What does it mean to be saved?

If you have ever received a Gospel tract from someone you have probably read somewhere on the tract the idea of needing to be saved.  Or, maybe you have read a bumper sticker on a car or a sign on a church property that says, "Jesus Saves."

What does this common church phrase mean?  What does it mean to be saved?  What is a person saved from?

The Bible gives us the answer about what it means to be saved.

Let's consider some references found in the New Testament:

Being saved results from believing or placing your faith in the work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God:

John 3:16-18  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Acts 2:21  And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 4:12  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Acts 16:30-31  Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  31  And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 

Romans 10:9-13  because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  10  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  11  For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."  12  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  13  For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Being saved means you are no longer going to suffer in hell for your sins against the Almighty God:

Romans 5:8-11  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  9  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  11  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

John 3:16-18  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  17  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Being saved is an act of God's grace and mercy to the repentant sinner:

Ephesians 2:4-9  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  5  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--  6  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  7  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Titus 3:4-7  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,  5  he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  6  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  7  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

I hope this has helped you understand from God's Word the Bible what it means to be saved.  The list I made is not exhaustive.  To summarize, being saved means you have personally placed your faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to this earth to live a perfect life for you and to die in your place on the cross as payment for your sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).  He arose the third day from the dead and gives eternal life to all who call upon Him for salvation.  Being saved cannot occur from us being good since all of us have already sinned and come short of God's holiness (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23).   If you fail to believe in the Gospel, you will suffer eternally for your sins (Luke 16:24) because you have not believed in the name of the Son of God (John 3:18).

If you have not believed in Christ today for salvation from your sins, do so now and be saved from the wrath of God (Romans 5:8-11).

Pastor Steve
Psalm 119.89