I believe, proclaim, and teach that salvation is by the grace of God and is freely offered to all through faith in Jesus Christ. God desires that every person receive His Son, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior. Those who knowingly and persistently reject God's grace remain under the judgment of sin and face eternal separation from God and eternal punishment.
But when a sinner turns from sin, abandons self-righteousness, and receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that person is justified by faith and made the righteousness of God in Christ. Through Christ, the believer receives forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, eternal life, deliverance from condemnation, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
Salvation is not merely a change of eternal destination. It is the beginning of a restored relationship with God and a transformed life. God's purpose is that every believer increasingly be conformed to the image of His Son—in thought, character, word, conduct, and deed.
God's plan of redemption did not begin in the New Testament. It was announced immediately after mankind's fall into sin.
"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
This passage is traditionally called the Protoevangelium, meaning the "first gospel."
In the midst of mankind's judgment, God gave the first promise that the power of the serpent would ultimately be defeated.
The wound to the heel would be real, but the serpent's head would ultimately be crushed.
The Bible progressively unfolds this promise until it reaches its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
The heart of the gospel is beautifully summarized by Jesus:
"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
— John 3:15
And again:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
— John 3:16
Salvation begins with God's love and God's grace.
God provided what fallen humanity could never provide for itself.
We do not save ourselves.
We receive the salvation God has provided through His Son.
John states:
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
— John 1:12
The gospel therefore calls for a personal response.
Christ has accomplished the work of redemption, but the individual must receive Him by faith.
Biblical salvation is not merely agreeing that Jesus existed.
It is trusting Him.
It is receiving Him.
It is surrendering the claim of self-righteousness and placing one's faith in Christ.
This is precisely the problem Paul identifies concerning Israel:
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
— Romans 10:3
The gospel announces that God's righteousness is received through Christ rather than achieved through human merit.
Jesus said:
"He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
— John 5:24
This is the great transition of salvation.
The sinner who was separated from God is reconciled to God.
The condemned person receives forgiveness.
The spiritually dead receive life.
The stranger becomes a child of God.
The person who was under condemnation is no longer condemned in Christ.
Salvation is therefore not merely an improvement of the old life.
It is a new relationship with God.
The New Testament uses the Greek word sōzō in several contexts involving saving, rescuing, delivering, and, in particular passages, healing.
This is why the biblical concept of salvation is much richer than merely "going to heaven when you die."
God's salvation reaches into the whole person and ultimately into the whole creation.
The Hebrew concept of shalom likewise communicates ideas of peace, wholeness, completeness, welfare, and well-being.
Therefore, the biblical picture of redemption encompasses reconciliation with God, forgiveness, spiritual restoration, deliverance from sin, healing according to God's will, provision, and ultimately the resurrection and complete restoration of creation.
However, Scripture also teaches that the fullness of this restoration has both a present and a future dimension.
We experience God's grace and many of His blessings now, while we still await the complete redemption of our bodies and the restoration of all things.
Peter describes the believer's new position in Christ:
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature..."
— 2 Peter 1:4
The Christian does not merely receive a legal pardon and remain unchanged.
God begins transforming the believer from the inside out.
We become participants in the life God is producing in us, while still remaining creatures who depend completely upon His grace.
This is why Peter immediately continues:
"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge..."
— 2 Peter 1:5
Grace does not eliminate spiritual growth.
Grace produces it.
Through Christ we become God's children.
John says:
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God."
— John 1:12
Paul develops this truth even further.
God chose believers in Christ and predestined them:
"unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."
— Ephesians 1:5
The goal of salvation is therefore not merely escaping punishment.
God brings redeemed people into His family.
We become His children.
We are accepted in the Beloved.
We receive redemption through Christ's blood.
We receive forgiveness according to the riches of God's grace.
Jesus gave His sheep an extraordinary promise:
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
— John 10:28
He continues:
"My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
— John 10:29
The believer's security ultimately rests in the hands of Christ and the Father.
Paul likewise declares that nothing in creation can separate the believer from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus:
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers... shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
— Romans 8:38–39
This does not mean the Christian will never experience suffering.
Paul specifically lists tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and the sword.
The promise is greater than the promise of an easy life.
The promise is that nothing can ultimately separate the believer from Christ's love.
God's purpose reaches beyond forgiveness.
Paul says:
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son."
— Romans 8:29
This is God's purpose for the believer.
We are saved from sin, but we are also saved unto transformation.
God wants Christ's character formed in us.
Our thoughts should increasingly become like Christ's thoughts.
Our words should increasingly reflect Christ.
Our conduct should increasingly resemble Christ.
Our love should increasingly resemble Christ.
Our lives should increasingly reveal Christ.
Salvation therefore begins with justification and continues through sanctification until it reaches its ultimate fulfillment in glorification.
Paul says:
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise."
— Ephesians 1:13
The Holy Spirit is described as:
"the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession."
— Ephesians 1:14
The believer therefore possesses something now that points toward something even greater that is coming.
We have redemption now.
We have forgiveness now.
We have the Holy Spirit now.
We have fellowship with God now.
But the final redemption of our bodies and the complete restoration of creation are still ahead.
Paul declares:
"For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."
— Romans 11:29
God's purposes are not fragile.
He does not abandon His redemptive plan because mankind has fallen.
From Genesis 3 to the cross, from the empty tomb to the return of Christ, Scripture tells one continuous story:
God is redeeming what sin corrupted.
The story begins with a garden.
It moves through covenant, promise, sacrifice, prophecy, Israel, and the Law.
It reaches its center in Jesus Christ.
At the cross, Christ bears the penalty of sin.
At the resurrection, He conquers death.
Through faith, sinners are reconciled to God.
Through the Holy Spirit, believers are transformed.
And ultimately, Christ will return and complete the restoration of all things.
Therefore, the salvation we proclaim is not merely an escape from hell.
It is reconciliation with God.
It is forgiveness of sins.
It is justification by faith.
It is adoption into God's family.
It is eternal life.
It is deliverance from condemnation.
It is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
It is God's transforming work within the believer.
It includes God's care, provision, healing, and restoration according to His will.
And it ultimately culminates in the resurrection of the body and the restoration of God's creation.
The gospel is God's gracious answer to mankind's greatest problem.
Sin separated humanity from God.
Christ came to reconcile us to God.
And the invitation remains open:
"Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
This is the salvation God has provided in Jesus Christ.