Saved From What

Saved From What
March 15, 2010
Romans 5:9 "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him?"

Accepting salvation is the pivotal decision that initially makes a Christian a Christian. When someone comes to Jesus, we say he is "saved." Almost all of us can remember the point of our original salvation, the time when we prayed the prayer of salvation, becoming a Christian. When you ask Jesus into your heart, to be Lord of your life, you are said to be "saved." But what exactly are you saved from? If you do a search on the internet, it is interesting what people's response is to that question. The list of responses goes something like this: saved from eternal damnation, saved from the pit of hell, saved from my sins, saved from separation from God, saved from having to make a sacrifice for my own sins. This list could continue and while all these answers are great talking points, none of them is the actual correct answer to the question.

The answer to the question, "what are we saved from," is a little more simple than people think. It is not a convoluted answer, requiring a PhD to comprehend. We are saved from the wrath of God. That's right; we are saved from God's wrath. While I can paint a picture of God being your friend and full of love, dressed in white, sitting up in Heaven answering prayers, it would be incomplete. The complete picture of God includes His wrath. Yes, Jonathan Edward's message "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," preached in 1741, gets included in the many facets of God. While it is not the only thing to focus on, when understanding God, it is a disservice to everyone if we do not discuss God's wrath. It is not pleasant to think that God is sitting on His throne waiting to pronounce judgment, but that is exactly what is going to happen someday.

Christians have somehow strayed away from talking about this aspect of God, as it is too uncomfortable. We'd rather serve a God who is full of grace, peace, love, understanding, and compassion. We focus on those things in an effort to help people feel accepted in church as they are, but it is not whole and accurate. We would rather sing songs about God being our friend than sing songs of Him being our judge, as the former warms the heart much better. To think that God is standing above us, ready to strike with a lightning bolt, turns people away from church. If we somehow tell people that God loves them just the way they are, then we can fill the seats easier. The fact of the matter remains, a lot of people will be in for a rude awakening when they stand before the Almighty someday. There will be many church-goers who will face the full wrath of God unless they accept salvation from Jesus Christ.

God will sit in judgment of your sins someday and His wrath will be mighty. I have pity for the fool who does not have the protection of Jesus' blood covering him on that day. The only thing that can save us from God's wrath is the covering of Jesus' blood. This is not to frighten you but to motivate you. You and I might have the covering of Jesus' blood that protects us from the wrath of God, but your neighbor might not. Your son or daughter may not have that covering; it is up to you to warn them of God's wrath. Everyone can be protected from God's wrath, but not everyone will. There will even be many people who sat next to you in church who will face God's wrath without Jesus standing up for them, as they did not confess Him as their Savior.

The point of salvation is relatively easy; it is spelled out in Romans 10:9, ""That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."" Rest assured the salvation Roman's 10:9 is referring to is being saved from God's wrath, as the book of Romans discusses God's wrath five times in the chapters leading up to chapter ten. God's wrath is real, and unless you have the covering of Jesus' blood over you, God's full wrath WILL be unleashed upon you for your sins. Don't let someone go another day without telling them how to stay safe from God's wrath. You owe it to them, especially since someone else told you; I just did.

1. How often is God's wrath discussed in your church?
2. How often do you warn others of their impending doom, unless they have the covering of Jesus' blood?
3. How can you incorporate this important facet of God into your conversations with others?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Job 20:28, Ps 7:11, Is 51:22, Jer 10:10, Nahum 1:2, John 3:36, Rom 2:5, Rom 3:5, Rom 10:9, Eph 2:8, 2 Thes 2:13