- We can all too easily fall into the trap of taking for granted the things that we have. I vividly remember one of my earliest messages on being thankful for the simple things in life from the joy of laughter to the beauty of sight. However as easy as it is to enjoy these things, a study of the intricacy of the eye leads you to such a depth of awareness and then there is a whole science behind laughter teaching us that it releases endorphins in our brain. In our study of the great doctrines of the faith, we come to soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. You might be thinking, ‘I know I’m saved,’ but it is my desire to teach you a profound understanding of that salvation and how amazing it really is. We will discover the richness of our atonement, justification, ransom, reconciliation and adoption!
SALVATION IS:
1. Holiness Served
Atonement
1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The word for here is translated ‘hyper’in the greek meaning in the place of, a substitute.
We speak of healing in the atonement of Christ. Atonement comes from the word ‘at one’ and it relates to the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and the satisfaction of the demands of a Holy God
Justification
This is a legal word used in a court of law to declare someone, “not guilty’. We are only declared this because the sentence has been served by Christ. Romans 3:23-26
2. Freedom Received
Ransom
Christ’s gift of life as ransom shows that a transaction has been made to secure our freedom Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Peter 1:18.19. ‘Give me back my son!’ like Mel Gibson in his passionate cry in Ransom is how God is jealous to pay the price for our freedom to release us from the grip of sin and the enemy of our souls.
Salvation
The word also comes with the meaning of deliverance, liberation. It paints the picture of people who have been rescued and who have been caught in a hopeless situation. It captures the image of the realization that we were all held in the stronghold of death until Christ came and through His death overcame the enemy of our souls, saved us from his power and set us free. Mark 3:23-27; Colossians 1:13,15; 1 Thessalonians 1:10
3. Relationship Restored
Chosen By God!
All biblical statements about predestination have a direct correlation to a collective reality. God has decided that there will be a community of faith. It is clear that when God speaks about individuals and salvation, we see the teaching of free will in the statement, ‘whosoever will’.
Probably the best illustration of this is found in the OT. The chosen people of Israel did not automatically get their admission into the ranks of the chosen. Being born a Jew certainly helped, but it did not seal their fate either way. The original covenant given to Abraham was that he would be the father of many nations in Genesis 17:5. So, being chosen was not limited to a certain race even before Christ. The basis of being chosen was dependent on a free decision on their part. They had to obey God and keep his commands…the Schema…Deuteronomy 6. To experience God’s blessing, God always expected them to respond to Him in love, walking in His ways and holding fast to Him.
In the NT, we see this illustrated in the story of the wedding banquet in Matthew 22. A wedding banquet would last several days in Jesus’ time. The invitations are sent out but the king’s offer is turned down, no one chooses to rsvp or for that matter the invitation is abused. As a result, the king’s offer is taken to the streets and all were offered a chance to come to the banquet and the ones who do become His guests. They become the ‘choice’ group because they freely responded to the opportunity. The king did not predetermine the decision of those who would come. Becoming chosen had been part of their choice all along.
Predestination, foreknowledge are all terms used to describe those who have come to faith. It is a beautiful term for those who believe and these terms are addressed to a believing community. We do not find Scripture that teaches God predestined people to hell and separation from Him. The lack of choosing to accept God’s sacrifice in His Son Jesus is a self destructive decision.
It is clear from Scripture that God definitely calls and chooses individuals for specific types of ministry. Before Jeremiah was even born, he had been appointed as a prophet to the nation, Jeremiah1:5. He accepted his calling reluctantly but followed through. God even chooses the unsaved to perform specific tasks to be used to advance God’s purposes such as the monarch in his time, Cyrus, who was instrumental on his behalf in Isaiah 44,45. Paul is another example with his dramatic commissioning to ministry on the road to Damascus.
Reconciliation
1 Timothy 2:3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. NLT
Everybody Matters To God!
Luke 15:3-7 In fact, one sheep is so important to Him that He is ready to pull out a search and rescue operation and throw everything He has at it, including His one and only Son.
James 4:5 Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? The note on this verse states that God jealously longs for the spirit that he made to live in us. He doesn’t want you to worship anyone else but Him! He has a jealous love for you.
Don’t you ever for one moment think that God does not care about you. That is a lie from the enemy. Romans 2:14 teaches us that instinctively we know that there is a God because He has written His laws on our heart.
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. People like to talk about rights a lot today and God put salvation right in your court!
Adoption Romans 8:15-17
Regeneration
This is a word to describe the process of rebirth that we go through and respond to God’s call on our life. It is the miracle of transformation that goes on inside our hearts and is best described in 2 Corinthians 5:17. It is that point where God intervenes in our life and works a miracle through the forgiveness of sins. The dormant spiritual nature in our life becomes activated by God and we begin the process of change more and more into God’s image. Colossians 3:10; 2 Peter 1:4; Titus 3:5 The renewal is meant to be so personality shaking that it is likened to a resurrection from the dead!
It begins with negative conviction, a realization of our own guilt and need. The conscience is stirred up with dissatisfaction about life and one’s own inability to fill that God shaped vacuum This sense of loss can take a person over so completely that they strive to fill it through human relationships, addictions and work. 2 Corinthians 7:10
There is also positive conviction which leads a person to the question “what must I do to be saved?’ It is positive in the sense that one realizes it cannot come from within and the openness to the source of mercy and love in God.
Conversion or coming to faith in Christ is made up of two elements, one negative and one positive and they are repentance and faith.
repentance
A great example of repentance is David’s prayer in Psalm 51. It is the prodigal son crying out, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” in Luke 15:18. God be merciful to me sinner. Luke 18:13 It is that place where we come completely honest before God and see ourselves for who we really are in His sight. It is also accompanied by a realization of the need to ask for forgiveness.
As repentance brings us to our knees, faith makes us rise up in newness. As we ask for forgiveness in repentance, faith now comes and receives it. It is the prodigal son accepting his father’s embrace
faith
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God.
The absolute, unshakeable definitive act of His love is the cross. The cross draws us heavenward because Jesus gave us Himself and with outstretched arms paid for our forgiveness and shows us mercy.
Repentance and faith produce together what makes regeneration possible. Apart from God we are disconnected and through salvation we experience what we lost in the garden…intimacy and communion.
Sanctification- means to be set apart for holiness, to purify, to make free from sin. It is the process of becoming more Christlike. Ephesians 4:13;24 Colossians 3:10
Can salvation be lost? John 10:25-29
The Takeaway
Salvation is the holiness of God served in my life so that my freedom is gained in Christ that I may walk in the Spirit with Him.
It is what I was always intended to do from the beginning.
As we come to communion, I want to say this…
We often worship God because of His grace. More often than not, we come to God with songs of praise when we can see the blessings. God is providing, our family is in harmony, we have great friendships, but what happens when the bottom falls out? What happens when we aren’t talking with those close to us, when our kids are in trouble, when we are someone close to us in battling a dreadful disease.
You see that is why we are urged to worship God… in view of His mercy in Romans 12:1. We can worship God because we aren’t getting what we do deserve. To remind ourselves because our salvation alone, we aren’t getting what we do deserve. To learn that God is good all the time even when life isn’t good or whether you feel like worshipping or not.
We can still worship Him for His mercy alone.
Questions For Discussion and Small Groups:
1. Relate your salvation story to the outline today. What part of your salvation do you experience most at the time of your conversion? (holiness served, freedom gained or relationship restored) What part of your salvation are you most experiencing now?
2. What is a sure fire way not to doubt your salvation?
3. Does justification mean becoming righteous?
4. Is there any connection between sanctification and the image of God?
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