Salvation 1

	This week let's continue our examination of Biblical words by taking a look at "salvation."
	"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly," Paul points out in Romans 5:6-10. "For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath {of God} through Him.  For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
	Most of us would readily agree that salvation is a wonderful thing.  But what does the Bible mean when it talks about salvation?  The word literally means, "to make safe."  So salvation is safety.
	"And have mercy on some, who are doubting," we read in Jude verses 22-25, "save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.  Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, {be} glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."
	When God takes hold of us, He provides real safety.  Salvation also implies freedom from sin and its consequences.
	"For the wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23 notes, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
	Salvation involves safety and freedom from sin.  We should add that salvation is common, that is, it is the same for all people.  There is only one way to obtain safety and freedom.
	"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation," we find in Jude verse 3, "I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."
	What is salvation?  It is the single avenue to safety and freedom from sin.  Why does it exist?
	"Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save," Isaiah 59:1-2 notes, "neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden {His} face from you, so that He does not hear."
	Salvation exists because we need it.  We need it in order to resolve the separation with God which is created by sin.
	"What then?" Paul discusses in Romans 3:9-18. "Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.  Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed  blood, destruction and misery are in their paths, and the path of peace have they not known.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.'"
	"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," verse 23 concludes. 
	The one salvation offers safety and freedom from sin.  By doing this, it resolves the separation from God which is created by sin.  Who needs this salvation?
	"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance," Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15, "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost {of all.}"
	Who needs salvation?  Sinners do.  This includes every one of us, even the Apostle Paul.
	Who provides this salvation?
	"For we also once were foolish ourselves," Paul instructs in Titus 3:3-7, "disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.  But when the kindness of God our Savior and {His} love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to {the} hope of eternal life."
	Salvation is from God.  And, as this passage points out, it comes through Jesus.
	"And there is salvation in no one else;" Peter tells the Jewish leaders in Acts 4:12, "for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
	"For it was fitting for Him," we read in Hebrews 2:10, "for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings."
	"And having been made perfect," Hebrews 5:9 adds, "He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation."
	This is the what, the why and the who of salvation.  It is a single pathway of safety and freedom from sin.  It exists because of the separation from God which is created by sin.  It is for sinners, including every one of us.  It is from God through Jesus.

	We have seen the what, the why and the who of salvation.  It is a single pathway of safety and freedom from sin.  It exists because of the separation from God which is created by sin.  It is for sinners, including every one of us.  It is from God through Jesus.  How does it work?
	"For the grace of God has appeared," we find in Titus 2:11, "bringing salvation to all men."
	Salvation is offered through the grace of God.
	"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not {come to} know God," Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 1:21, "God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."
	"For I am not ashamed of the gospel," Paul claims in Romans 1:16, "for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
	Salvation comes through hearing God's Word.
	"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;" Jesus promises in Mark 16:16, "but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."
	"For by grace you have been saved through faith," Paul states in Ephesians 2:8, "and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God."
	Salvation comes through believing.  It is through faith.
	"And it shall be, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved," Peter preaches in Acts 2:21.
	But the people are still wondering what they need to do in order to be saved.  They want to know what Peter means by, "calling on the name of the Lord."
	"Now when they heard {this}," the passage continues in verses 37-38, "they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brethren, what shall we do?' And Peter {said} to them, 'Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"
	These people are full of sorrow.  But it is a special kind of sorrow which leads to their salvation.
	"For the sorrow that is according to {the will of} God produces a repentance without regret, {leading} to salvation," Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 7:10, "but the sorrow of the world produces death."
	Salvation is through repentance.
	"But what does it say?" Paul asks in Romans 10:8-10. "'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart'-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
	Salvation is through confession of Jesus as Lord.
	"And corresponding to that," we find in 1 Peter 3:21, "baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
	Salvation is through baptism.
	"But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light," 1 John 1:7 teaches, "we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." 
	Salvation is for those who continue to walk in the light.
	"And you will be hated by all on account of My name," Jesus cautions in Matthew 10:22, "but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved." 
	"But the one who endures to the end," the Lord claims in Matthew 24:13, "he shall be saved." 
	Salvation is for those who endure to the end.
	We know the what, the why, the who and the how of salvation.  It is a single pathway of safety and freedom from sin.  It exists because of the separation from God which is created by sin.  It is for sinners, including every one of us.  It is from God through Jesus.  It is by the grace of God, through hearing, believing, repenting, confessing and being baptized.  It demands that we walk in the light and remain faithful until the end.  But what about the "when"?  We'll have to wait until next week to answer that question.  For now, though, remember this one thing. Salvation is freedom from sin.  Salvation can be found only through the truth which sets us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."