THE SINNER’S ONLY HOPE
Matthew
1:21
Our only hope of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation
is in him alone, in him completely, and in him only. In fact, he is God’s
Salvation (Lk. 2:30). You cannot be saved without him; and you cannot be saved
if you try to mix your own works, feelings, emotions, or experiences with faith
in him. The Lord Jesus Christ is able to save you from the guilt of sin, the
power of sin, and all the consequences of sin (Heb. 7:25). He is the
all-sufficient Savior.
His name is called “Jesus”
because “he shall save his people from
their sins” (Matt. 1:21). He is the only one who has power in himself to
forgive sin (Matt. 9:6). He is exalted “to
give repentance and remission of sins” (Lk. 24:47; Acts 5:31). The Lord God
found a ransom for sinners in his own dear Son (Job 33:24), and purposed to
save his people by the sacrificial death of his Son as their Substitute from
eternity (Acts 2:23). In the fullness of time, the Son of God became a man to
accomplish the salvation of chosen sinners (Gal. 4:4-5). “Being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Thus, by the sacrifice of himself
according to the will of God, the Lord Jesus Christ put away all the sins of
his people, obtained eternal redemption for them, and established the only
grounds upon which God can be both just and the Justifier of all who believe
(Heb. 1:3; 9:12, 26; 10:1-14; Rom. 3:24-26).
There is no other possible way of salvation. God’s own beloved Son would never have
been crucified to redeem and save us if salvation could have been obtained in
any other way. Indeed, the apostle Paul reasons that if we could have been
saved in some other way “then Christ is
dead in vain” (Gal. 2:21). Infinite wisdom found a way to save us. Infinite
grace provided the great sacrifice. Infinite love brought the Son of God to lay
down his life for his people. Why? Because there was no other way for God to
both satisfy his justice in the punishment of sin and forgive his people of all
their sins. Christ alone must be our Savior. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The only way sinners, like you and me, can obtain God’s
salvation is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you believe on Christ, you may be confident that your sins are
forgiven by his blood and that God looks upon you as being perfectly righteous,
because God appointed this way of salvation; and he has promised to save all
who trust his dear Son (Rom. 10:9-13). Indeed, if you now trust the Son of God,
it is because you are already born of God and you have everlasting life (John
3:36). You could not and would not believe, if he had not given you life.
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #886
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S.
Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 859-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net