By Wang Zhen

It is said in the Bible, “For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Romans 10:10). Many of us therefore believe that by believing in the Lord Jesus, we are already saved and once saved always saved, so when the second coming of Christ arrives we will automatically be raptured into the kingdom of heaven. However, some brothers and sisters feel perplexed: We commit sins in the day and confess them at night, and often lose our tempers at people; we frequently tell lies and are capable of deceiving people and God, and haven’t become as a little child. God is holy, and absolutely no sinner is permitted to enter the kingdom of heaven. So, will the Lord rapture people like us when He returns?

This question is really worth seeking, for it is directly related to the important issue of whether or not we can enter into the kingdom of heaven when the second coming of Christ arrives. In order to find the answer, we need to understand this question: What is the meaning of being saved? Think back to the late period during the Age of Law. Because mankind was being corrupted more and more deeply by Satan, they committed more and more sins. If this continued, man would face the danger of being executed by the laws. God took mercy on mankind, however, and in order to save mankind He became flesh to preach the gospel of the heavenly kingdom. He healed the sick, cast out demons and brought people rich and bountiful grace; He taught man to love each other and to be tolerant, humble and patient. In the end, He was crucified and became the sin offering for all mankind. From that point on, so long as we repented and confessed our sins and prayed to the name of the Lord Jesus, then we would no longer be condemned by the laws because of our faith, and we would be saved. Just as it is recorded in the Bible: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2). “That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Romans 10:9). Therefore, “being saved by faith” that we talk about means that our sins are absolved, and that we won’t be condemned or sentenced to death by the laws—this is the true meaning of being saved.

Source From: Our Daily Devotionals