Everyone needs saving. Many just don’t know it.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

From the past two days:
When Peter made his great statement in Acts 4:12, he gave us a unique definition of salvation from God’s perspective,

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

There are several questions that arise from this verse.

1. Must a person be saved?
2. From what is he lost?
3. Is he not capable of saving himself?
4. Why Jesus’ name?
5. What makes His name special?
6. Everyone?
7. What is required?
8. What shall we gain/avoid?

Today, we look at why mankind is not capable of saving himself. Remember that in order to be saved, the person needing saving must rely upon someone else to save him. In order for it to be true salvation, the person needing saving must not be able to save himself. He must need a savior. Let’s look at mankind according to what God’s Word says.

There are three metaphors that are used to describe mankind’s plight:

1. We are dead.
2. We are lost.
3. We are sick.

We are dead-
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…” Ephesians 2:1 
¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, Colossians 2:13

We are lost-
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior” Colossians 1:21
⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Luke 15:4
⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? Luke 15:8
³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15:32

We are sick-
³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Luke 5:31
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

These metaphors are accurate, but Matthew tells us our true predicament in Matthew 4:16,

¹⁶ the people living in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” [Isaiah 9:2]

We were living in spiritual darkness. We needed the light of Jesus. Remember the tongues of fire that settled on the believers in the upper room at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)? The light of the fire is in each of us because of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. When we turn from our darkness and follow Jesus, we turn to His light. We are reborn; we are found; we are healed. Jesus said,

I AM the Way;
I AM the Truth;
I AM the Life;
No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6

Tomorrow: Why in Jesus’ name?

Abba, we were dead relationally, cut off from You and in the enemy’s camp. We were lost and couldn’t find our way home. We were sick and couldn’t see straight, nor think straight. We were deceived, misled, trapped, ensnared, and addicted. Thank You for rescuing us. You are our Savior! Amen.