Do I Need To Be Saved?

---

If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

---

This is Part 4 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love.

In this message (Part 4), I’m going to examine another defining characteristic of superheroes: they desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love.

Well, that’s great that superheroes desire to save people, but do we need to be saved? Over the years as I have lived as a follower of Christ and messenger of GOD’s Word, I have heard or read the following arguments from those who oppose the need to be saved:

• “I’m the hero of this story – I don’t need to be saved.”
• “I don’t need you to save me. I just want you to stand by my side as I save myself.”
• “I once met a girl who needed a hero. And so she became one.”
• “I’m not a princess that needs to be saved by prince charming. I’m the queen and if you’re not careful, it’ll be ‘off with his head.’ “
• “People don’t need to be saved or rescued. They need only the knowledge of their own power and how to access it.”
• “People are incapable of being saved; we’re all destined for death.”
• “I’m a good person. I don’t need to be saved.”

While those common quips are quite cute and somewhat amusing, they’re misleading because they’re lies. All of those quotes came from people who proclaimed themselves to be either feminists or atheists or both.

In the article “I Don’t Need To Be Saved“, the female author conveys a message that females don’t need boyfriends or husbands to find happiness. In the article “Guess What World? Women Don’t Need To Be Saved“, the female author asserts that individuals (women in particular) do not need to be empowered. The author doesn’t like that if something can be given it can also be taken away. She also boldly declares that women are not helpless. Sp!ked Online posted an article, “Strippers Don’t Need To Be Saved” to show everyone that women empower themselves. And in RaisingKidsWithoutReligion.net, the author states that atheists do not need to be saved.

So, either a person misunderstands what it means to be saved or a person rejects the need for a Savior altogether. To be fair, I agree with the women who say that they don’t necessarily need a boyfriend or husband in order to be saved.

In regards to singleness, I sometimes wish I had a partner in life. In fact, at one point I did, but she passed on after her body succumbed to a terminal illness (you can see my entire story in my other video: “My Testimony: From Agnosticism, To Atheism, To Christianity“). With that said, may it be known that people do possess an identity apart from marriage. This is not to say that marriage is not good – it is good so long as it is in alignment with the design of marriage. But one is a whole number, not a half of a number. Although marriage is normative and usual in both the Old and New Testaments and is seen and understood in the Judeo-Christian heritage, there certainly is a place of prominence for the single person, especially the one having the gift of singleness. You read that right — singleness can be a gift. The fact that such notable and influential leaders as Jeremiah, Ezekiel, John the Baptist, Paul, and Jesus were single speaks highly of the single status and that singleness should be seen as a viable, credible option in society, and especially in Christendom today. Jesus was a single adult. Singleness is a gift to use for the Kingdom of GOD, not a curse that prevents us from becoming complete. We are complete in Christ alone (Colossians 2:10). So, if you are currently single, find joy in knowing you are capable of achieving a lot for the Kingdom. But don’t take my word for it – read GOD’s Word on the matter (Matthew 19:10-12; 1Corinthians 7:7-9, 24, 32-35, 38; Philippians 4:11-13). In fact, we will all end up being single on the New Earth under the new heavens (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:24-25; Luke 20:34-36). But marriage is a gift for us here right now. However, two becoming one (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5) isn’t a prerequisite for being saved. There is a much deeper meaning to the truth that we all need to be saved.

So, now understanding that romantic relationships are irrelevant to this topic of needing to be saved, let’s set that aside. The remaining arguments to address all deal with pride. A person rejects the need for a Savior because a person does not believe he/she needs to be saved. But why does a person believe he/she doesn’t need to be saved? Typically, it’s because the person doesn’t believe that another life apart from the one we know exists. If materialism and naturalism is true, then this life is all there is and there’s nothing to be saved from because it simply is what it is.

However, my investigation for Truth has revealed that materialism cannot account for minds, personality, love, or moral law. In addition, naturalism is not able to explain either itself or the universe on a purely naturalistic premise. All arguments for the existence of life and the meaning of life lead to only one logical conclusion: theism. In short, this conclusion was drawn from examining the origin of the universe, a fine-tuned universe, the origin of life, the origin of consciousness, the existence of free will, and the existence of morality. The specific investigation of theism boils Truth down to monotheistic Christianity. To read about this quest for Truth in detail, read my other article, “Why I Am A Christian.”

Christ Jesus claimed to be the Creator and the Savior. So, from a Christian worldview, I’ll explain why we simply cannot save ourselves and why we need a Savior.

GOD Is The Standard:

“Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.’ ”
(Mark 10:18) -ESV

First and foremost, we need to realize that we cannot know what is wrong unless we first know what is right. We cannot know what is bad unless we first know what is good. We cannot know what is crooked unless we first know what is straight. GOD is the absolute standard of what is good, right, and perfect. The nature of GOD consists of all good qualities. GOD is Holy.

“When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ ”
(Matthew 19:25-26) -ESV

Humans Are Sinful:

Jesus told us that through human efforts, it is impossible to be saved. That means that we cannot save ourselves. Why not?

“They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.”
(Psalm 53:3; Romans 3:10-12) -ESV

Is there truly no one who is good? First, “good” must be defined. There is a big difference between a person who is good and person who does good deeds. We are all capable of doing good deeds, but only GOD is good. Thus, GOD is the definition of good. People cannot be good because all people have been born into sin and are sinners (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:3). How many laws do we need to break before we’re guilty? Only one! And we break GOD’s moral laws every day, disqualifying us from the “good” category. Because every human is in the same position of being sinful and needing to be saved, we cannot save ourselves. The Bible teaches the total depravity of the human race; that is, every aspect of our being has been corrupted by sin. We need the Good Shepherd (Jesus) to seek out the lost sheep (us) and bring them home (the New Earth under the new heavens) (Matthew 18:12; John 10:11,14; Revelation 21-22).

Justice Demands Punishment:

If we’re not good, then we’re guilty. All that is not good, right, and perfect is sin. Sin cannot be with GOD due to GOD’s holy nature. It’s like oil and water – they don’t mix. Thus, all sin must be separated from GOD. Because we are sinful from birth, we are “by nature deserving of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
(John 3:18) -ESV

Without salvation, we stand condemned. We need Jesus – the Righteous One – to propitiate the punishment and prevent our judgment of a guilty verdict.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23) -ESV

After death comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27), and, if we die without GOD’s salvation, we will meet the same fate as the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) who lifted up his eyes “in torment.” We need a Savior to rescue us from a fate literally worse than death. Yes – Hell is a real place, albeit not the place most people believe it to be. Hell is the place of quarantine for those who freely choose to live a life of evil/wrong. Thus, Hell is GOD’s necessary justice for His loving gift of free will.

We are spiritually dead (Romans 5:12). Before salvation, we are “dead in [our] sins” (Colossians 2:13). Dead people can do nothing for themselves. We need resurrection. We need the life-giving power of Christ, who alone can conquer death. We are all enslaved to sin. And “those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7–8). In our natural state, we are held in Satan’s snare and bound by his will (2Timothy 2:26). We need a Redeemer to liberate us.

When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again, Jesus spoke of necessity (John 3:3-7). Being saved—receiving the new birth—is not just a nice idea or a divine suggestion. It is the deepest need of the human soul: “You must be born again.” The phrase “born again” literally means “born from above.” People desperately need a change of heart – a spiritual transformation. New birth, being born again, is an act of GOD whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1Peter 1:3; 1John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4,18). And John 1:12-13 indicates that being “born again” also carries the idea of “becoming children of God” through trust in the name of Christ Jesus.

Mercy Demands Forgiveness:

“Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’ ”
(Acts 16:30-31) -ESV

All sin is ultimately committed against an eternal and infinite GOD (Psalm 51:4). Because of that, the just penalty for our sin is also eternal and infinite. Because the just penalty for sin is infinite and eternal, only GOD could pay the penalty, because only He is infinite and eternal. But GOD, in His divine nature, could not die. So, GOD became a human being in the person of Jesus and willingly sacrificed Himself for us, allowing Himself to be crucified (John 10:15). Because Jesus was both fully human and fully divine, He could fully die as a human; and because Jesus was GOD, His death had an eternal and infinite value. Jesus’ death on the cross was the perfect and complete payment for our sin (1John 2:2). GOD’s love for us is so great that He took the consequences we deserved. Why? Because GOD is love (1John 4:8,16).  Jesus’ resurrection from the dead demonstrated that His death was indeed the perfectly sufficient sacrifice for sin. GOD did what we could never do by our own efforts. All you need to do is repent and then receive. In Christ we “have been set free from sin” (Romans 6:18).

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
(Romans 8:9-11) -ESV

Love is the supreme ethic. Where there is the possibility of love, there must be the reality of free will. Where there is the reality of free will, there will inevitably be the possibility of sin. Where there is sin, there is the need for a Savior. Where there is a Savior, there is the hope for redemption and restoration.

Relentless Rescue:

Because of sin, no human is capable of securing salvation apart from GOD’s provision (Romans 3:23-26; Ephesians 2:8-9). We should expect GOD to look down and search for faithful followers (1Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 139:1,23; Jeremiah 17:10; Ezekiel 34:11; Romans 8:27; Revelation 2:23). Also, we are capable of accomplishing good deeds (1Peter 2:12). And since GOD is searching for faithful followers and we are capable of acting, we should be ready to volunteer our services at all times (Isaiah 6:8; 2Timothy 4:2; Titus 3:1).

You most certainly can be a superhero! But it’s important to realize that we are not the ones saving people – Jesus is the Savior! All we do is simply steer people away from danger by pointing them in the direction toward salvation. Essentially, Christians act as sidekicks to the Superhero and share the Good News with the dead who are walking around lost in the darkness and tell them where they can find life (in the Light; John 8:12). Indeed – the walking dead are real! Are you willing to live in obedience to a life of love to speak life into those who are lost and walking around dead in their sins?

Peter had denied Jesus three times before Jesus died on the cross (Matthew 26:75; Mark 14:72; Luke 22:61; John 18:17,25-27). After the resurrection, Jesus redeemed Peter and asked him three times if Peter loved him. Three times Peter told Jesus that he did love him (John 21:15-17). In response, Jesus told Peter to feed His lambs and take care of His sheep. If we love Jesus (who is love), then we need to love the people Jesus loves – and that happens to be everyone.

Do I need to be saved? Yes. I need a Savior. And so do you. In summary, all people need to be saved. No human being is the Savior; however, all humans can be sidekick-superheroes who love others by sharing the message of Life with those who need fed with the only true sustenance of the soul – GOD’s Word (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; John 6:35-59).

If you want to accept Jesus as your Savior and thus be saved, you first must believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose again in order to conquer death so that we may live. Once you believe, all you need to do is acknowledge your sinful nature, admit you need to be forgiven, and then accept GOD’s forgiveness. And then just as Jesus spoke these words to the woman caught in the act of adultery, receive them as your own: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11).

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
(2Corinthians 5:17) -NLT

So, go! Be superheroes in the name of the Savior! Use your loving desire to save people from danger and death to share the message of the Truth, the Way, the Light, and the Life (John 14:6)! But remember: true superheroes dedicate their entire lives to this life of love. If you want to be labeled as a hero, then all you need to accomplish is one random act of kindness. But superheroes are in it for life, for better or for worse, in sickness or in health, until death forces them apart. We’re in it to win it. So, don’t back down. Stand up, speak out, reach out, and invite others in.