Why I Need a Savior
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Why I Need a Savior
Genesis 3
Psalm 139
Hebrews 9:11-25
John 3:1-21
The year 2020 is going to be a year for the history books. It is the year that the whole world responds to a plague. It is a year in which entire countries and economies would be shut down. A year of face masks and social distancing. It is a year in which racial tensions between citizens and law enforcement would be at an all-time high. It will be a year of protests, riots, and violence. It is a year of political chaos and war between two parties. A year of death and destruction through out the world. I will tell you though that this will also be a year that points to the fact that we all are in need of a savior.
There are many in our world who wonder why we would need a savior. There are also many would say that we all should be allowed to choose our own path of what we want to believe. The truth is that we actually do all have our own choice to make in believing what we wish to believe about the origins of the universe and life. However, contrary to what many people would like to believe, not all paths can be right. No matter how much or at what angle we argue or debate there is always going to be a right or wrong answer. Unfortunately, we cannot both be right. The earth cannot be both flat and spherical. Up cannot also be down. Green cannot be blue and blue cannot be orange. Apples cannot be pears. 2+2 cannot equal 3. These are all absolutes and absolutes mean that there is a right and there is a wrong. If this seems to be true to all things within the universe it stands to reason that the same is true when it comes to creation and when comes to a faith in God.
The question though is why would I and do I need a Savior of my Soul? Why would this ever be needed? Isn’t it enough just to be a good and kind person? However, by what definition are you a good or not so good person? Genesis chapter 3 explains beginning reason for why we all need a savior. In the very beginning God was finished with his creation and everything was good. Adam and Eve the first humans of creation were also good. They were given everything and had dominion of everything. Yet they were given one rule that would require obedience and self-discipline. Obedience to this rule would ensure that they were putting God first in their lives and that they would live long and happy lives. However, we are told that Eve was deceived by the serpent. For just a moment the serpent pulled her into a direction to be seeking self-gratification instead of obedience to God. She desired wisdom and knowledge more than obedience. Therefore, she broke the only rule that was given to her. Adam was not deceived but instead made the choice to follow suit with his wife. He knew that what his wife did was wrong. However, he had such a need a desire to be with her that he also satisfied his own desire for her and sinned as well. The sin that entered the world was the sin of self-gratification. No longer would humanity seek to surrender the self but instead would put the self before God. Cain killed his brother because of his jealousy over how his brother received the most favor. Again, the self was getting in the way.
After sin entered the world God had to sacrifice two animals and use their skins to make clothing to cover Adam and Eve. The sacrifice of blood would be the only thing that could cover the sin of self. However, there are not enough animals in the world that can be sacrificed to cover the sins of man. We can never be perfect as long as self gets in the way. It is for this reason that we are all in need for a savior. We can see it in our world today as we watch the news and watch all the events of each day unfold. Everything that has happened has been a result of self-seeking instead of God seeking.
Hebrews 9:11-28, shows us what Jesus did for us. In years past animal sacrifices were made to cleanse the priest so that they may enter the holy of holies and be in the presence of the copies of heavenly things in which they had built. However, Christ skipped all of that and went directly to heaven itself to offer himself for us. By doing this he was able to cleanse the conscious of self in humanity. His sacrifice would bridge the gap of what we are missing. Where man fails to surrender Christ comes to complete. He only had to do this once just as we ourselves only die once. It is after our death that we must face judgment. If we face judgment on our own, we will never be able to enter into the reward of glory with God and this is because self in still in the way and the sin of self cannot be in the presence of God and survive. It is for this reason that we need the savior to advocate for us and pay the price for our judgment. There are many who will say that on the day that they die they will finally know the truth of whether there is a God and whether there is a real afterlife. This statement is very true as we will all one day die and be brought before God to face judgment. The question is though whether we will be able to face that judgment. Some believe that their good deeds just need to outweigh their bad deeds. However, would God be a good judge if he just weighed good deeds over bad deeds?
Let’s take an example from today to try to explain this. The police officer of George Floyd has been facing judgment for his actions. Let’s suppose that his judgment is going to be based on his deeds. What if he can prove that he has done a lot of more good deeds in his life and that killing George Floyd was the only bad deed that he has ever done in his life? What if the judge looks at this a decided that he is going to let this police officer go because his good deeds outweigh his bad deeds? Would this be a good judge or a bad judge? This would of course be a bad judge because he is not delivering justice for the evil that has happened. The same is for us when we face the judgment of God. Our good deeds are not going to help us one bit when it comes to facing judgment. It is for this reason that we need a savior.
Some may say, “well what if the Bible is wrong about everything and when we die that is it and there is nothing more.” That is a very good question. If this were so then there would be no reason for us to fear judgment or fear anything in this world. There would be no harm and no foul. However, then I must ask back the question, what if the Bible is true and what if we do really all face judgment someday. If it is true then I need a savior because I can never be perfect on my own to face the judgment of God. The bottom line is that someone is going to be right and someone is going to be wrong. I might not be able to with out a doubt prove that the Bible is true in every word. However, no one can prove that it is not either. Either way there is a right and there is a wrong. The question I ask myself though is whether there is more risk in believing in Bible and being wrong or is their more risk not believing in the Bible and then being wrong. Therefore, I choose to believe.
In John 3:1-21 Jesus outlines for Nicodemus the path for in which one may find salvation. Nicodemus is a little bit different from all the other Pharisees. Rather than seeking self he is seeking truth. He acknowledges that Jesus has come from God as there is no one who would be able to perform the miracles that Jesus has performed if God were not with him. Jesus tells Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. This confuses Nicodemus as he takes this answer literally. However, Jesus is talking about spiritual things as it is a spiritual issue that we sin so too there must be a spiritual rebirth to overcome the sin of self-seeking and self-gratification. Jesus says that flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit gives birth to spirit. In our humanness we think and understand the world through the lens of the flesh. However, when we can focus on heavenly things, we can then be open to the Spirit and therefore be transformed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus explains the reason for why he was sent into the world. In one of the most popular and most memorable verse that nearly all in the world have heard, Jesus explains, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This is the verse that has been repeated so much that I think in some ways the world has taken it for granted. However, it goes on to say, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only son” (v.17-18).
The reason I need a savior is because the risk of eternity without a savior is far to great compared to the risk of all of this being a hoax. Many will try to say that believing in only one way into heaven is too closed minded and that they believe that all pathways should lead to God. I want to say that people like this are very loving and good people because they care so much about the people of the world that they cannot stand the thought of anyone facing the judgment of God’s prison that we know as Hell. They believe that everyone should just be granted entrance into heaven no matter what path they take. However, whether we want to accept it or not there is only one truth. It is impossible for everyone to be right. God does not force us to believe in him though and Jesus does not force his way into our lives. Everyone is granted the freedom to believe whatever they choose. The only problem is that not everyone can be right. The question therefore is whether you recognize that you need a savior. The question is whether you will acknowledge the only person in the universe who can save you from eternal suffering.
If you have never believed before and you want to accept the salvation that Jesus offers today then I ask you to first confess to Jesus that you are a sinner and that you stand condemned for your sins. Confess that you cannot stand alone at the time of your judgment. Then acknowledge that you believe that Jesus has come into the world and has taken the punishment that you deserve. Ask Jesus to come into your life and transform your heart so that you can stand before the judge redeemed. Then thank him for being willing to be your savior. If you do that today and you truly believe today then I welcome you to the family of the redeemed.