The greatest gift someone could ever receive is the gift of salvation. When God gives salvation, He does it out of the love and kindness of His heart. There is nothing that can be done to earn this gift, but He gives it anyway (Ephesians 2:8). This undeserved gift is an act of grace, and is key to understanding what God has done for us.
The New Life
In the book of John, a man named Nicodemus asks Jesus how a new life is possible. Is it really true that a man can have a second birth? How does this work? Jesus explains to Nicodemus that this new life is not physical, but spiritual (John 3:5). When we believe in Christ for our salvation, we become a new person spiritually. The old spiritual life that was dead because of sin is left in the past and a new life with Jesus begins (Romans 6:11). The motivation for the new life is completely different than the former life. Instead of living for selfish gain, we live in thankfulness of God's grace to us. True thankfulness will show in our lives as we sacrificially serve God and others (Romans 12:1). We serve God and others by sharing the Good News of salvation in Jesus, leaving our sinful life for a God-honoring life, and by loving others above ourselves.
The Holy Spirit
Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be a Helper to His disciples for when they went out into the world (John 14:26). After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to live inside of all believers. The Spirit ministered to the believers of the early Church everyday. Thousands of years later, that same Spirit is still at work in us. The moment we are saved, the Holy Spirit comes to make His home inside of our hearts. He helps us in our new lives in many different ways. He empowers us. He guides us. He comforts us. He corrects us. He teaches us. He reminds us. As He works inside of us, the new life will show evidence seen in a life marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Adoption Through Christ
When we think of adoption today, we think of a transferring of title, and a new sense of belonging. Adoption is an incredible joy both for the parents and the child as it points to a hopeful future of loving and lasting relationship. When the Bible speaks about our salvation, it does so by painting a beautiful picture of adoption. God is the Father, who in love pulled us out of the situation we were in, and adopts us as His own children (Romans 8:15). For all of eternity, our relationship with the Father is secure, and there is absolutely nothing that could separate us from the love of the Father (Romans 8:38). Our salvation is then something we enjoy forever. It changes what we live for and who we live for. When we receive an incredible gift, our natural reaction is to tell others about it. This ought to be the same with the gift of salvation. Share this news with those around you, and tell them of your relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ!
