You, too, can be saved

Some people are convinced that their sins are just too grave, beyond the cleansing blood of the lamb, Jesus Christ. That they can never be redeemed. It is not true. Some even ask themselves “can I be saved?” The answer is YES. The goal of this study is to unveil some Bible passages with a view of assuring you that God is ever ready to save you.

Consider the following:

1. Rahab the harlot

Rahab lived in a certain city called Jericho. She engages in sexual intercourse for money. An act that is so loathsome to God Almighty. The city of Jericho itself is an idolatrous city. Here is how Smith and Fausset dictionaries of the Bible describe Jericho.

“A city of high antiquity, situated in a plain traversed by the Jordan, and exactly over against where that river was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua. It was five miles west of the Jordan and seven miles northwest of the Dead Sea. It had a king. Its walls were so considerable that houses were built upon them.” (Smiths Bible dictionary)

“From a root "fragrance," or "the moon" (yareach), being the seat of Canaanite moon worship, or "broad" from its being in a plain bounded by the Jordan. Jericho is to the W., opposite where Israel crossed the Jordan under Joshua, at six miles' distance. It had its king. Walls enclosed it, and its gate was regularly shut, according to eastern custom, when it was dark.” (Fausset’s Bible dictionary)

Joshua, the chosen leader of the Israelites, sent out spies to the city of Jericho when they were approaching it. For God had promised the Israelites that the land would be given to them. The spies lodged with Rahab the harlot.

“And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon, and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.”(Joshua 2:9-11) See how Rahab declares the greatness of God, believes and submits to Him in the presence of the spies.

Reading carefully the above passages, we can conclude that the inhabitants of the city of Jericho heard of all the great things that God has done for the Israelites. But they believed and acknowledged not God except Rahab the harlot.

Her faith was perfected in obedience to the commands of the spies. (James 2:24-26) Rahab demonstrated in her deeds that the God of Israel is the only God. Her safety was in Him whom she trusted, and not in her past life.

It came to pass that Jericho was destroyed and only Rahab and her family were saved. This is similar to Noah and the Ark.

The Bible tells us that “By faith, the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she had received the spies with peace.”(Hebrews 11: 31)

God loves all men; and when they accept Him by faith and obey Him, it is He who is their Saviour, not their character. Anywhere God is acknowledged, believed, accepted and obeyed, His grace and mercy are there!

2. The city of Nineveh

The city of Nineveh was the capital of the kingdom and empire of ancient Assyria. God sends Jonah to the city to cry against it, for their wickedness is come up to the Lord God.

Jonah decides to flee from the presence of God. Perhaps he knows of the great city and her wickedness, and again, he knows how forbearing and merciful God is. The most inconceivable thing is that aside from Israel, there is no other nation that God Has chosen.

So how can God send His prophet to go and cry against Nineveh in the first place? This shows how merciful God is, no wonder, Jonah decides to flee from the presence of the Lord God.

Divine Providence brought Jonah back on track after he tried to flee to Tarshish. Jonah cry against the city of Nineveh. The inhabitants repent and wear sack clothes, from the greatest to the least.

The Bible tells us that the people believed in God. (Jonah 3: 1-10) God spared the city and He did not overthrow it as Jonah orated.

God is awesome, wonderful, gracious and merciful. He spares a city full of wickedness. Even Jonah himself was displeased and angry that the Lord God spared the city of Nineveh. (Jonah 4:1)That is how God is. God is ever ready to receive the repented heart of sinners.

3. Zacchaeus and Matthew, the Publicans

The Bible tells us about a certain rich man named Zacchaeus who was the chief of the tax collectors in ancient Israel. He was desiring to see Jesus when He entered Jericho but his stature could not allow him, for he is short. He climbed a sycamore tree, Jesus saw him and decided to go with him to his house.

If tax collectors were considered to be traitors then the chief of the tax collectors must be extremely wicked. Those around saw what happened and they murmured saying “…he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)

The actions of Zacchaeus too truly confirmed what people have been saying about tax collectors, that they are wicked and traitors. Nonetheless, examine what Jesus tells Zacchaeus “This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. ” (Luke 19:10)

Matthew is another tax collector Jesus called to into His ministry. He reclines with Him and many sinners and tax collectors were there too. The Pharisees were startled and wondered, what can a man who says He is the son of the living God be doing with sinners and tax collectors. The Pharisees and entire Israel consider tax collectors to be “chief of sinners”.

Jesus gave them a wonderful answer. “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9: 12-13). Praise be to God Almighty for His mercy endures forever. What a soul-comforting words. If only we open our hearts to the gospel, believe and repent of our sins, He is ever ready to receive us into His everlasting Kingdom.

Read also:
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4. The Apostle Paul

The conversion of Paul also known as Saul is another interesting one to look into.
Paul was a native of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. He was of Jewish descent, of the tribe of Benjamin. From his father, he inherited the rights of Roman citizenship. He was educated at Jerusalem in the school of Gamaliel. He was a zealous Pharisee. (Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:5)

The history of this great Apostle is not a good thing for the ear to hear. “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” (Acts 8:3)

There was a great persecution of the church at Jerusalem and Paul was part. Paul consented to the death of Stephen one of the deacons chosen in the church at Jerusalem. He was the one who took care of the clothes of the false witnesses against Stephen. Paul describes himself as chief of sinners (1Timothy 1:15).

Paul, desiring more to put to death and imprisoned Christians, went to the high priest to take letters to Damascus. It was during this trip that he was converted. How can this be? A man who persecuted the Christians so much and never was he satisfied. This is the love, the grace and the mercies of God. No one can understand God’s ways.

If we open our arms to the gospel and obey it then God remembers our past no more.

If:

1. God spared the wicked city of Nineveh

2. God saved Rahab the harlot

3. God brought salvation to the house of Zacchaeus

4. God saved Paul, the oppressor of the early Christians

Then you, too, can be saved!

· Believe unto righteousness (Romans 10: 9-10)

· Repent unto life (Acts 11:18)

· Confess unto salvation (Romans 10: 9-10)

· Be baptized unto the remission of sins (Acts 2: 38)




All scriptures are taken from the King James Version (KJV)

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