What Is Salvation?

What is Salvation? When most people think of salvation or being saved, they usually picture in their minds a person in jeopardy on the brink of losing his/her life. Some picture a more vivid illustration of a person in the water and being overtaken by the waves or surf, and another person in close proximity throwing a life ring to the person drowning. The person actually throwing the life ring is usually doing so from a position of safety; therefore, accommodating the person who is in danger of losing their life. The picture in the Bible is vividly illustrated over and over again as God standing in the position of authority over all creation and throwing mankind a life ring, so that they may be rescued from the event of spiritual death.

Salvation, or “yasa,” from a Hebrew perspective is deliverance, spaciousness, or freedom from constraint from whatever causes danger or distress (Baker, p. 967). Also, “soteria” from the Greek has a rich connotation in the New Testament as deliverance, preservation from any danger (Baker, p. 967). The term is very versatile because it can relate the meaning of wholeness, or soundness to the person as a whole. It can be viewed as a connotation of a person’s medical condition, spiritual condition, emotional condition, or even a religious condition. The term is most suited for the spiritual condition of an individual.

Now, the answer to the question "What Is Salvation?" is beginning to take shape. Mankind can now see that there is a protection provided in order to deliver (us) from spiritual death. The protection is provided to man, and has been provided by God, so man will not have to die the second death or the spiritual death. But what does salvation protect mankind from? The force that separates man from God (and that) is sin. Now, all the pieces are in place. Mankind was in danger of losing their lives to sin caused by Adam and Eve being tempted by Lucifer in the Garden of Eden. Now, God wanted to provide a way for mankind to be delivered or redeemed from the possibility of a second death. Finally, someone had to provide the way for God to be satisfied with covering of man’s sin in order for man to be reunited with his Creator (God).

The only way for God to be satisfied was a sacrifice had to be bestowed to God that was worthy of covering the multitude of sin man had generated since the Garden of Eden. That sacrifice was to be Jesus the Christ or Messiah. God required a perfect sacrifice in order for the sins of man to be atoned, and that perfect propitiation or payment was Jesus. He was the only man who had not sinned (not that He was not tempted). Lucifer or Satan (which means opponent) tempted Jesus many times but to Satan’s chagrin Jesus never faltered. Jesus remained strong to what seemed to be His eventual end and beyond.

Jesus’ life was the perfect propitiation or payment for the sins of mankind. Who was Jesus that He could be mankind’s payment for sin? Jesus was the perfect man because while being fully human in every respect, Jesus was also fully God which gave Him the strength and the ability to become the perfect sacrifice for a sinful world. Jesus was the fulfillment and embodiment of what the Old Testament proclaimed. The Old Testament proclaimed that a Messiah would be provided, so man would be reunited in relationship with God (Isaiah, KJV). The New Testament declared the Messiah had arrived. In Matthew, Chapter 3:16-17: “and Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; and lo a voice from heaven, saying , this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (KJV).” Jesus was God’s answer for a sinful world.

This is the reason Jesus is sometimes referred to as the Second Adam. The First Adam represented man and his ability to become separated from God through his sin. The Second Adam refers to Jesus’ ability to bridge the chasm of sin between God and man with His life. It is not enough to know Jesus died on a cross, it’s the understanding and realization that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice to God because in His death He provided salvation to an undeserving world which had no solution for man’s sin problem. It is important to know Jesus did not die for some He died for all. In His death, the love He has for the world was shown. In His life, He illustrated the path of life He wants us to live in order to be like Him, and in order to be with Him, forever.

God is standing in the position of authority and safety, and He has cast Jesus (our life ring) into the pool of mankind as we struggle with the crushing waves of life. Jesus was sent to the world to save (us) all from certain death. What is salvation? Jesus is our salvation, He is our truth, and He is our life; all we have to do is believe in Him and what He has already done to spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Not only does Jesus Christ answer the question of "What is Salvation?" but he also answers the question of "Who Is Our Salvation?"

We pray that he blesses you as you seek him and trust him.

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