Rev. M.A. Varghese
20th February 2011

Salvation is the fundamental teaching of both the Old and New Testament. Salvation is an oft-spoken about subject, but some peddle it as a mere free pass to the good life in eternity. The Bible clearly describes what it is, how one attains it and how one keeps it. Read on to know more.

Why salvation?

• We have all fallen short of the glory of God. Genesis 6:5; Isaiah 64:6; 1 John 1:8-10.
• Everyone needs salvation and everyone needs a Saviour. Only Jesus shed His blood for our sins. Acts 4:12; John 10:7; Romans 5:9. We are freely justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. Though salvation is free, there is a procedure to obtain it.
• Believe in Jesus. Salvation is by faith. We need to believe that we are sinners, that our Lord Jesus died and shed His blood for our sins and that He accepts us and makes us His children.
• Romans 10:9-10 – faith and confession are two key ingredients of salvation.
• Mark 16:16 – be baptized.
• James 1:21-22 – receive the Word of God and act on it.
• We will stand before the judgment seat of God.

The Process of Salvation

The book of Romans chapter 13 and eleventh verse, is an important verse about the process of salvation. Paul writes that salvation is nearer now to us than when we first believed. Paul seems to insinuate that there are degrees of salvation and that that it is not a one-time thing. The Bible uses 3 tenses for salvation

• By grace, I am saved.
• Each day I am being saved from temptation.
• Salvation is getting closer and nearer and will be complete when our mortal bodies are taken away and our eternal bodies have been given to us.  

We could be invited to join a university for free, but that does not guarantee us a graduate certificate. We will need to study and do well in order to ensure a good pass percentage. In the same way, God has extended an exquisite invitation to salvation. But we will need to work out our salvation (Philippians 2:12) in order to ensure that in the end, we have run our race well.

Can we be rejected after God accepts us? 

The Bible answers that question for us. 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 and Jude 5 talks about ‘our forefathers’, the Israelites that were brought out of Egypt,  who passed through the Red Sea (saved and baptized), and yet were overthrew because of their disobedience.

How can I work out my salvation?

We are carnal in nature (1 John 2:16 – 17). The Bible on the other hand wants us to be spirit-filled. The Bible urges us ‘to be meek and submissive to one another.’ ‘Do not go after vanity, and vain glory.’ ‘Do not strife or be adamant.’ ‘Humble yourself.’ ‘Have the mind and heart of God in you.’ ‘The just shall live by faith.’

The only way to work out our salvation, is to kill our fleshly desires and crucify it on the cross along with Christ. When faced with choice, ask the question, is it for my flesh or is it for my spirit? If we stop living by faith, we stop pleasing God (Hebrews 10:38). Just as the stones, meant for Solomon’s temple, were cut and dressed in the temple itself, we too are shaped and pruned in the church. We are being perfected in Christ (Jude 24).

Let us ensure that the great work that Jesus did on the Cross is not lost in our case. We must work out our salvation.