Remember The Greatness of Your Salvation
Mel Fisher had a great 64th birthday. A treasure hunter, Fisher owned Treasure Salvoras, Inc., and had been looking for the Spanish galleon (Neustra Senora de Atocha) for 17 years. The ship, loaded with precious cargo, sank in 1622 during a hurricane. It was on its maiden voyage from Havana to Spain. On a July day just before his 64th birthday, Fisher discovered the ship and its treasure about 40 miles west of Key West, Florida. Imagine his joy that day as his divers brought up from the deep an estimated 150 pounds of gold, including 76 gold bars, gold chains, and gold disks! In addition to this find, more than 900 silver bars and 100 gold bars have been recovered. It is estimated that the ship’s fortune may contain a treasure worth more than $340 million. Wow! Can you even imagine?!
One of the qualities of something that many times makes it special is its cost. We are very protective over our house, nice car, jewelry, or electronics because of how expensive they are or what sacrifices were made to obtain them.
In the same way, one of the things that makes our salvation so great is its tremendous cost. It cost God his Son and it cost Christ tremendous pain and suffering. He bore the wrath of God on the cross. We see the afflictions and suffering of Christ clearly in Isaiah 53:5.
Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.
One thing we know is that salvation is the work of God, whereby He regenerates spiritually dead sinners into new creations filled with the life of Christ.
God has caused us to be born again to a living hope through Christ’s resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). If we set our hope on the things in this life, we will be disappointed because this is a fallen world, which is decaying because of the effects of sin. As believers, however, we have new life and a living hope that transcends this world.
We have an imperishable inheritance reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4). Worldly possessions, investments, and retirement plans can be lost in a moment. But, as heirs with Christ, we have a heavenly inheritance that’s being kept safe by God Himself.
We are protected by the power of God through faith for a future salvation (1 Peter 1:5). As God’s own children, we never have to fear the loss of our salvation, because our almighty Father keeps us in Christ. And we also have the guarantee of a future bodily resurrection when Jesus returns.
Remember the Greatness of Your Salvation!
Mac Hoover, Elder