God made a way through His Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!” You receive this gift of salvation by faith alone. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is God’s gift-not from works so that no one can boast.”
Jesus Christ died in our place when He was crucified on the cross. We deserved to be the ones placed on that cross to die because we are the ones who live sinful lives. But Christ took the punishment on Himself in our place—He substituted Himself for us and took what we rightly deserved. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the seal of man’s salvation (John 14:26-27; Eph. 1:13). He teaches us (John 16:13) and brings revelation to us (John 14:26; Rom. 8:26-27). He also works out sanctification in our lives by God’s Word, helping us become more like Jesus (Eph. 5:26; 1 Pet. 1:2); and gives spiritual gifts to us so that we might represent God’s kingdom to the fullest within our communities (Acts 2:1-21; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Acts 4:27-31; Heb. 2:2-4; Eph. 4:7-16; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).
The Blessed Hope of Christ's Return
Titus 2:12–13 teaches us “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” We will be blessed beyond measure when we see Christ. The trials of this life will be over, and we will see that “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). The bodies of those who have died will be raised to be joined with their souls, and then the bodies of those believers still living on earth will be changed into a body like the Lord’s resurrection body.