SAVED!

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE sinners…” —1 Timothy 1:15

I love the word “saved!” What a glorious word! It is the theme of so many songs we sing in church. “SAVED by the Blood,” “Jesus Saves,” “Saved, Saved,” etc.

“Saved!” It is a Bible word! Matthew 1:21, “…thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Acts 4:12, “…there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” John 3:17, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith…” Acts 16-30-31, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Romans 10:9, 13, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

I’m afraid this terminology is beginning to be replaced from the modern Christian’s vocabulary. Many modern Christians no longer say “Jesus saved me.” Instead they say something like, “I have a personal relationship with Jesus.” Or, “I’m following Jesus,” etc.

When someone says such things, they make themselves the subject. “I have a relationship with Christ… I’m following Jesus.” The verb is also about me—something that I’m doing, not what Jesus has already done. But when I say, “Jesus saved me,” it puts the emphasis on what Jesus has done.