Since ancient times, in the far east, Buddhists have believed that salvation is achieved through self-effort and through the understanding of Buddha’s Dharma. This Dharma is merely the acknowledging of their true nature versus Buddha’s nature, operating on the premise that they have the potential to uplift themselves and be good. Therefore, they don’t realize the need for a Saviour.

In Hindu philosophy, there are three ways to be saved. Knowledge [mystical meditation], works, and devotion. But all this is dependent upon mere human power and does not recognize the need for a Saviour, either.

In Islam, salvation is the belief that people can enter paradise after death if they are forgiven by God and their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds. They don’t see the need for a complete victory over sin, so they keep depending upon what human nature can do.

These human ideas have permeated Christianity, so that Jesus is given but little room to work for our salvation.

The True Witness denounces the Laodicean spirit in Christianity that claims to be “rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing” (Revelation 3:17). The fundamental reason for this rebuke is that this mindset either overstates the work of Jesus at the cross of Calvary, thinking that salvation grants complete forgiveness of sins and requires no turning away from sin—or, on the other hand, thinking that we are sufficient to be righteous and need not a complete dependence on the Saviour. Nearly the whole world feels no need of a Saviour. And when they get in really deep trouble, they think that there is no one to save them, so every 40 seconds, someone commits suicide. Everything around us proves that we are in a desperate situation. Is there a Saviour? Do we need a Saviour or not?

There are some outstanding biblical facts that we need to have clear in our minds that lead us to recognize our need of a Saviour.

The first one is that we “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

The second is that we are “carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14). Jesus stated: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34).

And the third one, is that “sin… dwelleth in” us (Romans 7:17, 20, 21). And just as “the Ethiopian [can’t] change his skin, or the leopard his spots…” so neither can we “do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jeremiah 13:23).

And the inevitable fate of this all is that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) unless we be saved.

Satan is always leading us to falsely presume we can solve our guilt through human means. In our experience, we must come to a point of realizing our impossibility. When the apostles were told about such an impossibility, in astonishment they said: “Who then can be saved?” and the divine reply was, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Mark 10:26; Luke 18:26, 27).

In the Bible we are told of a desperate case, “a woman having an issue of blood twelve years . . . had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any” (Luke 8:43). She had spent every resource possible, hoping that human knowledge or power would be able to help her, till there was no more hope left but one option. That was Jesus. This illustrates our desperate situation with sin. We may try various means, but there is only one way out. It is Jesus.

As sinners, we are likened to a great debtor “which owed . . . ten thousand talents” to “a certain king” and “as he had nothing to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made” (Matthew 18:23–25).

Of course, even selling all that he had was still not enough to pay off such a huge debt. With today’s value, that man would owe US$1,400,116x10. This is an exorbitant amount that would require you to live several lives earning a huge salary dedicated only to pay that debt. Thus, Jesus illustrated the impossible cost of our sinful debt before our King.

Realizing his utterly hopeless inability to pay it off, “The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all” (Matthew 18:26).

He still was insisting that he would do everything to pay it all, but there was nothing that he could have done to pay it off. There was one only option. Jesus said, “Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt” (Matthew 18:27).

“The pardon granted by this king represents a divine forgiveness of all sin. Christ is represented by the king, who, moved with compassion, forgave the debt of his servant. Man was under the condemnation of the broken law. He could not save himself, and for this reason Christ came to this world, clothed His divinity with humanity, and gave His life, the just for the unjust. He gave Himself for our sins, and to every soul He freely offers the blood-bought pardon. ‘With the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.’ Psalm 130:7.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 244.

The apostle Paul explains that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:23–26).

It was an immeasurable price to pay for each and every one of us. Many people “trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches”, and many of us are led to trust in “our righteousnesses” which the Lord holds “as filthy rags.” Through king David, God says: “none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him” “For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever” (Psalm 49:6–8; Isaiah 64:6).

Going back to the parable, we see that no human promises could avail. “When the debtor pleaded with his Lord for mercy, he had no true sense of the greatness of his debt. He did not realize his helplessness. He hoped to deliver himself. . . . So there are many who hope by their own works to merit God’s favor. They do not realize their helplessness. They do not accept the grace of God as a free gift but are trying to build themselves up in self-righteousness.”—Ibid., p. 245.

“It is impossible for man to save himself. He may deceive himself regarding this matter, but he cannot save himself.”—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 331.

Every human being, who through the working of the Holy Ghost, comes to a turning point when he/she “sees the enormity of sin,” discovering themselves as they “really are” at that instance should “not give up to despair. It was sinners that Christ came to save.”—Steps to Christ, p. 35.

“The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). And He promises, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Whenever Satan comes to tell you that you are a great sinner, right away you should look up to your Redeemer and take hold of the assurance that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Jesus tells us all: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

The most startling thing is that He is the King referred to in His parable of the debtors. “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). He is “the Word [that] was made flesh” (John 1:14). He is the “the Lamb” offered for our ramson and “He is Lord of lords, and King of kings” (Revelation 17:14).

He is the very one that paid your ranson and mine. He was “a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). You will experience that “the closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature.”—Ibid., p. 64.

But we need not falter nor be discouraged. As we perceive our own sinfulness, together with the apostle Paul, we can surrender, crying out: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24).

It is believed that Siddhartha Gautama (known as Buddha) died in Kushinagar, his body was cremated, and his remains were divided among many tribes of followers. He was powerless to prove that he could save even himself.

Regarding Krishna, it is said that “a huntsman, mistaking him for a deer, shot him . . . killing him.” It was centuries later, by the 5th century BC, that he “was deified” by his followers. There is no hope for salvation with him.—Encyclopaedia Brittanica, article on Krishna.

Regarding Muhammad, he died in Medina in a.d. 632. His remains are resting at the Green Dome, in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Hopes for salvation die together with him.

The Holy Scriptures declares, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

We are assured that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16–18).

Though He died giving his life to save all, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose again from the grave and declared: “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25). Not only that—He even ascended to Heaven. (Acts 1:9.)

Through John the Revelator, Christ tells us, “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17, 18).

Jesus “became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” Hebrews 5:9. Together with the apostle Paul we “thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25) and Saviour.

Beloved friend, I assure you that “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9, 10).

You not only need a saviour—you have a Saviour! May God bless you all.