Scripture References: Matthew 1:21
*What does the word "saved" mean? According to the dictionary it means the following
(1) keep from harm
(2) keep for the future
(3) keep from being wasted
(4) keep from sin or it's consequences
*As we can see the word saved has more than one meaning, but since we are dealing with things concerning Gods word, then the word "saved" refers to someone that God has saved. What does God save a person from? Matthew tells us above that Jesus shall save his people from their sins.
What sins are these that Matthew is referring to? These sins that Christ will save us from are not the many sins that we all have already committed against God in our past life, but rather he came to provide a way that humanity could cease from committing sin against God. When and if God has forgiven us of all the past sins of our life, it's from that point on that God forbids us to continue on in sin and rebellion against him. Christ came to save us from the sin that indwells our whole being that consists of a body, a soul, and a spirit. It's the sin within us that is manifested outwardly in our life that Christ came to destroy. The apostle Paul tells us these words as stated in Romans 7:18 that says, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." This no good thing is the power and influence of sin that indwells every person that is born into this world. By one man this sin entered into this world, and that man was Adam. The sin that entered into humanity took control of their very being causing all to live in sin and rebellion against the nature of God. Mankind is totally helpless against the power of sin and for this very reason Christ was manifested to destroy it in a persons life.
John the Baptist evidently knew that Christ came specifically to this world to take away the sin of the world. As Christ came to be baptized of John in the river Jordan, John said these words as stated in John 1:29 that says, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." And we are told in Matthew 1:21 these words saying, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Before we can understand how Christ will take away our sin that indwells our total being, we must realize that Christ does not take away sin from within us in the same way he can take away a dreaded disease by the power of his spoken word in an instant of time. Christ can speak healing to a person who's body is totally infested with the disease of cancer and remove all traces of the cancer cells instantly from within their total being, but for Christ to remove all traces of sin within our total being is not done in an instant of time. Knowing that Christ came to take away sin, could he not take sin away instantly if he chose to? Of course he could, but you need to understand that to remove all traces of sin from within us is done through a cleansing process called sanctification. But let me first of all tell you that all the sin and evil that indwells the heart is miraculously removed instantly when the Holy Ghost comes into the heart. The apostle Peter reveals this truth in what he said in Acts 15:7-9 that says, "And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."
You need to understand that the purifying of the sins of the heart did not at the same time purify or cleanse the sin of the flesh and spirit. To prove this point look at what the apostle Paul reveals about this in what he sated in II Corinthians 7:1 that says, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Our flesh and spirit mentioned here is the two remaining parts or sections of our total man that consists of a body, a soul, and a spirit. The heart, which is a part of our total being, has already been purified of sin, as Acts 15:9 reveals.
Since we are told in II Corinthians 7:1 for us to cleanse ourselves from all the filthiness of both our flesh and spirit, then it stands to reason that the purifying of the heart refers to the soul. Notice how Paul tells us that we are to cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of our flesh and spirit. We accomplish this by walking in and obeying the truth of Gods word as the Spirit in our heart leads us into. The apostle John also bears out this truth in what he said in I John 1:7 that says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." This cleansing from all sin that John refers to here is the sin of both our flesh and spirit, as Paul mentions in II Corinthians 7:1. So for Christ to take away the sin of both our flesh and spirit is done as we walk in his word revealed in his gospel, which are his teachings. It's the cleansing power of the word of God that cleanses us from all inbred sin. We are not cleansed from all the sins that we committed against God, but rather God forgives us of those sins and what he does next is to cleanse us from inward sin so there will be no more outward sins being committed.
This is what I John 3:9 reveals that says, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." To be born of God is to become a son of God, but most fail to realize that God has no sinning sons and daughters; he never did and he never will.. There is no such thing as a sinning son of God simply because those born of God do not and further more cannot commit sin as John tells us. Very few people believe this because since they do commit sin and yet claim to be born again they will not believe what Gods word says about this, but to disbelieve Gods word as Eve did in the garden will get you cut off from God. Most are failing to realize that Christ came to take away the sin that indwells us and thereby it's flow outwardly in our life will be cut off. It's very sad to see that the greatest majority of confessing Christians today still live in and commit sin daily and yet claim to be born again. Confessing to be born again and still committing sin is deception at it's highest form, but it looks as if they could not care less of the truth concerning it. To be saved means to be saved from sin not in your sin. Why would God save a person in their sin when sin is rebellion against God? To believe you are saved in your sin is to believe that Gods eternal salvation is not sufficient to destroy sin in your life, of which multiplied millions of people are believing and thereby they deny the power of God being manifested in and through their manifested life. People fail to realize that a sinner sins against God as long as sin remains in their mortal being unless they have the power over that sin to cease from it and destroy it's power over them. Paul tells us these words stated in Romans 6:14-15 that says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." If you are yet under condemnation of the law, then you are not under grace where sin no longer has power over you. It's only because of the grace of God that we can have power over sin to destroy it in our life, but millions have been deceived into believing that Christ's death paid the penalty for committed sin as long as one lives. But this is a deceptive lie of the devil that's deceiving the masses today by the millions. Yes Christ came to take away sin; not to cover it like it's being taught and believed today. To sweep the dirt off the floor and under the carpet is not removing the dirt from the floor no more than to think that the blood of Christ covers your sin. Sin is still there and will be manifested in your life as rebellion against God as long as you live, unless you allow Christ to take your sin away, which can only be done by believing and obeying his word that will cleanse it from you. He that has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches..amen