Salvation
The Rev. Lou Tiscione, Pastor, Weatherford Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Soteriology is a fancy word that simply means the study of salvation. Specifically, it is used in teaching biblical doctrine. Soteriology is critical for living with peace and joy. God’s revelation of salvation provides each person who is in Christ with assurance rooted in the nature and character of God, namely His absolute sovereignty.
The truth of God’s revealed character and man’s state after the Fall of Adam presents all of us with an impossible problem. The problem simply stated is that God is holy and all mankind is born dead in sin. The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 7, Paragraph 1, states in part, “The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward…” The words, “they could never” should pierce our hearts. It is impossible for man to have blessedness and reward.
Man is unable to have eternal life, which is salvation. Yet, Jesus said that with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26b). God must act to save an individual. The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone.
Plainly defined, salvation is deliverance from the wrath of God. The Bible refers to salvation in three ways: a past event, an ongoing condition, and a future hope. “For by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:8); “[the gospel] by which you are being saved…” (1 Corinthians 15:2); and, “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Salvation is something that is critical in life yet ignored by most people. I remember my life before Christ broke in, and I must admit that the question of salvation never entered my mind. Perhaps like me, you once thought that you were okay. Surely, you were a decent person. You tried to do what was right. Yes, you may have even thought that you sinned, but after all, no one is perfect!
Before I became a Christian, my response to salvation would have been, “I don’t need to be saved! I’m doing fine.” If someone had asked me if I was saved, I would have probably laughed or been offended. Now I know the truth about myself. I was far from fine. I needed to be saved; to be continually delivered and to have sure and certain hope of heaven. Before God acted, I was blinded by sin; I was dead in sin. I was unable to see my need to be delivered.
By God’s grace alone, He showed me my desperate need. The following statement may offend your sensibilities, but it must be stated because it is the truth revealed by God.
Ultimate salvation is being saved by God from God for God.
John 3:16 declares that because God the Father chose to demonstrate His love, He gave Jesus so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. God causes an individual to see his need. When confronted with his sinfulness, the jailer cried out to the Apostle Paul and Silas, “what must I do to be saved?” The answer given was timeless. “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your whole household” (Acts 16:30-31).
When the Apostles Peter and John were confronted by the religious authorities in Jerusalem for proclaiming the bodily resurrection of Jesus, they told them God’s command for salvation. They said, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven [Jesus] given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, emphasis mine).
All men are born dead in sin. There are no natural children of God. The children of God are adopted. God alone saves men and women from His wrath. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus that all men are naturally children of God’s wrath. He said that God is “rich in mercy”. He extends grace to those whom He chooses. Salvation is by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for His glory alone. God has given the only means to be spared His wrath which all men deserve, His only Son!
Years ago, I was teaching a Bible study concerning salvation and a young woman got visibly upset with the term “the wrath of God.” She said to me and to the entire class that her god was a god of love. I responded saying that truly God is love and God is holy. The holy God and sin cannot co-exist. Nothing imperfect can enter heaven. This isn’t my opinion. This is simply the clear teaching of the Bible. The depth of God’s love cannot be understood apart from knowing the holiness of God.
Jesus, the full revelation of God, the second person of the Trinity, will come again to judge all mankind.
So then, “Brother, are you saved?” You will either experience the wrath of the Holy God or His steadfast love forever!
