Salvation

The Roman jailer fell down full of trembling, and cried out saying, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Paul quickly responded, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:30,31) Some people find it strange that Paul would reduce salvation to a simple equation of believing. The reason Paul could emphasize believing is because God declared justification to life to all who believe in Jesus. (Rom. 5:18) This means that any person who receives Jesus Christ as their personal Savior is declared righteous in the sight of God.

Salvation can be compared to a realm of standing with God through Christ. It means more than being born again. It includes full participation in the kingdom of God. Paul said, "For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses (Jesus as the risen Lord), resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.’" (Rom. 10:10,11)

It is important to understand what the words saved and salvation actually mean. The New Testament word ‘salvation’ is the Greek soteria. (so-tay-ree’ah). Soteria means deliverance, preservation, safety, or, salvation. Soteria refers to the total sum of benefits and blessings that Christians enjoy by their faith in Jesus. It includes what believers will enjoy in fullest measure at the return of Christ. Soteria also includes ideas of healing or health. The word ‘save’ is similar. The Greek is sozo. (sode’-zo) Sozo means to save, to keep sound, to rescue from danger or destruction, to make well, to heal, or, restore to health.

Consider the following:

1. The Bible says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Eph. 2:8,9)

Salvation is a free gift. It was purchased at the cross. It is given freely to all who believe in the resurrected Lord Jesus and His work of the cross. No person can earn salvation. No person can get good enough to be saved. Salvation is free. It is based on faith alone. This is the gospel that the apostles preached. Cf. Gal. 1:8,9; Rom.10:8-10

2. What does it mean to be born again? Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

Being born again (Or, ‘from above.’) is our entrance into the realm of salvation, It is the spiritual process by which the Holy Spirit creates in a believer a new heart, and then indwells the new heart. (Heart refers to the deepest part of the human personality.) The process of being born completes our conversion experience. It is the result of our having believed in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Being born again takes place in the deep of our innermost being.

Jesus explained it this way: "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." This simply means that the new birth cannot be observed in a physical sense. It is a thing of the Spirit. Its result is ‘newness’ of life for the believer. We become new creatures who now enjoy new life. Cf. 2 Cor. 5:17-19.

3. What does it mean to be ‘filled with the Spirit?’ Paul said, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit." (Eph. 5:18)

Paul is not saying that the Spirit filled life will make us act like drunkards. He is simply saying all believers have the capacity of living a Spirit-controlled life. To be filled with the Spirit means to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Thus, our life takes on a spiritual hue. We enjoy an atmosphere of grace and peace, and, in turn, we become gracious Christians. Being filled with the Spirit is an issue of the overflowing heart. Cf. John 4:13,14.

4. What does ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’ mean? John the Baptist said, "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I …He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matt. 3:11)

John was speaking as a Jewish prophet. His reference was both to the new covenant in the Messiah, and to the judgment that Israel would come under if she rejects the Christ. The baptism of fire is not a reference to Pentecost, but rather to a fiery judgment. This is why John said, "He will gather his wheat into the barn (Church), and He will burn up the chaff (Christ rejecters) with unquenchable fire." (Matt 3:12) In another place Jesus said, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; how I wish it were already kindled." (Luke 12:49)

The term ‘baptize’ means to emerge. It was a term used in the trade of dyeing cloth. The cloth was placed in the dye, and, in turn, the dye goes into the cloth. This is a picture of the new birth. Our human spirits are emerged into Christ (His body), and are then filled with the Spirit of Christ. Paul explains; "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Cor.12:13) Again he says, "But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one sprit with Him." (1 Cor. 6:17)

5. What is the baptism that saves us? Paul said, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all, and through all and in all." (Eph 4:4-6)

The one baptism that saves us is our baptism into Christ. Water baptism is a physical picture of our identification with the crucifixion. In water baptism we take to the grave. Coming out of the water we participate by faith in the resurrection of Jesus. Water baptism relates to our covenant experience in the Lord. It is a most vivid picture of our confession in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Cf. Rom. 6:3-7.

There are other issues to water baptism. Paul said that our baptism into water is the putting off of the old man. In this case it seems that water baptism is something that even Satan recognizes. He knows it is a commandment. From this we can see that water baptism is more than a physical act. Then Peter said, "Corresponding to that (the flood in Noah’s day), baptism now saves you¾ not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience¾ through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet. 3:21) – A good conscience is a right heart -

6. What does righteousness mean? It says, "Then he [Abraham] believed in Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness." (Gen. 15:6)

The word righteousness speaks of justice and uprightness. It relates in particular to our standing with and relationship to God. Therefore it is a ‘status’ of standing. David said, "For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:12)

In Bible interpretation there is what is called ‘the law of first mention.’ This means simply that when a term appears in the Scriptures for the first time, it will carry the same basic meaning throughout the Scriptures. A good case for this is the word ‘righteousness.’ It says Abraham believed in the Lord, it was ‘reckoned’ to him as ‘righteousness.’ The word ‘reckoned’ is the Hebrew chashab (khaw-shab’), which means to esteem, count, impute or charge. Abraham’s believing was imputed as righteousness with God. Thus faith in the Lord is always a connecting link to righteousness. Cf. Rom. 4:21-25.

7. What does holy mean? Peter said, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession…" (1 Peter 2:9)

To be holy means to be separated to God. When a person is born again, they become holy. This is why believers are addressed as saints. God says, "You shall be holy for I am holy." We are also to live as holy people. (1 Peter 1:15-16)