Matthew 1:21, "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins!" The essence of Christ's mission: To Save from Sin This verse is a glorious declaration of the very heart of the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not salvation from suffering. Not salvation from political oppression. Not salvation from earthly poverty. But salvation from their SIN--that which separates man from God, damns the soul, and defiles every part of life. He did not come to be a moral teacher, a political reformer, or a cultural icon. He came to save from sin. Sin is not a light matter. It is the rebellion of the creature against the Creator, the transgression of God's holy Word, and the corruption of human nature. Sin stains every thought, word, and deed. Sin places every sinner under the righteous wrath of Almighty God. Therefore, the greatest need of every human soul, is not self-improvement or religious reformation, but divine salvation. Jesus did not come merely to forgive sin, but to save from sin. That means He delivers . . . from sin's guilt by His atoning death, from sin's power by His Spirit's indwelling presence, and soon from sin's presence altogether in eternal glory. He came not only to justify, but to sanctify. Any gospel that offers pardon without purification, or Heaven without holiness--is a false gospel. Jesus saves entirely--from the penalty, power, and pollution of sin. The objects of Christ's mission: His People WHO are the recipients of this glorious salvation? The text is unmistakably clear: "His people." Not all mankind indiscriminately, but those whom the Father gave to Him from eternity pas