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Salvation and Sin!

The Biblical message of salvation and sin is widely misunderstood by many people. The Bible’s statements on those subjects are greatly different from the popular notions prevalent in society today. Society tends to judge a person by their actions and while this is a valid measurement in some cases, it fails to address the underlying cause of those actions.

The measure of other people’s actions is generally subjective and subject to a variety of interpretations depending on the standards that have been adopted by a particular group. Any given action may be viewed as exemplary by one group, acceptable by another, questionable by yet another and grossly offensive by still another.

The First Question Must be, Salvation from What?

If we speak of salvation, then a logical question is salvation from what? What is the danger, or peril that threatens those who need salvation? Another question might be, is everyone in danger or just some of us?

Those questions would get a wide variety of responses from almost everyone asked; the world today has a multitude of opinions and a large part of the world would, I suspect, have no opinion at all! There are many who feel no need of salvation from any overriding danger!

When Sin Got Lost

In September of 1973, a book was published, “Whatever Became of Sin?” by Dr. Karl A. Menninger, a man who had established a notable career as a psychiatrist over many years. He objected to the way that certain actions of men were no longer thought of as sin but as psychological problems which could be resolved by proper psychiatric care.

Dr. Menninger’s focus was on how the actions of individuals impacted the lives of other people and appealed to all to modify their behavior to a more loving and caring mode. There is no recognition of a fallen nature as described in the Bible and he implied all religions seek the same objectives; turning away from selfishness to a more charitable and caring attitude toward others.

While he touched on important issues, he totally overlooked others!

A Time of Judgment is Coming

The Bible describes a time of coming judgment for all whose names are not written in the Book of Life; in Revelation 20:11-15 it is written:

“¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Operation Bootstrap is a Sure Path to Failure!

The Bible makes it very clear that every human being is born spiritually dead and inhabited by a sin nature that is too powerful to resist. No one can overcome the power of that sin nature by trying harder or longer. Struggling to overcome the insurmountable challenges presented by that sin nature is a sure path to failure!

The Bible tells us, the solution to the problem cannot come from within, it must come from an outside source and this is exactly what God has done for us at the First Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our personal sin is a symptom of our basic problem, not the problem itself; our basic problem is a dead spirit and we simply cannot restore life to our dead spirit. We need a power from without to restore life and that is what God has done through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Next time, the Bible’s perspective on “Why Should Anyone Need Saving?”; where and how did we all die spiritually?