“For Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God.” - 1 Peter 3:18
There are many amazing truths within the Gospel. Jesus died to forgive us of our sins. Wonderful news! Jesus died to make us right with God. Amazing news! Jesus died so that we can go to heaven when we die. Fantastic news! Christ’s death satisfied God’s wrath against sinners. Incredible news! All of these things are true, yet none are the central purpose of salvation. Forgiveness, justification, and eternity in heaven are not the goal. They are all just the means to get to God. Getting to God is the goal of salvation. That is why Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Think of it this way. I love my wife very much. It is rare, but sometimes we do argue. If I offend her, our relationship is broken. What needs to happen? I need to seek her forgiveness. Why do I want her forgiveness? Is it just so she will continue to wash my clothes and cook my meals? That would not be a good reason to repent…just so I can get things from her. That completely disregards her value. I should seek to make things right because I value my wife. I want her, not the things that she can do for me.
The same is true of a relationship with Christ. If we don’t get to God, what is the point? Salvation isn’t about me; it is about God. Jesus came to give us God, and the way that we get to God is through forgiveness and repentance.
Do you understand that forgiveness is just a means to an end…the end being a personal relationship with God? Spend some time in prayer, focusing on God as the goal of your salvation.
God, please forgive me for the times that I make the means the end goal. I pray that getting to You will always be my primary goal. May I never treasure the gifts above the Giver of the gifts. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Topics: Salvation
