We are walking in today: Salvation--According to Scripture Part 1
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation H3444 of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
The Torah testifies...............
Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: H3444 he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 33:2 O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation H3444 also in the time of trouble.
The writings bear witness....................
1 Chronicles 16:23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. H3444
Psalms 119:166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, H3444 and done thy commandments.
Many today have heard about Salvation from their Pastors and Preachers. Most churches will be quick to tell anyone how to be saved — yet every church seems to have a slightly different description of what Salvation is. Why is this? Perhaps it is because many do not hold to the Truth of Scripture, but to various paradigms or 'spin' of what the Scriptures say. This mixture of Truth and error is called Tradition and Doctrines of Men, and according to Scripture, this is what turns men away from the Truth.
Today The Most High is calling His people to look only to His Word — the Bible — for the answers for all Truth. To do this, we must diligently search the Scriptures, but we must first be willing to discard the Traditions and Doctrines of Men. We must then test everything against the Scriptures.
Any idea or notion must be tested against Scripture, just as the Bereans did. They searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether those things that the Apostle Paul said were true, or not (Acts 17:10-11). How much more should we do the same, for things we hear from our leaders?
Over the years, many groups have codified and written down various views of Bible subjects as they have understood them. Man has seen and understood only a partial view, however, and has had only a flicker of Light on various subjects. May The Most High open our eyes, and illuminate His Word for us today!
The Most High truly is opening men's eyes today, and illuminating the Scriptures, so that they might prepare to enter in to the Promised Land. For those who sincerely seek the Way of Life, we must return to the Scriptures, to find the clear and simple message of Salvation. The Scriptures reveal to us exactly what Salvation is, and what it is not. In this series we will look some of the highlights of Salvation, according to the Scriptures.
What is Salvation?
The Greek words translated Salvation in the New Testament include the meanings of deliverance, rescue, safety, and preservation of life. Many today, however, use additional Bible words and concepts for the word Salvation, resulting in mixed doctrines, resulting in error and confusion. The solution for this is to get back to Scripture, and to use Bible words to define Bible concepts. Let's look at a few passages:
Many Scripture passages equate Salvation with Deliverance, rescue, safety, victory, and good health. Here are a few of these:
"...and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel..." (1 Samuel 19:5)
"And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." (Joshua 2:13)
"O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me." (Psalms 7:1)
"Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men." (Psalms 59:2)
"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:15)
"And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;" (2 Peter 2:5)
Still other passages equate Salvation with rescue of the soul, and Eternal Life. Here are a few passages:
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalms 27:1)
"With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (Psalms 91:16)
"Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive." (Ezekiel 18:27)
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)
From the above we see many different ideas, but for the purpose of this study, we will focus on perhaps the most important Truths of Salvation. These are the twin Biblical Truths of 'coming out' — of Redemption by the Blood of Messiah — and of 'entering in' to Eternal Life.
In order to re-adjust our thinking back to Biblical terms, we must "un-learn" some of the previous concepts we might have picked up along the way, most of which are un-Biblical Traditions and Doctrines of Men. These errors regarding Salvation are numerous, but rather than enumerate the error, we will focus on the True.
Salvation: Past, present, and Future
A detailed word study of the entire New Testament yields some surprising results. We see the words and terms describing Salvation in a number of ways. The Scriptures are numerous, so we will show highlights, and the required attesting witnesses of Scripture to illustrate these Truths.
First, the New Testament shows Salvation as not only a past action, but as a present, ongoing process, and even as a future event or goal. As if that were not complicated enough, Scripture shows that each of the 3-fold parts of man — spirit, soul, and body — must undergo its own aspect of Salvation, also called Redemption in Scripture.
The simplest way for us to understand the New Testament Truths of Salvation is to look at the examples given to us in Scripture by the Holy Spirit. These examples reveal past, present, and future aspects of Salvation, and are scattered throughout the New Testament for our learning.
The Most High has put these examples in Scripture for us to seek for, and to find, much as we might find treasures on a treasure hunt. These examples help us to clearly understand the meaning of some of the more obscure passages. The Most High wants His People to find these Truths, and to become prepared to enter in to the Promised Land.
First we will look at a few example passages that show past, present, and future aspects of salvation:
Past Tense: 'Saved' (These include Greek Aorist and Perfect Tenses):
"And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." (Luke 7:50)
"And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee." (Luke 18:42)
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:8)
"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," (2 Timothy 1:9)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" (Titus 3:5)
"I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 1:5)
Present Tense: 'Being Saved' (These include Greek Present Tense, Passive Voice, Participle):
"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?" (Luke 13:23a)
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)
"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:" (2 Corinthians 2:15)
"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it..." (Revelation 21:24a)
Future Tense: 'Shall Be Saved' (These include Greek Future Tense, Active and Passive Voice, Indicative Mood):
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 10:22)
"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13)
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Mark 13:13)
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16)
"But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:11)
"By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:2)
The above Scriptures are examples of past, present and future aspects of Salvation. However, some of these verses are not easily understood in light of our existing paradigms, the "spin" we have been taught regarding Salvation. Much of what we know and understand has been tainted by centuries of Tradition and Doctrines of Men. We must therefore return to Scripture!
For example, let's assume the word Salvation refers only to a one-time, historical event. Then the statement, "he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22) does not seem to agree with our assumption.
So in order to help us have a good understanding of Biblical Salvation, we must look at all of Scripture. We must likewise use Bible words and terminology, to discuss Bible truths.
Using Bible Words for Bible Truths
Most today use the word 'saved' and 'salvation' to refer to many things in Scripture. However, in order to have a good grasp of Scriptural concepts, we must get back to using Bible words. For example, redemption is not the same as salvation. Likewise, justification is not the same as salvation.
Just as we see the importance of using Bible words, we also must get back to Bible definitions of words. One of the greatest inroads hasatan has made against the Believers is the re-defining of Bible words by the Theologians, resulting in the Doctrines of Men, which turn men from the Truth (see Titus 1:14). The most destructive re-defining done yet is the re-defining of Biblical Grace, where the Biblical meaning has been blended into other concepts, such that the Biblical concept of true Grace has been all but lost to the Believers.
Further insight into these Bible words will be gained when we look at Israel in the Wilderness, for our warning, and for our learning, as the Biblical example of Our Salvation.
The Greek words translated Salvation in the New Testament include the meanings of deliverance, rescue, safety, and preservation of life. Many today, however, use additional Bible words and concepts for the word Salvation, resulting in mixed doctrines, resulting in error and confusion. The solution for this is to get back to Scripture, and to use Bible words to define Bible concepts. Let's look at a few passages:
Many Scripture passages equate Salvation with Deliverance, rescue, safety, victory, and good health. Here are a few of these:
"...and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel..." (1 Samuel 19:5)
"And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." (Joshua 2:13)
"O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me." (Psalms 7:1)
"Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men." (Psalms 59:2)
"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:15)
"And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;" (2 Peter 2:5)
Still other passages equate Salvation with rescue of the soul, and Eternal Life. Here are a few passages:
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalms 27:1)
"With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (Psalms 91:16)
"Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive." (Ezekiel 18:27)
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)
From the above we see many different ideas, but for the purpose of this study, we will focus on perhaps the most important Truths of Salvation. These are the twin Biblical Truths of 'coming out' — of Redemption by the Blood of Messiah — and of 'entering in' to Eternal Life.
In order to re-adjust our thinking back to Biblical terms, we must "un-learn" some of the previous concepts we might have picked up along the way, most of which are un-Biblical Traditions and Doctrines of Men. These errors regarding Salvation are numerous, but rather than enumerate the error, we will focus on the True.
Salvation: Past, present, and Future
A detailed word study of the entire New Testament yields some surprising results. We see the words and terms describing Salvation in a number of ways. The Scriptures are numerous, so we will show highlights, and the required attesting witnesses of Scripture to illustrate these Truths.
First, the New Testament shows Salvation as not only a past action, but as a present, ongoing process, and even as a future event or goal. As if that were not complicated enough, Scripture shows that each of the 3-fold parts of man — spirit, soul, and body — must undergo its own aspect of Salvation, also called Redemption in Scripture.
The simplest way for us to understand the New Testament Truths of Salvation is to look at the examples given to us in Scripture by the Holy Spirit. These examples reveal past, present, and future aspects of Salvation, and are scattered throughout the New Testament for our learning.
The Most High has put these examples in Scripture for us to seek for, and to find, much as we might find treasures on a treasure hunt. These examples help us to clearly understand the meaning of some of the more obscure passages. The Most High wants His People to find these Truths, and to become prepared to enter in to the Promised Land.
First we will look at a few example passages that show past, present, and future aspects of salvation:
Past Tense: 'Saved' (These include Greek Aorist and Perfect Tenses):
"And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." (Luke 7:50)
"And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee." (Luke 18:42)
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:8)
"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," (2 Timothy 1:9)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" (Titus 3:5)
"I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 1:5)
Present Tense: 'Being Saved' (These include Greek Present Tense, Passive Voice, Participle):
"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?" (Luke 13:23a)
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)
"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:" (2 Corinthians 2:15)
"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it..." (Revelation 21:24a)
Future Tense: 'Shall Be Saved' (These include Greek Future Tense, Active and Passive Voice, Indicative Mood):
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 10:22)
"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13)
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Mark 13:13)
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16)
"But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:11)
"By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:2)
The above Scriptures are examples of past, present and future aspects of Salvation. However, some of these verses are not easily understood in light of our existing paradigms, the "spin" we have been taught regarding Salvation. Much of what we know and understand has been tainted by centuries of Tradition and Doctrines of Men. We must therefore return to Scripture!
For example, let's assume the word Salvation refers only to a one-time, historical event. Then the statement, "he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22) does not seem to agree with our assumption.
So in order to help us have a good understanding of Biblical Salvation, we must look at all of Scripture. We must likewise use Bible words and terminology, to discuss Bible truths.
Using Bible Words for Bible Truths
Most today use the word 'saved' and 'salvation' to refer to many things in Scripture. However, in order to have a good grasp of Scriptural concepts, we must get back to using Bible words. For example, redemption is not the same as salvation. Likewise, justification is not the same as salvation.
Just as we see the importance of using Bible words, we also must get back to Bible definitions of words. One of the greatest inroads hasatan has made against the Believers is the re-defining of Bible words by the Theologians, resulting in the Doctrines of Men, which turn men from the Truth (see Titus 1:14). The most destructive re-defining done yet is the re-defining of Biblical Grace, where the Biblical meaning has been blended into other concepts, such that the Biblical concept of true Grace has been all but lost to the Believers.
Further insight into these Bible words will be gained when we look at Israel in the Wilderness, for our warning, and for our learning, as the Biblical example of Our Salvation.
Shema Selah what does the scriptures actually say? We must read the Bible according to biblical definitions not the traditions of men!!
No comments:
Post a Comment