Why Did God Save Us?

By Melissa McLaughlin

Why Did God Save Us?

Why did God save us? That’s easy. The answer rolls right off our tongues… because God loves us, of course! God sent Jesus because He desired to rescue us from hell and bring us to heaven. (John 3:16)

Yes, it’s true, God loves us.

Yet, scripture teaches that our salvation has a purpose that goes beyond ourselves. Let’s consider…

It’s Not About Me

Salvation is from God, of God, for God.

Jesus paid the cost for our salvation.

We reap the benefits.

God gets the glory.

Why Did God Save Us?

We are saved for reasons that transcend us, adding to the extravagance of our salvation in Christ.

We are saved to:

• glorify God
• be in God’s family and enjoy His presence forever
• be God’s temple on earth
• reflect Christ’s image
• do the work of Christ
• join in the worship of heaven

Saved to Glorify God

God made us in His image. Our very bones, muscles and sinews display the glory of a Creator who surpasses us in every way. Even more marvelous, this same God recreates us when we place our faith in Christ. In Him we are born again as new creations. Born now of His Spirit. We carry more than a dusty resemblance to our Maker. The blood of Jesus, shed on the cross for our sins, pulses through our spiritual hearts with divine life.

Isaiah 43:7 – Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.

2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.

Romans 11:36 – For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.

Revelation 4:11 – You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.

All have sinned and fall short of God’s perfection. Further, we are utterly incapable of making ourselves right before God. Our salvation, through the shed blood of Christ, demonstrates God’s unspeakable mercy.

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

Saved to be in God’s family and enjoy His presence

While all humans are blessed to be made in God’s image, believers are now adopted into His family, through Jesus Christ. A gift of forever.

1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 John 3:1 – See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Romans 8:14-17 – For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God… The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Psalm 16:11 – You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 23:6 – Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Saved to be God’s Temple

So great was His love, that God desired to be near mankind from the beginning when He walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve. While in the wilderness, the LORD directed Moses to build a Tabernacle (sacred tent) to dwell with His people there. Later the Temple was built as a permanent dwelling place for the Presence of God.

Incredibly, after Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to indwell the hearts of His believers. (Acts 1:4-5) God is near! God is with us! God is within! He dwells within our hearts now. What a treasure, we carry the Presence of God. We are God’s Temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

2 Corinthians 6:16 – For we are the temple of the living God.

2 Peter 1:4 – By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Saved to Reflect the Image of Christ

Jesus returned to the glory of heaven and we await His second coming. While we wait, we re-present Him to others, as we reflect the image of Christ in spirit and in truth.

Romans 8:29 – For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

2 Corinthians 3:18 – And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 – Christ’s love controls us… He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

Saved to Do the Work of Christ

Christ ascended into heaven and is preparing a place for His people there. (John 14:2-3) We are His ambassadors on earth, representing His kingdom and accomplishing His work until He comes again. To do the work of Jesus Christ is the highest calling of our lives. What work does Jesus have for us?

What is the Work of Christ?

Do Good Works

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Matthew 5:16 – Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven Matthew 5:16

Christ’s Ambassadors

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 – And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Make Disciples

Matthew 28:19-20 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Bear Fruit

John 15:8 – By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

John 15:5 – I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Obey God and Grow in Holiness

The goal of this great salvation is not to continue in sin. We are not saved to sin. We are saved from sin.

The point of God’s kindness is to lead us to repentance. (Romans 2:4)

Jesus Christ was sinless. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Although, Christians are not sinless until we reach heaven, we strive to sin less, as we become more like Christ. This is called sanctification, growing in the holiness of Christ. Christians are not called to a life of perfection, but we are called to a lifelong pursuit of the Holy God who saved us. His Spirit and His Word cleanse, correct, encourage and strengthen us to “Be holy as I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)

We grow in holiness by daily surrender and obedience to God’s Word through the power of His Spirit. This comes from a heart posture of seeking the Lord in humility, honesty and repentance.

2 Timothy 1:9 – He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

John 14:15 – If you love me, keep my commands.

1 John 5:2-3 – By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Philippians 2:8-11 – He [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Saved to Join the Worship in Heaven

Finally, as we lift our eyes from this earthly realm, we remember something more glorious than words can fully describe. We are saved to join the worship in heaven before the throne of God and the Lamb. Imagine this if you can…

Revelation 5:13 – Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 21:1-5 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Why Did God Save Us?

As I contemplate Biblical reasons God saved us, I am rendered speechless. Yes, God saved us from certain destruction. But God also saved us to Himself and the glory of heaven!

Holy Spirit, help us live a life that is worthy of the astounding, eternal salvation won for us. Worthy of the name that we bear, Jesus Christ our Savior and LORD!

Additional Resources:

Believer or Follower – Which one are you? By Melissa McLaughlin

The Sacrificial Lamb – Why Did Jesus Have to Die? By Melissa McLaughlin

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant By Melissa McLaughlin

Can I Really Know God? By Melissa McLaughlin