Who Can Be Saved?
Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God. Luke 18:26-27
Jesus had just finished telling His disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.
That is quite a picture. No matter how hard you try, that camel is not getting through the eye of a sewing needle.
The disciples understood the point. If someone with wealth, influence, and resources could not earn their way into heaven, what hope was there for anyone else? That is why they asked, “Then who in the world can be saved?”
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It was a good question.
The word rich is a relative term. Most people do not compare themselves with those who have less. They compare themselves with those who have more. A person who feels poor in America may still possess more than many people around the world.
The truth is that Jesus was addressing something much deeper than money. He was talking about the impossibility of saving ourselves.
Human beings naturally believe there must be something we can do to earn God’s approval. We think if we are good enough, kind enough, generous enough, or religious enough, we should qualify for heaven.
That way of thinking is becoming more common today. Many people believe they are entitled to heaven simply because they exist. You hear it in statements like, “If God is a loving God, He would never send anyone to hell.”
Is Getting Saved an Entitlement?
What they are really saying is, “Because I am a human being, I deserve heaven.” But that is not what Scripture teaches. Jesus did not say being saved was difficult. He said it was impossible. That changes everything.
If you have a sewing kit nearby, take out a needle and look at the eye. Then imagine trying to push a camel through that tiny opening. That is Jesus’ illustration of what it would be like for people to save themselves.
It cannot be done. The wonderful news is that God specializes in impossibilities. What is impossible for us is possible with Him.
We could never earn forgiveness. We could never remove our own sin. Neither could we make ourselves righteous enough to stand before a holy God.
So God did for us what we could never do for ourselves. Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again from the grave. Through Him, the impossible became possible.
Being saved is not based on what we do. It is based on what He has already done. That is why our only hope is found in Christ.
Life Application:
- Thank God for doing what you could never do for yourself.
- Stop trying to earn God’s favor and learn to rest in His grace.
- Share the good news of salvation with someone who thinks they must work their way to heaven.
The only entitlement any of us possess is the right to choose what we will do with Jesus Christ. Left to ourselves, heaven is impossible. But because of the cross and the empty tomb, God turned the impossible into a possibility for everyone who believes.
Check out these related posts on getting your life right with God and getting saved.
- Receiving Salvation In The Lord Is Made Easy
- An Invitation To Salvation Found In Isaiah
- Born Into The Family Of God
- Jesus Became The Ultimate Sacrifice For The World
- I Know My Redeemer Lives
- Saved By The Grace Of God
- Our Citizenship Is In Heaven
- Salvation Is For Everyone
- Paul And Silas In Prison
- Are You Religious Or Spiritual?
- Start A New Beginning In The New Year
- No One Is Righteous, Therefore, Trust In The Lord
- Our Rock And Salvation Provides An Unshakable Hope
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