Shall we read from John 3: 16: “16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life”.
The Lord saves us because He knows that we cannot save ourselves. The best we can do is not good enough before the Holy God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Habakkuk 1: 13. Our sins separate us from Him (Isaiah 59: 1-2). The finest we can accomplish is described as a filthy rag (Isaiah 64:6).
We praise and worship the Lord Jesus Christ, for paying for our sins on the cross of Calvary. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”( John 15: 13). What is more, He gives us eternal life as we are saved.
As a sinner, I repent of my sins, the most serious of which is ruling my life and taking my decisions. In repentance, I surrender the control to Him, I accept Him as Master and have an innate desire to live in obedience to him as a result of the salvation which He has given to me by His grace. “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast”. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”.
As a result of our salvation, we walk with Him doing good works. Not just what we choose, but as He directs. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10: 27-28). The Lord saves us, keeps us, guides us as the good Shepherd as we walk with Him daily in obedience and holiness. We shall never perish and His protection is guaranteed.
The Lord has called us to a life of fellowship in which He uses us to do good works as we walk with Him, living a life of holiness.
A Father-child relationship is the Lord’s plan for the believer. From John 1: 12, we read: “12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
Please, can we mull over the following passages which underline our call to holiness:
16 “What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”[c]
17” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”[d]
18 And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”[e] (2 Corinthians 6: 16-18)
11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2: 11-13)
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy”(1 Peter 2: 9 -11)
In summary: The Christian is saved by grace to live in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Master and the Good Shepherd who guides His sheep to live a life of obedience and holiness. The Lord guarantees that He protects them in this present world, as eternal life start here, and to eternity when they leave this world and return to Him in Heaven.
Importantly, He uses them to do good works here on earth to reach others, labouring with Him to bring others into salvation as His Spirit guides. We are saved to serve to bring glory to the Lord in our everyday living. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:9
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5: 14-16