Saved
Ponder: Is it arrogant to say “I am saved”?
Scripture: “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV).
Some hesitate to say, “I’m saved.” We don’t want to sound arrogant. Let’s try to clear this up a bit.
First, saying “I am saved” implies that I *needed* to be saved (thus I was *lost*). Suppose the crew of a rescue ship plucked you from the sea. By saying, “I am saved,” you would be admitting that you had been in danger of drowning, freezing, or being eaten by sharks! Likewise, Jesus came to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Saying, “I’m saved from sin” is an admission that my own sin made me lost. That is hardly arrogance!
Second, saying “I’m saved” acknowledges that I couldn’t do it myself. If I could make myself right with God, I wouldn’t need to be “saved.” As Paul wrote, “If righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2:21). We comply with the terms of pardon that God has revealed, and in that limited sense we “save ourselves” (Acts 2:40 KJV; 1 Timothy 4:16). But in no way do we earn or merit anything from God. Certainly it is not arrogant to acknowledge that I was lost in sin and could not remedy the situation myself.
Finally, “I am saved” does not equal “I am better than you.” Being saved is not about how good someone is. Think of the rescue ship. Is the rescued (saved) person a better swimmer than anyone else? Not likely! He might be the worst swimmer of all! But nobody would say, “How arrogant! That person out in the water is ten times the swimmer you are, but you say you are rescued and he isn’t!” Being a good swimmer is not what rescued you. Being rescued depended on getting into the ship. Likewise, salvation is not based on how “good” you are. Yes, we must repent and obey; but in the final analysis, all of us are imperfect. Our salvation depends on being in a right relationship with Jesus. It is not arrogant to say, “I am saved.”
Song: “Amazing Grace”
Prayer: Father, we can never thank You enough for the salvation You have made available through Jesus. We could never deserve it; it is a gift of your infinite grace. Help us, we pray, to rejoice in our salvation without coming across as being arrogant. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Joe Slater (Justin, TX)