SALVATION. Salvation means “deliverance”, “bringing safely through”, “keeping from harm”. In the OT, God revealed Himself as the One who saves His people, “I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior.” Isaiah‬ ‭43:11‬ Salvation is described in the NT as “the way” or the “narrow path” that leads through life to eternal fellowship with God in heaven, “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to eternal life, and there are few who find it.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:14‬

‭This road of salvation must be walked to the end. We can describe salvation as one way with two sides and three stages. (1) The one way of salvation. Christ is the only way to the Father. Salvation is provided for us by God’s grace, which He gives us freely in Christ, based on His death, resurrection and continued intercession for believers. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Rom 3:24-25; 5:8-10; Heb 7:25)(2) The two sides of salvation.

Salvation is a gift of God’s grace received through faith in Christ. Thus, it is extended to us by God as a result of His grace and is received by us through the response of faith. God’s grace and love was shown on the cross when Jesus shed His blood for our sins and this grace must be appropriated by our response to God’s call to repentance and faith. Otherwise, it is not effective. “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts‬ ‭2:38‬ ‭“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”” Romans‬ ‭1:16-17‬ ‭(3) The three stages of salvation.

The past stage includes the personal experience by which we receive forgiveness of sins as a free gift and pass from spiritual death to spiritual life, from the power of sin to the power of God, from Satan’s dominion to God’s dominion. It brings us into a personal relationship with Father God and rescues us from the penalty of sin. (Acts 10:43, 26:18; 1 John 3:14; John 1:12; Rom 1:16, 6:23; 1 Cor 1:18)

The present stage of salvation saved us from the bondage, power and dominion of sin, and brings us into the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. It includes: the privilege of a relationship with God as our Father and Jesus as our Lord and Savior; the call to count ourselves dead to sin and to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word; the invitation to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit; the demand to separate ourselves from sin and this present corrupt generation; and the call to contend for the advance of God’s kingdom against Satan and his demonic host. (Rom 6:1-14, John 14:18-23, Rom 8:1-17, 2 Tim 3:15-16, 2 Cor 10:4-5, 1 Peter 5:8-9)

The future stage of salvation includes: deliverance from God’s coming wrath; our sharing in Christ’s glory and receiving a resurrected or transformed body and our receiving rewards as faithful overcomers. This future salvation is the goal toward which we strive. All present warnings, discipline, and punishment have as their purpose that believers should not forfeit this future salvation. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew‬ ‭24:13‬

Christ is speaking to the last generation who will experience intense affliction and persecution. ‭Salvation is walked out to the end of our lives. If because of the deceitfulness of sin, we harden our hearts and let our salvation slip; we will face judgment, and not mercy. “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,”‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2:1-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬Good salvation doctrine matters. #runyourrace

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