The Bible is a Christian book themed around the concept of salvation. From the old testament to the new testament, God willed to have a person receive His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
God’s plan of salvation is to enable man to be an expression of His glory on earth as well as a vessel He can use to carry out His will.
The Meaning Of Salvation
Salvation is God’s way of redeeming a person from the power and effects of sin. It is God’s means of leading a person to repentance for the forgiveness of sins and a personal relationship with Him.
This is an initial step to enjoying God’s complete salvation of a transformed soul. A total work of divine grace requiring no human effort.
How Does The Bible Define Salvation?
The Bible’s definition of salvation requires an understanding of God’s plan of salvation. God’s plan of salvation is for man to receive the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the atonement of his sins.
This is the first step to enjoying God’s grace through faith and the beginning of a saving relationship with a person. Every genuine salvation leads to genuine faith and repentance. For without these, such will be insincere salvation.
In John 3:16, Jesus Christ stated God’s plan of salvation for the world.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.”
The verse defines the purpose as well as the benefits of salvation. God doesn’t want anyone to perish but that through Christ, they may be saved and have everlasting life.
Examples of Salvation in the Bible
The Bible shows examples of people who received the blessings of salvation and how this experience changed their quality of life.
A good example of salvation in the Bible was the genuine salvation experience of Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-10. A tax collector who sought Jesus Christ on his way through Jericho.
This man was small and couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd thronging Him. Therefore, he decided to climb a tree ahead of Jesus’s passing.
When Jesus got to the tree which had Zaccheus, Jesus looked up and called on him to hurry down from the tree, offering to stay in his house that day.
Zaccheus came down and received Jesus into his house. However, a significant event happened after Jesus went into Zaccheus’ house.
The coming of Jesus Christ into Zaccheus’ house led to the salvation of his household. Here we see the concept of household salvation.
Zaccheus repented from his evil deed and decided to repay anyone he’s ever defrauded. In this example, we see the genuine salvation of Zaccheus, which leads to genuine faith.
Another Example Of Salvation Is The Conversion Of Saul
Saul was a Judaizer who was hell-bent on persecuting the disciples of Jesus Christ. His passion was to keep the Mosiac law and make sure no other way of worship contends with it.
He was on his way to Damascus, searching for more followers of Jesus Christ to bring them bound to Jerusalem when a light from heaven flashed around him (Act 9).
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” The voice was Jesus’ who reprimanded Saul and gave him instructions on what he must do. This experience left Saul blind until a disciple Jesus sent to him restored his sight.
Afterward, Saul, who was later called Paul, received salvation and became an influential apostle of Jesus Christ. The evidence of salvation is repentance. Repentance is a change of mind and embracing a new way of living according to the will of God.
