What is salvation?

TL;DR:

Salvation is an act of God that saves us from sin and death, giving us eternal life with Him. We can only receive this gift by placing faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Man was created to be in close fellowship with God. However, we chose to rebel and decide for ourselves how to live apart from His rule (Genesis 3:6). God then promised to restore the fellowship by providing a savior (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the Old Testament, God showed us how to be forgiven from sin and pointed to the Savior who would put an end to our rebellious slavery once and for all. When Jesus arrived, He declared Himself to be our salvation, the one who would restore our relationship to God. Jesus died on a cross as a sacrifice, taking all of God’s wrath against sin on Himself. He was buried, resurrected and now offers this gift of salvation to all who trust and surrender their lives to Him.

from the old testament

God promised to restore the relationship that Adam and Eve had broken through their sin (Genesis 3:15).
God spared Noah and his family from destruction by means of a flood (Genesis 6:17-18).
God saved the Israelites from slavery under an evil Pharaoh (Exodus 12:40-42, 14:1-31).
God spared the life of a prostitute named Rahab when she helped Israel spy out the land of Canaan (Joshua 6:17).

from the new testament

Jesus called His disciples away from their old lives to follow Him (Luke 5:11, 27-28).
Jesus saved Zacchaeus when he recognized Jesus as Lord (Luke 19:2-8).
The thief on the cross next to Jesus repented of his sin and was saved (Luke 23:39-43).
Jesus saved the first Gentile, Cornelius, who was a devout and god-fearing man (Acts 10:1-4).
We are saved only by faith through Jesus because of God's amazing grace and power (Ephesians 2:8; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).

implications for today

We cannot save ourselves. Only God who created mankind can save rebellious, sinful mankind, and He has provided the way of salvation through , the death of His only begotten Son, Jesus, on the cross and His resurrection from the dead (Romans 5:10). Because He died for us and lives again, so can we die physically, then live eternally with Him. We do not deserve salvation. Salvation is God's gift (Ephesians 2:5, 8) which comes to us only through the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).We receive salvation by faith imparted to us as a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), by hearing the "good news" of the gospel of salvation (Ephesians 1:13) and believing it. But salvation is more than saying "I believe." Salvation requires repentance, and repentance goes beyond saying, "I'm sorry." Repentance involves a 180-degree turn away from sin; that is, to go in the opposite direction, to forget the attractions of the world and follow the teachings of Jesus the Savior (Matthew 6:24).Salvation is defined as being delivered, by God's grace, from sin and its consequence of eternal punishment and being raised to newness of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:4). Salvation comes to those who repent and, by faith, receive Jesus alone as personal Savior and Lord (John 1:12).

understand

Salvation is God's act of rescuing us from sin and death through Jesus Christ, restoring our relationship with Him.
God’s promise of salvation began with Adam and Eve and was fulfilled in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Salvation requires faith in Jesus, repentance from sin, and accepting God's grace as a gift.

reflect

How does understanding salvation as a gift from God impact your daily walk with Jesus?
In what ways can you actively express your gratitude for salvation in your actions and interactions with others?
Reflect on a personal area where you need to embrace repentance more fully. How can you turn away from that sin and align your life with the salvation given through Christ?

engage

How do the Old Testament examples of God’s deliverance help us understand the concept of salvation in light of the New Testament fulfillment in Jesus?
What are the implications of viewing salvation not just as a future promise but as a present reality that begins with a relationship with Jesus?
How can the requirement of repentance, as a 180-degree turn from sin, reshape our understanding of what it means to live out our faith daily?