Jesus Is The Savior

by Micky Galloway

In Luke 2:10-11 the angel said unto the shepherds who were watching their flock, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” In Matthew 1 we are told that an angel appeared to Joseph to explain to him that the young lady he had planned to make his wife, had committed no sin even though she was expecting a child. “That which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Spirit.” The angel then said, “thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.” In John 4:42 those who believed in Jesus because of the Samaritan woman said, “Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” The word “Savior” is used twenty four times in the New Testament. That Jesus is called “the Savior of the world” is not without significance.

There were a number of Old Testament characters who wore the name of “Savior” before Jesus, but these came to save God’s people from enemies and local or national upheavals. In Nehemiah 9:27 the prophet says, “Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them Saviors who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.” However, Jesus did not come to deliver the Jews from Rome, to eliminate disease or give lectures on how to protect the environment. His stated mission is plainly revealed in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost.” In Paul’s humble way he said, “Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (I Timothy 1:15).

Jesus offered Himself to take away the sins of the world. The law of Moses that had been in effect for 1500 years demanded perfection (cf. Galatians 3:10-11). The penalty for failure was spiritual death, separation from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Death is still imposed upon those who do not avail themselves of the blessings of the Savior. The only remedy available to those who lived under the law was to offer the blood of animals. However, sacrificing the blood of animals did not take away the sins of the world (Hebrews 10:1-4). The Hebrew writer said, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and (sacrifices) for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:8-10). In the sacrifice of Jesus, two things were accomplished. The first law that condemned the transgressor was removed and a new law was established. Secondly, Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for sins, satisfying the justice the law demanded (Romans 6:26). John wrote, “… the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

Why then is “the world” still lost? Drugs, drunkenness, fornication of every form, violence and destruction exist on every hand. Even John said, “The whole world lieth in the evil one” (I John 5:19). Did Jesus fail as the “Savior”? God forbid! A short time after the Lord’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension back to heaven, the gospel was preached for the first time (Acts 2), and 3,000 people were saved. In Acts 8, the eunuch from Ethiopia was baptized and “went on his way rejoicing.” In Acts 9, perhaps the most avid enemy the Lord’s church had in the first century was baptized in order to wash away his sins (22:16). In Acts 10 is the record of the first Gentiles becoming Christians, and in Acts 16 is the story of Lydia and the Philippian jailer being saved. The world being in a lost condition does not reflect on the mission of Jesus, but rather on man’s lack of concern for salvation. Peter preached “save yourselves” (Acts 2:40), and this is what the majority of people refuse to do. Though the blood of Jesus will save from sin, one must be concerned enough to avail himself of the remedy.

False doctrine is often taught about how to be saved by Christ. Some teach that the Lord requires “faith only” in order to be saved. “Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort” (Doctrines and Discipline of The Methodist Church, 1944, page 73). Others have taught, “We believe the Scriptures teach that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace” (The Standard Manual For Baptist Churches, Edward Hiscox, 1890, page 61). Then on the next page teaches that justification by the imputed righteous life of Christ is “solely through faith.” So much error. Christ is not the Savior by virtue of his perfect life imputed to the sinner, but by his shed blood. We are not saved by only one thing; our obedience is necessary (Hebrews 5:8-9). Others erroneously teach that if we are seeking salvation we must “Pray and ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior, and claim His promise of eternal life” (Lancaster Baptist handouts). That is a strange teaching in view of Saul’s (Paul’s) experience in Damascus. He had seen Jesus on the road and became a believer, but he was still lost. So he asked Jesus what he had to do (Acts 9:6). The Lord told him to go to the city and he would be told what he must do. He went to Damascus, refused to eat or drink, and was on his knees praying (verse 11). God then sent a preacher to instruct him, and Paul himself tells what Ananias taught him (Acts 22:12-16). Paul was told, “Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins.”

Many are lost because the “saved” have failed to go into all the world and preach the powerful, saving gospel. The gospel is the “power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). It is no wonder the Lord gave the command to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” We need men, who are willing to “go and preach.” And we need more Christians who are willing to “send once and again” to their necessities. The church in the early part of the first century had the awesome responsibility of preaching the Savior to the lost. In Colossians 1:6, Paul said that the gospel had “come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing” and in verse 23 he said it had been “preached to every creature.” Without doubt they possessed first of all unshakeable faith in their Savior. He said “go” and so they went. Second, they had vision. They “looked on the fields” and saw they were “white unto harvest.” Third, they believed in the power of the gospel.

Indeed, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. As Savior, His part in the saving process is perfect. The part that falls on us is where the failures come. May we each one obey from the heart and thus come into contact with His saving blood. May all of us make a determined effort to see that as many people as possible within the scope of our influence, learn the truth and have opportunity to obey. May God help us to be impressed with our responsibility to see that every creature under heaven has the opportunity to reach the cleansing blood of the Savior, Jesus Christ.