Verse Vital: Saved From What?

Essential Scripture

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Brief Reflection

I recently rewatched the iconic iceberg collision scene in James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic. “Hard a-starboard!” shouted the helmsman as he spun the wheel frantically. “Full astern!” ordered First Officer Murdoch, his usual calm demeanour giving way to grim shock. Despite the desperate last-minute manoeuvre, the crew of the RMS Titanic could not avoid grazing the massive iceberg that loomed out of the cold, black ocean. More than 1,500 lives were lost when the ship eventually broke in two and sank to the bottom of the Atlantic. All their efforts had failed to save the so-called “unsinkable” ship from the towering ghost of ice.

Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us of many truths. One of the most important is that we have been saved. We were headed for disaster, but we were ultimately saved. The crucial, but often unasked question is this: Saved from what?

Stated positively, the verses remind us that salvation is the gift of God. This gift is given because of the grace of God and can only be received through faith. What makes it incredibly profound and precious is that it is totally free, unmerited, and received simply through placing our complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. These reminders help us to worship God—directing both our gaze and hands in an upward direction.

Stated negatively, these verses remind us that we have been saved from something. Just as the Titanic needed a dramatic change of course to avoid the iceberg, we too required a complete turnaround. Thankfully, the Bible clearly answers the question, “Saved from what?” In my view, the answer should lead us to humbled reverence—even downward prostration before God.

When we read the Bible's "big idea" as a whole, the verdict is that all people need saving from God Himself. For many, this can understandably be difficult to grasp. However, the Bible's language is clear and repeatedly asserts that salvation entails the idea that sinners are saved from God. This includes God's furious wrath, His righteous judgments, His indignant anger, His retributive justice, and His holy presence. I've heard it stated this way: "We are saved by God, for God, from God."

While Ephesians 2:8-9 is a joyful call to remember the means of our salvation, it is also a fearful reminder of what we've been saved from. The saving God came to seek and to save the lost before they smash into the mountain of His righteous justice and holy presence. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Jesus dying in our place at the cross—being the ultimate evidence of what God was willing to do in order to prevent inevitable destruction—is the costly price God paid to make this redemption possible. The prophet Isaiah tells us, "He was crushed for our iniquities."

Have you ever paused to think about the question: saved from what?

Guided Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me from you and for you. Grant me joyful worship and humble prostration at the thought of what I've been saved from. Thank you for sending Jesus to take my place and bear the full penalty and punishment of my sin. Amen.

Questions for Further Exploration

• What other Bible verses support the teaching that we are saved from God?

• Why doesn't God just forgive everyone?

• How else does the entire chapter (chapter 2) in Ephesians describe God and man?