BEN F. VICK, JR.
Many years ago, a popular slogan was "Give me the man, not the plan." This expression meant to tell me about Jesus but not the plan of salvation. Some were crying that they did not want to hear of the steps of salvation; they just wanted to hear of Jesus and his love. Faithful brethren emphasized the importance of what one must do to be saved because many in the evangelical world were not teaching the truth about what one must do to be saved. Many teach one is saved by faith only. So, to counteract that false doctrine, we have taught what the New Testament teaches on salvation. It has been right to do this. However, let us not lose sight of who saves us.
When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matt. 1:21.) The angel announced to the shepherds, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11.) The people of Samaria did not accept the woman's word who had talked with Jesus at the well. But they said, "…unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." (John 4:42.) The apostle Paul in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia said, "Of this man's seed [David's] hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.” (Acts 13:23.) To the church at Philippi, Paul wrote, "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 3:20.) Paul said to Timothy, "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Tim. 1:10.) Peter's opening lines of his second epistle reads, "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:1.) These verses underscore that Jesus is the Savior.
Jesus is our Savior. He did not come to deliver men from physical persecution or oppression. He did not come to set us free from all of the social ills in this world, though if men followed his teaching, the world would be turned right side up. However, He came to save us from the bondage of sin. Jesus said, "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10.)
Jesus is the perfect Savior. No one else has nor can match his life. Paul wrote, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Heb. 4:15) "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" (Heb. 7:26) He knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:18). Even when railed upon, attacked, scourged, and put to death, he did not retaliate. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." (1 Peter 2:21-25)
The blood of bulls and goats was insufficient to forgive sins. Those animals though spotless did not volunteer to be slaughtered. Those sacrifices were offered daily, weekly, and yearly. Jesus offered himself willingly once and for all.
Under the law of Moses, God selected the tenth day of the seventh month as the day of atonement. On this day, two goats were selected. Lots were cast to determine which one was to be offered to the Lord as a sin offering and which would be the scapegoat sent out into the wilderness. Moses records what was to be done with the scapegoat: "And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness." (Lev. 16:21-22.) The blood of the sin-offering goat was sprinkled upon and before the mercy seat as atonement for the people. What was done with these goats was symbolic of what Jesus, our Savior, did for us. He made atonement for our sins by carrying his blood (in a figurative sense) into heaven itself (Heb. 9:11-14). Just as the scapegoat had the sins of the people confessed on its head and sent far out into the wilderness, Jesus removed our sins far from us.
So, it is right and good to sing songs praising our Savior. Here is a list of a few:
O WHAT A SAVIOR
JESUS SAVES
HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOR!
JESUS SAVIOR, PILOT ME
CAN HE DEPEND ON YOU? Begins, "Jesus the Savior came down from above…."
JESUS, MY PRECIOUS SAVIOR
SAVIOR BREATH AND EVENING BLESSING
SAVIOR GRANT ME REST AND PEACE
SAVIOR, LIKE A SHEPHERD LEAD US
SAVIOR LEAD ME LEST I STRAY
SAVIOR TEACH ME
SAVIOR DIVINE, DWELL IN MY HEART
If Jesus is our Lord, then he will be our Savior. As quoted earlier, Paul wrote: "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Phil. 3:20.) Peter, on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of the Lord, said, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36.) Jesus Christ cannot be our Savior unless he is our Lord. We must be willing to submit to him. Our Savior and Lord tells us to believe the gospel (Mark 16:15-16). He commands us to repent (Luke 13:3,5). Our Lord tells us to confess him (Rom. 10 9-10). Our Lord commands us to be baptized (Mark 16:15; Acts 10:47-48). Our Lord and Savior calls upon us to be faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10).
O, what a Savior is Jesus our Lord.