Introduction.
When God created Adam and Eve, it was intended that they would live forever with their Creator and God and walk with Him. To give them a sign of His love, He gave them free will so that they could choose for themselves what they wanted to do. This despite the fact that it could go wrong. God is a God of love, and love requires freedom. He who does not have freedom lives under oppression.
A little parable. There are two people who both have their own dogs. One dog was raised in freedom, while the other was raised under duress. When the owners have been away from their dogs for a while and come home to them, both dogs will come to meet their owners. But they come in different ways. The dog that was raised in freedom will come running and greet its owner with joy and show its love, while the other that was raised under duress will come with fear and with its tail between its legs in fear and show its submission.
This does not mean that the dog raised in freedom does not have rules for how it should behave, but the upbringing of the dog has been in freedom and with love from the owner. The other dog may have been beaten into obedience, or punished in some other way, and the owner has not shown any love for his dog.
The freedom that God gave to humans was given with love, but with this freedom came a set of commandments. One of them was that they should not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We know how it went, even though God said they would die if they ate this fruit, they did. The result was that sin entered the world, and humans were separated from their God.
As mentioned, humans were created to live forever in harmony and love with their Creator, but when they ate of the forbidden fruit they could no longer be with their Creator. They had sinned against their God. That is when God launched “Operation Salvation” to bring humans back to himself. When God created man, He pronounced a death sentence on them if they ate from the forbidden tree, that is, sin, and Paul says this in Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Fortunately, God in His wisdom has arranged everything for us through the plan of salvation, which involves an innocent one paying for our sins, and which is described this way in Hebrews 9:22: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
This is the background we will deal with. People sinned and we continue to sin, and God wants to save us. But the problem is that so many different things are claimed about salvation. In the course of this article, we will look at some of these claims and see what the Bible itself says on the matter. The Bible, God’s word given to humans, should be the Christian’s only authority in religious matters, not what different thinkers suck out of their own chests, even if they have fancy titles like pope, cardinal or pastor.
All Christians I know largely agree that salvation is crucial for our future, even if they are members of different denominations. But that is where the agreement ends. Some believe and stubbornly claim that one is saved in sin. Others seem to believe that once saved, always saved, and still others claim with certainty that when one is saved by grace, one is no longer under the law.
The question is why God wants to save people, what He wants to save us from, and not least what salvation means for us. Here are some of the Bible verses we will look at. Matthew 1:21; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2 Corinthians 6:2; John 1:29 and Acts 4:12. But we begin with the promise of a Savior.
All Bible texts are from the King James Version 1611/1769 unless otherwise stated.
The Promise of a Savior.
After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God gives them the first Christ prophecy. This is found in Genesis 3:15 where it says: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
There is probably no doubt about who this prophecy is about. It is God who speaks, and He addresses Satan who is referred to as the serpent and who in this story is referred to as thee. The woman is usually God’s people, but here in Genesis chapter 3 the woman is Eve while her Seed is a picture of Jesus who would come to save mankind. It says that It, who is Jesus, will one day bruise Satan and his power, but Satan and his deception lead the Savior to die on the cross for the sins Satan has caused mankind to commit.
The first Christ prophecy was thus given in the Garden of Eden shortly after creation, and we go to ca. 3300 years after the creation we find this prophecy in Isaiah 7:14: Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. This Christ prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus was born. There are about 300 prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament, of which about 30 about Jesus’ last 24 hours, and all of them have been fulfilled to the letter.
Immanuel has a meaning that most Christians know, but there are still many who are unfamiliar with the meaning of the name. In this name, Immanuel, lies one of the greatest promises that God has given to us humans. Immanuel means: God with us! So if we place ourselves completely in the hands of the Savior, in the hands of Immanuel, and do God’s will, Immanuel which is Jesus will be with us all days until the end of the world. This is a promise from God, and God keeps his promises, and they never fail.
In the book of Genesis we read about the lineage of Abraham, and we find two texts that are relevant to us. The first text is found in Genesis 12:3. This takes place when Abraham had been chosen by God to be the ancestor of God’s people on earth: And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The fact that all families were to be blessed in Abraham is because from Abraham’s lineage the Savior was to come.
The second text is found in Genesis 18:18. This text tells us the same thing. This story took place when God was going to judge Sodom and Gomorrah, and Jesus, along with two angels, visited Abraham: Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Who is Jesus Christ, and what does He mean to us?
This is probably a very stupid question for most people, but it is of crucial importance for us to be sure of who Jesus is, and not least what He means to us. There are dozens of characteristics in the Bible that tell us who Jesus is and what He does for us. This is important information to take with us as we move forward. I will highlight four of these characteristics.
First: Jesus is the Good Shepherd. In John 10:11-21 we find the story of the Good Shepherd. In this story Jesus says that because He is the Creator, He owns the sheep and therefore He is also the Good Shepherd because He gives His life for the sheep. The hired shepherds do not do that they flee when the wolf comes. The hired shepherds allude to the scribes and Pharisees who were mostly concerned with themselves and cared very little about the people they were supposed to lead and their needs. The Good Shepherd has not just one flock, but two flocks, and He treats them all the same. The first flock was Abraham’s fleshly descendants, ancient Israel, while the second flock is Abraham’s spiritual descendants, all Christians regardless of ethnicity.
Second: Jesus is the Redeemer. In the book of Job 19:25 we read that Job knows that his Redeemer lives. Job had a life journey that offered both extremes. According to the Bible, he was one of the richest men of his time, but one day Satan was allowed to ravage Job, and he could do whatever he wanted without killing him. In one day, Job lost everything he owned and all ten of his children, and he was afflicted with many diseases. But from the despair he felt, Job rose to the heights of trust in God’s mercy and saving power. What is particularly interesting is that the Hebrew word translated redeemer, go’el, can also be translated avenger, relative, or close relative. God is often called go’el in the sense that he defends the rights of people and redeems those who have come under the dominion of another.
Job has already expressed his desire to have a judge between him and God, (Job 9:32–35). In chapter 16 verse 19 he is convinced that his witness is in heaven. In verse 21 of the same chapter he longs for an advocate who can plead his case before God. In chapter 17 verse 3 he calls upon God as his guarantor. Having recognized God as judge, witness, advocate, and guarantor, it is quite logical that he should come to the recognition of God as his redeemer.
Third: Jesus is the Mediator. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul says that there is one God and one Mediator. In John 14:6, Jesus says: … … I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. This should be an easy text to understand. Without Jesus we cannot be saved, that is, come to heaven.
As mediator, Jesus bears our sins as John says: The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, (John 1:29). He also pleads our case before the Father and asks God the Father to impute to us His righteousness, and this is undeserved by grace alone.
Fourth: Jesus is Lord and Savior. In his second letter, chapter 2, verse 20, Peter writes the following: … … the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This verse probably needs no explanation either, since it should be easy to understand what a Lord and a Savior are.
In 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul says: This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. This tells us clearly and distinctly that Jesus Christ came to save the world. And no matter what we have done, Jesus will save us if we are sincere in our search for Him.
The sum of these verses tells us that Jesus Christ is our Lord and our Savior, and that He, and He alone, has the power to save us, because He is our only Redeemer and Mediator who stands between us and God the Father. Jesus Christ achieved this when He gave His life for His sheep on the cross.
In Acts 4:12, Luke writes: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. In this passage, he talks about the chief cornerstone, which is Jesus, and he concludes that there is salvation in no one else.
As we see, the Bible is clear that salvation is only found in Jesus Christ. The reason for this is equally clear, Christ is our Lord and Savior, He is the only Redeemer and the only Mediator between God and man, and He gained this when He died on the cross for my sake, and for your sake.
Nevertheless, or perhaps rather despite the fact that the Bible is crystal clear on this, the Catholic Church claims the following: a) there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church, b) the church’s many thousands of saints together with Mary are the way to go to get to the Father, that is, they are the Catholic Church’s mediators. They do say that Jesus died on the cross, but it was not to save man, but His good works, which are added together with the good works of Mary and all the saints, do.
But how did the Savior save us?
Saved in sin.
Are we saved in our sins or are we saved from our sins?
As always, there are at least two different views on important theological questions. The reason for this is that there are churches that offer the seeking people an alternative and easier path to salvation than the one the Bible itself gives us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us exactly that there are two ways to go: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it, (Matthew 7:13-14).
Here Jesus tells us that the path that leads to salvation is difficult to walk, because this path is narrow, and at the end there awaits a narrow, narrow gate that makes it even more difficult to enter salvation. There are many who like to walk the wide path because it is easier to walk. This is the path that the fallen churches offer people who seek the kingdom of God.
What does it mean that the two ways are narrow and broad, respectively? On the broad way you can do as you see fit. It is not so strict to keep God’s commandments, and all the unclean habits we have acquired are not necessary to get rid of. On the strait way, however, we must put away the old life, and this can be difficult for many. Before God saves us, we all have sins, in the plural, that we cherish and cultivate. These can be problematic to get rid of. As a former atheist, I had a long, long list of sins that I cherished and cultivated daily. The day God took hold of me; things began to happen in my life. One sin after another disappeared, and today I have no sins that I cherish or cultivate. However, the devil knows me better than I know myself, so he daily launches his cunning attacks against me on the sins that I previously cultivated. This makes the strait way a difficult way to walk, but it is worth the price. If I can resist temptation and endure, I will conquer myself through Jesus Christ.
The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled in Matthew 1:21-23, and here it says something that should be of interest to all who think they do not need to change their lifestyle after they have become Christians. Those of special interest in this connection are found in this verse: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins, (Matthew 1:21).
This verse should be so clear and easy to understand that even little children can understand the context. It clearly states that He (Jesus Christ) shall save his people from their sins. When salvation is a fact, we must put off the old life, we must die to the old self and rise in Christ as a new person.
Once saved, always saved.
There are many who falsely claim that if you are saved, you are saved forever. Even in my church there are people who believe this, and we have spent many hours studying the Bible without them changing their view on the matter. They get hung up on a single phrase and overlook what the Bible says about the matter. What they cling to is this: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, (Romans 10:13). This is a quote from the book of Joel, and this quote is used in several contexts. Therefore, they claim that it is an invariable principle. But is it really so? Is it as easy to be saved as to call upon the name of the Lord?
The answer to the first question is a clear and distinct NO! The answer to the second question is actually twofold. Firstly, it is as easy to be saved as to call upon the name of the Lord. Secondly, salvation is a fresh product, so to speak. We must work for salvation every single day, because if we take salvation for granted, it will suddenly be gone.
There are many who believe themselves to be saved, but who on the last day will hear Jesus’ words from Matthew 7:21-23: Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Let us analyse these three verses:
Verse 21: Here we see some who invokes the name of the Lord, by saying Lord, Lord, while Jesus says that not everyone who calls on Him will enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, there must be something more than just calling on the name of the Lord that applies to being saved. Then Jesus follows this up by saying that if they call on His name and do the will of God the Father – then they will enter the kingdom of heaven.
Verse 22: In addition to having invoked the name of the Lord, these have prophesied, that is, preached in the name of Jesus, they have even cast out demons in the name of Jesus, and done many wonderful works. It is obvious that these people consider themselves saved, otherwise why would they have preached in the name of Jesus and done what they have done in the name of Jesus. We can assume that they were once saved, and that they have lived a life that has been partly with God and partly in the world. Such a life is not in accordance with the life God wants us to live.
In Luke 11:23 Jesus says: He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. This is a relevant verse in this context. In the kingdom of God there are only two alternatives. Either we are with God, and we must choose that actively, or we are against God, and we can choose that actively by distancing ourselves from God and Christianity, or passively by remaining indifferent.
Verse 23: In this verse Jesus passes judgment on all who believe they have been with Jesus and gathered with Him, but who in reality have been against Jesus. It is a crushing judgment on people who have thought they have done the best they could, and Jesus tells them that He does not know them! … … and says that what they have done is lawlessness! How is this possible if the theory of once saved always saved is correct?
Matthew 25:31-46 is relevant to read in this connection. Here Jesus speaks of the sum of all Christians, but who during the judgment are divided into two groups – sheep and goats, of which the sheep are saved while the goats are lost. Everyone considered themselves Christians and saved, but we read from the works that the two groups did that the sheep did what was pleasing to God, but the goats did what was pleasing to themselves.
As I said just above, salvation is a fresh product. If we do not work on salvation every day, if we do not turn to God every day and ask for forgiveness for our mistakes, if we do not seek the Lord’s face every day and ask for His guidance in our lives, we will soon end up in a kind of twilight zone, or in a dualistic state where we believe we are saved, while in reality we are living a worldly life anyway.
If you are saved by grace, you are no longer under the law.
What do we need to do when we are saved by grace, and what do we not need to do? That is the big question that many struggle with.
When Christians are confronted with God’s Ten Commandments, all of God’s Ten Commandments, I hear all the time that we don’t need to keep God’s Ten Commandments because we live under grace, and that the commandments were nailed to the cross with Jesus when he was crucified. Is this really true? Jesus himself said that he did not come to abolish the law, but to clarify its content. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus deals with the lax attitude that people had toward God’s Ten Commandments when he was here the first time. Six times in the course of 22 verses in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus uses the phrase, but I say unto you, in connection with the people’s attitude toward the commandments.
Let’s first look at four examples that directly touch on God’s Ten Commandments.
1) In Matthew 5:21 Jesus says the following: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. This is about the sixth commandment. Then Jesus follows up in verse 22 by saying: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. One could not even be angry with his brother, or neighbour, without a cause, because that is considered the same as murder. This is to clarify the content of the law.
2) In Matthew 5:27 Jesus says this: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. Here the seventh commandment is referred to. Now Jesus follows up in verse 28 by saying: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. We see here how serious it is to lust for a woman, even if it only happens in the mind. Just thinking like that is the same as committing adultery, says Jesus. Once again He clarifies the letter of the law for us.
* adultery is living with someone who is not married, including sexual intercourse outside of marriage and all sexual impurity in deed, word, thought, mind and heart.
3) In Matthew 5:31 we find this text: It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. It was Moses who introduced the system of divorce certificates (a writing of divorcement). Jesus confirms this system. Once again, it is the seventh commandment that is at issue, probably because this is the commandment that is easiest to circumvent, and the system that Moses introduced was adapted to the situation. Anyone who wanted to divorce his wife could simply give her a writing of divorcement, and then the matter was in order. Now Jesus follows up on this in verse 32 by saying: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Here too, Jesus tightens the meaning of the law. He says that divorce is still permitted, but there is only one reason that is acceptable in this respect, and that is adultery.
4) In Matthew 5:33 we find the fourth example: Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. This does not apply directly to any of the commandments, but it is implied that it concerns the ninth commandment. Swearing falsely, or bearing false witness, is the same as lying. Here Jesus follows up with the following request in verse 34: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne. We should always be honest and when we say yes, it shall be so and when we say no, it shall be so, (see verse 37). Once again, the meaning of one of the commandments is clarified.
Now follow two examples of how we should behave towards each other.
5) In Matthew 5:38 we find this: Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. This was also an arrangement that Moses introduced. If someone suffered any loss, physical or financial, it was to be avenged or replaced with something similar. Now Jesus changes what Moses introduced and says in verse 39: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. This may be difficult for anyone to live by, but this commandment from Jesus applies to this day.
6) In Matthew 5:43 we read the following: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But Jesus corrects this view in verse 44 by saying: … … But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Loving your neighbour was a common practice among the children of Israel, but it is something that all people are capable of doing. However, Jesus wants us, who call ourselves by His name, to be different from the people of the world, which is why He says that we should love our enemies … …
To all of you who say that the commandments are no longer valid: Why is Jesus so keen to emphasize the importance of the commandments if He was going to abolish them three years later?
It all boils down to a misunderstanding. Many people believe that God’s grace supersedes God’s law, but does it? What is the purpose of God’s grace?
Let’s first look at the meaning of the law.
Paul says in Romans 7:12: Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. I will just mention that Paul wrote Romans 26 years after Jesus died on the cross.
When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it says that they sinned. Sin is a transgression of the law, in other words, they violated God’s law. Paul explains this in Romans 5:12 where he says that … … by one man sin entered into the world, (Adam) … …
The law reflects God’s character and is as unchanging and eternal as God himself. It has existed from eternity, and in addition to being as unchangeable and eternal as God, the law is holy, just, and good.
In other words, the law expresses God’s good will and love, and is a guideline that tells us …
… how to live our lives in relation to God …
… how to live our lives in relation to our fellow human beings …
… so that we can live the best possible life on earth …
But the law cannot save me, and I cannot save myself even if I kept all of God’s law, to the letter, my whole life. In addition to reflecting God’s character, the law is for me a guideline, or like a road map, a GPS, that shows me which way I must go to reach the ultimate goal. The salvation.
Now let’s look at the meaning of grace.
In Ephesians 2:8 we find the following: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God.
The understanding of the word grace, as used in the Bible, has its background in oriental absolute monarchy. When a king, for example King David, showed grace, or mercy, to one of his subjects, it always meant that he personally intervened in this person’s life and did something for him, for example forgiving him all his debts. When we talk about God’s grace, or the grace of Jesus, it means to me that God or Jesus gives me something that I can never achieve by my own works, something I can never deserve. Grace is one of God’s gifts. God gives me something – salvation, and God forgives all my sins. I can do nothing, except accept this gift.
In verses 10 and 11 we find what it is all about. 10 … … Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. From the Bible I understand it to mean that God does not forgive anyone who does not repent of their sin. We can therefore assume that Jesus could see that the woman had repented of all her sins, and Jesus answered the woman, and said: … Neither do I condemn thee, and in this way He places the woman safely under God’s forgiving grace, … … … … before He continues by saying: go, and sin no more! with which Jesus places her under the law.
In John 8:1-11 we find the story of the woman caught in adultery, whom the scribes and Pharisees brought before Jesus because they wanted to find something to trap him in. The law says that a woman caught in adultery should be stoned to death. Jesus knew what the scribes and Pharisees were looking for, so he did not answer the question of whether or not to stone a woman, but Jesus said that he who is without sin – referring to the law – should cast the first stone. None of the woman’s accusers threw a stone at her, but they all went away.
For me, this story is a good picture of how we should perceive the law and grace, and how we must see the connection between them. What comes first is a sincere repentance for the sins we have committed, this triggers God’s grace, which covers the wrongdoings we have done. But in order for us to know that we have sinned against God and against our neighbour, we must have a set of rules – which in this case are God’s Ten Commandments – to relate to. If we have no law, we cannot break any law, then everything is permitted.
But because the law requires that the offender must take his punishment, which according to Paul is death, and because I am not able to pay the penalty the law requires, Jesus comes to me when I repent and repent of my sins and place myself safely under his grace, with the command to … go, and sin no more! That is, do not break God’s Ten Commandments again.
God’s Ten Commandments, or the law, are still valid even though many may imagine that they were abolished. After all, they can live as they wish if God’s Ten Commandments do not apply. There is also another thing that you may not want to think about when you think God’s Ten Commandments have been abolished, and that is that Jesus died in vain on the cross. Have you thought about what you are saying, those of you who are ardent for the law to be repealed?
He died precisely because we are not able to pay the price when we sin, and this is grace above grace. The Son of God died for you and for me on a cross so that we can share in His righteousness. Jesus’ death on the cross did not abolish God’s law but confirmed it forever and ever.
Another side of grace is the one that Paul shows us in Titus 2:11-12 where he says: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Paul says that grace educates us, and it is in this way that we align our lives with God’s good will when we have been shown grace so that we live soberly, righteously, and godly.
Sober: The meaning of this word is that we should have a sound mind. He who is not sober in the true sense of the word is drunk, and then the senses are dulled. We should not be like that, we should, because we have been shown grace by God, use this soberness to show self-control so that we do not break God’s commandments and laws.
Just: This means something like the same thing. Because God has shown us grace, we should do right in all phases of life. God’s grace in Christ is revealed so that all people can share. When God’s grace is an active force in our lives, we become with our lives a living proclamation to the people we meet.
Godly: We should fear God, that is, have awe of Him. This is something we must practice every day. Every day we must approach God with awe and in humility. We must respect God’s Ten Commandments, and God’s laws and hold them in high esteem. This, along with rejecting ungodliness, and giving God glory, we live godly, and then the Lord will be with us all the days.
Let us therefore be sober in all our conduct, exercise justice in all circumstances and towards all people, and live a godly life, by keeping all of God’s Ten Commandments and respecting His law.