Saved

[eaglesway]

Part 1

What does it mean to be "saved"?

The word saved comes from the Greek word sozo. The word means, delivered, healed, restored, made whole.

Paul use the word in three tenses 1)were saved 2)are being saved 3)will be saved.

In determining what the broad spectrum of salvation includes- all three tenses must be examined.

We "were saved" when we believed on Jesus Christ.

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;  for "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Rom. 10:8-13

While some people teach this as a formula, it is generally accepted that a person must confess that Jesus is Lord with an understanding that He has become their Lord to be saved. To be saved is to be joined to Him as a branch to the Vine, receiving the life of God through that connection.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Eph 2:4-10

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

To be saved is to be made alive together with Christ. Paul, here and in several other places makes it clear that 1) we were once all dead in transgressions. 2) God has made us alive by grace, through faith, which is a gift, not as a result of any good thing we have done, but because of His mercy- and that we have been created in Christ Jesus for good works of God's own making.

This confuses many people. Teachers who make salvation dependent upon works push so hard that many people react strongly to any reference to works, but if we have "been saved", good works will come forth as a fruit of our "healing and deliverance"- not in the form of earning anything, but as "faith working through love".

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love Gal 5:6

What are we saved from?

Firstly, and foremost, we are saved out of Adam and into Jesus Christ. In Christ is grace, life, hope, faith, love, healing.....salvation. In Adam is death, selfishness, transgression, carnality. Even as all that is salvation is in Christ, so also all that is the fruit of being disconnected from God is in Adam. We are initially saved by a re-connection to God in the Vine of Christ and we are being saved as we abide in Him, growing into mature children of God. We will be saved through every trial, and will eventually receive the end of our faith, resurrection in His likeness, completed in Christ.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Cor. 5:17

For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Gal. 6:15

All the other aspects of salvation, being saved as an initial "birth" or "new creation" are the result  of and included in a connection to Jesus Christ that is called by Paul both being "in Christ" and Christ being "in you". This in accordance with the Lord Jesus' own words....

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20,21

Paul describes his ministry as declaring the mystery of the gospel, which is "Christ in you the hope of glory"

...... I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,  to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom so that we may present every man , complete in Christ.  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.Col.1:25-29

Nothing that anyone does "saves" them. Only those things that spring forth from "Christ in you" have eternal value. We do not always know where our motives are impure, so we walk by grace through faith trusting God to sort us out as we grow because, "It is God who is in you to will and to do of His good pleasure."

Paul credits the power of God working in Him according to His purpose for the labor of his life, which is to present every man complete in Christ.

Once a person is initially joined to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith that person is saved. The process of becoming complete in Christ is "being saved"(delivered, healed, made whole). In the resurrection each person who has believed in the Lord Jesus, "will be saved"(healed restored delivered)- the final element of salvation completed in receiving eternal life as a child of God and co-heir of Christ Jesus.

Unfortunately, the use of this one word in reference to the three tenses of this word cause much confusion among believers, various teachers teaching things like this: "He that endures to the end shall be saved"- therefore no one is actually saved now.

But this enduring until the end is of "whatever"- a trial, a difficult period in the world around us, the end of our lives- and it is only enduring in "believing" in Jesus, abiding in "belief", that secures us. As we are "being saved", which in Biblical terminology refers to growing in Christ, becoming complete in Him, mature, whole- we abide in trust and faith, believing. It does not mean that salvation is a trial balloon, as some teach, if you "do good enough long enough"- you might be saved.

It is the blood of Jesus Christ that reconciles us back to God, saving us. It is the blood of Jesus Christ that continually reconciles us as we learn- by trials, mistakes, through sins and through errors, until we are presented before Him completed by His work in the furnace of affliction we call life in this world.

We will never be perfect while in this world, but we may become mature, whole examples of the love of God in Christ.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John:6-10

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16

Walking in the light is simply that. Keeping the light on. Walking towards Him. Letting the light shine on our faults, sins and errors, learning to be more like Him. Humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. When we fail, we have a compassionate Savior who will forgive us AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. This is a major part of salvation, and it is a continuing gift as we grow up in Him, "being saved".

You were saved when you believed on the Lord Jesus. You are being saved as you grow in Him. You will be ultimately and completely saved in the resurrection- a completed, perfect child of God united to Jesus and the Father, forever.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:2

This hope is in our hearts as an element of the living Lord who has made us into a new creation. We do not purify ourselves by keeping the law. We do not purify ourselves by perfect conduct. Our purity comes from the desire to please Him and our faith in Him and His forgiving us as He teaches us how to be like Him, in the love of God. This is the ultimate goal of salvation.

It is important to understand salvation in all three tenses- and the general sense of a loving Father bringing many children into maturity. The focus of "being saved from hell" misses the point.

If one is united to Jesus in faith there is no fear of hell because one's sins are forgiven and you have been presented to God a spotless lamb already. He does not take that back, altho he may discipline a particularly rebellious child in ways that seem hard to the child who is being reproved. It is only so that they might return to wisdom and humility- and that is also continuing salvation, or "being saved".

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 1Cor 3:10-15

Here we see a direct contrast between the three tenses of salvation. The person who is careless in their faith is nevertheless is being saved, and will be saved. That salvation(deliverance, healing, restoration) may be through fire, and that fire may be the discipline of the Lord in this life or trials or perhaps even some kind of purging at the Great White Throne- the exact fire is not made completely clear, but it clearly saves through the light of Day.

Peter proclaimed, "Be saved from this perverse generation"(Acts 3:19). He was speaking of becoming a new creature in Christ, becoming a part of the "new creation". Entering the kingdom of God in Christ. Getting out of Adam. He also proclaimed the restoration of all things....

So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord; And that He may send [to you] the Christ (the Messiah), Who before was designated and appointed for you—even Jesus,
Whom heaven must receive [and retain] until the time for the complete restoration of all that God spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets for ages past [from the most ancient time in the memory of man]. (Acts 3:19-21 AMP)

Jesus is proclaiming the same thing even now from His throne. Rev 21:5

And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He *said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."  Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son."


As we see in Eph 2 and Col 1, we were all once a part of that perverse generation. In the old man. In Adam.

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach- if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard... Col 1:21-23

Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

To be saved is to be united with Jesus, and to come into the "one new man" made up of Jews and Gentiles, born into the generation of the second Adam- Jesus Christ(first born of the new creation). As such we become "a kind of first-fruits of His creatures", born not of the will of the flesh or the will of man, but of God.

In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. James 1:18

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12,13

This aligns with Eph 2...

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

So we "were saved" for a purpose. We "are being saved" so that we can better fulfill that purpose. We ""will be saved and reign in life with Jesus Christ through ages of restoration to come....

even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph 2:5-7



These are the verses directly preceding "For by grace you were saved through faith"....and were saved with a purpose in mind. Being saved and coming to maturity in Christ is preparing us for a purpose to come. We were not saved just to sing praise songs forever. We will be a kingdom of priests through in the ages to come......many sons unto glory.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. FOR IN HOPE WE HAVE BEEN SAVED, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Rom 8:18-25

Paul, in Romans 8, speaks of the plan of God from creation all the way through the resurrection and beyond.

In hope we have been saved. This hope is a view of the future that invigorates the present and inspires perseverance in those who see it. Not a walking dead persistence in "do-gooding", but an eager anticipation of glory to come.

Perseverance in what? Perseverance in believing. In walking towards the light. In growing in Christ through trials and persecutions and disciplines, if necessary, until we become mature sons, so that we can be placed in a work that only just begins at the resurrection..... the setting of the whole creation free from futility into the glorious liberty of the children of God, and all of this is salvation- the whole creation longs to be saved.

[eaglesway]

Part 2


In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him  with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,  to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.  In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. Eph 1:7-14

If read alongside Romans 8:18-25, these portions of scripture which are usually glossed over and not explained, present a revelation of future glory, sown in this present gospel as an explanation of why we are saved and what His purpose is.

We are not saved just to escape future judgments. We are saved to join Jesus in the work of saving the world. There is an escape in the joining up with the Lord of life, but the escape is the side effect of the purpose- to be made into "repairers of the breach, restorers of the paths to dwell in". To gather all things into one in Christ, to set the whole creation free from futility into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:17,18

The world is judged already because you can only get out of death by becoming one with life. This by grace through faith and it means salvation, deliverance, healing, wholeness, restoration for the whole creation.
"If I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me." John 12:32

"Behold I am making all things new" Rev 21:5
But we who "were saved" are the "first- fruits" of the new creation that will eventually envelop the whole creation, as God shows forth His kindness upon us as we work with Jesus Christ as a kingdom of priests, ministering reconciliation and restoration in ages to come.

It is for this purpose we have been saved, becoming His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared for us to walk in, before the foundation of the world.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:17-19

Getting saved is getting "in Christ" and becoming a "new creation". Abiding in Christ, we are also continually "being saved" as we grow in His image.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,  and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.Col.1:15-21

God put all that He is in this seed He planted in the earth, Jesus. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it cannot bear much fruit like unto itself" John 12:24

Here Jesus is showing us a secret. He is the Logos, "Christ crucified", planted in the earth through crucifixion, resurected and ascended above all heavens to redeem and restore the whole creation. We are the first-fruits, a generation saved out of the whole to serve Him in the further, age-during work of saving this world.

Jesus is salvation.

We are united to Him so that salvation can be extended to everything in heaven, on earth and under the earth. We who are planted with Him in the likeness of His death and now seated with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God."

When salvation is viewed in this way, it is all good! It is the Good News! It is not about dodging hell, barely hanging on, hopefullt "staying saved"- until we die and "go to heaven". It is about the glorious liberty of the children of God- and bringing the whole creation into it.

1 Peter 1:20-25
For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

"All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
But the word of the Lord endures forever."

And this is the word which was preached to you.

For by grace you are saved through faith....faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God...receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls....

[ed]

I read part 2 first and really liked it.........thinking this was an old thread I went up to see what proceeded it........Wow man!

Every word well worth the read.

This link will be my new sig line on other sites I frequent.

Thanks for all the time that went into working and posting that.

[Dandelion]

"Getting saved is getting "in Christ" and becoming a "new creation". Abiding in Christ, we are also continually "being saved" as we grow in His image."

eaglesway quote.

Whow....beautiful, eaglesway.

Yes, yes, and yes! Thank you for this work of art and of spirit.

This is exactly what I believe. And, why it doesn't make any sense to me why some think that evangelism is unnecessary if there is no hell.

It is not about escaping hell......it is about joining Christ in His mission....in the, by far, most important mission we will ever be part of.....in the mission for which we and the world were created.....to come together, as one.....to bring God's kingdom to fruition......and to forge on to complete the cycle of Life....new and glorious Life.... that Jesus' death and resurrection gained for all of us. It is about joining with He who loves us, saves us, forgives us and gave His life for us. God's plan and perfect will for us, since before time, coming to pass.

12Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.... Philippians 3:13

[Seth]

Wow John that was epic... and awesome. It brought me alot of joy.

I am glad how you underscored how works are misunderstood. A work is as much choosing what not to do, as in choosing what to do. Resisting the devil that he might flee from you is a work that saves from the clutches and influence of the devil, but it's not a self powered work.

[eaglesway]

Wow John that was epic... and awesome. It brought me alot of joy.

I am glad how you underscored how works are misunderstood. A work is as much choosing what not to do, as in choosing what to do. Resisting the devil that he might flee from you is a work that saves from the clutches and influence of the devil, but it's not a self powered work.

Thanks Seth. I was hoping it was a balanced presentation.

Their are no self powered works that are eternal, imo. It is God who is in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. However, I do believe God being in us is like the rain. It falls on the just and the unjust, "for in Him we live and breathe and have our being"(Acts 17). For those who are "in Christ" and in whom Christ is in....the Spirit grants overcoming power to believe, and believing grants greater power to overcome(as I see it).

The level at which our decisions open a portal to His being in us in a greater way is a mystery.

[Seth]

I also believe in a dual-aspect salvation from sin being salvation from thoughts and feelings (Gal. 5:24) and from sin in action, evil works (Titus 3 and Eph 2).

[eaglesway]

I do too. I am also working on a second chapter of "Saved" -on sanctification, and the renewed mind, and how that integrates with salvation and overcoming evil thoughts, emotions and deeds.

To me, forgiveness is the root source of all salvation, both initial salvation and growing in grace- progressive salvation- especially in overcoming carnal thoughts, emotions and deeds. Which is why all forms of legalism are so deadly to growing in grace.

[sheila]

excellent John.  legalism uproots the wheat with the tare.....Grace...will remove such things at the right time..without

damaging the wheat/barley.