1. Salvation is NOT an instant one-time past event or a ″done-deal.″
2. Salvation as a whole – is a process, a journey, a race or a course. In other words, it has a beginning, middle, and end – some like to refer to it as past, present, future.
3. THE GOAL of salvation is THE END! Since, salvation is from the impending danger of condemnation on the day of judgment, salvation cannot be realized or actual UNTIL the day of judgment actually happens – thus making salvation a future event and not secure UNTIL that day!
4. The beginning of our salvation journey (i.e. water baptism) does NOT secure or guarantee our future salvation (i.e. the goal – to obtain salvation at the end of our faith) – we can fall away and not finish the course after we start.
5. Thus salvation is NOT a present possession, but rather a PROMISE, and therefore, salvation is our future HOPE.
6. The word salvation can be interchangeable (synonymous) with terms such as inheritance, entering the kingdom, immortality, and eternal life.
7. Salvation is CONDITIONAL – Salvation is always provided by a Savior, and presupposes the helplessness and hopelessness of the one saved. Therefore, salvation is initiated and provided by God, but man must respond and meet the conditions that God gives for his salvation – thus man has a part or role to play in his salvation or else there is no salvation!
Acts 16:17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us A WAY OF SALVATION.”
The Greek word hodos in the classical Greek refers to A ROAD OR HIGHWAY in which one travels. It can also refer to a footpath.
In the NT Greek it can be translated ROAD or JOURNEY.
Luke 2:44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s JOURNEY, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
Matthew 10:10 nor bag for your JOURNEY, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
Luke 11:6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his JOURNEY, and I have nothing to set before him’;
Acts 1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s JOURNEY.
Acts 25:3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along THE ROAD to kill him.
Acts 26:13 at midday, O king, along THE ROAD I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.
Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold THE BEGINNING of our confidence stedfast UNTO THE END;
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance THE RACE that is set before us,
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so THAT I MIGHT FINISH MY COURSE with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so THAT I MAY FINISH MY RACE with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
1 Peter 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Mark 13:13 (KJV) he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am THE WAY, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Proverbs 12:28 In THE WAY of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.
Acts 9:2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of THE WAY, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Acts 19:9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of THE WAY before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
Acts 19:23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about THE WAY.
Acts 22:4 I persecuted THIS WAY to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
Acts 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to THE WAY which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
Acts 24:22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of THE WAY, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.”
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it [the gospel] is the power of God [it changes people – it has an effect on people's lives] TO [leading to] SALVATION [eis soterian – see 2Cor.7:10] for everyone [condition or requirement] who believes [present tense – a process – faithful, obedient living], for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance LEADING TO SALVATION [eis soterian], not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but UNLESS YOU REPENT you will all likewise perish.
Luke 8:13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, WHO BELIEVE FOR A WHILE and in time of temptation FALL AWAY.
Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for NOW OUR SALVATION IS NEARER than when WE FIRST BELIEVED [″than when we first began to believe,″ NJB].
Ephesians 6:17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet THE HOPE OF SALVATION. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but TO OBTAIN SALVATION through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:2–3 (NKJV)
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband [the beginning – the past], that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ [the end – the future].
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, SO YOUR MINDS MAY BE CORRUPTED [in the present] from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Romans 8:24–25 (KJV)
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:24–25 (CEV)
24 And this hope is what saves us. But IF WE ALREADY HAVE what we hope for, there is no need to keep on hoping.
25 However, we hope for something we have not yet seen, and we patiently wait for it.
Romans 8:24-25 (BBE)
24 For our salvation is by hope: but hope which is seen is not hope: for who is hoping for what he sees?
25 But if we have hope for that which we see not, then we will be able to go on waiting for it.
Romans 8:18-19,23 (NKJV)
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
I like how the BBE translates verse 23:
Romans 8:23 (BBE) And not only so, but we who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we have sorrow in our minds, waiting for the time when we will take our place as sons, that is, the salvation of our bodies.
Psalm 119:166 (ESV) I HOPE FOR YOUR SALVATION, O Lord, and I do your commandments.
Titus 1:2 In HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Titus 2:13 Looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and THE GLORIOUS APPEARING of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Titus 3:7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
Acts 23:6 (NET) Then when Paul noticed that part of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD!”
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but TO OBTAIN SALVATION through our Lord Jesus Christ,
World Book Dictionary: Obtain means – to get or procure through effort or diligence; come to have; acquire.
Macmillan Dictionary: Obtain is to get something that you want or need, especially by going through a process that is difficult.
1 Thessalonians 5:10 (NCV) Jesus died for us so that we can live together with him, whether we are alive or dead when he comes.
1 Thessalonians 5:10 (AMP) Who died for us so that whether we are still alive or are dead [at Christ’s appearing], we might live together with Him and share His life.
1 Thessalonians 5:10 (KJV) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT [present imperative] YOUR OWN SALVATION with fear and trembling;
Philippians 2:12 (AMP) ″...work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).″
Hebrews 5:9 And [Jesus] having been perfected, He became the author of ETERNAL SALVATION to all who OBEY Him,
Hebrews 9:28 (NET) so also, after CHRIST was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him HE WILL APPEAR A SECOND TIME, not to bear sin but TO BRING SALVATION.
Pulpit Commentary:
″Our salvation is the work of God. But there are two sides to the same great truth. It is his work, and yet it is ours. Both views of the one truth are presented to us in Holy Scripture. Both are true; they meet somewhere above our heads. Now we know in part; our standpoint is not high enough to command a connected view of all God"s dealings with men.″
Barnes says this about ″fear and trembling″:
″That is, with that kind of anxiety which one has who feels that he has an important interest at stake, and that he is in danger of losing it. The reason or the ground for “fear” in this case is in general this: there is danger of losing″
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown say this about ″fear and trembling″:
″the very feeling enjoined on “servants,” as to what ought to accompany their “obedience”
Matthew Henry:
″We must not only work at our salvation, by doing something now and then about it; but we must work out our salvation, by doing all that is to be done, and persevering therein to the end. Salvation is the great thing we should mind, and set our hearts upon; and we cannot attain salvation without the utmost care and diligence.″
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning CHOSE [elected] YOU FOR SALVATION [eis soterian] through [a process] sanctification by the Spirit [God's work] and belief [″faith″ NET – man's work] in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, FOR THE OBTAINING of the glory [i.e. the kingdom – salvation v.13] of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:14 (ESV) To this he called you through our gospel, SO THAT YOU MAY OBTAIN the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:14 (NET) He called you to this salvation through our gospel, SO THAT YOU MAY POSSESS the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:14 (NASB) And it was for this He called you through our gospel, THAT YOU MAY GAIN the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of THE ELECT, that they also MAY OBTAIN THE SALVATION WHICH IS IN CHRIST Jesus with eternal glory.
Webster's 1828 – This word OBTAIN usually implies exertion to get possession, and in this it differs from receive, which may or may not imply exertion. We obtain by seeking; we often receive without seeking.
Acts 2:47 ″... the Lord added to the church daily those who were BEING SAVED.″
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and HE IS THE SAVIOR OF THE BODY.
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