Salvation is translated from the Greek word "Soteria" which means deliverance. Salvation is deliverance granted by God through Jesus Christ from our sins when we meet their conditions. God has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David which is speaking of Christ. (Lk. 1:69) John's work was to "give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins." (Lk. 1:77) 1. There is salvation from past sins promised through the grace of God. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldy lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world." (Tit. 1:11,12) Since this grace of God appeared to all men we know that this was in the coming of Jesus Christ our savior. His name is Jesus because he saves people from their sins. (Mat. 1:21) Jesus tells us the terms of salvation in the Great Commission saying "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." (Mk. 16:16) Faith is essential to salvation from our past sins. "If thou shalt confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. 10:9) Repentance is also necessary to salvation. The Gentiles are granted repentance unto life. (Acts 11:18) "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor. 7:10) Confession of faith in Christ is necessary to salvation also. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. 10:10) Jesus said that confession of him before men was necessary so he could confess us before the Father in heaven. (Mat. 10:32) Open profession of our faith is very necessary to our salvation from past sins. The last step to be taken to have salvation is to be baptized. "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (I Pet. 3:21) The like figure spoken of here is the illustration of how Noah and his family were saved by the waters of the flood. (I Pet. 3:20) The Lord put baptism between us and salvation. It is when we go down in the waters of baptism that the Lord saves us from our old sins and we arise from baptism to walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:3-6) 2.As we live the Christian life we work out our own salvation. "As ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil 2:12) Some have suggested that this means finding our own way to be saved but htis is not the case at all. The gospel is the power of God to salvation. (Rom. 1:16) God through this works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13) If we err from the faith after being saved from past sins we need converting from this error. If fellow brethren help us to realize our error and we turn back to the Lord they "save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:19,20) We need always to take heed lest we fall. (I Cor. 10:12) When we sin we need to repent of the same and confess our sins to God who is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9) It is important that we keep ourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 21) 3. The third pahase is eternal salvation whuich comes at the last say. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb. 9:28) Christ is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. (Heb. 5:9) The word author means the cause or occasion of salvation. The Lord said, "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life." (Rev. 2:10) So eternal salvation comes as a result of a faithful Christian life. In conclusion let us realize that only in Jesus Christ can salvation be found, "for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) The scriptures make us wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 3:15) Let us learn of and obey Christ to be saved.
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