There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NLT)
Acts 2 begins, “When the day of Pentecost had fully come.” This was the birthday of the church. This new era was ushered in with signs and wonders. They saw tongues of fire, and they spoke new languages. The festival brought people from every nation who heard about the wonderful things that God had done. They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. Acts 2:12 (NLT)
There were likely other miracles that day, healings, or deliverances, because the power of God was there. But on this day the focus and emphasis were on salvation, and there were three thousand miracles on the day of Pentecost.
We delight in healings and seeing God do the unexplainable. It is exciting when we hear about a couple who desired to have a baby but were unable to until somebody prayed. We must ask ourselves if we have lost the wonder and awe of God’s salvation. When I was growing up in church, I recall my mother singing this song:
My Father is omnipotent, and that you can’t deny; A God of might and miracles- ‘Tis written in the sky. It took a miracle to put the stars in place, it took a miracle to hang the world in space; but when He saved my soul, Cleansed and made me whole. It took a miracle of love and grace!
We may not see salvation as spectacular as some other miracles like raising someone from the dead, or healing cancer or another disease, but salvation is the greatest miracle of all.
Salvation Is a Great Miracle Because
Salvation is the miracle that gets angels excited. “I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10 (CSB). We cannot say for sure that angels celebrate miracles, signs, and wonders, but we do know with certainty that when even one sinner repents and turns to God, the angels have a party. Can you imagine how excited they were on the day of Pentecost when three thousand people repented?
Without the miracle of salvation, we would still be dead. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. Ephesians 2:1 (NLT). Spiritually speaking, we didn’t have a pulse. We were flat liners. Put another way, You lived in this world without God and without hope. Ephesians 2:12 (NLT)
Only God could bring us to life. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:4–5 (NLT)
We must never forget that we have done nothing to earn salvation, but God who is rich in mercy demonstrated his love by freely offering us the wonderful gift that grants us eternal life.
We Are Now a Part of the Family
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. Ephesians 1:5–6 (NLT)
Adoption means that we have been loved by choice. We were conceived in sin, and dead as far as our spirits were concerned, but God not only saved us, but he also brought us into his family. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (NLT)
We were once strangers and aliens, but now Royal blood flows through our veins. We have obtained a great inheritance. “And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18 (NLT)
Salvation Is an Everlasting Miracle
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13–14 (NLT)
Our citizenship has been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God’s son. We were enslaved, but now we are free. Salvation is forever. All of the other healings, miracles, even being raised from the dead are only temporal. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but he eventually died again. We rejoice when God heals someone from sickness or disease, but unless Jesus returns in our lifetime, our bodies will still die eventually.
Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” John 5:24 (NLT)
How can there be any question that salvation is the greatest miracle of all?
It Must Not Be Neglected
How will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. Hebrews 2:3 (CSB)
It would not be responsible to celebrate and proclaim salvation is the greatest miracle of all, without a word of caution. Salvation is freely offered, but it was an exceedingly high cost. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 (NLT)
When something is ignored, or neglected, it indicates that it is no longer treasured and valued. There may not be open hostility, but indifference towards the greatest miracle of all is unacceptable. Remember, salvation is the miracle that brings joy to the angels and brought us from death to life. Through salvation, God adopted us into his forever family. Do not neglect our great salvation.
Steve Ekeroth