God’s grace is indeed amazing. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) reminds us, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Eternity is not just a long time—it’s forever. It’s how long it will take for God to reveal His great love for us all. He’s our Heavenly Father, our Creator, and He wants us to dwell in His presence always. Through the sacrifice of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our sins were nailed to the cross and crucified once and for all. Now, when we accept the salvation that Christ offers, we are set free from the bondage of sin and death and step into the glorious promise of spending eternity with him. It’s an immeasurable gift and an incredible joy to know that we will be with our Lord and Savior, worshiping and rejoicing in his presence forever.
Understanding Your Destiny
Romans 8:29-30 (NLT) says, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.” This is tremendous! Long before we entered our mother’s wombs, our Heavenly Father knew all about us. He ordained the exact time of our births and the family we would be born into. There’s nothing about our existence that surprises Him. It is very comforting and reassuring to know that we are not an afterthought. God wanted us to exist, and our lives are precious to Him and purposeful in His plan for the entire universe.
We have an extraordinary destiny in Christ, one that will take us an eternity to live out. There’s no question that we face trials, setbacks, and uncertainties in this life, but because we are saved, sanctified, and filled with God’s Holy Spirit, we can always trust that He is guiding us toward the ultimate fulfillment of His Will. There simply is no better way to live than to live a saved life in Christ. Every step we take can be purposeful for God’s plan. Romans 8:28 (NLT) assures us, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” No matter the circumstances, everything works together for our good when we love God and align ourselves with His purpose. Even when the storms of life are raging, we can be sure that our Heavenly Father is actively working behind the scenes to bring about His perfect plan in our lives.
Transfers Us from Darkness to Light
In John 8:12, Jesus makes a powerful declaration: “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” In this promise, we see the transformative power of Christ’s light in our lives. Before we encounter Jesus and accept the salvation that he offers us, we walk in the darkness of sin and separation from God. There are really no words to describe our pitiful state of desperation and despair without Christ. We are lost, without a solid foundation to hold us up. And what’s worse, our human spirits are not alive to God. Colossians 2:13 (NLT) tells us, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.” Through Jesus Christ, we are invited to step into the light, where his truth, guidance, and salvation transform us into who God created us to be. As we follow Christ and carry out his mission, we are fulfilled in ways we never imagined. He empowers us to live according to God’s Will.
Empowers us through God’s Holy Spirit
Ephesians 5:8 (NLT) declares, “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!” God calls us to live as people of light, and this means we are empowered to live through His goodness, truth, and love. This is the empowerment we receive from the indwelling Holy Spirit who comes to take up residence in our inner being once we accept Christ. Our blessed Lord teaches in John 14:17 (NLT), “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” When the gift of the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us, he brings the fullness of the life of Christ.
Romans 8:11 (NLT) says, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” The Spirit gives us the power to live in a way that reflects our Heavenly Father’s character. He provides us with the strength to overcome sin and adversity, and to live according to God’s purpose. As our comforter, counselor, teacher, and guide, the Holy Spirit provides us with wisdom and understanding, and Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) tells us that he produces fruit in us: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” The Spirit also empowers us to demonstrate outwardly the power we have received inwardly. He does this through the manifestations of supernatural wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Through our acceptance of salvation, God thoroughly equips us to walk in the victory of Christ because He’s placed His Spirit within us.
It is a Free Gift
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) says, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Because of God’s amazing grace, He has made salvation available to everyone. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NLT) tells us that He desires that every person will accept His invitation and take advantage of this life-saving gift: “This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” This speaks of our Heavenly Father’s love and goodness, and although He wants everyone to be saved, the reality is that most will not accept this gift.
Sadly, many people are deceived into thinking that good deeds or being sincere is enough to get them into God’s Kingdom, but this is not true. Being kind or doing good things is wonderful, but it does not necessarily mean a person is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. Salvation is not automatic, and it cannot be earned. The Bible makes it clear in Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) that “if you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” If someone hasn’t done this but claims to be saved, they’re living in deception.
There are two spiritual kingdoms that the Bible tells us about: the realm of darkness that belongs to satan, and the glorious Kingdom of God which belongs to our Creator, Yahweh—the One True Living God. Our Heavenly Father’s Kingdom is one of love, light, liberty, and life. If we’re saved, that’s our home! So, the act of salvation is not just a change of spiritual location for us, but it’s a complete transformation in our identity and purpose. We are no longer enslaved by the forces of evil or ignorance, but instead, we are brought into the light of God’s Kingdom. This divine transfer changes our lives, giving us a new hope, a new identity, and a new purpose in Christ. Opening our mouths, confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord, and believing in our hearts that God raised him from the dead saves us! It’s a powerful gift that equips us to boldly live for Jesus and declare his glory every moment of our lives. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“The Truth of Salvation”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.