A study of the End Times on the basis of The Holy Bible
Question: "What is salvation? What is the Christian doctrine of salvation?"
Answer:
Salvation is deliverance from danger or suffering. To save is to deliver or protect. The word carries the idea
of victory, health, or preservation. Sometimes, the Bible uses the words saved or salvation to
refer to temporal, physical deliverance, such as Paul’s deliverance from prison (Philippians 1:19).
More often, the word “salvation” concerns an eternal, spiritual deliverance. When Paul told the Philippian
jailer what he must do to be saved, he was referring to the jailer’s eternal destiny (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus
equated being saved with entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-25).
What are we saved from? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from
God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence
of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and
therefore involves the removal of sin.
Who does the saving? Only God can remove sin and deliver us from sin’s penalty (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus
3:5).
How does God save? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has rescued us through Christ (John 3:17).
Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation (Romans
5:10; Ephesians 1:7). Scripture is clear that salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Ephesians 2:5,
8) and is only available through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
How do we receive salvation? We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel—the good news
of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe—fully trust the Lord Jesus
(Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19), and calling on the
name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13).
A definition of the Christian doctrine of salvation would be “The deliverance, by the grace of God, from eternal
punishment for sin which is granted to those who accept by faith God’s conditions of repentance and faith in the
Lord Jesus.” Salvation is available in Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) and is dependent on God alone for
provision, assurance, and security.