…you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. …They shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Matthew 1:21, 23 ESV

Right from chapter 1 we’re told why Jesus was born. He was born to save us from our sins. His name means God saves and He accomplished salvation by taking on the name Immanuel, God with us.

God saves us by coming to us. Why did God have to come to us, be one of us? How did that save us from our sins?

He came that we could exchange His life for ours. He had to live this human existence perfectly to be the perfect sacrifice. Our sinned required our death. Jesus gave up His life in our place. In return, we give up our life for Him and die to self. We identify with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection through baptism. The life exchange is complete when gives us His Spirit and we can say, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” We walk in the newness of life by believing in the name of Jesus, believing God saves.