In the long-awaited moment of John the Baptist’s birth, the first words out of Zacharias’ mouth were not about his precious newborn son, but they were a benediction of God’s salvation. He blessed the Lord because he believed God was truly praiseworthy. He understood the power of God’s salvation and expressed his thankfulness and praise.
God is the God of our salvation. Salvation is simply this: Christ is in me, and I am in Christ. In a world that holds so many different views of salvation, it is important to have a biblical view of salvation because each one will live by his own belief of how to be saved. What does the Bible say about salvation? Zacharias’ benediction tells us the ultimate purpose of why God saved us. In these verses, we can see three hallmarks of true salvation, the first of which we will consider today.
Biblical salvation is possible because God is merciful. God does everything based on His goodness, kindness, and love. His mercy is not merely an abstract idea, but He shows us His mercy through Jesus Christ. We see God’s mercy in Jesus’s miracles, and ultimately, His death on the cross for our sins. It is symbolized in many ways in the Old Testament, such as the mercy seat in the tabernacle covering the sins of Israel. We receive God’s mercy through Christ alone. (Jn 1:4-5, 11-12; Rom 3:25)
God’s mercy is rich. The prodigal son asked for nothing more but for his hunger to be satiated, but his merciful father not only gave him a feast, but lavished him with all his goods. This is a picture of God’s mercy, and only those who truly know the richness of God’s mercy find satisfaction in Christ alone. Where there is mercy, there is the grace of God, and where there is grace, there is faith.
Many Christians debase God’s mercy and don’t value it much in their lives. They don’t understand the evilness of their own heart, but they believe they are good and have something to offer to God. Let God’s mercy into your heart, and let it remain. God’s mercy is towards His elect, and He invites us to come to Him through Christ Jesus. (Lk 15:17, 22-3)
How do you know you have God’s mercy? This is important to consider, because without God’s mercy there is no salvation. In Luke 7:37-39, we find a perfect picture of what someone who has experienced God’s mercy is like. There was a woman who was known publicly as a sinner, but God showed her mercy and forgave her sin. She therefore gave everything up for Jesus, including her sin, by God’s mercy. Those who truly understand God’s mercy want to commit to Christ fully, submitting to Jesus’ lordship in their lives. Moreover, those who experience God’s rich mercy is merciful. Just as how Stephen imitated Jesus on the cross when he himself was martyred, believers are able to forgive and show mercy to others because Christ, who is the fountain of all mercy, abides in them. (Lk 23:34; Acts 7:60)
Salvation is by God’s mercy. Let His mercy abide in you, and show His compassion and love towards others.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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