Soteriology this is a term I want us to be familiar with and understand.  It sounds fancy and very scholarly, but it is actually a simple term. 

Definition- Soteriology is the doctrine of salvation.  It is the study of theology dealing with the Greek word “soteria” (salvation), relating to the “soter” (savior) and the “logos” (word/doctrine).

 

In our corner of Christianity I have heard many convoluted concepts on what is salvation and why salvation matters. 

 

Christology is another term I want us to be familiar with and understand.  It should shape our entire faith.

Definition- Christology is our theology that relates to the person, nature, and role of Christ.

 

• What Salvation is Not!

  Salvation is not works based.  You cannot earn your salvation! 

 

Matthew 19:23-26:

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 

 

Romans 6:23:

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Romans 5:15:

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

  

• Salvation is Not a New Testament Concept!

 

Exodus 14:13:

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

 

Revelation 13:8:

and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

 

• Salvation is Simple!

 

Luke 10:21-22:

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.[b] 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Those who seek to over complicate the gift of salvation with their wisdom and expounded understanding have had this revelation hidden from them while still eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

1 Corinthians 1:18:

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 

• Salvation was from before the foundations of the world!

 

God knew Adam would transgress His commandments.  He set into motion a progressive plan that a mediator would have to officiate God’s propitiation for the sins and transgressions of others.

We see this is the covenant made with Abraham.  God walked through the pieces of the covenant while He was sleeping. 

When speaking of the High Priest of Jesus in the book of Hebrews we see this:

 

Hebrews 2:17:

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

 

Therefore, the perfect and final salvation had to be a mediator who was flesh like us, and a mediator who was God like God.  Jesus as the Son of God was both called Son of Man and Son of God.  (hypostatic union see Who is Jesus Week 1)

 

• The temporal mediators!

At the establishment of the nation of Israel God set forth commandments, and the Levitical priesthood.  The priesthood served as mediators between God and humanity by shedding the blood of animal sacrifices.

 

Leviticus 17:11:

11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

 

The Levitical priesthood was not an easy job.  They were responsible for transporting, setting up, tearing down, and executing the instructions of daily protocol that not only included animal sacrifices, but the show bread, olive oil, keeping the menorah lit, and keeping the fire continuously going on the altar as per the instructions of God. 

 

Not only was that job a hard job the High Priest known as the Kohanim carried an even greater burden.  The Kohanim carried the responsibility, weight and severity of following specific instructions associated with carrying out sacrifices.  A foreshadow of Jesus.

 

Numbers 18:1:

So the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood.

 

This Mosaic covenant and system extended grace and mercy to the Israelites but it was only a temporal plan, and a foreshadow of the true plan of God.

 

 

Hebrews 7:11:

11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?

 

Hebrews 8:7:

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

 

The sacrificial system was perfect for the time it was created, but it was always a foreshadow of a Heavenly High Priest who would mediate once for all time and humanity.

Romans 8:3:

3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,[a] he condemned sin in the flesh,

 

1 Timothy 2:5-6:

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man[a] Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

There is only one mediator, and the testimony was to be given at a specific time.  Until that time God literally foreshadowed the coming perfect mediator throughout the systems, structures, and covenants made with our forefathers.

 

• Jesus our Salvation!

Acts 4:12:

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[a] by which we must be saved.”

 

Isaiah 53:10-12:

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;[a]
when his soul makes[b] an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see[c] and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,[d]
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,[e]
because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
    and makes intercession for the transgressors.

 

Our earthly systems, earthly bodies, earthly carnality had to die so that our soul could be redeemed back to God.  Through the death of our perishable fleshly bodies the Lord buries His righteous judgement against the sins we committed in our flesh. 

 

Galatians 2:20:

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 

Galatians 5:24:

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 

Jesus came to offer salvation from our sins.

 

Matthew 1:21:

21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

 

Moses and Elijah also testified of the completed work to come.

 

Luke 9:28-36

28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,[b] which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One;[c] listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4:

Now I would remind you, brothers,[a] of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

 

Hebrews 12:2:

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Colossians 1:20:

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

• Simple Salvation.

You must believe Jesus is who He says He is.  Did what He said He would do.  Did what the writers of the New Testament testify He did.  You must confess with your lips Jesus is Lord.  Not that He is some lessor being.  HE IS GOD WITH US!  The perfect lamb who was slain before the foundation of the earth.  That He gave His life so you could be born again in Him.  You didn’t deserve it; you did nothing to earn it.  He freely gave it because He loved you!  There is no other way to obtain salvation.  There is no other method by which you can be saved.  Believe and profess.  Then once you have received that gift cleave to Him and never let go.