redemption

why do i believe that Jesus alone is savior? because, as someone brilliantly replied "he is the only one who showed up to save". to believe in and put my faith in Christ, to take Him fully at His word. "i am the way and the truth and the life. no one comes to the Father (God) except through me." if i did not believe that i needed a savior, i would be like those pharisees who when asking Him why He ate with sinners, He replied "it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" it is not those who are safe on board the ship who need saving, but the drowning. and did i even recognize this? until i saw my own pitiful state of failure in attempts to save myself, i could never call out for help.
or maybe i did. maybe in my floundering i recognized the savior and call out for help. and when he pulled me aboard the ship maybe i found that i didn't care for the savior's terms. "what? i owe you my life? are you kidding, forget it." and jumped back into the deep. but certainly this is foolishness. it is my rebellion, in hopeless attempts to redeem myself. failure. death. and it is also certain that the Savior dictates the terms of my redemption. "come with me if you want to live" He says.
when i was a kid i saw a prize on the back of a box of capn' crunch. it was a little treasure box. there were instructions for how to "redeem" your prize by sending money. as a kid it cost me something to get my prize. i had to give up something to own something else. and so it is with me. my life is not my own. it has been purchased. i have been redeemed. i have been saved.