GOD’S PRIORITY IS SALVATION, IS IT OURS?

BARBARA E. PERKINS

GOD’S PRIORITY IS SALVATION, IS IT OURS? 

God’s word in 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) gives us significant insight into His priority when it comes to salvation.  “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  When it comes to salvation, God does not delay about His promise to us.  Salvation is a promise from God to us.  God is so patient with us and He doesn’t want any of us to die in our sins, but He wants us to repent.  Salvation as a priority with God is vividly illustrated in the Gospel of John 3:17-18.  “17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  Almighty God felt such an urgency for the world to be saved that He sent His only, sinless, Son to redeem us.  Who would send his only, beloved son to save an evil, sin sick world?  God did!  Thank You, LORD!  God, in His infinite mercy towards us, did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save the world.  Jesus Christ’s response to His Father’s urgency regarding salvation is summed up in Hebrews 10:5-7, “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.  6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.  7 Then I said, Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.’”  God, The Father, was honored by His Son, Jesus’ obedience, to redeem the world.   God declared (paraphrased), “You’re not condemn if you believe in Jesus Christ, but if you don’t believe in Jesus and His name, you’re already condemned because He is the only begotten Son of God.  Words can’t convey the importance and urgency of salvation.  Someone can be here today and gone tomorrow, to be in the glorious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and Almighty God or in the lake of fire.  Revelation 20:12, 15 clearly states, “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.”  15 “And anyone not found written in the BOOK OF LIFE was cast into the lake of fire.”  Salvation is the difference between eternal life for someone or eternal death.    God views salvation as a major priority!  Do you?

Would you like to be saved and develop a relationship with God as your Heavenly Father?  If you would really like to know God, invite His Son, Jesus Christ, into your heart.  Please pray this prayer:  Dear God, please forgive me of my sins.  I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is Your Son.  I believe that He died on the cross, shed His blood, and rose from the grave for my salvation.  I confess Jesus right now as my Savior and Lord.  God fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I can live a life that pleases You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!  If you prayed this prayer and meant it, based on Roman 10:9-10, you are saved.  Welcome into God’s Family!