Christmas – A Season of Salvation
Christmas – A Season of Salvation
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have eternal life.”
This powerful verse captures the very essence of salvation – God’s divine plan to rescue humanity. This verse can be broken down into three parts.
The first portion of the verse initiates the process of salvation, by God demonstrating his love through the act of sending His Son to the world. We reflected on this through the post – “Christmas – A Season of God’s Love”,
The second portion of the verse, “Whoever believes in Him” is an invitation from God that requires our response. Like a beautifully wrapped Christmas present sitting under the tree, God’s gift of salvation through Jesus remains unopened until we choose to believe. This belief is more than a mental agreement, it involves a deep trust and commitment from the heart.
To believe means that we are ready to stake everything on Jesus. It’s like stepping onto a bridge, trusting it will take us safely to the other side. When we believe, by faith we are trusting that Jesus is who He says He is and will do what He promises to do. This simple belief that happens in our heart, can change the very trajectory of our lives.
Now, for the most exciting part, what do we receive when we open the gift? There are two aspects to this. “Should not perish” speaks of being rescued. Rescued from what we may wonder? The sinful condition of the human heart left to itself is headed for destruction, like a train that has lost control and is hurtling down a steep slope. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Death here is not merely physical death but rather spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. This is a dreadful state to be in. So, the first aspect of the gift we receive is that we are saved from going to hell or being eternally separated from God.
The second aspect of the gift is that we receive “eternal life”. We have been given a way to go to heaven, to spend eternity with God. Eternal life begins the moment we accept God’s gift of salvation. When we believe in Jesus, something extraordinary happens – the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. It’s as if God Himself moves into the empty rooms of our spiritual house, illuminating every corner with His presence. This indwelling is God’s seal of ownership, His guarantee of our salvation.
The presence of the Holy Spirit awakens our once-dormant spirit. Like a garden coming to life in spring, we become spiritually sensitive in new ways. We start to understand God’s Word with a freshness, our prayers become real conversations, and we begin to discern God’s voice in our hearts. Things that once held no spiritual significance become meaningful. This is eternal life beginning now – a living, dynamic relationship with God through His Spirit.
As we celebrate this Christmas season, let us remember it as God’s beautiful act of love that makes a way for eternity for each of us. The Christ child came to make possible what we could never achieve on our own – our salvation. This is the fullness of Christmas – God’s love demonstrated, salvation offered, eternal life received. God has demonstrated his love, and is inviting each of us into an eternal relationship with him. What is our response?
