The Biblical and Christian Worldview
for the 21st Century

#2 Saved? From What?  To what?

Last week we looked at the three phases of salvation: we have been saved (justification), we are being saved (sanctification), and we will be saved (glorification). Some Bible verses may be confusing, if you do not understand to which tense the verse is being referenced. For example, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" applies to sanctification, our life on earth.

This week, we will begin to look at what is salvation. Take a couple of minutes, before you read the following, and think about what salvation is. You are "saved!" From what? Are you saved to anything? You may even want to jot down a few ideas that come to mind.

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While the most important aspect of salvation is being saved from the wrath of God, I will not focus on that because I believe that we all understand that fairly well. More importantly for our life on earth, salvation means sanctification, "I am being saved," so that is where I will focus this epistle.

The same Greek word for salvation in the spiritual sense may also be used to be "saved" from an illness, a shipwreck, or other dire event. To be saved, then, implies a threat of disaster from which one is delivered.

Our lives, before God entered, were a disaster that had no guidance except our own wisdom, conflict with others (especially those closest to us), a life with no purpose, destructive habits, and a hostile universe that could destroy us at any time.

Now, we have guidance from the Most Wise God through the Bible. We have the means to resolve conflict by living lives according to the Bible’s instructions, seeking forgiveness from God and each other when necessary. We have a purpose of ministry in the church, in vocation, in helping and comforting others, in raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and trying to affect our culture with godly directions.

As we are busy in these outward focuses, we won’t have time for our destructive habits. And, one of the great blessings of salvation, we have peace! Peace with God and peace with the universe and all its threats. God is in control!

Any form of salvation is not complete, if it is not perfect and total, protecting us from any power, random or intentional, in the universe. God’s salvation is perfect. He is in control of all things.

There is more that I will say next week. For an outline of these thoughts, see: http://www.biblicalworldview21.org/Worldview_Areas/Theology/Salvation_Full_Meaning.asp