*WHAT IS SALVATION?*
part 1

We shall also briefly define the words: ATONEMENT, REDEMPTION, RECONCILIATION, PROPITIATION

‘TO SAVE’ (‘sozo’ in Greek) is used approx. 106 times in the New Testament.
‘Salvation’ (soteria) is used approx. 45 times in the New Testament.
‘Savior’ (soter) is used 24 times in the New Testament.
‘Salvation’ (soterion) is used four times.
Four terms used 180 times.

*THE MEANING OF ‘SALVATION’*
1. In non-theological contexts ‘SALVATION’ means ‘to rescue, to deliver.”
a. It is common for the New Testament, especially the gospels, to call the ‘deliverance from sickness” salvation. Salvation can refer to restoration to health. A person’s well being has returned. (See Matt9:21-22; Mark3:4; 5:23, 28, 34; 6:56; 10:52; Luke6:9; 7:50; 17:19; 18:42; Jn11:12; Acts4:9; 14:9; 27:34; 2Cor1:6; James5:15.)
‘…for she was saying to herself, ‘If I only touch His garment, I shall get well’ (Greek, ‘saved’). But Jesus turning and seeing her said, ‘Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well” (Greek, saved). And at once the woman was made well (Greek: sozo)’ Matt.9:21-22
‘…and the prayer offered in faith will restore (sozo) the one who is sick’ James5:15a

b. Salvation may be used of *deliverance from demons* Lk8:36

c. Salvation may be used of rescue or *deliverance from enemies* (Lk1:71; Acts7:25)

d. *Jesus Christ spoke about being saved*. This helps to show that the word means in this case ‘deliverance.”
‘Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, *save* Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour” Jn12:27
‘In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety’ Heb5:7 – this verse speaks of the suffering of Jesus in Gethsemane where the Father protected (saved) Jesus from dying before the cross.

e. The word salvation is used of *RESCUE FROM DANGER* in a variety of situations: storms on the sea Matt8:25;14:30;Acts27:20,31; deliverance at the end of the tribulation period Matt10:22; 24:13,22; Mark13:13,20; rescue from the cross Matt27:40,42,49; Mark15:30,31; Luke23:35,37,39; from trouble 1Tim4:16; from prison Phil1:19; from slavery in Egypt Jude5; from the flood Heb11:7.
Before the Christian authors of the New Testament used the word save, it was used of common dangers to man. Salvation means ‘deliverance, rescue, preservation, help, assistance, aid, escaping trouble.”

2. Biblical authors took a normal word that means ‘deliverance” and used it in a theological sense. Believers are ‘saved” from a number of troubles.
*a.Believers are SAVED FROM SIN’S DOMINION, PRESENCE AND PENALTY* Matt1:21; Luke1:77;7:50; 1Tim1:15, which means to be saved from the slavery of sin in this life (but the Christian can still choose sin), from the presence of sin after death (or rapture) and from punishment of sin as Jesus took our punishment on the cross
‘And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will *save His people from their sins*” Matt1:21
‘Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all’ 1Tim1:15

*b.Believers are SAVED FROM WRATH, JUDGMENT AND CONDEMNATION* Jn3:17; Rom1:16 in context, see v. 18;5:9; 1Thess5:9; 1Pet4:17-18
‘we shall be *saved from the wrath of God* through Him’ Rom5:9

*c.Believers are SAVED FROM A PERVERSE GENERATION*, a wicked world: Acts2:40

*d.Believers are SAVED FROM BEING LOST TO GOD*:
‘For the Son of Man has come to seek and to *save that which was lost*” Luke19:10

*e.Believers are SAVED FROM DEATH* Matt16:25;Mark8:35 See, also, the following verses that speak of deliverance from death but do not use the word salvation: Jn5:24; Rom6:23; Eph2:1.
‘For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever *loses his life* for My sake, he is the one who will save it” Lk9:24

*f.Believers are SAVED FROM PERISHING IN HELL* 1Cor1:18;2Cor.2:15-16 and FROM ITS DESTRUCTION (James4:12).
‘For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being *saved* and among those who are *perishing’* 2Cor2:15

*THE TIME OF SALVATION*
Sometimes the Bible speaks of salvation as past, sometimes present, and sometimes future:

1. IN THE *PAST*, believers in Christ *were saved from the penalty of sin* Rom8:24;Eph2:5,8; 2Tim1:9;Tit3:5
‘For by grace you HAVE BEEN SAVED [past tense] through faith’ Eph2:8
‘He SAVED [past tense] us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy’ Tit3:5

2. In the *PRESENT*, believers *are being saved from the power of sin* Phil2:12; 1Pet2:2
*’work out (express, let it be revealed) your salvation* with fear and trembling’ Phil2:12

3. In the *FUTURE, we will be saved from the presence of sin* and from all wrath Rom5:10;13:11; 1Thess5:9;2Tim.4:18; Heb1:14; 9:28; 1Pet1:5;4:18; Rom5:10

*SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT*

Atonement means that Christ died as our *SUBSTITUTE*. He died in our place taking our punishment and paying our penalty; and, thereby, He satisfied an angry God. Other purposes fulfilled in his death on the cross are secondary (like to be an example to believers 1Jn3:16).
-Matt20:28 and Mark 10:45 are key texts in the doctrine of substitutionary atonement. Since anti means substitution, the phrase ‘a ransom for many” means that Christ gave His life as a *substitute* for the many. He died *in the place* of sinners. His life was given *in exchange* for our lives that should have been forfeited.
‘just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom *for* (in place of) many” Matt20:28
‘Greater love has no one than this, that a one lay down his life *for* his friends” Jn15:13
‘while we were yet sinners, Christ died *for* us’ Rom5:8
‘He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up *for* us all’ Rom8:32
‘Christ died *for* our sins according to the Scriptures’1Cor15:3;2Cor5:21
‘I have been crucified with Christ… who loved me, and delivered Himself up *for* me’ Gal2:20;3:13
‘For Christ also died for sins, once for all, the just *for* the unjust’ 1Pet3:18
‘He would render Himself as a *guilt offering*…’ Isa.53:10a
See also: Rom5:6, Gal1:4, Mark14:24, Jn6:51, Tit2:14;1Pet2:24a; Heb9:28; Mark10:45; 1Tim2:5,6; Matt26:28; Jn10:11;Heb2:9

*REDEMPTION: The Sinward Aspect of Atonement*
Christ paid the redemption price for sin and ransomed man from slavery to sin. To say that Christ redeemed us from sin means that He bought us. More specifically, it means that He ransomed us from sin (and the law’s curse) by the payment of a price just as one would ransom a hostage, a slave, or a prisoner of war. Redemption included both the payment of a price and, in the fullest sense, the release of the hostage.
‘For you have been *bought* with a price’ 1Cor6:20
‘Christ *redeemed* us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us’ Gal3:13a;4:5a
‘…being justified as a gift by His grace through the *redemption* which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a *propitiation* in His *blood* through faith…’ Rom3:24-25
‘In Him we have *redemption* through His *blood*…’ Eph1:7;1Cor1:30, Eph1:7; Rev5:9

Although the New Testament usually views redemption as being a past event, ‘apolutrosis’ (to redeem) is used of a future redemption three times (Rom8:23; Eph1:14; Eph4:30). There is a future aspect of redemption because the complete deliverance (freedom) of our bodies from sin and its effects is future. Viewed from this angle, believers are still awaiting a future and complete redemption.
‘we ourselves groan within ourselves, *waiting* eagerly for our adoption as sons, the *redemption* of our body’ Rom.8:23
‘…who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, *with a view to the redemption* of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory’ Eph1:14
‘Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of *redemption*‘ Eph4:30
…end of part1