WHAT IS BIBLICAL SALVATION?
This article discusses why we need salvation, what the cost will be to ourselves, and the outcome.
INTRODUCTION
In the beginning Adam and Eve lived in a perfect environment and wanted for nothing. But all too soon their idyllic existence came to an abrupt end. Satan came on the scene and tempted them, and they decided to follow his ways rather than God's. In spite of God's warning that if they partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they would lose their immortality, they disobeyed Him anyway.
The introduction of sin changed everything. No longer were their lives centred around God and His will: Instead they became self centred. Like an insidious poison, sin affected every part of their beings, including their powers of reasoning. They lost the ability to look at life from God's righteous standpoint and saw everything through the grid of their own sin-tainted and biassed faculties. Consequently, rather than serving their Creator and His purposes, they became preoccupied in serving their own interests. Independence from God, self will, self justification, pride and prejudice became the order of the day. This opened the door to distrust, enmity, fear, jealousy, hatred, depression, and all those other negative traits that plague us today.
The fall of Adam and Eve spelled the ruination of mankind.
There are always consequences to sin, and the moment that Adam and Eve had sinned they became spiritually separated from their Creator, who is the source of all life. Their physical bodies began the process of decay, and physical death became inevitable.
The Bible tells us that as a consequence of their deliberate and wilful disobedience, God cast them out of the Garden of Eden. He also cursed the earth so that Adam would have to work long and hard to make a living off of it. Eve was told that childbirth would be agonizing, and that although her desire would be to "rule the roost," she would be subservient to her husband. Satan was also cursed for the part that he had played in their downfall. (Genesis 3:14-19).
In the beginning mankind had been created in the image of a morally righteous God (Genesis 1:27), but we note that after the fall their progeny were born in their own sinful likeness (Genesis 5:3). The effects of the fall were so invasive and deep-seated that they were passed on to their children. Every member of the human race is born with a fallen nature and has within himself the inclination to sin. Although it is true that man still bears a likeness to God in that he has traits of goodness in him, these traits have been marred by sin.
WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF SIN
Because we were created by God, when we live according to His righteous standards we glorify Him. And when we sin we dishonour Him (Psalm 119:11).
Involvement in sin implies either a distrust of God, or a rebellion against His person and His standards of righteousness. In either case it is a declaration of independence, where we put our "self" in the place that rightly belongs to God alone.
The sinfulness of sin lies in the fact that it is against God, even when the wrong we do is to others or ourselves (Gen 39:9; Ps 51:4). (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright 1988.)Because God's universe is governed by righteous laws, the effects of sin are always negative, never positive. Sin hurts, damages, degrades, ruins, destroys and kills. It is the cause of all the injustice and heartrending suffering in the world today. And because He is righteous, good and just, God is going to judge sin. The Bible tells us that He has prepared a place of eternal punishment for the devil and his angels, who were the instigators of sin.
In order for the kingdom of heaven to survive as such, sin cannot be permitted there in any form. No one who opposes or falls short of God's standards of righteousness will be allowed entry. They will be consigned to a place known as "hell," where they will be separated from both God's presence and His influence, forever:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:9 KJV)In the Bible death symbolises separation, and there are three stages of death. The first stage is that which befell Adam and Eve when they partook of the fruit of the tree of good and evil. As mentioned earlier on, this first stage of death came about because of their spiritual separation from their Creator, who is the sustainer of life. Consequently their bodies immediately started the process of decay, and physical death became inevitable. That is the second stage of death. And after that comes judgment. Then those under judgment will face the third and final stage of death, which this time will involve not only separation from God, but also separation from His influence, for all eternity.
Because of Christ's story about the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:2-28, we can only assume that being assigned to this third and final stage of death (eternal separation from God) will result in eternal anguish. Here is verse 28:
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (Luke 16:28, KJV)God would never declare us unrighteous or sinful merely because our forebears, Adam and Eve, had sinned. The sad truth is that each and every one of us is personally guilty of sin.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:26, KJV)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23, KJV)
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth [only] good, and sinneth not. (Ecclesiastes 7:20, KJV)
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him [God] a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:10, KJV)
SALVATION CANNOT BE EARNED
"The idea of attaining salvation through self-effort and good works is a fundamental characteristic of human nature. But try as hard as one will, he cannot remove the guilt and penalty of his own sins." (Lehman Strauss, 'Doctrine of Salvation')Because of fallen man's bias towards "self" and his love of independence, once he realizes the predicament he is in he naturally wants to earn his right to forgiveness of his sins and salvation from his sinful state, as well as from the eternal consequences. But throughout the Bible God reveals over and over again, that we do not have the wherewithal to do this. No matter how hard we try to live righteously through our own efforts, sooner or later we find ourselves slipping up and sinning in word, thought and deed. So in His wisdom and mercy, God has devised a foolproof way of salvation that caters for the fallenness of man in that it does not depend upon our own inadequate efforts and abilities, but on the efforts and the abilities of the mighty, sinless Christ.
GOD'S WAY OF SALVATION
Even God could not pay a vaster, costlier, more awful or glorious price for our redemption than that of His own incarnation in human nature and His own sin-bearing, substitutionary self-sacrifice on Calvary. (J. Sidlow Baxter, Awake My Heart, page 202.)Salvation is the story of a holy God's undeserved love for sinful man. Forsaking the glories of heaven, God came down to earth in Christ on a rescue mission, to make a way for fallen mankind to be saved from the eternal consequences of their sins. But in order to be qualified to represent us He had to limit Himself to a human body. So He emptied Himself, and lived amongst us as one of us in this suffering, hurting world; seeing life through our eyes and sharing in our problems, hardships, temptations, sufferings, sorrows and joys.
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6-7, KJV)Then He sacrificially, graciously and heroically offered Himself as our substitute. And bearing the consequences of our sins in our place, on the cross, He paid the terrible price of our redemption from sin — the pure and sinless Creator serving His fallen, sinful creation to His own cost, so that we could be set free from guilt and eternal condemnation. What an amazing declaration of love, selflessness, humility, goodness and mercy! We can only bow in shame, awe and reverence before such a God.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8, KJV)
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them (2 Corinthians 5:19, KJV).
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV).
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24, NASB)
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood ..... to Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5,6, KJV)
THE TERMS OF SALVATION
In biblical times, when a debtor was unable to pay his debt, the law demanded that he be enslaved to his creditor until he had worked off the entire amount of the debt. The situation is that Christ took over the debt of our sins and paid it in full, on our behalf. So the reality is that those who are saved no longer own themselves. They were bought by Christ. People in those days understood salvation in a far deeper and more meaningful way than we do now.
Paul, a bond-servant [slave] of Christ Jesus ..... (Romans 1:1, NASB)What this says to us, is that when we come to Christ for salvation it is a two-way transaction. We repent of our sin and our independence from God. Then we surrender all that we have and all that we are, including our very lives, to Christ, and He saves us from condemnation, permanent separation from God and everlasting hell.
James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1, NASB)
Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1, NASB)
Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ (Jude 1, NASB)
..... the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28, KJV)
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20, KJV)
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls; Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46, KJV)
WHAT SALVATION ACHIEVES
Salvation's effects are in the past, the present and the future. The very moment we first believed in Christ for salvation, we were saved from the guilt and the penalty of our sins. From that time on, we are in an ongoing process of being saved from the power that sin has over us. And finally, we will be saved from the very presence of sin in our lives.
And they [Paul and Silas] said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31, KJV)Salvation reverses the effects of the fall and restores us to our original state. In Genesis we read about the warning against eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But in the book of Revelation that awful tree is not mentioned. Instead we read the following:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12, 13 KJV) (Italics inserted by writer.)
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, KJV) (Italics inserted by writer.)
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18, KJV)
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3, KJV)
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect ..... (Hebrews 12:23, KJV)
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5, KJV)
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SALVATION
The Bible teaches that salvation is by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It cannot be earned and it has nothing whatever to do with church membership, religious rituals or obedience to religious laws and ordinances. It is purely a personal transaction between the Saviour and the sinner. The repentant sinner puts his faith in Christ for salvation, and Christ saves him. In other words, Christ is the sole vehicle of his salvation: He alone paid the price and He alone has the authority to save us:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6, KJV)
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12, KJV)
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43, KJV) (Italics inserted by writer.)
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38,39 KJV)
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24, KJV)
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us ..... (Titus 3:5, KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ..... He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name [the person] of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18, KJV)
THE EFFECTS OF SALVATION
Amongst other benefits, the person who puts his faith in Christ for salvation is regenerated, justified, and reconciled to God.
REGENERATION is sometimes called being born again, born of the Spirit, or the new birth. The moment we come to faith in Christ, through a gracious act of God, His Holy Spirit indwells us, creating a new, spiritual dimension in our lives.
JUSTIFICATION: Because of Christ's atonement on our behalf, God pardons and accepts believing and repentant sinners, declaring them to be righteous "in Christ." In other words, the debt of our sin has been paid in full, and God no longer sees us as being guilty.
RECONCILIATION: This literally means that enmity has come to an end, and unity is restored. Prior to our coming to faith in Christ our "self" was occupying the central position in our lives that by rights belongs to God alone, and our sins had created a barrier between us. Reconciliation with God means that He no longer holds our sins against us, and we in turn have a right relationship with Him, submitting ourselves to His rulership in our lives.
GOD'S JUDGMENT
On the day of judgment those who have trusted in Christ for salvation from sin will not be judged for their sins, as Christ has already borne their judgment for them.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1, KJV)The writer would encourage those who have read this article, to repent of their independent stance, take that step of faith and put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. He will not fail you, and your only regret will be that you waited so long.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light ..... (John 3:18-19, KJV)
A WARNING TO MORMONS
Mormon doctrine stems from Joseph Smith's teachings, and is not biblical. As you will have noticed, God's way of salvation that is taught so clearly in the Bible, differs radically from Mormon salvation, as does the atonement. The same applies to Mormon teachings on the Lord Jesus Christ. The LDS Christ is a fictitious character who was invented by Joseph Smith to fit in with his unbiblical and erroneous doctrines of eternal progression and the pre-existence of man. (These subjects are discussed in other articles available, that can be accessed by clicking on the button marked "Home," provided at the bottom of this page.)
CONCLUSION
Biblical salvation is a very deep subject, and it was not possible to include all that needs to be said in one article. The following links lead to articles that illustrate other aspects of salvation:
Biblical Salvation and the Way of Christ
The Necessity for Salvation and the Story Behind It
Sin and the Fall, Mormon and Biblical Teachings Contrasted
Copyright 2008 by Mormonism and Biblical Truth. All rights reserved.
