By Jordan M. Tew, Executive Director • Baptist Publishing House
“Dear Jesus, I am a sinner, save me!” Many men, women and children have said those words. There is a profound sense of faith and repentance within such a prayer. When people pray like this, they are expressing their desire to be saved by God. The good news is that our God saves.
I am reminded here of the words of the apostle Paul who said: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (I Tim. 1:15). I also think of the confession of the thief on the cross who acknowledged his sin and expressed his faith in Jesus Christ as he said: “And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:41-42). The good news is that Jesus saved Paul, and He certainly remembered that thief upon the cross!
Dear believers, may we remember, in these dark and trying times, that our God saves. He will save the worst of sinners and the “best” of sinners. He will save young and old. He will save black and white. Jesus Christ will save anyone who calls upon His name in faith. The gospel is a wide net that will catch many souls out of sin and death. The power of the gospel is the blood of Christ, which is shed to save whosoever would believe upon Him. This is the hope of mankind and the driving force of the Great Commission. The proclamation of the gospel is the primary focus of the local church.
Many people seem to complicate the gospel nowadays by appealing to various systems, labels and ideologies. I must confess, I’ve been guilty of that myself in days past. However, I believe we would be wise to focus on the beauty and power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must preach it to the nations, proclaim it in our churches and pour it into our homes. May we remember the gospel’s simple yet powerful message — our God saves.
Last week, I heard the wonderful testimony of a Sunday School teacher who saw one of his students come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through studying God’s Word using the Baptist Expositor (BMA Sunday school curriculum). The evangelization of the lost and the discipleship of the saved are our two main goals at the Baptist Publishing House. The Bible makes it clear that our God saves. I am thankful for the saving power of God’s Word!
If you are reading this and you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, I invite you to confess your sin, turn away from it and trust in Jesus Christ alone to be your Savior. He will not turn you away. He will welcome you with grace, mercy and love.
