Salvation
The Rev. Lou Tiscione, Pastor, Weatherford Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Webster defines salvation, in part, as “deliverance from the power and effects of sin.” King David wrote, “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 3:8a). Any time we are delivered from some danger or calamity, we experience salvation. We all, believers and non-believers alike know what it means to be saved. Yet, in every circumstance deliverance is by the sovereign power and grace of God. Yes, God chooses to use men to accomplish His deliverance from peril. But the first cause of all salvation is only God.
In Jesus’ day the people sought to be delivered from Roman rule. Like this historic need, every adverse circumstance of life drives us all to seek deliverance or rescue.
The study of salvation, called soteriology, is the discipline of examining God’s deliverance of men from His Wrath. The Bible refers to this salvation using three verb tenses. Salvation is 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).
All too often we ask the wrong questions. That is, we sometimes ask questions that others aren’t asking. I remember, albeit distant, my life before Christ broke in, and I confess that the question of salvation never entered my mind.
Before I became a Christian, my response to the question of salvation would certainly have been, “I don’t need to be saved! I’m doing fine.” If someone would have asked me, “Brother, are you saved?” I would have probably laughed or been offended. The problem now is that I know the truth about myself. I was far from fine. I needed to be saved, to be continually delivered, and to have the certain hope of heaven. I was blinded by my sin. I was dead in sin and unable to see my need to be delivered.
By God’s grace, I know my need. The following statement may offend some. Yet, it must be stated because it is the truth revealed by God. Ultimate salvation is to be saved by God from God for God. John 3:16 teaches us that 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 must cause an individual to see his need. When confronted with his own death, the jailer cried out to the Apostle Paul and his companion, “what must I do to be saved?” The answer given to him is the timeless answer for all. “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).
Again, here’s the truth: Salvation is by God from God for God! All men are born dead in sin. There are no natural children of God. God adopts His children. 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. Therefore, salvation is by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone. God has given the only means to be spared His wrath which is the Person and Work of Christ, the only Son of God.
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 He is holy. The holy God and sin cannot co-exist. Nothing imperfect can enter heaven. This isn’t my opinion. This is simply what God has revealed in His word. The depth of God’s love cannot be understood apart from knowing His holiness.
The Apostle John wrote that Jesus, the only righteous one, is the only appeasement of the wrath of the holy God (1 John 2:1-2). Are you trusting in Him?
