NORTH CAROLINA

COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY

DISSERTATION
SALVATION AS A GIFT
(BACHELOR OF ARTS IN THEOLOGY)

Reverend Boahen Michael

 Reverend Boahen Michael
Email: michaelboaben66@yahoo.com or
michealboahen54@gmail.com

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture references or scripture

quotations are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION of the
Bible.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction........................................................................................................page 5-6

PART ONE

Salvation……………….……………………………………………page 7-15

 Meaning of Salvation………………............................page 16-17

 Reason for Salvation………………………….………page 17-28

 Origin of Man

 Sin

 The relation between the first Adam and the second

Adam

 The importance of Salvation ………………………page 29-36

 It saves us from the wrath of God

 It saves us from sin with its consequence

 How to achieve or gain Salvation……………...…..page 36-41

 Faith

 Grace

PART TWO

Gift .................................................................................................................page 42-43

 What is a Gift .....................................................................................page 42-43

 Is a Gift worked for……………………………………………..…..page 43-44

 Does a Gift expire – loose……………………………………….……..page 44

 How can one receive a Gift……………………………..……………...page 44

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PART THREE

Salvation as a Gift …………………………………………….….page 46-47

 Free Gift ................................................................Page 47-50

 The Gift of Grace……………...………………....page 50-52

 Research Objective ........................................................................... page 53

 Information Acquisition ....................................................................page 53

 Findings .............................................................................................page 54

 Research Problems …………………………………………………page 55

 Resolution...........................................................................................page 55

 Recommendatios................................................................................page 55

 Conclusion .........................................................................................page 56

 Bibliography.......................................................................................page 57-58

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 INTRODUCTION

The doctrine of Salvation has to do with God providing a way to deal with man’s lost,

for man lacks the ability and capacity to save himself from sin.Yet most men these

days would want to reach out to God, find God and please Him with their own works.

However what they ought to understand is that salvation is not reaching out to God or

finding ways to please Him, Salvation is God reaching out to man through His saving

Grace, as it is written in Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV For by grace are ye saved through

faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man

should boast.

Now, from practical point of view, let's assume that a person does contribute

something to his salvation. If that were possible, who would get the credit in heaven?

If man somehow contributes to his own salvation, it would follow that man himself

gets the credit. And if man gets the credit, this certainly will detract from God's

getting the credit. If it were possible to contribute something to attain heaven, then

each person upon his arrival would be patting himself on the back because of what he

did in order to obtain heavenly citizenship. These same people would be singing,

Praise myself, I contributed to my own salvation. It is unthinkable that people in

heaven will be worshiping self rather than God. God said, I will not give my glory to

another (Isaiah 42:8; 42:11).

From a biblical point of view, mankind contributes nothing at all to his salvation. The

problem with humanity is their sinfulness. Theologians normally refer to this as "total

depravity”. Total depravity is the belief that mankind is sinful throughout and can do

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nothing of himself to earn God's favour. Because of this sinful state, mankind wants

nothing to do with God (see especially Romans 1:18-32).

It is safe to say that because mankind is totally depraved, mankind chooses to sin,

loves to sin, defends sin, and glories in sin. In here I write to prove that salvation is

not by works but it’s a gift from God.

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 SALVATION

Meaning of Salvation

The wide array of diverse (and sometimes seemingly conflicting) conceptions of

salvation within the Christian tradition points at the complexity of the Biblical

language on salvation. Firstly, it is not that easy to grasp the meaning of the Greek

word that is translated with “salvation”, soteria. Secondly, there is a wide variety of

Biblical metaphors to describe what actually happens when salvation is brought about.

Here are some views on the meaning of salvation: First, the meanings of the noun

soteria, its root word soter, also a noun, and sozo, a verb. In English Bible

translations, the Greek soteria - used 45 times - is commonly translated as

“salvation”. Soter - used 24 times - is translated as "savior". The verb sozo - used

110 times - is translated in a variety of ways - the King James Bible opts 93 times for

“to save”, nine times for “to make whole”, three times for “to heal”, two times for

“to be kept whole”, and three single times for another phrase that is closely related.

The root word sozo clearly has a wide semantic field, Dutch Reformed theologians

Gijsbert van den Brink and Kees van der Kooi emphasize in their recent

Christian Dogmatics.[1] It comprises, they explain, meanings as:

to save (from all kinds of peril in life)

to deliver

[1] Gijsbert van den Brink and Kees van der Kooi, Christelijke Dogmatiek (Zoetermeer:

Boekencentrum, 2012), 405

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to set free

to redeem

to restore

to make whole

to keep whole

to make or keep safe and sound

to make complete, and

to heal.

This wide semantic field should not be lost in translation - the common English

translation “to save” might lead to an understanding that is too narrow (certainly

when it is read from the frame of reference of an Anselmian doctrine of atonement

for sin).

This semantic field should also not be lost when the noun soter is commonly

translated with “savior” - it should retain the connotations of, for instance:

deliverer

liberator

redeemer, and

whole-maker or healer.

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And obviously the same goes for soteria - salvation.

Conradie points out that in earlier works on salvation often the term “redemption”

was used, but that this has induced an understanding that is too narrow, since

salvation is “more inclusive”. Conradie stresses that the full spectrum of biblical

terms needs to be recognised, even beyond merely soteria, soter and sozo.[2] He

refers to the Anchor Bible Dictionary that lists a whole series of Hebrew terms under

“salvation” and “redemption”, including:

nasal (deliver)

palat (bring to safety)

padah (redeem, liberate)

malat (deliver)

ga’al (buy back, restore)

yasa` (save in times of distress, rescue)

and Greek terms besides soteria and sozo, including:

ruomai (rescue)

agorazo (to buy back, redeem)

lytroo (to pay a ransom, to release) and

apolytrosis (redemption).[3]

[2] Conradie, Saving the Earth?, 34-38. [3] David Noel Freedman (ed.), Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6

Vols. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992).

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This whole array of soteriological terms may be needed, Conradie suggests, to

appreciate the wealth of biblical connotations of God’s salvation. To associate

salvation - merely or primarily - with “salvage”, to rescue from sinking or being lost

(in German “Rettung”, in Dutch “redding” or “behoud”) - as has often been quite

common in Evangelical and Reformed Pietism - clearly is too limited in light of

Scriptural semantics. Salvation in its Biblical understanding comprises redemption,

deliverance, restoration, healing, and - arguably most aptly - wholeness.[4]

Instead of conflating the many biblical themes through the use of generalised

categories such as “redemption” and “forgiveness”, the variety of soteriological

metaphors should be maintained, Conradie stresses, acknowledging that “the

Christian gospel promises a sense of comprehensive well-being.”[5]

In German and Dutch, soteria commonly is translated as “Heil”, a word that is able

to retain the original richness in meaning, mostly if it is kept in mind that the related

translation for soter, “Heliand” (German) or “Heiland” (Dutch) literally means

“Healer”. The understanding of “healing” clearly can be extended to encompass

medical, psychological and social connotations, even the “healing of memories”,

Conradie argues.[6] When the Gospels speak about “healing”, five different words

are being used, Conradie shows:

[4] See Van den Brink and Van der Kooi, Christelijke dogmatiek, 405, and Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard

Friedrich (eds.), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 7 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,

1971), 766 cf. [5] Ernst M. Conradie, ‘Healing in Soteriological Perspective’, Religion & Theology

13:1 (2006), 3-22. [6] Conradie, Saving the Earth?, 37.

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therapeo (26 times, most common in Matthew)

iaiomai (19 times, most common in Luke)

sozo (16 times, most common in Mark), and

apokathistemi and diasozo (each once).

Sozo isn’t used in cases of only physical healing, it clearly refers to healing of the

whole person.[7]

Clearly, “health” is not only a medical or biological concept, Conradie argues.

“It includes inner healing, forgiveness, a rebuilding of broken relationships,

reciprocity, renewed fellowship, cosmic harmony and a return to wholeness. Health

is a physical, environmental, psychological, social, moral and a spiritual concept.

Healing is inseparable from building community, fellowship, koinonia.”[8]

All in all, the word-set “wholeness” (soteria), “to be made whole” (sozo), and “the

one who makes whole” (soter illuminating, to read “make whole”, “made whole”,

“keep whole” in all instances) might at least function as a corrective for one-sided

renderings of “salvation”, “to be saved”, and “Saviour”. It might actually be where

sozo has been translated otherwise (most commonly “to save”, “to be saved” - for

instance Matthew 9:21 and 22; Mark 3:4, 5:23, 5:34; Luke 8:12, 8:36, 19:10; Acts

4:12).

[7] John Wilkinson, Health and Healing. Studies in New Testament Principles and Practices

(Edinburgh: Handsel Press, 1980), 30. [8] Conradie, ‘Healing in Soteriological Perspective’, 20-21.

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The understanding of salvation as wholeness corresponds with Old Testament

notions, such as the prophecies in Isaiah 53 and 61, which define the character and

characteristics of the coming redeemer in terms of healing, delivering, restoring and

making whole all those who believe.

"Wholeness" would correspond, too, with the Hebrew understanding of shalom, thus

including not only (physical or inner) healing but also “social wholeness and healing”

in terms of peace, justice and reconciliation. The emphasis of liberation theology on

social justice would certainly be vindicated by the Hebrew understanding of shalom

as salvation, justice and peace, asserts Mennonite theologian Perry Yoder. Instead of

“placing matters relating to peace on the outer edge of faith, making them an optional,

individual matter of conscience”, the Hebrew conception of shalom and salvation

puts them right in “the central core of Biblical faith”.[9]

Study of the use of the word-sets soteria, sozo and soter, makes clear beyond dispute,

asserts Brand, that,

Holy Scripture itself contains a holistic conception of salvation.

Unlike the classical ‘theories of atonement’ in the post-biblical tradition of the

church, the biblical authors use the word salvation to refer to any and every kind of

deliverance wrought by God for his people, and not only for Christ’s work on the

cross.”[10]

[9] Perry B. Yoder, Shalom: The Bible’s Word for Salvation, Justice, and Peace (Nappanee: Evangel

Publishing House, 1987), 8. [10] Brand, Speaking of a Fabulous Ghost, 106.

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Secondly, there is a wide variety of Biblical images and metaphors that are applied to

the concept of salvation, as Catholic theologian Thomas P. Rausch notes in his

introduction to Christology. [11]

He refers to Gustav Aulén’s classic study on soteriology, distinguishing three main

models:

atonement as the victory of God in Christ in overpowering the forces of evil

(Christus Victor)

the “objective” Latin view, based on the idea of sacrifice (Anselm’s theory of

satisfaction) the “subjective” view of liberal theology (based on Abelard’s theory of

inner change).[12]

Catholic theologian Michael Slusser expanded this mapping into five soteriological

themes which are prominent in the patristic writings and can be traced back to very

early strata in the New Testament tradition: victory, atonement, revelation,

eschatological judgment and exemplar.[13]

And the theme of divinization (theosis), strong in the Eastern Church, should be

added.

[11] Thomas P. Rausch, Who is Jesus? An Introduction to Christology (Collegeville: Liturgical Press,

2003). [12] Gustav Aulén, Christus Victor (New York: MacMillan, 1931), 17-31. [13] Michael

Slusser, ‘Primitive Christian Soteriological Themes’, Theological Studies 44 (1983), 555-569.

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The variety of images that are used within the New Testament to refer to God’s

salvation is even greater, as Rausch points out. He refers to Joseph Fitzmeyer, who

lists as much as ten distinct images used in the Pauline writings alone “that attempt to

express different aspects of how our salvation was effected through the Christ-event”:

Justification, salvation, reconciliation, expiation, redemption, freedom,

sanctification, transformation, new creation and glorification.[14]

Divergent images are used in Mark (cosmic struggle), Matthew (the new age already

breaking in), Luke (exodus) and John (revelation, incarnation and judgment),

Rausch notes.

The list could easily be expanded when looking at other New Testament voices, and

at the Old Testament, and still not be complete. “There is something about the reality

of salvation that resists an overview,” Anglican theologian David F. Ford aptly

remarks in his profound study on salvation and transformation.[15] He mentions as

many as ten different semantic fields or contexts in which a wider variety of images is

used to grasp aspects of salvation, such as:

the religious cult (language of sacrifice)

the law court (language of guilt, judgment, justification)

[14] Joseph A. Fitzmeyer, ‘Pauline Theology’, in Raymond E. Brown, Joseph Fitzmeyer and Roland

Murphy (eds.), New Jerome Biblical Commentary (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1990); referred to

in Rausch, Who is Jesus?, 170. [15] David F. Ford, Self and Salvation: Being Transformed

(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999), 3-4.

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warfare (language of battle and victory)

the market place (language of exchange)

family (language of parent-child relationships, adoption)

medicine (language of healing)

history (language of exodus, exile)

politics (language of satisfaction of honour, and of liberation from oppression)

friendship (language of laying down one’s life)

nature (language of light versus darkness, of seeds dying, and bearing fruit).

It is striking,” Ford says, “how the most powerful ways of thinking about soteriology

generally have been shaped by one primary image.” But one should never lose sight

of the vast diversity of semantic fields and metaphors that the Bible uses to grasp

the nature and the mediation of salvation.

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Here is my view on salvation.

Salvation is deliverance from danger or suffering. To save is to deliver or protect.

The word carries the idea of victory, health, or preservation. Sometimes, the Bible

uses the word saved or salvation to refer to temporal, physical deliverance, such as

Paul's deliverance from prison (Philippians 1:19).

“Soterio” – Salvation refers to the work of God on behalf of man in providing a way

of deliverance from the condemnation and penalty of sin.

More often, the word "salvation" concerns an eternal, spiritual deliverance. When

Paul told the Philippine jailer what he must do to be saved, he was referring to the

jailer's eternal destiny (Acts 16:30-31). Jesus equated being saved with entering the

kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-25).

A definition of the Christian doctrine of salvation would be, The deliverance, by the

grace of God, from eternal punishment for sin which is granted to those who accept

by faith God's conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus." Salvation is

available in Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) and is dependent on God alone for

provision, assurance, and security.

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However, when it comes to the matter of our salvation, the New Testament writers

use different Greek words,"words that emphasize the gracious and absolutely free

quality of it.

Reason for salvation

The reason is sin. There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3). We

have rebelled against God’s commands; we “like sheep, have gone astray” (Isaiah

53:6).

And also there is a restlessness or severe emptiness within human that can’t be

explain. Or perhaps would describe it as a “heaviness,” a feeling of guilt that can’t

seems to shake. You try to distract yourself from it, but nothing seems to work. And

there’s a reason why. There is a great emptiness in the things of this world that no

matter how much you attain to, you’re never really satisfied. You long for peace and

joy, but can’t find it anywhere. You strive and strive, but at the end nothing, you find

that these things are still lacking in your life.

This is exactly what God has done for you. He has placed a longing in your heart, a

longing for that which is beautiful, pure and everlasting. Have you sensed this longing

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in your life? You may not always be aware of its presence, but you do realise it from

time to time. Sometimes it manifests itself when things don’t go accordingly,

when you become so sad, disappointed or lonely. Other times, you notice it when you

have achieved something, or when you reach a milestone in your life. Even in the

height of success, you can’t help thinking that there must be something more to

achieve. You have a longing for the+ things which are eternal, and nothing of the

world will be able to satisfy this longing.

God is the one who has given you your spirit, body and soul. (Genesis 2:7) He is the

one who has created you and given you life. He is the very source of life and joy itself.

From the beginning, God has desired to lead people by their spirit. But, because of

the fall, sin has penetrated human nature and mankind has lost its connection with

God the source of life.

People began to be led by their lusts instead of their God, and mankind fell into great

darkness and emptiness.

This is the reason you feel the way you do. This is the reason nothing in this world

can satisfy you. You are meant to have a connection with God. But instead, you are

bound by the sinful lusts and desires that exist within you from the fall. Try as you

might, you can never be happy in this state of being. Romans 6:23 For the wages of

sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God, in His tremendous love and mercy, has provided a way to save you from the

emptiness and desolation that comes from living according to lusts.

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God is calling you to be saved.He wants to lead you on a new way, so you can come

to joy, peace and rest in your spirit.This new way is what I called Salvation as a Gift.

 The origin of Man

The creation of man was not by accident but purposeful (Psalm 8:1-9). God created

man to provide meaningful work for him in moving over the surface of the earth, have

dominion over the earth and fellowship with Him.(Ge.2:4-5, Ge.1:26 and Ge.3:8)

Also in Genesis 1:26-27 …And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our

likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of

the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing

that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of

God created he him; male and female created he them.

The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. It is that which sets man apart

from the animal world, fits him for the “dominion” God intended (Genesis 1:28), and

enables him to commune with his Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and

socially.

To say that man was created in the “image and likeness” of God does not mean that

God Has a physical body, for He is essentially Spirit (Jn.4:23-24), but that man was

created by God with moral and spiritual likeness to God . [16]

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Human beings were intended to have a relationship with God, and as such, God

created us with both material and immaterial aspects. The material aspects are

obviously those that are tangible and only exist as long as the person is alive. The

immaterial aspects are those which are intangible: soul, spirit, intellect, will,

conscience, etc. These characteristics exist beyond the physical lifespan of the

individual.

It is important to understand that both soul and spirit refer to the immaterial part of

man, but only the "spirit" refers to man's walk with God. The "soul" refers to man's

walk in the world, both material and immaterial.

The spirit is that life-principles which makes one alive to motivate and energised

The soul is the personality that is the mind, will and emotions

The body is the physical vessel in which the spirit or soul is expressed

[16] Dennis J. Mock Bible Doctrine Survey, 188.

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The creation by God of man was good, in fact man was created by God to properly

relate to and fellowship with Him. And it is clear that prior to Ge.3 Adam and Eve

had not sinned. For some period of time following the creation Adam and Eve

unbroken fellowship with each other and with God.

Man was created by God in a state of unconfirmed innocence or untested holiness. In

order for man’s obedience to and worship of God to meaningful it had to be voluntary.

God, therefore puts within man the capacity (free will) to choose to do good or evil, to

obey or not obey Him, to sin or not to sin.

God also put into place one restriction (law) and clearly communicated that restriction

to man. This restriction was designed to test man’s obedience to God to determine

whether or not to obey God when given a choice.

In Genesis 2:16-17 : And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree

of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and

evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely

die.

God gave man complete freedom to eat from any other tree in the garden accept the

tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man has the ability to communicate and

commune with God.

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In Genesis 3:1-5 satan took the form of a serpent and confronted Eve. Satan raised

doubts about the truth of God’s word and also contradicted God’s word. Satan

tempted Eve by telling a half-truth which is a whole lie.

In Genesis 3:6 Eve fell to satan’s temptation, the lust, desire of the flesh and pride of

life (1John 2:15-17) and also gave some to Adam who ate.

Scripture says Eve was deceived (2Co.11:3), but Adam ate knowingly (1Ti.2:11-

14).Both were guilty of sin, but Adam as head was held most responsible (Ro.5:14;

1Co15:22)

When given a choice by being tempted, both Adam and Eve committed an act of sin

which made them sinners by nature (Ro.5:18-19).Through the exercise of “free will”

sin entered into the world (Ro.5:12-14). Sin had been found in satan (Eze.28:15-16)

and had now worked it’s way into man. And just as surly as the sin of satan adversely

affected others so did the the sin of Adam and Eve.Notice that the bottom line of sin is

pride – the desire to be your own “God”. The main characteristics of sin is deception.

Sin promises satisfaction, pleasure and happiness but delivers none of these

things.[17]

[17]Dennis J. Mock, Bible doctrine survey. 210

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In Genesis 3:14-19 God announced judgments and it set in motion a series of

conflicts between various aspects of the creation order. Where there had been order ,

unity, and perfect harmony, there was now chaos, strife and disunity.

One of the immediate effects of the fall was that mankind was separated from God. In

the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had perfect communion and fellowship with God.

When they rebelled against Him, that fellowship was broken. They became aware of

their sin and were ashamed before Him. They hid from Him (Genesis 3:8-10), and

man has been hiding from God ever since. Only through Christ can that fellowship be

restored, because in Him we are made as righteous and sinless in God’s eyes as Adam

and Eve were before they sinned. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so

that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

 Sin

The Hebrew and Greek words translated “sin” throughout the Bible revolve largely

around two major concepts. The first is that of transgression. To transgress means “to

step across” or “to go beyond a set boundary or limit.” .

Most of the other words translated “sin” in the Bible involve a second concept, “to

miss the mark.” This view of sin includes the concept of our going in one direction

but straying off course to the side and not continuing in the direction we intended to

go, with the result that we don’t reach the goal we intended. We miss.

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This concept also has the idea of failing to measure up to a standard. For example,

most academic courses and tests are graded according to a minimum standard. If we

don’t meet that standard, we fail that test or course. A minimum level of performance

is expected, and anything less than that standard is failure. By not meeting that

standard, we “miss the mark” and don’t pass. We can miss the mark by either

missing the goal at which we were aiming or by falling short of that goal. In either

situation we fail to reach the mark set for us.

Both of these concepts, transgressing and missing the mark, involve a basic

requirement. If we transgress, which means to cross over a set boundary or limit, then

we must have a boundary or limit to cross over. If we miss the mark, we must have a

mark, target or standard to miss. Sin, then, is to transgress those boundaries God has

set for us or to miss the target He set for us.

God gave humanity His laws to show us His way of love. Those laws define how we

demonstrate love to God and our fellowman (Deuteronomy 30:15-16; Matthew

22:35-40; 1 John 5:3). Sin is violation of that law of love. God showed us a way to

live in peace and harmony with Him and with mankind and defined this way of life by

His law. When we sin, we violate or transgress that boundary and break God’s law.

We have seen one standard God has set for mankind: He expects obedience to His

laws. God’s law defines acceptable behaviour and actions, and, when we break the

standard of God’s law, we step across the bounds He has set. But has God set other

boundaries for us, other ways in which He defines sin? What about actions and

behaviour that aren’t covered by specific laws?

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In 1 John 5:17 we find a much broader definition of sin: “All unrighteousness is

sin . . .”

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin,

and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). The

effects of Sin are numerous and far reaching. Sin has affected every aspect of our

being. It has affected our lives on earth and our eternal destiny.

Another effect of sin is that humans have lost sight of the purpose for which they were

created. Man’s chief end and highest purpose in life is to glorify God and enjoy Him

forever (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalm 86:9).

Hence, love to God is the core of all morality and goodness. The opposite is the

choice of self as supreme. Selfishness is the essence of the Fall, and what follows are

all other crimes against God. In all ways sin is a turning in upon oneself, which is

confirmed in how we live our lives. We call attention to ourselves and to our good

qualities and accomplishments. We minimise our shortcomings. We seek special

favours and opportunities in life, wanting an extra edge that no one else has. We

display vigilance to our own wants and needs, while we ignore those of others. In

short, we place ourselves upon the throne of our lives, usurping God’s role.

Sin is any attitude or action which is contrary to the character of Holy God[18]

The strategy of sin is to deceive, enslave and destroy.[19]

[18] Dennis J. Mock , Bible Doctrine Survey 205. [19] Dennis J. Mock , Personal Spiritual life 63.

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When Adam chose to rebel against his Creator, he lost his innocence, incurred the

penalty of physical and spiritual death, and his mind was darkened by sin, as are the

minds of his successors. The apostle Paul said of pagans, Since they do not think it

worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind

(Romans 1:28). He told the Corinthians that “the god of this age has blinded the

minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of

Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). Jesus said, “I have come into

the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness”

(John 12:46). Paul reminded the Ephesians, “You were once in darkness but now

you are in the light of the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8). The purpose of salvation is “to

open the eyes [of unbelievers] and turn them from darkness to light, and from the

power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18).

The Fall produced in humans a state of depravity. Paul spoke of those “whose

consciences are seared” (1 Timothy 4:2) and those whose minds are spiritually

darkened as a result of rejecting the truth (Romans 1:21). In this state, man is utterly

incapable of doing or choosing that which is acceptable to God, apart from divine

grace. “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it

do so” (Romans 8:7).

Without the supernatural regeneration by the Holy Spirit, all men would remain in

their fallen state. But in His grace, mercy and loving-kindness, God sent His Son to

die on the cross and take the penalty of our sin, reconciling us to God and making

eternal life with Him possible. What was lost at because of sin is reclaimed at the

Cross.

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  The relation between the first Adam and the second

Adam

The Bible calls Jesus both the "last Adam" and the "second Man." Paul wrote to the

church of Corinth.

In 1 Corinthians 15:45-48

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was

made a quickening spirit.Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that

which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth,

earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also

that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

These two names of Jesus compare Him with Adam. Adam was the first man who

was created. The Bible says that God made Adam out of the dust of the

earth.(Genesis 2:7)

Adam’s nature - that of a human. He had the choice to obey or disobey and he chose

to disobey God. After the sin of Adam and Eve animal sacrifices were brought to

God. Yet the blood of animals could not take away the sin of Adam and his race. God

had to have perfect human nature sacrificed in place of sinful human nature.

The Lord Jesus is the last Adam and the Second Man. He is the last man to be without

a sin nature. His nature was both human and divine. He was the second man - the man

from heaven.

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As the God-man He could be the suitable sacrifice for the sins of the world. The

Bible says that Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice for sin.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.And all things are of God, who hath reconciled

us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing

their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we

pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin

for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in

him.(2Corinthians 5:17-21)

Adam, the first human, was created perfect from the dust of the ground. But Adam

disobeyed and brought sin into the world. Jesus the “second Adam” or "last Adam" in

the sense that He was the last man who did not have sin nature. Although He was like

Adam in that He did not have sin nature He was different from Adam in that Jesus

was from heaven. Consequently Jesus was the sinless sacrifice for the sins of the

world.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF SALVATION

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own

soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? … Mark 8:36-37

This verse says that you have something more valuable than all the riches in this

world, including the world itself. Your soul is what has value. The soul is the real you.

The soul can be lost. And losing one soul is like losing the whole world in God’s eyes.

The Bible shows us that the soul needs to be saved from Hell.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt

make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days,

and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isa 53:10)

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left

in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Act 2:31)

Jesus Christ went to hell and his soul suffered for our sins.

Everybody that is born into this world will one day die. This is a universal law which

cannot be altered. The reason for this :

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so

death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom 5:12)

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The reason we will all die is because we inherited a sinful nature from Adam. There

are no exceptions.

When a baby is born into this world he/she has a nature to sin. After a few months it

will be more obvious to see. By the time the child reaches two or three years of age

that little child will be getting into all kinds of sins.

In Revelation 21:8 the Bible says that all liars shall have their part in the lake

which burneth with fire and brimstone.

(Rev 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,

and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part

in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The Bible says that liars cannot go to heaven. That is a problem for me, and probably

for you to.

The Bible also says that if you steal something, you cannot be part of God’s kingdom.

That includes heaven.

1Co 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of

God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor

effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor

drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

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The Bible says that a drunkard cannot be part of God’s kingdom. In fact the Bible

says that there are no human beings on this earth that are without sin.

(Rom 3:23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

So we all are in need of salvation at some point in our lives. Everybody needs

salvation. When we speak of salvation we mean being saved from danger as already

stated. The danger of hell. Hell is a place of God’s wrath, and nobody wants to be a

recipient of God’s wrath.

(Joh 3:36) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth

not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

(Rom 1:18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness

and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

God created us with a body, a soul, and a spirit.At death the body returns to the

ground; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the

ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou

return. (Gen 3:19)

At death the spirit goes back to God. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it

was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecc 12:7)

At death the soul leaves the body and lives on throughout eternity. Yes your soul is

eternal and it will spend the rest of eternity in one of two destinations: Heaven that is

new Jerusalem or Hell.

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 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into

Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift

up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his

bosom. Luk 16:22-23

The body of the rich man was buried, but His soul awoke in hell.

If we look back at 1Co 6 and read v11 Paul is talking to some Christians in the church

at Corinth. (1Co 6:11) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are

sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of

our God.

Notice that these people who were once thieves, liars, fornicators, and drunkards and

now washed, sanctified, and then justified with God.

Washed = To be made clean. Sanctified= to be made holy and set apart for God’s use,

Justified = To prove to be just and conforming to the law.

 It saves us from the wrath of God

Wrath is defined as the emotional response to perceived wrong and injustice, often

translated as “anger,” “indignation,” “vexation,” or “irritation.” Both humans and

God express wrath. But there is vast difference between the wrath of God and the

wrath of man. God’s wrath is holy and always justified; man’s is never holy and

rarely justified.

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In the Old Testament, the wrath of God is a divine response to human sin and

disobedience. Idolatry was most often the occasion for divine wrath. Psalm 78:56-66

describes Israel’s idolatry. The wrath of God is consistently directed towards those

who do not follow His will (Deuteronomy 1:26-46; Joshua 7:1; Psalm 2:1-6). The

Old Testament prophets often wrote of a day in the future, the "day of wrath"

(Zephaniah 1:14-15). God’s wrath against sin and disobedience is perfectly justified

because His plan for mankind is holy and perfect, just as God Himself is holy and

perfect. God provided a way to gain divine favour—repentance—which turns God’s

wrath away from the sinner.

To reject that perfect plan is to reject God’s love, mercy, grace and favour and incur

His righteous wrath.

The New Testament also supports the concept of God as a God of wrath who judges

sin. The story of the rich man and Lazarus speaks of the judgment of God and serious

consequences for the unrepentant sinner (Luke 16:19–31). John 3:36 says, “Whoever

believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for

God’s wrath remains on Him. The one who believes in the Son will not suffer God’s

wrath for his sin, because the Son took God’s wrath upon Himself when He died in

our place on the cross (Romans 5:6–11).

Those who do not believe in the Son, who do not receive Him as Saviour, will be

judged on the day of wrath (Romans 2:5–6).

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Humans wrath is warned against in Romans 12:19, Ephesians 4:26, and Colossians

3:8-10. God alone is able to avenge because His vengeance is perfect and holy,

whereas man’s wrath is sinful, opening him up to demonic influence. For the

Christian, anger and wrath are inconsistent with our new nature, which is the nature of

Christ Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The wrath of God is a fearsome and terrifying thing. Only those who have been

covered by the blood of Christ, shed for us on the cross, can be assured that God’s

wrath will never fall on them. “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how

much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him!” (Romans 5:9).

 It saves us from sin and it’s consequences

Sin brings with it two long-term consequences—a penalty against us, and a power

within us. God saves us from the penalty and the power.

The power of sin within us makes us hostile to God and helpless;

Romans 8:7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to

the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Hostile has no desire to follow God's law. Even if he had the desire, which he doesn't,

he does not have the ability. You will meet Hostile all throughout the Bible story:

In Cain's hostility toward God, he became angry and killed Abel (Genesis 4:8).

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But Pharaoh's hostility was more subtle. When God said "Let my people go"

(Exodus 5:1), he just dug in his heels.

Hostile's greatest day was when Jesus was brought before the crowd, and they shouted

"Crucify him!" (Matthew 27:22-23).

Romans 7:23. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my

mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The difference between Helpless and Hostile is that, while Hostile hates God's law,

Helpless loves it: "In my inner being, I delight in God's law…" (v22), "I agree that the

law is good…" (v16). Hostile would never say these things. He hates God's law.

Helpless knows God's law is good. He wants to do it, but he doesn't have the ability.

He's a prisoner in chains, unable to get free. He feels miserable "What a wretched man

I am!" and cries out "Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (v24).

To Hostile, Salvation says that , But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,

while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). Christ went to the cross

so that those who were once enemies of God could become His friends. God loves

you.

Notice the answer Salvation gives when Helpless asks “O wretched man that I am!

who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ

our Lord. (Romans 7:24-25).

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Christ will rescue you! The Christian life is about the power of God living in you.

Salvation saves us from the power of sin within us and the penalty of sin which is

death. For the wages of sin is death.

HOW TO ACHIEVE OR GAIN SALVATION.

 Faith

Thankfully, the Bible contains a clear definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1: “Now

faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Simply put, the biblical definition of faith is “trusting in something you cannot

explicitly prove.”

This definition of faith contains two aspects: intellectual assent and trust. Intellectual

assent is believing something to be true. Trust is actually relying on the fact that the

something is true. A chair is often used to help illustrate this. Intellectual assent is

recognizing that a chair is a chair and agreeing that it is designed to support a person

who sits on it. Trust is actually sitting in the chair.

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Understanding these two aspects of faith is crucial. Many people believe certain facts

about Jesus Christ. Many people will intellectually agree with the facts the Bible

declares about Jesus. But knowing those facts to be true is not what the Bible means

by “faith.” The biblical definition of faith requires intellectual assent to the facts and

trust in the facts.

Believing that Jesus is God incarnate who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our

sins and was resurrected is not enough. Even the demons “believe” in God and

acknowledge those facts (James 2:19). We must personally and fully rely on the

death of Christ as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

We must “sit in the chair” of the salvation that Jesus Christ has provided. This is

saving faith.The faith God requires of us for salvation is belief in what the Bible says

about who Jesus is and what He accomplished and fully trusting in Jesus for that

salvation (Acts 16:31). Biblical faith is always accompanied by repentance (Matthew

21:32; Mark 1:15).

Habakkuk 2:4 includes the well-known statement “the righteous will live by faith.”

What does this mean?

The context helps us to understand God’s intent in this passage. The whole verse

reads, “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the

righteous shall live by his faith.” “His soul” is a symbolic reference to Babylonia.

This nation had become proud or “puffed up.” As a result, they were unrighteous and
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facing God’s judgment. In contrast, the righteous (or the “just”) would live by faith in

God. By contrast, the righteous are humble in God’s eyes and will never face God’s

judgment.

Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted three times in the New Testament. Paul quotes it in Romans

1:17, emphasizing the idea that righteousness by faith is for both Jews and Gentiles:

“For in the gospel a righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it

is written, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

Then, in Galatians 3:11, we read, “Now it is evident that no one is justified before

God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” Here, Paul stresses that

we are justified or made right before God by faith. The Law has no ability to

justify anyone.

As Habakkuk had recorded, people have always been saved by faith, not by works.

Habakkuk 2:4 is also quoted in Hebrews 10:38.

In the third century, Rabbi Simla noted that Moses gave 365 prohibitions and 248

positive commands.

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David reduced them to eleven commands in Psalm 15; Isaiah made them six (33:14-

15); Micah bound them into three (6:8); and Habakkuk condensed them all to one,

namely—“The righteous shall live by faith”[20]

Christians are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and we walk in faith (2

Corinthians 5:7). Only by faith in Christ are we made righteous (Romans 5:19).

Paul further expounds on this truth in Galatians 2:16, saying, “We know that a

person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so

we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ

and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”

It is Christ’s righteousness that saves us, and the only way to receive salvation is to

trust in Him. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36).

When Habakkuk wrote, “The righteous shall live by his faith,” he was echoing a

timeless truth first modeled in Abraham’s life (Genesis 15:6). The righteous man will

“live” in that he will not face God’s judgment; rather, in return for his faith in God, he

has been given eternal life.

[20] Rabbi Simla (from P. L. Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations. Garland, TX: Bible

Communications, #1495).

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  Grace

The gospel message is the good news of God’s grace, so it is important to know what

grace is and to constantly seek to get a better view of what grace does in our lives.

Grace is an essential part of God’s character. Grace is closely related to God’s

benevolence, love, and mercy. Grace can be variously defined as “God’s favor toward

the unworthy” or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” In His grace, God is

willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve

to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.

To fully understand grace, we need to consider who we were without Christ and who

we become with Christ. We were born in sin (Psalm 51:5), and we were guilty of

breaking God’s holy laws (Romans 3:9–20, 23; 1 John 1:8–10). We were enemies of

God (Romans 5:6, 10; 8:7; Colossians 1:21), deserving of death (Romans 6:23a).

We were unrighteous (Romans 3:10) and without means of justifying ourselves

(Romans 3:20). Spiritually, we were destitute, blind, unclean, and dead. Our souls

were in peril of everlasting punishment.

But then came grace. God extended His favor to us. Grace is what saves us

(Ephesians 2:8). Grace is the essence of the gospel (Acts 20:24).

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Grace gives us victory over sin (James 4:6). Grace gives us “eternal encouragement

and good hope” (2 Thessalonians 2:16). Paul repeatedly identified grace as the basis

of his calling as an apostle (Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Ephesians 3:2, 7).

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of grace, coupled with truth (John 1:14).

The Bible repeatedly calls grace a “gift” (e.g., Ephesians 4:7). This is an important

analogy because it teaches us some key things about grace.

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 GIFT

What is a gift ?

Gift is given willingly to someone without payment.

First, anyone who has ever received a gift understands that a gift is much different

from a loan, which requires repayment or return by the recipient. The fact that grace is

a gift means that nothing is owed in return.

Second, there is no cost to the person who receives a gift. A gift is free to the recipient,

although it is not free to the giver, who bears the expense. The gift of salvation costs

us sinners nothing. But the price of such an extravagant gift came at a great cost for

our Lord Jesus, who died in our place.

Third, once a gift has been given, ownership of the gift has transferred and it is now

ours to keep. There is a permanence in a gift that does not exist with loans or

advances. When a gift changes hands, the giver permanently relinquishes all rights to

renege or take back the gift in future.

Fourth, in the giving of a gift, the giver voluntarily forfeits something he owns,

willingly losing what belongs to him so that the recipient will profit from it. The giver

becomes poorer so the recipient can become richer.

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This generous and voluntary exchange from the giver to the recipient is visible in 2

Corinthians 8:9: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was

rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might

become rich.

How can one receive a gift?

Many articles has been written about the benefits of giving, the power of giving, the

gift of giving. But we don’t see many articles on receiving. We are constantly told

that it is better to give than to receive. And we have come to accept that giving is right

and receiving is wrong, that giving is strong and taking is weak.

But life is not structured that way. It is about not only giving but circular motion, give

and take. And as we have worked to become the best givers, we have shut ourselves

off from receiving.

The gift of receiving teaches us that everything is interconnected. For one person to

receive, someone else has to give.It’s a cycle and we need to develop new skills to

experience it all.

Once you’ve begun accepting your own gifts, you’re ready to receive the gifts of

others.Make space for receiving. Start small, by receiving a smile or a hug. Get used

to receiving and being grateful.

Open your heart. Cherish the fact that other people want to give to you. Until we can

receive with an open heart, we’re never really giving with an open heart.

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Put an end to keeping score, remember that life has its way of giving us what we need

and that gifts keep going around and around.Stop being disappointment and embrace

what is being offered, however imperfectly, and go with what is being given.

Remember that people give what they can.

We are great givers, but we have lost the gift of receiving.

The gift of receiving is not only about getting more out of life , it is also about

receiving life as a gift.

Our lives reflect a universal process. All of reality shares in our struggles, feels our

pain, celebrates our joy, and cheers us on to live fully, all of reality hurts when we

inflict pain upon others and ourselves. We are all connected—to one another, to the

universe, and to all that is.

No matter what we tell ourselves, we are not alone.Knowing this and understanding

this may help us comprehend that ~for every gift there is a receiver, for every receiver

there is a provider, and for every circumstance there is a supporter.Once you’ve begun

accepting your own gifts, you’re ready to receive the gifts of others.

When you receive, you have an opportunity to give the gift of gratitude, the gift of

acknowledgment, the gift of saying, “Yes, I see and appreciate you.”

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Is a gift worked for?

Like I said anyone who has ever received a gift understands that a gift is much

different from a loan or reward which requires repayment, work or return by the

recipient. There is no cost to the person who receives a gift. A gift is free to the

recipient in other words it is not worked for, although it is not free to the giver, who

bears the expense. Notwithstanding, work is a gift but a gift is not worked for.

Does a gift expire – loose?

While there is plenty of Scripture to support the loss of effectiveness and fruitfulness,

the Bible does not indicate the actual loss of gifts.

Some may use parables like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 to

conclude that you can lose your gifts if you don't do anything with them because the

master tells them to take the lazy servant's talent away from him. Understand that it

would be pure interpretation to say that the talents represent gifts. Read on to see

what happens to the lazy servant's talent. It is not only taken from him but given to the

one who had ten.

You are going to run into some serious logistical problems with that.

Plus, it implies that gifts are merit-based in saying that the faithful are rewarded with

the gifts neglected by others. Scripture is clear that gifts are given because of grace

(Romans 12:6a) ... nothing earned or merited. Therefore, a gift does not expire.

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 SALVATION AS A GIFT

The word gift is an important one in the Bible, and it is good that we understand its

definition and implications.

In the New Testament, there are several Greek words translated "gift." Some of these

words are used in contexts other than God's gift of salvation, such as the reciprocal

gift-giving of celebrants (Revelation 11:10), the things received from fathers

(Matthew 7:11), offerings to a ministry (Philippians 4:17), and the gifts of the magi

(Matthew 2:11).

When it comes to the matter of our salvation, the New Testament writers use different

Greek words, "words” that emphasize the gracious and absolutely free quality of the

gift. Here are the two words most commonly used for the gift of salvation:

1) Dorea, meaning "a free gift." This word lays particular stress on the gratuitous

nature of the “gift" it is something given above and beyond what is expected or

deserved. Every New Testament occurrence of this word is related to a spiritual gift

from God. It is what Jesus offers to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10). It

is called the "free gift" in Romans 5:15. It is the "unspeakable [or indescribable] gift"

in 2 Corinthians 9:15. This gracious gift is identified as the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38;

8:30; and 11:17.

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The adverb form of this word is dorean, translated "freely" in Matthew 10:8; 2

Corinthians 11:7; Revelation 21:6; 22:17. In Romans 3:24, immediately following

God's pronouncement of our guilt, we have this use of dorean: "Being justified

FREELY by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." The gift of

salvation is free, and the motive for the gift is nothing more than the grace of the

Giver.

2) Charisma, meaning "a gift of grace." This word is used to define salvation in

Romans 5:15-16. Also, in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the

GIFT [charisma] of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." This same

word is used in conjunction with the gifts of the Spirit received after salvation

(Romans 12:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Peter 4:10).

Obviously, if something is a "gift of grace," it cannot be earned. To work for

something is to deserve it, and that would produce an obligation"a gift of debt, as it

were. That is why works destroy grace (Romans 4:1-5; 11:5-6).

When presenting salvation, the New Testament writers carefully chose words that

emphasize grace and freedom. As a result, the Bible could not be more clear'salvation

is absolutely free, the true gift of God in Christ, and our only responsibility is to

receive the gift by faith (John 1:12; 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Free gift

Many people are still convinced that we must earn something as special as salvation.

Some of us think our own “good works” contribute to our salvation in some way.

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Let’s take a look at the Bible and track the notion of salvation as a free gift to see if

our own efforts can actually earn us a spot in heaven.

We’ll start with a definition of the word, “gift” as it is found in a variety of secular

dictionaries:

gift (noun)

Something bestowed freely.

gift (gÄ-ft) n.

Something that is bestowed voluntarily and without compensation.

Gift \Gift\, n.

Anything given; anything voluntarily transferred by one person to another without

compensation; a present; an offering.

The word gift inherently includes the notion of free.

When something is given to us, it cannot be called a gift unless it is given to us

without compensation of any kind. We can’t pay for it, and we can’t work for it.

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If we were to do that, it wouldn’t be a gift at all, it would be a payment. Keep this in

mind as we examine the word gift in the Bible:

We cannot pay for our salvation with good works, the Bible is very clear about this.

Scripture tells us we simply cannot earn our way to heaven. Our good works are an

imperfect means to a perfect destination. We could never be good enough to find

ourselves in a place of perfection. For this reason, God has to do all the work of

Salvation. Not a single good work can be applied to the task on our part, so there is

absolutely nothing we could ever boast about as it written in Ephesians 2:7-9 That in

the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness

toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that

not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

God also applies His righteousness to us for free to make it even clearer, God says

the Law only leads to death because the Law requires perfection (and this is

something we could never attain). Salvation, therefore requires God to do all the work,

because only God is perfect by His nature. That’s why grace is given to us without

cost :

Romans 5:14-18 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over

them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the

figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if

through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift

by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as

it was by one that sinned, so is the gift:

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for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences

unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more

they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign

in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon

all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came

upon all men unto justification of life.

The gift of grace

The popular notion is that God accepts good people and rejects bad people.

Most people, whether in Christianized countries or those steeped in other religions,

usually operate under the idea that God accepts or rejects people based on some level

of goodness or religious performance. The whole book of Ephesians rejects this

premise, and Ephesians 2:8–9 specifically refutes it: “For it is by grace you have

been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:7 says that God has given incredible blessings to those who are in

Christ “in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of

his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” In other words, God has

chosen to save sinners, not based on their goodness but on His kindness. He does

this to demonstrate His grace—that is to say His undeserved favor.

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By definition, grace is a blessing that is undeserved and unwarranted—grace is a gift

freely given based on the kind intentions of the giver to a recipient who has no claim

to it.

What God has done for believers in Christ is going to bring Him glory, and

Ephesians 2:8–9 further explains how He gets all the glory. First, “it is by grace you

have been saved.” If we are saved by grace, this means that it is not because we are

good or deserving; rather, it is because God is good and gracious.

We are saved “through faith.” In order to be saved, there is a necessary human

response to God’s grace. The response is not trying to be “good enough” to be saved.

The response is simply trusting (having faith in) God to save on the basis of Christ’s

goodness. Furthermore, we must understand that faith is not a good work in itself that

God rewards. Faith is simply casting our unworthy selves on the mercy of a kind and

forgiving and gracious God.

As it written in Ephesians 2:8–9 which is a little difficult to understand: “And this is

not from yourselves.

The interpretive issue is what the word this is referring to; Some interpreters think

that it refers to faith. Thus, the verse could be paraphrased, “You have been saved by

grace through faith, and even this faith is not from within you.” Those who accept this

interpretation emphasize that, without the work of God in our lives, we could not even

believe the gospel in order to be saved.

Undoubtedly, this is true, but it may not be the best interpretation of this particular

verse.

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The reason is that the gender of the word this (in Greek) does not match the gender of

the word faith, which would normally be the case if this was a pronoun referring to

faith.

Some will take this to refer to grace; Undoubtedly, the meaning is true as well. Grace,

by definition, is from God and not from within ourselves; however, grammatically,

there is the same problem with making the pronoun this refer to grace as to faith—the

genders do not match. The same is true if this refers back to the phrase have been

saved.

The best explanation is that this refers to the whole plan and process of “salvation by

grace through faith,” rather than any specific element of it—although, admittedly,

the bottom line is hardly any different. Salvation-by-grace-through-faith is not

from ourselves but is “a gift of God, not of works.” Once again, the nature of grace

is reiterated. This whole plan and process of salvation comes from God as a gift, not

from ourselves as the result of works or good things that we have done.

It is crucial to ask oneself, “What do I rely on for my salvation?” Are you relying

upon good things you have done, or do you recognize that you have nothing to

contribute and simply cast yourself upon the free gift of grace of God through faith

in Jesus Christ?

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 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

The wide array of diverse (and sometimes seemingly conflicting) conceptions of

salvation within the Christian tradition points at the complexity of the Biblical

language on salvation. Firstly, it is not that easy to grasp the meaning of the Greek

word that is translated with “salvation”, soteria. Secondly, there is a wide variety of

Biblical metaphors to describe what actually happens when salvation is brought about.

However, when it comes to the matter of our salvation, the New Testament writers

use different Greek words,"words that emphasize the gracious and absolutely free

quality of it.

And I write on this to bring to their notice the true relevance of salvation. I believe

with this the truth that sets man is revealed.

INFORMATION ACQUISITION

I acquired my knowledge in writing this manuscript from Books.

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 FINDINGS

 The Greek word for Salvation is “Soteria”

 Salvation is God’s act on behalf of man

 Apart from God salvation is really impossible

 Salvation is attained once and for all

 The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. It is that which sets

man apart from the animal world, fits him for the “dominion”

 Human beings were intended to have a relationship with God, and as such,

God created us with both material and immaterial aspects.

 The material aspects are obviously those that are tangible and only exist as

long as the person is alive.

 The immaterial aspects are those which are intangible: soul, spirit, intellect,

will, conscience, etc.

 It is important to understand that both soul and spirit refer to the immaterial

part of man, but only the "spirit" refers to man's walk with God. The "soul"

refers to man's walk in the world, both material and immaterial.

 The spirit is that life-principles which makes one alive to motivate and

energised

 The soul is the personality that is the mind, will and emotions

 The body is the physical vessel in which the spirit or soul is expressed

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 RESEARCH PROBLEMS

Most men these days would want to reach out to God, find God and please Him with

their own works. They still hold the idea that salvation is worked for.

RESOLUTION

From a biblical point of view, mankind contributes nothing at all to his salvation. The

problem with humanity is their sinfulness. Theologians normally refer to this as "total

depravity”. Total depravity is the belief that mankind is sinful throughout and can do

nothing of himself to earn God's favour.

Attainment of salvation is never being means of rituals. One is not saved because he

observes religious rites. In view of this truth, I stand to say, no man is and can be

saved except with the provision of God’s gracious grace.

RECOMMENDATION

I recommend this handy material to both the save and the unsaved. And believe truth

from this, will utterly set them free.

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 CONCLUSION

The doctrine of Salvation has to do with God providing a way to deal with man’s lost,

for man lacks the ability and capacity to save himself from sin. Yet most men these

days would want to reach out to God, find God and please Him with their own works.

However what they ought to understand is that salvation is not reaching out to God or

finding ways to please Him, Salvation is God reaching out to man through His saving

Grace.

Presenting salvation as a gift, scripture emphatically speaks on words regarding

freedom and grace. Freedom from sin by act of grace: This proves that salvation is not

attained by works of the flesh or rituals but Salvation is a free gift attained through

faith by grace. The eyes of many are not exposed to this spiritual truth but i hope these

words would be of much help, bringing them all to the knowledge or truth.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brand, Speaking of a Fabulous Ghost, 106.

Conradie, Saving the Earth?, 34-38.

Conradie, Saving the Earth?, 37.

Conradie, ‘Healing in Soteriological Perspective’, 20-21.

Commentary (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1990); referred to in Rausch, Who is

Jesus?, 170.

David Noel Freedman (ed.), Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 Vols. (New Haven: Yale

University Press, 1992).

David F. Ford, Self and Salvation: Being Transformed (Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 1999), 3-4.

Dennis J. Mock Bible Doctrine Survey, 188.

Dennis J. Mock , Bible Doctrine Survey, 210

Dennis J. Mock , Bible Doctrine Survey 205.

Dennis J. Mock , Personal Spiritual life 63.

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Ernest M. Conradie, ‘Healing in Soteriological Perspective’, Religion & Theology

13:1 (2006), 3-22.

Gijsbert van den Brink and Kees van der Kooi, Dogmatiek (Zoetermeer:

Boekencentrum, 2012), 405.

Gustav Aulén, Christus Victor (New York: MacMillan, 1931), 17-31.

John Wilkinson, Health and Healing. Studies in New Testament Principles and

Practices (Edinburgh: Handsel Press, 1980), 30.

Joseph A. Fitzmeyer, ‘Pauline Theology’, in Raymond E. Brown, Joseph Fitzmeyer

and Roland Murphy (eds.), New Jerome Biblical

Michael Slusser, ‘Primitive Christian Soteriological Themes’, Theological Studies 44

(1983), 555-569.

Perry B. Yoder, Shalom: The Bible’s Word for Salvation, Justice, and Peace

(Nappanee: Evangel Publishing House, 1987), 8.

Rabbi Simla (from P. L. Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations. Garland, TX: Bible

Communications, #1495).

Thomas P. Rausch, Who is Jesus? An Introduction to Christology (Collegeville:

Liturgical Press, 2003).

[4] Van den Brink and Van der Kooi, Christelijke dogmatiek, 405, and Gerhard Kittel

and Gerhard Friedrich (eds.), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 7

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971), 766 cf.

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