Part 1 of 12 / Salvation: The Beginning Of A Relationship, Not A Performance
- Chris Houser
- 6 hours ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
Salvation is often misunderstood. Many aproach it as a finish line; something you reach after trying hard enough, being good enough, or fixing enough of your life. But the truth is far more freeing, and far more personal. Salvation is not the reward for your effort. It is the invitation into a relationship. It is not about you climbing your way to God, it is about God coming down to you.
This week, we are going to lay the foundation: what salvation really is, why we need it, and how it begins; not through striving, but through surrender.
A Personal Invitation, Not A Religious System
At Salvation's core, it is not about religion, it is about being known and loved by God Himself.
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." - John 17:3
Eternal life is not merely about living forever. It is about knowing God; personally, deeply, and relationally. God is not calling you into a system of rules, do's and do not's, making sure you're pleasing Him, etc. It is about Him calling you unto and into Himself. Before you ever sought Him, He was already pursuing you.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8
Notice when you read the above passage of Romans 5:8: God did not wait for you to improve before loving you. He moved toward you in your brokenness. In order to understand Salvation, you must understand this truth: You are not earning God's love, you are responding to His love.
Why We Need Salvation
To understand Salvation, we must understand our condition without it. Let's talk about the dreaded word you do not hear in churches today due to its sensitivity; the word sin. It is not just 'bad behavior' as you hear it spoken today, but it is literal separation from God. Romans 3:21-26 makes it very clear.
"But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." - Romans 3:21-26
Every person, you and I, we have fallen short, not just morally, but relationally with Christ. Sin creates distance between us and God whom we were created to walk with. This separation is not just spiritual, but it affects everything: your identity, your purpose, your peace, and your direction.
"But your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear." - Isaiah 59:2
Without Salvation:
We search for meaning in empty places.
We try to fix ourselves, but never feel whole.
We carry guilt, even if we can't explain it.
However, there is much Hope because God did not desire to leave us in this condition.
What Jesus Actually Did
Salvation is not about what you do for God, it is about what Jesus has already done for you!
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9
Grace means: UNEARNED favor.
Unearned. Think about that? You and I deserved exactly what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for us at Calvary. We deserved death. We deserved separation. We deserved to not ever come close to knowing Jesus. But, Jesus willingly came to live the life you and I could never live. The life of understanding every temptation and struggle you or I could ever face in our lives today. It came to Him paying the price with His innocent blood at Calvary because no other blood could pay the debt of sin that was on humanity. He died for you and me.
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
This is what is called the Great Exchange:
Your Sin > Placed On Christ
His Righteousness > Given To You
Salvation is not self-improvement, but transformation through His substitution.
Receiving Salvation - It Is Personal
Salvation is not inherited and it is not automatic. It must be personally received.
"But what does it say? “The word is near you , in your mouth and in your heart ”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." - Romans 10:8-10
Let me be clear: this is not about saying the perfect words. It is about surrendering your heart.
To receive Salvation means:
You STOP Trusting In Yourself!
You PLACE Your Faith In Jesus!
You BEGIN A Relationship With Him!
This is where EVERYTHING changes!
What Changes When You're Saved?
Salvation is not just a future promise, it is a present transformation. We know this because 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us this.
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Hear me clearly; when you are saved in Jesus Christ, this is what happens:
You ARE Forgiven!
You ARE Made New!
You ARE Adopted Into God's Family!
You NOW Have Access To God Directly!
You Are NO LONGER Distant From God!
You Are NO LONGER Striving For His Approval!
You Are NOW A Child Of God In His Family!
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God." - John 1:12
Conclusion
Salvation is not about becoming perfect or striving for His approval, it is about being made alive. It is not about trying harder to be in His will, it is about trusting deeper.
This week, let this truth settle in your heart from the Father:
God is not waiting for you to fix yourself; He is inviting you to come to Him just as you are.
Application
This week, begin to respond to salvation personally:
Spend 10-15 minutes each day talking to God openly and honestly, as your Father in Heaven.
Read John Chapter 1 slowly, reflect on the text of who Jesus is to you.
Write down what you believe about God and where you currently struggle in that area.
Practice a very personal, yet deeply and simple prayer every day saying, "Jesus, I do not want religion, but I want and desire You. Teach me what it means to truly know you and have a relationship with You."
Reflection Questions
Have I been viewing salvation as a relationship or as something I have to earn from God?
Do I truly believe God loves me where I am currently in my life?
What fears or doubts do I have about coming fully to God?
What would change in my life if I truly believed I was already accepted in Christ Jesus?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for loving us before we ever reached for You. Thank You that Salvation is not something we have to earn, but something You have freely given to us because of your Son Jesus. We ask you Lord Jesus to help us believe that You died for us and rose again from the grave. Help us to surrender our lives to You, not just for my mistakes, but for my whole heart. Teach us what it truly means to walk with You. Remove every lie that says I Am Enough, and replace it with Your Truth. Show us that it is not about striving and that we don't desire striving anymore, but we want to abide and have freedom in Your Son Jesus. We pray and ask of these in Jesus' Name, Amen.
Week 2 Preview
"Assurance Of Salvation - How Do You Know That Your Truly Saved?"
Next week, we will be going deeper into one of the biggest struggles new believers face: DOUBT. We will examine questions such as, "How can you be sure you're saved?" - "What if I don't 'feel' saved?" - "Can salvation be lost?" We'll walk through Scripture to build unshakable confidence, not in yourself, but in what God has promised us.