Salvation

Brothers and sisters, if I could sit with each one of you today and ask you the most important question in the universe, it would be this: “What is salvation?” Not because I doubt your faith, but because understanding salvation – truly grasping what God has done for us – changes everything about how we live, how we love, and how we walk with Him. Salvation is not just a church word we throw around on Sundays. It’s not a theological concept locked away in seminary books. Salvation is the heartbeat of God’s love story with humanity. It’s the foundation upon which every prayer is built, every hope is anchored, and every promise finds its fulfillment. The Hebrew Heart of Salvation Let’s start where every good Bible study should start, with the Word itself. The Hebrew word for salvation is “Yeshua” [יְשׁוּעָה], which means deliverance, rescue, or safety. But here’s what will make your heart leap—this same word “Yeshua” is the Hebrew name for Jesus! Think about that for a moment. When Mary and Joseph named the baby Jesus, they were literally calling Him “Salvation.” The angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:21, “You shall call his name Jesus [Yeshua], for he will save his people from their sins.” His very name declares His mission! In the Greek New Testament, the word is “Soteria” [σωτηρία], which carries the same meaning – deliverance, preservation, and safety. Both languages paint the same beautiful picture: salvation is God reaching down to rescue us from a danger we couldn’t escape on our own. Why Do We Need Salvation? Romans 6:23 (ESV)”For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To understand salvation, we must first understand our problem. And brothers and sisters, we have a problem that runs deeper than any human solution can reach. The problem is sin, and sin brings death – not just physical death, but spiritual separation from the God who created us for fellowship with Him. The Fall – Where It All Began In the Garden of Eden, Adam [Man/Mankind] and Eve [Living] walked with God in perfect harmony. There was no shame, no fear, no separation. But when they chose to disobey God’s command, sin entered the world like a poison in the bloodstream. Genesis 3:8 tells us that when God came walking in the garden, they hid from Him. For the first time in human history, mankind was afraid of God. This wasn’t just Adam and Eve’s problem. Romans 5:12 explains: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” We inherited this sin nature. Every human being born into this world comes with a heart that naturally rebels against God. Romans 3:23 (ESV)”For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Notice it says “all.” Not some. Not most. ALL. The religious person, the moral person, the kind person, the generous person – all have sinned and fallen short of God’s perfect standard. We need salvation not because we’re terrible people, but because we’re human beings infected with sin. What Exactly is Salvation? Salvation is God’s rescue mission for humanity. It’s His solution to our sin problem. But salvation is not just about getting a ticket to heaven—it’s about being restored to the relationship with God that sin destroyed. Three Dimensions of Salvation 1. Justification – We Have Been SavedThis is salvation from the penalty of sin. The moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ, God declares us righteous. Our sins are forgiven, and Christ’s perfect righteousness is credited to our account. This happens instantly and completely. 2. Sanctification – We Are Being SavedThis is salvation from the power of sin. After we’re justified, the Holy Spirit begins the lifelong process of making us more like Jesus. We’re being transformed from glory to glory. 3. Glorification – We Will Be SavedThis is salvation from the presence of sin. When Jesus returns or when we go to be with Him, we’ll receive new bodies and live in a place where sin cannot exist. No more temptation, no more failure, no more tears! God’s Amazing Grace Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)”For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Here’s the most beautiful truth in the universe: salvation is a gift. Not a wage you earn, not a prize you win, not a debt you pay off. It’s a gift that God gives freely to anyone who will receive it. What is Grace? The word “grace” in Greek is “Charis” [χάρις], meaning unmerited favor or kindness shown to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve (salvation and eternal life), while mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve (judgment and eternal death). Grace means that God doesn’t save us because we’re good enough. He saves us while we’re still sinners! Romans 5:8 declares: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The Heart of God’s Love John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This verse is probably the most quoted verse in the Bible, but don’t let familiarity rob you of its power. Let’s break it down: God’s Plan from the Beginning Salvation wasn’t God’s Plan B when humanity messed up. It was His plan from before the foundation of the world! Let me show you God’s heart through Scripture: In Genesis – The Promise Right after Adam and Eve sinned, God made the first promise of salvation in Genesis 3:15, promising that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head.