The word "saved" and the word "delivered" are interchangeable translations of the word "sozo" which also means "healed, restored, preserved, protected and made whole."
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell on the gathering in the upper room and they came tumbling out like drunken people before the whole world, enrapt in the glory of God, singing His praise and full of His power, love and wisdom. Peter proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ that day, exhorting them to be saved from "this wicked and perverse generation", and declaring unto them "the restitution of all things". In the course of the messages he preached we know that he exhorted them with many words, beyond those which were written,because the word says so. But after he had presented unto them the death, burial, ressurection, ascension and Lordship of Jesus (the Holy Spirit bearing witness in the demonstration of the spirit with power and much conviction) the hearers were pierced through the heart, crying out, "men and brethren, what must we do". Peters answer resounds through the ages. He did not say, "Nothing, the blood of Jesus has been shed for all men, all men are the same, only believe"! He said unto them, "Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the Holy Spirit, for the promise is to you, and your children and to all who are afar off, even as many as the Lord shall call to Himself". Many wonderful things took place as the Lord added daily to the church those who were being saved. Saved from what! Saved how! Saved into what!
Saved from death and the ravages of it in their hearts and minds and relationships. Saved from the dominion of the evil one and the principalities and powers. Saved into the kingdom of God. Saved into "Christ in you the hope of glory".Saved out of the sons of disobedience and into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
This salvation was first revealed in the very beginning when Adam and Eve covered themselves with robes of ramskin. Their obedience to God was their salvation. "Today, if you hear His voice". It was further revealed in Abraham, in the covenant of circumscision, the setting apart of a holy nation, a kingdom of priests and a lampstand among men. It was further revealed in the law of Moses, and Almighty God saved them out of Egypt with signs and wonders and met with them in the tabernacle and "lived among them and walked among them". In David the salvation of God was revealed as a kingdom, and in Solomon all the nations came to Jerusalem to hear and see the wisdom of God.But the Isaraelites were always falling away,going through the dealings of God required to restore them to their "first love". The law was given for their salvation - a revelation of the heart of God, that they would live and walk in fairness, justice and equity, a light shining in a dark place, declaring to all men by their lives the glory of God. But the law was not enough. It was never meant to be. It was a tutor to lead men to their need of a Savior, and a type and a shadow of things to come. Yet, IN ITS TIME, in the unfolding of the ages, it was the salvation of God, the deliverance of His people EVEN AS THE GOSPEL IS TODAY.
This is not about an eternal burning hell below, or an eternal heaven above. It is about the UNFOLDING REVELATION OF GOD the UNFOLDING RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS spoken of by all the prophets and all the sages in ages past(Acts 3:21). It is about the reconciliation of all things to the Father,through the blood of His cross, that God may be all in all(Col1:16-21, 1 Cor 15:28). In this time, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ as proclaimed by His apostles and prophets that is the foundation of the tabernacle. This tabernacle is made of men, and is the dwelling place of God. As in Adam all men died so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in His own order. In this age, it is the gospel of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ(2 Cor 4:1-5) that is delivering men and women into the kingdom of God, and setting up the Lampstand.
All of these things we read in Acts ch 2-4. "They were all as one soul". "There was no need among them". "They shared all things in common." "The Lord added daily such as were called to salvation". These things were the fulfillment of the faith of Abraham, the law of Moses and the kingdom of David.
Gal 3:13-14 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree") that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith".
So now the blessing of Abraham has come upon the Gentiles and we are delivered. We have the Spirit of Christ. We have been saved from the spirit that now works among "the sons of disobedience." Disobedient to what? The love of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ, of course. Not the gospel of the nations and the denominations and the Pharisees and Saducees and Zealots of this age. Because of them the way is evil spoken of and evil men and seducers wax worse and worse. They are disobedient to the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and the revelation of God's divine nature and eternal power that is manifest to all through the things he has made(Romans chapters 1&2). "Be saved from this wicked and perverse generation".
Have we been saved from the gospel? NO! We are saved through the gospel! Are we saved from hell! No! There is no hell as they teach it, a place of torment endless and about nothing but vindictive revengeful torment. We are saved-delivered INTO THE CONTINUING REVELATION OF GOD, an administration suitable to the fulness of times, the summing up of all things in Christ(Eph 1:7-10).
The gospel is still one, it was proclaimed through Abraham, it has been delivered through Christ transforming Jew and Gentile into the ONE NEW MAN. The ONE NEW MAN is the LAMPSTAND in this age.
2Pe 1:12-21 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of Godspoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
We who are farther away do not see more clearly than they. They are the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven and the stars upon the head of the woman clothed with the son. They were as ONE NEW MAN, one soul, and the strove for the proclamation of one gospel, and it has not changed to this day- except in our minds as we have fallen away from the Lamp Shining in the Dark Place and refused to "pay attention" to the gospel that was "once and for all delivered to the saints". Paul did not receive any other gospel than the one he took to Jerusalem, in order to make sure he had "not run in vain", and in agreement with Peter, James and John, he saw that he was running the race with them in unison.Peter fully understood Pauls gsopel, it was no different than his own.
2Pe 3:14-18 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
No we have not been delivered from the gospel. We are delivered through it, if we pay attention to the prophetic word, we will find ourselves delivered into it- a wide open place of salvation for all. If we do not have it, we ought to strive for it, laboring diligently to enter His rest, the finished work of God. But as long as we live in the present age, we are to be established in this present truth, the gospel of Jesus, and it will grant us great salvation, even as those who reject it and persecute it find confusion and appolumee-lostness and the ravages of death under the prince of this world.
2Co 4:4-6 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Yes the gospel Peter preached on the day of Pentecost is still the same gospel we are to proclaim Today, the Day of the Lord, the Day of Salvation. Its administration is still the same, going into all nations, making disciples, baptizing them and ministering reconciliation to all men in the fulness of the Spirit of God and the Name of Jesus Christ.
