Salvation

Why Do I Need Salvation?

The Big Picture of Salvation

The Christian theological understanding of the relationship between God and humanity, free will, sin, and salvation:

1. God’s Desire for a Loving Relationship:
   • God created humanity for a meaningful, personal relationship built on love. For a relationship to be genuine, it cannot be coerced or forced; it must involve free will. Love, by definition, requires choice. God provided this freedom to human beings to allow for meaningful love and obedience rather than mere robotic submission.
2. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil:
   • According to Genesis 2-3, God placed the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden as a way to test humanity’s love and trust in Him. Choosing to obey God would reflect love, trust, and reliance on Him. On the other hand, eating the fruit would reflect disobedience, self-reliance, and mistrust.
   • This “test” is often interpreted as giving humanity the moral agency to follow God freely or reject Him.
3. The Consequences of Sin:
   • When Adam and Eve ate from the tree (Genesis 3), their choice marked a turning point for humanity. Sin entered the world, severing the perfect relationship between humanity and God.
   • The consequence of their disobedience was death—both physical (eventual bodily death) and spiritual (a separation from God’s presence and life). Romans 5:12 elaborates on this, stating that sin and death spread to all humanity because all humans inherit the fallen nature of Adam and Eve.
4. God’s Plan for Redemption:
   • Despite humanity’s failure, God, in His infinite love and mercy, chose to provide a way to restore the broken relationship.
   • This was accomplished through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is viewed as the perfect, sinless sacrifice (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). His death atones for sin and offers the possibility of salvation to all who believe and accept Him.
   • Furthermore, through the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to walk in a restored relationship with God, experiencing spiritual renewal and transformation.
5. Salvation as a Choice:
   • Salvation is presented as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), but one that requires a response from humanity. Each individual must make a personal decision to accept this offer of redemption and reenter a loving relationship with God. In doing so, they acknowledge their dependence on Him and their need for grace and forgiveness.

Christian Salvation Flyer PDF

Lesson Video

How Can I Be Saved?

Salvation occurs when a person makes the choice to accept God’s free offer of redemption and reenters a loving relationship with Him.

Scripture Reading:

• “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.” (John 3:16)
• “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• “ ¹⁰ as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹ there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ¹³ Their throat isan open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴ whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ¹⁵ their feet are swift to shed blood: ¹⁶ destruction and misery are in their ways: ¹⁷ and the way of peace have they not known: ¹⁸ there is no fear of God before their eyes. ¹⁹ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; ²² even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: ²³ for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ²⁴ being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ²⁵ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; ²⁶ to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ²⁷ Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. ²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:10-28)

How Can I Know I Am Saved?

Salvation occurs when the Holy Spirit enters an individual’s soul. We restore the relationship with God that Adam lost. A true disciple experiences a relationship with God, which serves as proof of salvation.

• “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:13-17)
• “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13)

 

Stages of Salvation:

• Justification: The believer is declared righteous before God through faith in Christ (Romans 3:24). It is a one-time event.
• Sanctification: The ongoing process by which the Holy Spirit works in the believer’s life to make them holy and more like Christ. This continues throughout a Christian’s life (Philippians 1:6).
• Glorification: The final stage when believers are fully transformed into Christ’s likeness in eternity (1 John 3:2).

 

Are There Other Methods Of Salvation?

According to the Bible, Jesus is the only way to redemption.

• “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
• “be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, evenby him doth this man stand here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. ¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)
• “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

Explanation in Practice

In Christian teaching, salvation is both:

• A Past Event: For believers, salvation was accomplished by Jesus on the cross. Upon accepting Christ through faith, they are justified and made right with God.
• A Present Reality: Believers experience the transformative power of salvation in their daily lives as the Holy Spirit sanctifies them.
• A Future Hope: Salvation will be fully realized when believers are united with God in heaven and sin and death are completely eradicated.

Theological Perspectives

While all Christian denominations agree on Jesus Christ as the source of salvation, there are differences in how salvation is understood and applied:

• Protestant View: Emphasizes salvation by grace through faith alone (sola fide), with a focus on the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement.
• Catholic View: Includes grace through faith but also incorporates the necessity of good works, the sacraments, and the Church in the process of salvation.
• Orthodox View: Views salvation as a process of theosis, or becoming united with God, highlighting the transformative and communal aspects of salvation.

Once I Am Saved, What Do I Do Next?

Saved Christians should fulfill the purpose for which God created them and desire to live in a loving relationship with God. Relationships require cultivation for growth. Disciples need to spend time with God so they can learn about Him and the plans He has prepared for their life.

We built this website for disciples to learn about and grow in their relationship with God. Please use it as a free resource and discover all the aspects of discipleship!