Salvation IS Jesus Christ

. . . Salvation! It is the absence of this blessing, which builds the prison-house of hell, which kindles the never-quenched fires—which forges the eternal chains—which wraps the dreary regions in one mantle of blackness—which gives keenness to the undying worm—which bellows up the smoke of torment—which gives the bitterness of despair to the hopeless wail. O my soul! see to it that you are saved. Better not have been born, unless you are saved. Life is a curse, death is the abyss of misery, without this joy of salvation. To what profit would it be, to hold the scepter of kingdoms, to call the whole race of men our vassals, to look around on all the world as our own possession, to see in every creature only an instrument of our indulgence, to revel in every ease and luxury, to drink the fullest cup of pleasures, to sit on the highest throne of honor, to be caressed by all the affection, and to be extolled by all the adulation of man, unless you are saved? All these things, if they could be multiplied beyond our powers to calculate, and piled beyond our faculties to grasp, and stretched to time which we could not count, would be as nothing, and less than nothing, would be only the mockery of splendid woe—without salvation. Gain this, and all, and more than all, is gained. Lose this, and no words can express, no thought conceive, the amount of wretchedness, which is your endless doom. O my soul! see to it that you are saved.
Do you ask, but where is this treasure, so surpassing all treasures, to be found? It is all in Jesus Christ. He is full, and perfect, and eternal Salvation. Hear the voice from heaven: "You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." Hear the lips which were touched by the living coal: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved." Hear the testimony of the Spirit: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
Here is truth—unerring truth—divine truth—high as the heavens—clear as light—sure as God. Sophistry cannot perplex it. Falsehood cannot deny it. Salvation is Jesus Christ! You may be clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day, as Dives did—and not be saved. You may rule vast provinces, and command vast armies, as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar did—and not be saved. You may be beautiful and lovely to behold, as Absalom was—and not be saved. You may belong to a Church, pure, and simple, and apostolic, and blessed with holy ordinances, as Ananias and Sapphira did—and not be saved. You may live under the highest blaze of Gospel-teaching, as Judas did: no, you may bear witness to the truths of Jesus, as he did—and not be saved. You may be exalted unto heaven in privileges and opportunities, as Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were—and not be saved. You may have the shrewdest intellect, as Ahithophel had—and not be saved.
But you cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and fail of Salvation. The word abides for ever, "Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Let the rich man believe, and he is saved. Let the poor man believe, and he is saved. Let the young believe—let the old believe—let the wise believe—let the ignorant believe—and all is safe! Christ is theirs, and Christ is Salvation. . . 

Henry Law, Salvation