What the NT Teaches on "Salvation" (Sōtēria)
- Thread starter Atwood
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
So why not start a thread with those parameters instead of pulling junior high school antics here?
There a host of verses that require only faith/belief for salvation.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.
Only believe is mentioned. This is common. In fact believe is the only MUST I DO for salvation.
If only 1 requirement is given, then there is only 1 requirement -- for those who believe that God's word is true and that He is not a false advertiser.
WHAT MUST I DO?
Answer is ONLY 1 thing: believe.
"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe." 1 Cor.. 1:21
σῶσαι
σῶσαι
"If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world." John 12:47
σώσω
This is a very interesting verse in terms of soteriology. Who judges the world?
σώσω
This is a very interesting verse in terms of soteriology. Who judges the world?
The thread is simply devoted to the topic of what the Bible states using the term save/salvation/SAvior. It is a worthy topic.
Of course, but in this thread we are considering what scripture says with the terms save/SAvior/salvation. I don't suggest that nothing else is relevant. But this does save us from irrelevant rabbit paths at the start.
"10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” Acts 15:10-11
σωθῆναι
From the Jerusalem Council!
σωθῆναι
From the Jerusalem Council!
ROMANS ON SALVATION
6 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
If salvation comes to everyone who believes, then belief is sufficient for salvation; nothing need be added on man's part. Works are specifically outlawed as a means of salvation in scripture. And it must follow that if a man believes, yet doesn't get water baptized, he will be saved -- the same with any other grocery list items you would add.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;
The future security of the believer is ensured by the a fortiori argument above. The believer shall be saved from God' wrath -- not possibility of anything else.
24 For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?
We have a guaranteed future, but we don't get all the blessings right away. Some is yet future. Salvation is a past fact for the believer. It gives us the expectation of future blessings, some of which we do not know.
9 because if thou shalt confess [homologeo] with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD [YHWH] shall be saved.
The Lord Jesus is referred to as the LORD, but it is an OT quote where the original is YHWH. He who would be saved must approach Christ as YHWH. That is the agreement [homologeo] which is essential. He is the God-man, not just a good teacher. The object of the faith must be adequately defined. We must agree with God as to Who He is. The rare ref to "confess" or agree in this salvation context makes sense on that basis. Believing that Christ rose from the dead is similar. He must be defined as risen from the dead. The object of faith must be the real Lord Jesus.
11 And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed.
Salvation comes in 3 tenses: Past, Present, & Future. Instant salvation comes when one believes, is transformed to Child of God, and receives the gift of eternal life. But the full realization with our glorification is a future expectation. That is our future guaranteed salvation.
Now it is not claimed that Romans says nothing else on salvation or that the doctrine is limited to sozo. But I proposed in this thread to focus on what is specifically said about "salvation" using precisely word group which is rightly translated save/Savior/salvation.
6 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
If salvation comes to everyone who believes, then belief is sufficient for salvation; nothing need be added on man's part. Works are specifically outlawed as a means of salvation in scripture. And it must follow that if a man believes, yet doesn't get water baptized, he will be saved -- the same with any other grocery list items you would add.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;
The future security of the believer is ensured by the a fortiori argument above. The believer shall be saved from God' wrath -- not possibility of anything else.
24 For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?
We have a guaranteed future, but we don't get all the blessings right away. Some is yet future. Salvation is a past fact for the believer. It gives us the expectation of future blessings, some of which we do not know.
9 because if thou shalt confess [homologeo] with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD [YHWH] shall be saved.
The Lord Jesus is referred to as the LORD, but it is an OT quote where the original is YHWH. He who would be saved must approach Christ as YHWH. That is the agreement [homologeo] which is essential. He is the God-man, not just a good teacher. The object of the faith must be adequately defined. We must agree with God as to Who He is. The rare ref to "confess" or agree in this salvation context makes sense on that basis. Believing that Christ rose from the dead is similar. He must be defined as risen from the dead. The object of faith must be the real Lord Jesus.
11 And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed.
Salvation comes in 3 tenses: Past, Present, & Future. Instant salvation comes when one believes, is transformed to Child of God, and receives the gift of eternal life. But the full realization with our glorification is a future expectation. That is our future guaranteed salvation.
Now it is not claimed that Romans says nothing else on salvation or that the doctrine is limited to sozo. But I proposed in this thread to focus on what is specifically said about "salvation" using precisely word group which is rightly translated save/Savior/salvation.
Last edited:
"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." 2 Cor.. 7:10
σωτηρίαν
σωτηρίαν
K
Kerry
Guest
Amen! The Bible clearly teaches in many many verses that we are saved through belief/faith "apart from additions or modifications." (Luke 7:50; 8:12; John 3:15,16,18,36; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 15:9 16:31; 26:18; Romans 1:16; 3:22-30; 4:2-6,9,11,13; 5:1; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 2:16; 3:22,24,26; Ephesians 1:13; 2:8; Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:39; 1 John 5:13 etc..). You don't need to add the word "only" or "alone" next to belief/faith in each of these verses to figure out that the words "belief/faith" stand alone in these verses in connection with receiving salvation. Do these verses say belief/faith "plus something else?" NO! So then it's belief/faith (rightly understood) IN CHRIST alone.
Seems my question struck a nerve.
Why don't you give the verse that says one is saved by "belief only" without YOU ADDING the word "only" and prove once and for all belief only saves?
"But the word "only" is not in the verse and there are many, many salvic verses that do not even have the word "believe" in them. Other verses say repentance saves, confession saves, baptism saves, grace saves, blood of Christ saves hope saves, the engrafted word saves. With so many things the bible says saves, it is not biblically possible that "belief only" saves.
The jailer was not commanded to believe only and he did not believe only:
v32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house.
v33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately.
v34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.
The phrase "having believed" in v34 includes all the jailer had done in v33 in his repentance as seen by washing their stripes and being baptized. So "believed" in v34 is used as a synecdoche where it INCLUDES repentance and baptism. As "believed" in Acts 2:44 INCLUDES being baptized in Acts 2:41.
1) you are not taking into account all salvic verses but just cherry pick verses that have the word 'believe' in them and then add/assume the word "only" into them.
2) the jailer was not told to believe only, for again, you are adding/assuming the word only into the verse.
3) the jailer did not believe only for the context shows his belief INCLUDED repentance and being baptized.