Salvation in Jesus Christ

(1 Thessalonians 5:8-10)

We are now living in the last days of this earth, as prophesied by Jesus and the prophets. It is now time for all Christians to focus their hearts and minds on fully seeking salvation in Jesus Christ.

There is no other way to be saved than through the name of Christ Jesus. Salvation in Jesus Christ is the only way that we can be received into the eternal kingdom with God the Father and our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

This scripture today tells us of the need to be prepared. It tells us to get ourselves ready and seek the salvation in Jesus Christ.

Arm yourself for salvation in Jesus Christ

The first verse in this section tells us to arm ourselves. It is clear from this that we will have to fight if we are to receive salvation in Jesus Christ.

8 But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

Preparation is necessary if we are to receive salvation in Jesus Christ.

Now is not the time for being frivolous. We cannot mentally jump all over the place. It is time now to focus on the things that are important.

The scripture tells us to be sober. By this it means to be sober in your thinking. Focus your mind on the things that lead to salvation. Be aware of what is happening around you, as Jesus is showing us signs of His impending return.

The people of the world who belong to the devil will oppose you. They will seek to fight you spiritually because the devil is a destroyer.

That is why we need to arm ourselves with the helmet of the hope of salvation. We need to put on the breastplate of faith and love.

Faith and love are weapons. By faith we stand in Jesus Christ and can overcome anything that the devil throws our way. And love conquers all things because the love of God in us overcomes everything.

These things protect us from the weapons of the devil brought against us, just as armour protects a soldier. And there are other forms of armour that we should put on as well, as shown in this verse.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; 16 besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:11-17)

This is the spiritual armour of God that protects us and allows us to stand and fight the evil one.

So be armed in God’s armour and so stand against the devil as you walk the path of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Your destiny is salvation in Jesus Christ

We have not been destined for destruction, but to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. The second verse of this section I am looking at today says this.

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

I do not believe in predestination. But the call of Christ in the life of a person gives them a destiny that is far greater than anything this world offers.

Through seeking salvation in Jesus Christ we have a destiny that is to live with Christ and the Father. This is our destiny in Him as we follow in His ways and learn to live in Christ.

It is not a destiny that is put upon anyone. It is a destiny we choose because we have seen that in Christ there is life. There is no life in this world or the ways of the world, but there is eternal life in seeking salvation in Jesus Christ.

There is a question every person on earth will answer at some point in their life.

Do you want to live forever?

Everyone wants to live. Every person has the desire for life. It is fundamental to all human beings and nobody wants to die.

Some seek life through science and medicine. But they will not succeed. There is no possibility of life without receiving it from the giver of life, who is God.

Man’s attempts at extending life through medicine and science have appeared to increase the lifespan of people by a few years, but it is a false picture.

Every person lives only for the length of time they have been allotted by God. They will not live one day, one hour, one minute longer than the time God has given them. And nothing man can do will extend that time period.

And besides, the efforts of man do not make a person fitter and healthier. They do not make a person younger again and in the prime of their life.

Nothing a man can do will stop or reverse the ageing process. A body may look young, but at a cellular level it will be old and suffer the issue of the aged.

So if you want to live forever you need to look elsewhere. You need to go to the giver of life and seek His ways to receive life. And the way He established is through faith in Jesus Christ for it is in His name that salvation is offered to all who will believe.

But doesn’t everyone die eventually?

Death in this life is not considered death by God. It is simply a separation of the spirit of a person from their physical body.

When a person dies as we know it, the spirit, which is the life force of a person containing everything that makes them who they are, leaves the body. The physical body cannot live without the spirit of the person in it and so it ceases to function and perishes.

But the spirit goes on and goes to one of two waiting places.

The spirit of those who have died as followers of Jesus Christ will go to Paradise. But the spirits of those who did not accept Christ’s ways go into Hades. Both places are waiting places until the time of judgement.

It is after judgement that the final decision is made about where a person will end up. Either with Christ and the Father for life into eternity, or to be destroyed for failing to seek the salvation in Jesus Christ.

For those who reject God this is the second death. The death of the spirit, where the life force of a person is destroyed. This is the real death.

But as for those who died in the Lord in this age, they are the ones who receive salvation in Jesus Christ. They are the ones who live with Him into eternity. And it doesn’t matter whether they are alive or dead in this age. When Jesus comes back He will raise up those who have died and collect those who are still alive and all shall live together.

Now is the time to prepare and seek salvation in Jesus Christ. There is very little time left as we are seeing the unfolding of the end time prophecies occurring now. We have only a few short years left before the return of Jesus Christ, so do all you can to seek the salvation in Jesus Christ.

You might also like:

The Lesson Of The Fig Tree
Salvation
Take Heed That No One Leads You Astray
Learn The Lesson Of The Fig Tree
Watch For The Coming Of The Lord
Who Are The Little Flock
He Came To Save The Lost
Do Not Be Led Astray
Nation Will Rise Against Nation
Look At The Fig Tree
The Son Of Man Will Be Lifted Up
Jesus Came To Save Not To Condemn
Plotting Against Jesus
Jesus Ascends Into Heaven
Promise Of Salvation
Who Can Be Saved
Defeating The Serpent
Hope Of Salvation
Salvation Is Near
Now Is The Day Of Salvation