This Article: (3 Pages)
- 1. Salvation
- 2. Jesus and Salvation
- 3. The Gospel and Salvation
1) Salvation
What is Salvation? This is a Biblical concept
A principle theme of the Bible is that of 'Salvation', and specifically the way in which people can be saved from eternal death.
The word 'salvation' occurs many times in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The Psalms speak of God and salvation in the following way.
“Our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.” (Psalm 68: 20)
The phrase “the issues from death” summarises a central theme of the Bible. Only the Creator can save mankind from death. Jonah states that,“Salvation is of the LORD.” (Jonah 2: 9)
Isaiah wrote that the Lord said his salvation was forever,
“The earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.” (Isaiah 51:6)
The Psalmist draws a relationship between salvation and sin,
“Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.” (Psalm 79:9)
The article Soul demonstrates that the Bible shows that humans are mortal, dying creatures.
Origins of Sin and Death
In the opening chapters of the Bible, Adam and Eve were given a clear command that they were not to eat of a certain tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which was in the Garden of Eden. They were told that “in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.”(Genesis 2:17) The serpent encouraged Eve with the lie that if she ate of the tree, “You shall not surely die.”(Genesis 3:16) Eve ate of the tree and persuaded Adam to do likewise. Adam and Eve had disobeyed a divine command, which was sin. They were condemed to “dying die.”
It was in this way that “sin entered into the world and death by sin.”(Romans 5:12) The Bible clearly teaches that “The soul that sins shall die”(Ezekiel 18:4). The apostle Paul also states that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). As all humans sin, all humans are mortal and thus die, as Adam and Eve were condemned to die.
At that time an important principle was established for all humans for all time. A lamb was slain to 'cover' Adam and Eve's sin. The sacrifice of the lamb showed that the only way sin could be covered and forgiven was through the shedding of blood. This principle of sacrifice for the remission of sins was established as the means of redemption.
The faithful people in the Old Testament offered animals in sacrifice. The Law of Moses required the sacrifice of animals for sins to be forgiven. From the time of the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, humans became dying creatures. The apostle Paul writing to the Romans explains it in the following way.
“By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.”(Romans 5:12)
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