The salvation is individual or collective?
To start to figure this out, let’s analyze the following verses:
1 – “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:1,2).
We are the branches of the True Vine, whose main branch (the stalk) is His Church.
2 – “And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things” (Col 1:18);
Jesus is the unique Head of only one Body, that is to say: Jesus isn’t head of many bodies that wish to walk around as well delight them.
3 “And one of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.” (Rev 21:9).
Jesus isn’t promiscuous nor polygamous, that is to say, He doesn’t have a Bride and His lovers, nor He has a harem of brides.
As we can see, it’s unfeasible to be saved out of His Body (or Bride, if you prefer). This is the reason why Peter said:
• “Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour; whom firmly resist in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions in the world are being completed in your brotherhood.” (1Pe 5:8,9).
When we are undergoing some ordeal or predicament, we need to take the solace of Jesus so that we can help our brothers in Christ that are going through the same afflictions, and this with the same comfort that we receive of Jesus (2Cor 1:3-5).
Furthermore, we aren’t saved pursuant to our justice, but in according to the acts of justice of those who believe in Christ through us.
• “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” (Rev 19:8).
And this is comprehensible. After all:
• “In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples.” (Joh 15:8).
If our life can’t be useful in the Creator’s hand to save even a single life (which is very precious to Him – Luke 14:7,10), how profitable is being our prayers, worships, devotion, consecration, fasts, meditations on the Holy Scripture, etc.?
Hence Jesus to be clear:
• “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” (Joh 15:4)
Here we can see two things:
1. Nobody can be saved isolated of Christ and His Body (Bride);
2. The fact of someone is in Christ doesn’t mean that this one is saved; this person can be amputated of the Body as a cancer or gangrene (a jeopardy to the body).
Therefore, everyone is also responsible individually for their salvation:
• “But why do you judge your brother? Or also why do you despise your brother? For all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Rom 14:10).
• “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done through the body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad.” (2Co 5:10)
Abridging: our salvation is individual, but we only will be able to reach it speaking the truth in love and, in all things, growing up to Him who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15,16).
So, have a brilliant day in Christ Jesus, leaving Him to work in you His good, perfect, pleasant desire that will develop the salvation of people around you, who will be used to carry out, until the end, your salvation (Philippians 2:12,13; Romans 2:11,12; 1Corinthians 1:8; 2Thessalonians 3:3).
To start to figure this out, let’s analyze the following verses:
1 – “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:1,2).
We are the branches of the True Vine, whose main branch (the stalk) is His Church.
2 – “And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things” (Col 1:18);
Jesus is the unique Head of only one Body, that is to say: Jesus isn’t head of many bodies that wish to walk around as well delight them.
3 “And one of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.” (Rev 21:9).
Jesus isn’t promiscuous nor polygamous, that is to say, He doesn’t have a Bride and His lovers, nor He has a harem of brides.
As we can see, it’s unfeasible to be saved out of His Body (or Bride, if you prefer). This is the reason why Peter said:
• “Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour; whom firmly resist in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions in the world are being completed in your brotherhood.” (1Pe 5:8,9).
When we are undergoing some ordeal or predicament, we need to take the solace of Jesus so that we can help our brothers in Christ that are going through the same afflictions, and this with the same comfort that we receive of Jesus (2Cor 1:3-5).
Furthermore, we aren’t saved pursuant to our justice, but in according to the acts of justice of those who believe in Christ through us.
• “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” (Rev 19:8).
And this is comprehensible. After all:
• “In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples.” (Joh 15:8).
If our life can’t be useful in the Creator’s hand to save even a single life (which is very precious to Him – Luke 14:7,10), how profitable is being our prayers, worships, devotion, consecration, fasts, meditations on the Holy Scripture, etc.?
Hence Jesus to be clear:
• “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” (Joh 15:4)
Here we can see two things:
1. Nobody can be saved isolated of Christ and His Body (Bride);
2. The fact of someone is in Christ doesn’t mean that this one is saved; this person can be amputated of the Body as a cancer or gangrene (a jeopardy to the body).
Therefore, everyone is also responsible individually for their salvation:
• “But why do you judge your brother? Or also why do you despise your brother? For all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Rom 14:10).
• “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done through the body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad.” (2Co 5:10)
Abridging: our salvation is individual, but we only will be able to reach it speaking the truth in love and, in all things, growing up to Him who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15,16).
So, have a brilliant day in Christ Jesus, leaving Him to work in you His good, perfect, pleasant desire that will develop the salvation of people around you, who will be used to carry out, until the end, your salvation (Philippians 2:12,13; Romans 2:11,12; 1Corinthians 1:8; 2Thessalonians 3:3).