What does it mean to be saved?

 

To be saved means that we are no longer citizens of this world, but we have become citizens of Heaven. When we were citizens of this world, we were unforgiven sinners, and because of our unforgiven sin we could not enter the presence of God or God's Heaven. But now that we have repented of our sins and God through His son the Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven us our sins, we can now enter Heaven, we have become citizens of Heaven. Ephesians 2:19, teaches us. 

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Ephesians 2:19. 

Then Philippians 3:20 teaches us. 

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:20. 

We can clearly see from these passages of Scripture that as saved Christians we are no longer of this world, but we have become citizens of Heaven. To be saved means that we no longer live our lives solely to please ourselves, but we now live our lives to please God. As believers we must not just believe in the Gospel, but we must also live the Gospel and obey the Gospel. When the Lord Jesus Christ called the Apostles together just before He ascended into Heaven, He gave them a command. 

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:19-20. 

This is not just a command to the Apostles, but to all believers. We as believers are not just commanded to preach the Gospel, but to teach all who accept the Gospel to observe, or to obey all the things that the Lord Jesus Christ commanded the Apostles to observe and obey. As believers we need to read and learn God's word, and then we need to obey God's word. God calls on all believers to be examples not just to other believers, but to unbelievers as well.

The book of Philippians 2:14-15 teaches us. 

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15. 

A believer’s heart should be full of joy, because a believer knows for certain that they are going to Heaven when this life is over. When a person’s heart is full of joy everyone can clearly see it. When the heart is full of joy people can see it on your face and hear it in your voice, and feel it in the way that you interact with other people. This joy which can be seen and heard and felt will generally cause people to ask, why are you always so happy and content, and this question will give the believer a perfect opportunity to share their faith. Now you might ask at this point, how can I do all these things? The answer to this question can be found in the book of Philippians 4:13, which simply says. 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13.  

This means that we don't just believe in God, or that God is real, or that God really exists. This means that we completely trust in God to fulfil all the promises of Scripture which He {God} promised to those who willingly accepted His Son the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This means that when God gives us a command, whatever that command may be, whether to teach, or to preach, or to share the Gospel, we do so fully believing and trusting in God, that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. This is what it means to be saved.