippians 2:6-11, Hebrews 2:14-15, Revelation 1:6-8,3:21, 5:5-14).

ONE PEOPLE

God has “spoken” with eloquent finality through His Son. It is the Son alone who “achieved the purification of sin,” therefore, he sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on High places” as the Great High Priest who mediates salvation and life for his people – (Hebrews 1:1-4).

Salvation is available to all men “through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe, for there is no distinction.” The offer of life is given to all because of the faithful obedience of the Son of God, the one who “died for our sins” when we were still “enemies of God” and “dead in our trespasses” – (Romans 3:21-22).

Sin is the Great Equalizer that condemns every man, woman, and child to bondage, decay, hopelessness, fear, and death. Neither ethnicity, political power, nor economic status makes any difference. Death awaits us all.

However, because of his Death and Resurrection, anyone may now receive the forgiveness of sin and justification before God, whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, poor or rich; namely, “from the faith of Jesus Christ.” Death still occurs, but for us, it will be reversed when he raises us from the dead on the Last Day - (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

Considering his faithful act on our behalf when they deserved only death, all we can do is respond to his generous offer by placing faith in Jesus and what God accomplished in him.

Since His Son “achieved the purification of sins,” God has been forming a new community composed of men and women from every nation who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the ‘Ekklésia’, the “Assembly of God.” Every person who places faith in Jesus becomes a member of His Holy Community – (Ephesians 2:15).

No nation, civilization, or political ideology can claim Jesus or his teachings as its property. His Gospel is a message for every man, woman, and child on Earth. It transcends every national and cultural boundary. We proclaim one message for all men, whether “Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male and female, for all are one in Christ Jesus” – (Galatians 3:28).

In the truest sense, his “Good News” is a universal message and religion. All men have sinned. Everyone needs salvation and everlasting life. No one deserves it, “No, not one,” but God graciously offers it freely through His Son.

Finally, salvation is provided on the same basis for every man, woman, and child, namely, from the faith of Jesus Christ. All we can do is respond with repentance and faith to this offer and the self-sacrificial act of the Nazarene who “gave his life as a ransom for many.”

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SEE ALSO:

• The Mission - (The church’s mission between now and the return of Jesus is to announce the Good News of his Kingdom to all nations – Matthew 24:14)

• The Word Made Flesh - (Jesus is the Logos made flesh, the true Tabernacle where the Glory of God is revealed and the One who reveals Grace and Truth – John 1:14)

• The Salvation of Yahweh - ('Jesus’ means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In the man from Nazareth, the salvation promised by the God of Israel arrived in all its glory)