Saved from What?

Every follower of Jesus has a story of what life before Christ was like and what life has been like since accepting Christ – a date marked in their heads, hearts, and maybe even a calendar that notes the day they were “saved.” “Saved from what?” you might wonder. And Jesus tells a story of what life is like for both the saved and the unsaved…

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called up to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony.’ But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to here.’ He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31)

The people living in Jesus’ time on earth knew the Prophets and Moses as God’s agents to call wayward mankind back to the Lord, to turn from their self-centered lives to follow God’s ways. Today, God has placed His followers in your life to do the same – to call you to follow Jesus and be saved from God’s perfect justice.

Every Christian has experienced that moment when the first half of Romans 6:23 pierces their hearts and they realize their spiritual peril: “For the wages of sin is death…” The truth of the second half of that verse has proven just as impactful: “…But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We all love the idea of justice – when the bad guy gets what he deserves – until we realize that we’re the bad guy and we really do deserve justice. What we deserve because of our rebellion against Holy God is eternal separation from Him.

And many people consciously choose that very thing. “Who needs God? He’s not real. What has He ever done for me? My life is a trainwreck. I don’t see God stepping in to fix this mess.” Resist God long enough, and He’ll sorrowfully allow you to have what you ask for. God will bow out of your life and your eternity, and there will be no second chance. Just ask the rich man in Jesus’ parable.

The Son of God, the One Who willingly came from heaven to sacrifice Himself to rescue you from hell, told the story in Luke as a warning that eternal punishment is real and that He came to save you from that. God the Father wants you to accept what Jesus sacrificially purchased for you – not eternal condemnation, but eternal life. Jesus laid Himself across that “great chasm” so that the bridge to reconciliation with Holy God could be fixed in place for all who believe.

God is love, but He is also just. In His mercy, He’s calling to you. Let Jesus be your Bridge, and let this be the day you’re saved. If you’re struggling to figure this out, find someone you know who follows Jesus, and ask your honest questions. Open God’s Word together, and let its truths and promises lead you to true life that lasts forever. Don’t find yourself keeping company for eternity with the rich man. Experience the comfort and peace that Lazarus found, justified and at Home in heaven.

Justice is required, and Jesus has paid the penalty. It’s as simple as having the trust to believe Him when He offers you the gift of freedom. Be saved today!