Are you Saved? When did you get Saved? How can you know for sure you are Saved? You need to get Saved? How long have you been Saved?

This is evangelistic/christian speak.... and sometimes confusing for the person hearing it for the first time. So lets break it down.........

Who and What are you Saved from?

God, and the Wrath of God/Hell for sinners. As a sinner, you are liable to pay the full penalty for your sin against a Holy God.

Who saves?

God. His Grace and Mercy is manifested by Him choosing to save a certain number of people from His Wrath.

How does He Save?

His righteousness demands that the penalty be paid - there is no free lunch, and He is the standard for Justice. So God makes the provision of the CROSS, whereby He Himself (in the form of the Son) pays the penalty for our Sins on the Cross, and His Righteousness is credited to our account!

How does He save ME?

God works with you to draw you to Him, and gives you the saving faith whereby you finally come to the realization of what He has done, and believe! Your faith is the mechanism by which you individually are saved.

All the Doctrine of Election means, is that you have no part in choosing whether you are saved or not. It's God who makes the choice! It is His free gift to you, so that you have NOTHING to boast about. Its ALL HIM!

I realize that most people have a great deal of difficulty with this. Why doesn't God choose to save all people? He doesn't. Even if you call Him Lord, Lord, and do many great works, miracles etc. in His name, at the last judgement He can still say - "I never knew you".  Its not a function of whether YOU know Him, but its a function of whether HE knows YOU! And if He knows you, then He has a plan for you, to glorify you. 

The other question that is asked is why do we bother about reaching people for Christ? The answer is that God is glorified by graciously allowing us to be the means for reaching the people He chooses. This should be a great encouragement for evangelists, as it assures them that people are going to be saved through their efforts, as God is the one that will bring the right people to them.

Look at it this way. He didn't have to save ANYBODY! Thank Him for saving the ones He does.... and understand that it is ALL HIM! It should remove any pride or faith in our efforts - other than to thank Him for allowing us to be His instruments. The amazing thing is that He also rewards us for our efforts!

Get on your knees and pray that you may find favor with Him! Pray for the salvation of your friends and neighbours. That is God's will - that you should echo His heart for them, and that He would graciously honor your prayer and save them! Pray while they are still on this earth, because once they die, they have lost their chance.