Because we are Christians, we think that salvation is a gift from God that we cannot merit or earn through our own works. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ make this gift possible. However, there is a lot to learn about the doctrine of salvation. We’ll look at this doctrine’s various facets in this blog post, including its theological underpinnings and real-world applications.
How does salvation work?
Salvation is the action of being rescued or saved. Salvation in the Christian sense means being delivered from sin and death by placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, everyone has sinned and falls short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). But through His Son, Jesus Christ, God, in His mercy and love, provided a way for us to be saved.
Salvation’s theological basis
The following theological ideas form the foundation of the doctrine of salvation:.
Grace
We cannot merit or earn salvation. By God’s grace, He has bestowed it upon us as a gift. According to Ephesians 2:8–9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast”.
Faith
Faith in Jesus Christ is required for salvation. The statement in John 3:16 that “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.
Atonement
Jesus Christ’s substitutionary work has made salvation possible. Jesus paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross, making us right with God and removing the punishment we deserved. According to 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed”.
Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus Christ provides assurance and completion of salvation. 1 Corinthians 15:17 “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins”.
Salvation’s application in real life
Numerous real-world applications of the doctrine of salvation affect how we as Christians live. Several of them are listed below:
Assurance
Our eternal destiny is guaranteed to us through salvation. We have reason to be sure that we are saved and that we will one day enter heaven. Romans 8:38–39 states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
Transformation
Our lives are transformed as a result of salvation. We are now free to live for God instead of being held captive by sin. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
Mission
Our mission to spread the good news of Jesus to others is made possible by our salvation. Matthew 28:19–20 calls us to make disciples of all nations and to serve as Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Salvation’s procedure
Three steps make up the salvation process: justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Justification
The first stage of salvation is referred to as justification. Based on the merits of Jesus Christ, it is God’s declaration that the believer is righteous. A believer is declared not guilty because Jesus took the punishment for their sin and bore it on the cross, which is referred to as justification in law. According to Romans 3:28, our justification comes exclusively from our faith in Christ.
Sanctification
Being made holy on a continuing basis is referred to as sanctification. The Holy Spirit transforms believers into the likeness of Christ through their lives. It entails giving up sin each day and living for Christ. In order to become more holy as Christians, we must put off our old selves and put on our new selves (Ephesians 4:22–24).
Glorification
The last stage of salvation is referred to as glorification. When the believer is made perfect and receives a glorified body, this happens. Our bodies will be changed at the resurrection so that they resemble Christ’s resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:42–44). Sin, suffering, and death will never again be a part of our lives because we will always be with the Lord.
Conclusion
Central to the Christian faith is the doctrine of salvation. It teaches us that Jesus is the only way to be saved and that we are sinners in need of a Savior. It also serves as a reminder of the three stages of salvation—justification, sanctification, and glorification. We can find solace in the knowledge that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and that our salvation is assured in him as we live out our lives as Christians.