Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Overview:Being saved, in Christian theology, refers to the deliverance from sin and its consequences, achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. This concept is central to Christian soteriology and encompasses both the initial act of salvation and the ongoing process of sanctification. Salvation is viewed as a gift from God, made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is received by grace through faith.
Biblical Basis:The New Testament provides a comprehensive understanding of being saved. In
Ephesians 2:8-9, the Apostle Paul writes, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." This passage emphasizes that salvation is a divine gift, not earned by human effort.
Romans 10:9-10 further elucidates the process of salvation: "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." Here, the act of confessing and believing is highlighted as the means by which one is saved.
The Role of Jesus Christ:Central to the concept of being saved is the role of Jesus Christ as the Savior.
John 3:16 declares, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This verse underscores the sacrificial love of God and the promise of eternal life through belief in Jesus.
Acts 4:12 affirms the exclusivity of salvation through Christ: "Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." This exclusivity is a cornerstone of Christian doctrine, asserting that Jesus is the sole mediator between God and humanity.
The Process of Salvation:Salvation is often described as a threefold process: justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification is the initial act of being declared righteous before God, as seen in
Romans 5:1: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Sanctification is the ongoing process of being made holy, as believers grow in their faith and become more like Christ.
Philippians 2:12-13 encourages believers to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure."
Glorification is the future aspect of salvation, where believers will be fully conformed to the image of Christ.
Romans 8:30 states, "And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."
Assurance of Salvation:The assurance of being saved is a significant aspect of Christian faith. 1
John 5:13 provides believers with confidence: "I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." This assurance is based on the promises of God and the finished work of Christ.
The Role of Faith and Works:While salvation is by faith alone, genuine faith is evidenced by works.
James 2:17 states, "So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead." This relationship between faith and works is not contradictory but complementary, as true faith naturally produces good works.
Conclusion:The concept of being saved is foundational to Christian belief, encompassing the past, present, and future aspects of salvation. It is a transformative process initiated by God's grace, received through faith, and evidenced by a life of obedience and good works.
Topical Bible Verses
Ephesians 2:8-9For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Topicalbible.orgJohn 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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Mark 16:16
He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.
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Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
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Galatians 3:27
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
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Library
Perishing orBeing Saved
... V) PERISHING ORBEING SAVED.... If it be, and because it is, 'the power of God' to others,
they belong to the class of those who are in process ofbeing saved....
Conditions ofBeing Saved
... X. CONDITIONS OFBEING SAVED.... They are slow to admit that self-denial is
indispensable"that total, unqualified self-denial is the condition ofbeing saved....
Degrees of Glory in Heaven.
... Now to know is more than to believe, as to be dignified with the highest honour
afterbeing saved is a greater thing thanbeing saved....
Conclusion.
... The Lutheran Church believes in a Way ofbeing saved. She has a positive system
of faith.... It throws all the responsibility ofbeing saved on man....
Unless the Flesh were to beSaved, the Word Would not have Taken...
... Now this [blood] could not be required unless it also had the capability ofbeing
saved; nor would the Lord have summed up these things in Himself, unless He...
Are all True Believers at all Times Assured of their PresentBeing...
... Question 81: Are all true believers at all times assured of their present
being in the estate of grace, and that they shall besaved?...
The Stromata, or Miscellanies. Book v. Cchap. I. --On Faith.
... But were they to say that the visit of the Saviour was necessary, then the properties
of nature are gone from them, the electbeing saved by instruction, and...
Concerning Things done in Illumination.
... thanksgiving and bodily prostration the One beneficent Source, from Which, those
who arebeing called, are called, and those who arebeing saved, aresaved....
Prayer and Faith (Continued)
... tremendous importance of faith and of the great value God has set upon it, when
we remember that He has made it the one indispensable condition ofbeing saved....
Prayer and a Definite Religious Standard
... possible and promised. They are not afterbeing saved from some sin, but
saved from all sin, both inward and outward. They are after...
Resources
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