What Is Salvation?

WHAT IS SALVATION?

Depending on whether you were brought up in a certain faith will determine how this question would be answered by those in leadership. In my childhood, my parents would bring me to church on Sunday mornings. As I got older, I attended classes that were designed to provide instruction on the tenets of this religion.

There was a belief in an afterlife. Being baptized in water was essential. And if you kept the Ten Commandments and the following precepts, chances are that your salvation was secure.

●You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.

●You shall confess your sins at least once a year.

●You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.

●You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.

●You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.2



One more thing. If you were to commit a mortal sin (an act that is evil and immoral), make sure you repent of it before death so that your future destiny in heaven is secure. What we’ve just learned reveals to us what constitutes obtaining salvation (our future heavenly destiny).

After graduating from high school, my parents attended mass less frequently. As for myself, I stopped going at all. I decided to go on to college while making friends who you could describe as being promiscuous. A few years later, not being satisfied with the condition of my life, I decided to go back to church with the hope of finding a personal God, i.e., one who could help me address the many weaknesses that had become prevalent.

As I would visit different faiths, I noticed that a familiar pattern emerged. Profess belief in the God they espoused, follow the guidelines outlined, and a better place will be waiting for you when your time on earth is over. For me, this avenue was unacceptable. I needed a God who would become personal, i.e., my best friend. Someone who could guide me in thinking differently about myself and how to overcome my shortcomings.

And then it happened. I attended a Bible study that consisted of a spiritual message followed by a declaration that God wants to reside personally in our body, providing us with spiritual blessings in our spirit that are irreversible. In this sense, salvation can be described as the bundle of benefits received (e.g., the indwelling Holy Spirit, possessors of eternal life, a new person on the inside, recipients of spiritual blessings, owned by God the Father, etc.) when a person responds to the gospel of Christ. With that said, this brings us to the following question.



What is the gospel of Christ?

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. NASB

The gospel is the good news that Christ, who is the God-man, the atonement, paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world, having cancelled their debt (providing forgiveness), thus satisfying the justice of God. An opportunity is now available to every member of the human race to not only ascend to heaven at death but experience a measure of the heavenly realm here on the Earth, provided two conditions are satisfied.



Repent

Acts 17:30; Romans 10:9, 14

9c (…) you shall be saved; NASB

In order for someone to be saved (redemption from sin and misery and the enjoyment of peace and happiness), initially there must be someone who announces the gospel message.3

14c (…) And how shall they hear without a preacher? NASB

This person can be anyone. In the local assembly, this proclamation is usually made by the elders (pastors). The Scriptures indicate that in the proclamation of the gospel message, there’s an awareness made to the hearer for them to acknowledge themselves as being a sinner who desires a change of nature.

Acts 17:30 Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, NASB

This is referred to as repenting (having a change of mind; to turn from one’s evil ways). Some elders might ask whosoever to repeat the following words either publicly or privately.

I acknowledge that I’ve sinned in many areas, such as: slandering others; having sexual relations outside of marriage; being jealous; having participated in alcohol or drug abuse; having sex with others of the same gender; having committed adultery; having taken money from others in a deceitful manner; having committed rape; having engaged in pedophilia; having committed murder, etc. I don’t want to continue in these mental, verbal, or overt sins. I need a new nature.



Believe

Romans 10:13-14

14b And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? NASB

The second condition is to believe in Jesus Christ as to who He is and what He has accomplished.

14a How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? NASB

This is not based on performing a church ritual or what we can do for God in our own power through the protocols of a particular faith but is simply believing.

13 for "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." NASB

This belief is expressed by calling upon the name of the Lord in prayer. The words of this prayer can either be spoken silently or out loud.

I believe in you, Jesus Christ, as one of the members of the Trinity, who pre-existed time; came to the earth and took on the form of a man, being born of a virgin (no sin nature); God incarnate (God come in the flesh); deity (possessing a divine nature); lived a sinless life; listened to and obeyed the directives of His Father; went to the cross and paid for the penalty of and forgave the sins of the whole world; rose from the dead after three days, never to die again; walked the earth in His resurrection body for forty days, witnessing to over five hundred people; and ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of God the Father.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? NASB

The result of this prayer is that the person will receive another member of the Trinity, known as the Holy Spirit, who will come into their physical body to indwell and impart many spiritual blessings in their spirit.

As we can deduce, there are at least two distinct perceptions as to what constitutes salvation. Let’s take a further look at the word salvation as it appears in the Scriptures of the New Testament and determine if we can find any more information about it.

Let’s begin by turning in your Bibles to the book of Acts.



Suggested Reading: Acts 3:1 – 4:22

4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” NASB

A man born lame from birth was found at the temple gate in Jerusalem, asking for charitable contributions. As the Apostle Peter was passing by him, he received guidance from the Holy Spirit to pray over him for healing in his ankles and feet. Immediately, he received physical strength in those areas and walked with Peter and his fellow apostle John into the temple. Many of the people knew of his condition and asked by what means he was made whole.

Peter replied that it was because of faith in the name of Jesus that he stood physically whole. Then he proceeded to declare the gospel of Christ to them; the response was that about five thousand came to the Lord. Unexpectedly, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees took hold of them and brought them before the Sanhedrin (the judicial and administrative body of the Jews), questioning them as to what name or power this miracle had been performed.

Peter replied, saying there is salvation in no one else. The word salvation in Koine Greek means wholeness and spiritual health. Not only by the name of Jesus was this man healed physically, but it is by this same name that people could be saved from spiritual death and hell.

Where we’ll turn next is the book of Romans.



Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. NASB

The gospel of Christ is the good news that relates to the Messiah, to his character, advent, preaching, death, resurrection, and ascension.4 It’s referred to as the power of God (the way in which God exerts his power in the salvation of people; spiritual [dynamite,] which breaks the granite-like heart of the sinner into rock dust5) for salvation (the deliverance from the power of sin6) to everyone who believes (by pure faith without the addition of good works, appropriate that salvation as a [free,] unmerited gift7).

Interesting. Are you ready to find out more about what the word salvation means according to the Word of God? Let’s stay in the book of Romans.



Romans 10:10

for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. NASB

A man or woman believes (acknowledges) Jesus as the Savior with their heart and devotes themselves to Him in order to obtain righteousness (justification; declared just or righteous in his sight8). Along with this, a verbal confession is made openly in agreement with all that Scripture says about Christ resulting in salvation (to being saved).

Where we’ll go next is the book of Ephesians.



Ephesians 1:13

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, NASB

If after an unbeliever listened to the message of truth, the gospel (the good news that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again 1 Corinthians 15:3-4) of your salvation (the gospel that God used to save you), they believed (acknowledged Christ as Savior), then they would be sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, i.e., by the gift of the Holy Spirit, this would indicate who is God the Father’s confirmed child.

We have another Scripture to look at in this regard. Please go to the book of 1 Thessalonians.



1 Thessalonians 5:9

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, NASB

God has not destined (chosen) us for wrath (to condemn us and make us suffer at the last judgment) but for obtaining salvation (of one saved out of a general wreck, when all things else are lost9) through what Christ has done, especially His atoning death on the cross.

The last verse we’ll look at is taken from the book of 2 Thessalonians.



2 Thessalonians 2:13

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. NASB

From eternity past, God has chosen you for salvation (to be saved) through sanctification by the Spirit (Who regenerates, indwells, and baptizes Christians into the body of Christ10)and faith (belief) in the truth (the human aspect of salvation is belief in the truth of the gospel).11



In summary, here’s what we learned about the meaning of salvation:

●Wholeness and spiritual health (Acts 4:12)

●Deliverance from the power of sin12 (Romans 1:16)

●To be saved when a person verbally confesses in agreement all that Scripture declares about the person and work of Christ (Romans 10:10)

●To save you by believing the Word of truth, the gospel (Ephesians 1:13)

●One saved out of a general [wreck] when all things else are lost13 through what Christ has done for us, especially through his atoning death on the cross (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

●To be saved through the spiritual aspect of the Holy Spirit, Who regenerates, indwells, and baptizes Christians into the body of Christ14 and the human aspect of belief in the truth of the gospel15



Based on this information, how could there be two different definitions of salvation?

One that says you must be baptized in water and practice the dogma of the particular faith to be granted entrance to heaven at death.

The other says that salvation is the assortment of benefits received when a person responds to the gospel of Christ through repentance of their sins to God the Father and belief in who Christ is and what He accomplished.

The difference lies in what I’ll call The Keys to the Kingdom, which we’ll look at in the next chapter. But before we do, I’d like to leave us with an article that talks about what the other faiths believe as to how people get to heaven, which will include the two, Catholicism and Christianity, that we’ve highlighted in this study.



HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN—WHAT ARE THE IDEAS FROM THE DIFFERENT RELIGIONS?

There appear to be five major categories regarding how to get to heaven in the world’s religions. Most believe that hard work and wisdom will lead to ultimate fulfillment, whether that is unity with [God] (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Baha’i) or freedom and independence (Scientology, Jainism). Others, like Unitarianism and Wicca, teach the afterlife is whatever you want it to be, and salvation is a non-issue because the sin nature doesn’t exist. A few believe either the afterlife doesn’t exist or it’s too unknowable to consider.

Derivatives of the worship of the Christian-Judeo God generally hold that faith in God and/or Jesus and the accomplishment of various deeds, including baptism or door-to-door evangelism, will ensure the worshiper will go to heaven. Only biblical Christianity teaches that salvation is a free gift of God through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Here are various faith systems and what they teach about how to get to heaven:



Atheism: Most atheists believe there is no heaven—no afterlife at all. Upon death, people simply cease to exist. Others attempt to define the afterlife using quantum mechanics and other scientific methods.



Baha’i: Like many other religions, Baha’i doesn’t teach that man was born with a sin nature or that man needs saving from evil. Man simply needs saving from his erroneous beliefs of how the world works and how he is to interact with the world. God sent messengers to explain to people how to come to this knowledge: Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and Baha’u’llah. These prophets progressively revealed the nature of [God] to the world. Upon death, a person’s soul continues its spiritual journey, perhaps through the states known as heaven and hell, until it comes to a final resting point, united with [God].



Buddhism: Buddhism also believes that to reach heaven, or “nirvana,” is to be rejoined in spirit with [God]. Nirvana is a transcendental, blissful spiritual state, and attaining it requires following the Eightfold Path. This includes understanding the universe and acting, speaking, and living in the right manner and with the right intentions. Mastering these and the other of the eight paths will return a worshiper’s spirit to [God].



Chinese Religion: Chinese religion is not an organized [church but an amalgamation of different religions and beliefs,] including Taoism and Buddhism. Upon death, worshipers are judged. The good are sent either to a Buddhist paradise or a Tao dwelling place. The bad are sent to hell for a period of time and then reincarnated.



Christianity: Christianity is the only religion that teaches man can do nothing to earn or pay his way into heaven. Man, a slave to the sin nature he was born with, must completely rely on the grace of God in applying Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to himself. People are forgiven of sin and saved by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ. Upon death, the spirits of Christians go to heaven, while the spirits of unbelievers go to hell. At the final judgment, unbelievers are separated from God for eternity in the lake of fire.



Confucianism: Confucianism concentrates on appropriate behavior in life, not a future heaven. The afterlife is unknowable, so all effort should be concentrated on this life to make it the best it can be, to honor ancestors, and to respect elders.



Eastern Orthodoxy: Orthodoxy is a Christian-Judeo derivative that reinterprets key Scripture verses in such a way that works become essential to reach heaven. Orthodoxy teaches that faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation but is only a part of the salvation process. If that process (called theosis) is not performed appropriately, a worshiper can lose his or her salvation.

After death, the devout live in an intermediate state where this theosis can be completed. Those who have belief but did not accomplish sufficient progress in theosis are sent to a temporary “direful condition” and will go to hell unless the devout on earth pray and complete acts of mercy on their behalf.

After final judgment, the saved are sent to heaven and the others to hell. Heaven and hell are not [locations] but reactions to being in the presence of God, as there is nowhere that He is not present. Everyone will experience the presence of God for eternity. Whether that experience is joyful or painful depends on the condition of one’s heart. For Christ-followers, life after death will be the wonderful enjoyment of God’s presence. For the faithless and unbelieving, life after death will consist of the supreme torture of His presence.



Hinduism: Hinduism is similar to Buddhism in some ways. Salvation (or moksha) is reached when the worshiper is freed from the cycle of [reincarnation and his spirit becomes one with God]. One becomes free by ridding oneself of bad karma—the effect of evil action or evil intent.

This can be done in three different ways: through selfless devotion to and service of a particular god, through understanding the nature of the universe, or by mastering the actions needed to fully appease the gods. In Hinduism, with over a million different gods, there are differences of opinion regarding the nature of salvation. The Advaita school teaches salvation occurs when one strips away the false self and makes the soul indistinguishable from that of [God]. The dualist insists that one’s soul always retains its own identity even as it is joined with [God].



Islam: Islam is a [takeoff] on the Christian/Judeo God, but salvation is work-based and not by grace. Muslims believe salvation comes to those who obey Allah to the point that their good deeds outweigh their bad. Muslims hope that repeating what Muhammad did and said will be enough to get to heaven, but they also recite extra prayers, fast, go on pilgrimages, and perform good works in [the] hope of tipping the scales. Martyrdom in service to Allah is the only work guaranteed to send a worshiper to paradise.



Jainism: Jainism came to be in India [at] about the same time as Hinduism and is similar. One must hold the right belief, have the right knowledge, and act in the right manner. Only then can the soul be cleansed of bad karma. But in Jainism, there is no creator. There is no higher god to reach or lend [aid to]. Salvation is seen as man being the master of his own destiny, liberated and perfect, filled with infinite perception, knowledge, bliss, and power.



Jehovah’s Witnesses: The teachings of the Watchtower Society lead us to [categorize Jehovah’s]

Witnesses as a cult of Christianity that denies the personality of the Holy Spirit and teaches that Christ is a created being. Similar to Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses teach different levels of heaven. The anointed are 144,000 who receive salvation by the blood of Christ and will rule with Him in paradise. They are the bride of Christ.

For all others, Jesus’ sacrifice only freed them from Adam’s curse of original sin, and “faith” is merely the opportunity to earn their way to heaven. The faithful must learn about Kingdom history, keep the laws of Jehovah, and be loyal to “God’s government”—the 144,000 leaders, 9,000 of whom are currently [on Earth]. They must also spread the news about the Kingdom through door-to-door proselytizing and other means. Upon death, the faithful will be resurrected during the millennial [kingdom,] where they must continue a devout life. The righteous will live for eternity under the rule of the 144,000.



Judaism: Jews believe that, as individuals and as a nation, they can be reconciled to God. Through sin [(individually or collectively),] they can lose their salvation, but they can also earn it back through repentance, good deeds, and a life of devotion.



Mormonism: Mormons believe their religion to be a derivative of Judeo/Christianity, but their faulty view of Christ and their reliance on extra-grace works [belie] this. They also have a different view of heaven. To reach the second heaven under “general salvation,” one must accept Christ (either in this life or the next) and be baptized or be baptized by proxy through a living relative.

To reach the highest heaven, one must believe in God and Jesus, repent of sins, be baptized in the church, be a member of the LDS church, receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, obey the Mormon “Word of Wisdom” and all God’s commandments, and complete certain temple [rituals,] including marriage. This “individual salvation” leads to the worshiper and his or her spouse becoming gods and giving birth to spirit children who return to Earth as the souls of the living.



Roman Catholicism: Roman Catholics originally believed only those in the Roman Catholic Church could be saved. Joining the church was a long process of classes, rituals, and baptism. People who had already been baptized but were not members of the Roman Catholic Church faced different requirements and may even already be considered Christians.

Baptism is “normatively” required for salvation, but this can include “baptism of blood” (i.e., martyrdom) or “baptism of desire” (wanting to be baptized). From the Catholic Catechism: “Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they have not been baptized” (part 2, § 2, chap. 1, [1.vii, 1281], United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 1997). Despite the changes through the years, baptism (or the desire for baptism) is still required for salvation.

According to Catholicism, upon death, the souls of those who rejected Christ are sent to hell. The souls of those who accepted Christ and performed sufficient acts to be purified of sin go to heaven. Those who died in faith but did not complete the steps to be purified are sent to [purgatory,] where they undergo temporary, painful punishment until their souls are cleansed. Purification by torment may be lessened by suffering during life and the offerings and prayers of others on the sinner’s behalf. Once purification is complete, the soul may go to heaven.



Scientology: Scientology is similar to Eastern religions in that salvation is achieved through knowledge of self and the universe. The “thetan” ([scientology’s] answer to the soul) travels through several different lifetimes, attempting to expel painful and traumatic images that cause a person to act fearfully and irrationally. Once a [scientologist] is “cleared” of these harmful images and becomes an “operating thetan,” he or she is able to control thought, life, matter, energy, space, and time.



Shinto: The afterlife in Shinto was originally conceived as a dire, Hades-like realm. Matters of the afterlife have now been transferred to Buddhism. Salvation in Shinto is dependent on penance and avoiding impurity or pollution of the soul. Then one’s soul can join those of its ancestors.



Sikhism: Sikhism was created in reaction to the conflict between Hinduism and Islam and shows influence from Hinduism—although Sikhs, like Muslims, are monotheistic. “Evil” is merely human selfishness. Salvation is attained by living an honest life and meditating on [God]. If good works are performed sufficiently, the worshiper is released from the cycle of reincarnation and becomes one with [God].



Taoism: Like several other Eastern religions (Shinto, Chinese folk religions, Sikhism), Taoism adopted many of its afterlife principles from Buddhism. Initially, Taoists didn’t concern themselves with worries [about the afterlife and instead] concentrated on creating a utopian society. Salvation was reached by aligning with the cosmos and receiving aid from supernatural immortals who resided on mountains, islands, and other earthly locales. The result was immortality. Eventually, Taoists abandoned the quest for immortality and adopted the afterlife teachings of Buddhism.



Unitarian-Universalism: Unitarians are allowed to and encouraged to believe anything they like about the afterlife and how to get there. In general, they believe people should seek enlightenment in this life and not worry too much about the afterlife.



Wicca: Wiccans believe many different things about the afterlife, but most seem to agree that there is no need for salvation. People either live in harmony with the goddess by caring for her physical manifestation—the earth—or they don’t, and their bad karma is returned to them threefold. Some believe souls are reincarnated until they learn all their life lessons and become one with the goddess. Some are so committed to following one’s individual path that they believe individuals determine what will happen when they die; if worshipers think they’re going to be [reincarnated, sent to hell,] or joined with the goddess, they will be. Others refuse to contemplate the afterlife at all. In any case, they don’t believe in sin or anything they need saving from.



Zoroastrianism: Zoroastrianism may be the first religion [to state that the afterlife is] dependent upon one’s actions in life. There is no reincarnation, just a simple judgment four days after death. After a sufficient amount of time in hell, however, even the condemned can go to heaven. To be judged righteous, one can use knowledge or devotion, but the most effective way to righteousness is through action. 16



Endnotes

2“The Precepts of the Catholic Church,” Becoming Catholic? 11 November 24 .

3Adam Clarke’s CommentaryPc Study Bible version 5, 2004, 28 November 2024˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

4Barnes’ Notes. Pc Study Bible version 5, 2006, 29 November 2024

˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

5Weust’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005.

BIBLESOFT. WEB. 29 November 2024

˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

6UBS New Testament Handbook Series Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005, 29 November 2024˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

7Weust’s Word Studies.

8Barnes’ Notes.

9Jamieson, Faucet, and Brown Commentary Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005. BIBLESOFT.

WEB. 29 November 2024

˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

10Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament, 2000. BIBLESOFT. WEB. 29 November 2024

˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.

11Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament.

12UBS New Testament Handbook Series.

13Jamieson, Faucet, and Brown.

14Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament.

15Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament.

16“How to get to heaven—what are the ideas from the different religions?” Got Questions 29 November 2024

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