What am I saved from? What would the outcome have been?

Today’s Questions is: What am I saved from? What would the outcome have been?

We are familiar with the language of being “saved” – but what exactly does that mean? What are we saved from and why is sin so bad? What would have really happened if we weren’t saved?

To answer this question, let’s look at the scriptures and see what they are saying -

Matthew 1:20–21 ESV

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus came to save us from our sin - its effects and consequences

Romans 1:21 ESV

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

When sin entered humanity, it fundamentally corrupted us at the heart level

John 3:19–20 ESV

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

Our sin makes us averse to God’s presence

Genesis 3:22–24 ESV

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

The separation between us and God brought death, because God is life and separation from Him means separation from life

Revelation 20:14 ESV

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

The inevitable end of our sin would be eternal death – from which there is no redemption

Titus 2:11–14 ESV

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Being saved from sin means we have the promise of eternal life (future salvation)

It also means we are liberated from sin’s corruption in our mind, spirit, and body, now - able to once again enjoy God’s presence in this world (present salvation)

In Conclusion…

Jesus has saved us from the effects and consequences of sin in boththis life and the life to come!

We are liberated from the corrupting influence of sin on our thoughts, emotions, and desires

We are restored to relationship with God and therefore restored to life forever

We are experiencing the first movement of this redemption in our lives right now

But also trusting Jesus to receive our full salvation from sin and all of its effects when He returns

What is our NEXT STEP?

Put a stop to the sin we’ve been tolerating in our lives

Gratitude for God’s forgiveness must inspire our desire for holiness

We can’t do this through willpower only – the Holy Spirit will help us

Discussion Questions

What are some of the ways we have seen sin corrupt things?

What does consciously pursuing holiness look like?

Prayer Point

Ask God to reveal the sin we’ve been tolerating and draw us to repentance

Devotional Question for the Week

In what ways do you need to take your salvation more seriously?