Adam and Eve’s disobedience of God’s command not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden resulted in both physical and spiritual death. Physically, Adam and Eve would die, instead of living forever. Spiritually, Adam and Eve would also experience permanent separation from God, instead of enjoying a close relationship with him. However, due to God’s grace and forgiveness, he provided a means of salvation for Adam, Eve, and all of their descendants. God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us. By sacrificing his son, God provided a means of salvation to all who believe in him. When someone accepts Jesus Christ into their lives, they are gifted with salvation, which gives them the gift of eternal life. However, once someone has received salvation, they do not simply carry on with their life as they did before. Instead, they experience enormous change within their life, change that positively impacts themselves and others. Salvation changes the believer’s thoughts, behaviors, and interaction with others.
I strongly believe that the believer’s thoughts are the first major aspect impacted by salvation. Before salvation, most believers probably experienced a sense of meaninglessness, not knowing their purpose in life and not even knowing how or why they came into existence. Without faith in a forgiving God, I believe that existence must seem pointless and absurd, as well as unexplainable. Most people who have not yet experienced salvation probably experience a sense of desolation and detachment, yet once they receive salvation, they will feel renewed and full of peace and hope. However, I believe that one cannot simply listen to words and expect their thoughts to be transformed; they must also allow the words to influence them. According to James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” By following and accepting the word, believers will experience countless blessings. According to James 1:25, “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” Being blessed with salvation results in gratitude, which in turn results in changed thoughts, and these thoughts turn into transformed behavior.
Once a believer experiences a complete shift in their thoughts and their thought processes, I believe that these thoughts then manifest themselves in the believer’s actions, which is the second major way that salvation impacts believers. Specifically, believers begin to live righteous lives, performing good deeds. According to Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” In other words, salvation will not simply change a believer’s thoughts; it will also change a believer’s behavior. I believe that action is a very important aspect of a believer’s behavior, as this action demonstrates obedience towards God. According to James 2:17, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” However, I strongly believe that someone who receives salvation will naturally change their behaviors because once one has received the grace of God, everything in their life changes for the better. Part of this behavior includes baptism, which is a visual representation of one’s covenant with God: “As baptism is a recognition both of the need for human salvation and of God’s gracious willingness to provide it, all should be baptized” (McGrath, 2006, p. 161). Believers also demonstrate Christian behavior in other significant ways, and one of the most significant ways is by reaching out to others.
Lastly, after the transformation of one’s thoughts and subsequent behavior as a direct result of salvation, a believer will then transform their interactions with others, namely by spreading the good news of God’s love and mercy, exhibited in the sacrifice of his son. This was a direct command from Jesus himself; according to Mark 16:15, “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” In other words, I believe that those blessed with salvation should not simply be content with their newfound thoughts and behaviors; they should also help bring others to the same grace. According to Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill that cannot be hidden.” I strongly believe that salvation helps believers become the light of the world, the light that helps guide others towards a permanent relationship with God and eternal life. These interactions with others can take place at any point in time in any location, from the line at Starbucks to an airport in a foreign country. I strongly believe that most believers will embody a peace and joyfulness that others will seek, and this spirit will help create new believers.
When someone receives salvation, their thoughts, behaviors, and interactions with others are permanently changed for the better. I believe that one of the most immediate impacts that salvation has upon the believer is the change in their thought processes. Specifically, a believer changes from feeling hopeless to joyful about the future. Once the believer’s thought process changes, this change is then reflected in their behavior. Rather than becoming angry and resentful, they become grateful and happy for everything beneficial in their lives. Instead of needing attention to fuel one’s ego, believers devote themselves to serving others. One of the most important aspects of service to others is spreading the good news about God’s mercy, which he provides to us through his son. By spreading this news, a believer helps lead others to salvation, and these new believers experience similar benefits in their own lives. Therefore, salvation results in a beautiful ripple effect for humanity.
