Morning Devotional

November 21, 2004
"The Promise of Salvation"

by Don Emmitte

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For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed." (Romans 10:9-11 NLT).

The fourth in our series concerning the promises of God deals with salvation. Read our verses very carefully this morning. Does it say, “Believe and belong to the right church?”

Does it say, “Believe and follow these rules?” Does it say, “Believe and grow up in the church?” Does it say “believe and ‘my parents were Christians’?”

Of course not, it says believe, confess and believe. God’s promise of salvation is not complicated. Sometimes we try to make it difficult. Sometimes we think it is not strict enough or that it doesn’t demand enough from us. The Bible says that all men are sinners, and that the punishment of sin is death. We are born under this curse of death. God does not judge us by the standards of this world. He judges us by the standards of His holiness, and to this comparison we fall far short. None of us can measure up to God’s perfect standard for our life.

That’s why we need a Savior. That’s why Jesus came, as the perfect sacrifice, to live a perfect life, allowing Himself to be crucified, then being raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf, so that all who will believe in His Name will be saved. Now, it should be noted that this is not a half-hearted belief. It is belief in Jesus and Jesus alone for salvation!

Notice also that this verse does not say, “we might be saved” or “there is a good chance we will be saved” or “we have hope of salvation”. It says WE WILL BE SAVED! Period. End of story. It’s a promise of God. We can depend on it! This is the essence of grace. It is completely and wholly a work of God. Belief in Jesus is the expression of that belief in your life.

Have you done what this verse says? Have you believed in Jesus Christ as your salvation? If you have, then you and I will one day join together at the Throne of God to fully reflect on His Glory. I’ll see you there! If you have, then I have a second question. Are you living like one who is the child of a King? Are you living out your Christian experience to the fullest? One of the great parts of being in the family of God is that we get to enjoy the benefits of Heaven today! Are you enjoying the Christian life? By the way, if you get there before me, save me a seat next to you in Heaven!