What is Salvation?

In the New Testament, the words “salvation” (soteria in Greek) and “saved” (sozo in Greek). appear 45 and 110 times each, respectively.

In the Biblical context, salvation or being saved refers to the concepts of being rescued, preserved, spared from calamity. Less frequently, (sozo) also refers to the concept of being healed, restored or made whole.

Sometimes they refer to being physically saved in the present but more often they refer to being saved at some point in the future.

As always, the context of the surrounding passages are critically important to a correct understanding.

When does salvation actually happen? When is it received?

[Act 2:47 NIV] 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

[1Co 1:18 NIV] 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

[2Co 2:15 NIV] 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

[Eph 2:8-9 NIV] 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

[1Co 15:2 NIV] 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

[2Ti 2:10 NIV] 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

[2Ti 1:9 NIV] 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

[Tit 3:5 NIV] 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

[Heb 7:25 NIV] 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

[Heb 9:28 NIV] 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

[Jas 2:14 NIV] 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

[1Pe 1:3-5 NIV] 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

What are we saved from?

[Rom 5:9-10 NIV] 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Can a Christian “lose” or “walk away” from their salvation?

[Jhn 10:28-29 NIV] 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

[Eph 1:3-14 NIV] 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment–to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.

[Jhn 6:37 NIV] 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

[Mat 7:21-23 NIV] 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

[Luk 13:23-28 NIV] 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.

But what about…

[Heb 10:26-27 NIV] 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

[2Pe 3:17-18 NIV] 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

[Heb 3:12-14 NIV] 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

[Heb 6:4-6 NIV] 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.