What Is Salvation? Set Free from the Penalty of Sin!

I would like to begin a new series of lessons that will examine some of the fundamental and foundational aspects of the Christian faith. This will be a study of vitally important truths that we must know and should cherish as born again believers.

I want to begin with the word "salvation." What comes into our mind when we think about this word? Do we think back to a day that we heard the gospel, responded with repentant faith in Jesus Christ and were born again? Do we think about God delivering us from Hell? Do we think about Jesus Christ hanging on the cross and dying for our sins? Do we think about spending eternity with God in heaven? Salvation encompasses all of these things and more!

Let's look at a few definitions of the word salvation. First is a definition from a theological dictionary and the next one is from Webster's 1828 Dictionary.

"A broad term referring to God’s activity on behalf of creation and especially humans in bringing all things to God’s intended goal. More specifically, salvation entails God’s deliverance of humans from the power and effects of sin and the Fall through the work of Jesus Christ so that creation in general and humans in particular can enjoy the fullness of life intended for what God has made." {Grenz, S., Guretzki, D., & Nordling, C. F. (1999). In Pocket dictionary of theological terms (p. 105). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.}

"Appropriately in theology, the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness. This is the great salvation." {Webster's 1828 Dictionary}

The Greek word translated "salvation" in the New Testament is found in the theological term "soteriology". This is a scholarly word that refers to studying the doctrine of salvation. The first definition helps us understand that salvation is a broad term that includes all of God's necessary work to save mankind from the consequences of sin. 

Salvation includes other words like redemption, justification, sanctification, propitiation and substitutionary atonement.

The New Testament word translated "salvation" means deliverance, preservation, safety and salvation. It is the past saving work of Christ on the cross. It is the present possession of all born again believers. It is the future sum of all blessing that we will enjoy with Christ in heaven.  

One helpful way to think about salvation is understanding that there are three tenses of salvation: The past tense is when we have been set free from the penalty of sin. The present tense is when we are being set free from the power of sin. The future tense is when we will be set free from the presence of sin.

Today, let's think about the past tense and what Jesus Christ did on the cross for all mankind.  

One sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

Hebrews 7:26-27  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27) Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 

Jesus Christ is our high priest. He is of the order of Melchisedec rather than through the line of Aaron. All Old Testament priests were sinful men like us and had to offer a sacrifice for their own sins before they offered sacrifices for all the people. They all died and a new priest had to take their place. 

What makes Jesus Christ a perfect High Priest? Jesus, who is Jehovah in the flesh, is holy. He never sinned because as God, He cannot sin. Christ is undefiled which means He is pure, holy and sinless. Because of His holy nature, Jesus is separate or completely unlike sinners. Jesus never sinned and for that reason, He did not need to offer a sacrifice for His own sins.

Now we come to the past tense of our salvation. Jesus offered Himself by laying down His life for the sins of all people. Christ did this once by His death on the cross. 

One sacrifice to bring eternal salvation.

Hebrews 9:11-12  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 

Notice the complete efficacy and power of the blood of Jesus Christ. He died once for all sins. He shed His innocent blood once for all sins. When He ascended to the Father and He put His blood at the altar in the heavenly Temple of God once for all sinners. Thus, Jesus' blood purchased an eternal salvation for each believer. 

Christ offered Himself once to pay for all sin. 

Hebrews 9:24-28  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25) Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

The author of Hebrews gives us more details about the priestly work of Jesus Christ. Christ returned to heaven and appears before the Father for us as our advocate and intercessor. The Old Testament priesthood is again contrasted with our perfect high priest, Jesus Christ. Notice once more, salvation that Jesus Christ only died once to pay for all sins for all people for all time!

Christ made one sacrifice for all that pleased the Father.

Hebrews 10:10-12  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 

We see in this text that  salvation was accomplished by the bodily death of Christ on the cross "once for all." Verse 12 tells us that after Jesus "offered one sacrifice for sins for ever" His salvation work was finished and He sat down at the right hand of His Father.

Jesus suffered once for sin to bring us to God!

1 Peter 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

Peter tells us that Jesus suffered and died once for the sins of all humanity. This act of salvation happened almost 2,000 years ago when Jesus voluntarily went to the cross, used His power to lay His life down and three days later, used His power to take up His life again (John 10). 

Thus, the bedrock of our salvation looks to the past work of Christ when Jesus did everything that was needed to satisfy God's law, pay for all mankind's sins. Because of the perfect work of the son of God on the cross now God freely offers salvation to all people of the world.  

Everything that God proclaims through the gospel of Jesus Christ is based upon the work that Jesus did on the cross. His sacrifice for mankind's sin is the pivotal point in all of history. All of the prophecies about the sufferings of Messiah come together in the work and person of Jesus Christ. 

Nothing else can be done to save us. Jesus fulfilled all the scriptures, He paid it all and He did it all. 

John 3:16-17  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

In these familiar verses John tells us about the love of God. Jesus came to the world to voluntarily go to the cross and die in our place as our substitute to save us. Jesus opened the door to salvation by faith in Christ. 

John 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 

Jesus declared that He alone is the door. There is no other way of salvation except through the door, Jesus Christ. There is no other named under heaven given among men for salvation except the name Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). 

Thoughts to Ponder...

How is our individual salvation in the past tense? Simply put, there was a certain point in time when I heard the gospel of Christ and the Spirit of God did His convicting work in my heart. I knew I stood before holy God as a guilty and condemned sinner. I also knew that Jesus paid for my sins, dying on the cross so that I might live if I trusted Him. 

In April 1981, on a stormy Sunday morning I heard a pastor preach and I knew I needed to be saved. I repented of my sins and turned to Jesus Christ with repentant faith. On that Sunday, God changed my life forever. Faith in Jesus Christ saved me just as God's Word says it will. 

Today, nearly 40 years later, I look back to that Sunday morning, joyfully realizing what God did for me that day. In that sense I look back into my past to the very day when I was "saved." Like Christ's work on the cross, salvation in each believer is a one time act of God in our lives. We do not become "saved" many times in life, nor do we become more "saved" with each passing day. 

Once we are born again or "saved" God secured our soul for eternity but He has other work that He is going to be doing in our lives until He calls us home to heaven. We will look more at this in the future as we think about salvation in the present tense.

Bob