Calling out to his God, King David of Israel movingly pleaded, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit” (Psalm 51:12). But what exactly is salvation? What did David mean when he wrote those words, and what do those words mean to each of us?
We know that so many professing Christians are confused and deceived, believing that they have been saved for eternity simply by saying one prayer. They don’t understand that the result of genuine prayer is the growth of godly character. They don’t understand that salvation is not just a gift but also a process—not that we as converted Christians ever need to doubt our salvation, but rather that we learn to yield to our Savior to do His perfect work in us, making us complete (James 1:4).
Many think that Christ’s work with them began and ended when they first accepted Him according to their limited understanding. They think that all a person has to do is say the name of Jesus and they’re “once saved, always saved.” They don’t know the truth about godly character. They don’t know the truth about God’s master plan of salvation. They don’t know how they are to be saved.
The Tenses of Salvation
Salvation is not just a one-time event, as most Protestants erroneously believe it to be. Rather, true salvation is past, present, and future. These are the three tenses to our salvation. First, let’s consider Paul’s inspiring and encouraging words about our future salvation: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:8–10). That’s the future—that’s how we shall be saved. And we all know the famous verse, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). That’s the future tense again.
Yes, Christ is alive, and He’s here in Spirit today. He’s at the throne of God, acting as our High Priest, ever making intercession for us. Indeed, there is a present tense of salvation. We read that “we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:15). That’s present progressive tense; it’s not that our salvation is already complete. We are all works in progress; God is still working with us. I know I personally have a long way to go—I pray to have some more years for overcoming. And I hope each of us are not in the process of perishing but are instead growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). If we were already saved, there would be no need to grow spiritually, but we are now being saved.
Finally, there’s the past tense of salvation. We have been saved from our past sins. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). We have been saved from the death penalty. Consider that “when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4–5).
What’s the washing of regeneration? It’s our baptism. When we are baptized, we come up out of the water and we have been forgiven of our past sins. We were saved from the death penalty, which means we were saved from our past sins. We are thankful for our God-given understanding of the past, present, and future aspects of salvation.
Physical Salvation
Many of you experienced the joy of salvation at your baptism, right after you came up out of the water and realized, All my sins have been forgiven! I’ve been saved from the penalty of death and from all my past sins! What great joy we all feel on that day!
But there is also a physical type of salvation. Most of us, at some time or another, have experienced a life-threatening situation. Yet we can look back and see that God intervened and saved us from death, or from something very close to that. As many of the brethren know, I have had some serious health challenges recently. Earlier this year, for a while, when I was in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, I wasn’t at all sure that I would even live much longer. But God can rescue us from our trials. He can work miracles.
We all know the account in Scripture of the Apostle Peter walking on the water. Peter boldly said, “Lord, if it is You, command me come to You on the water” (Matthew 14:28). Jesus then commanded Peter to do so; He said “Come” (v. 29). At first, Peter did indeed walk on the water. But then he became fearful; “when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” (v. 30). And what happened? “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased” (vv. 31–32).
Do you have genuine faith that Christ will save you even in your most difficult trials? When you doubt, will you let Him restore your faith? How many times have you prayed, Lord, save me, or Father in Heaven, please save me? Well, Peter prayed like that, and God saved him immediately.
Moses and Israel’s Salvation
The history of the ancient Israelites is a history of God offering physical salvation from terrible trials. Like Peter who feared on the roiling waters, the Israelites feared when Pharaoh’s chariots pursued them toward the Red Sea. But consider what Moses said to his newly free people: “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace’” (Exodus 14:13–14).
There are times when we, like those Israelites, need to stay still, holding onto the faith and the hope that God will intervene—when we must “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” In such time, we must stay silent and wait for God to intervene on our behalf.
Yet there are also times when we must act: “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward’” (Exodus 14:15). So, there are times when we stand still, and there are other times when we need to go forward. Continuing, we read that “the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore” (v. 30).
Let’s consider another historical example of physical salvation, when Judah was invaded by Assyria. What did God do? People were basically starving: “And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh” (2 Kings 19:35–36). God can vanquish our enemies far beyond what we could ever do or imagine ourselves. He can save us from the greatest obstacles.
Deliverance, Preservation, and God’s Grace
We know that the true Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. But that kingdom is an active kingdom, and its ruler is Jesus Christ. How does Paul describe the Gospel? He wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:16–17). The good news of the Kingdom—remember, the Greek word gospel means “good news”—is that it will bring salvation to its subjects.
Under the entry “Salvation,” the NKJV Study Bible reminds us, “The Greek word for salvation used by Paul literally means ‘deliverance’ or ‘preservation.’ In a spiritual context, the idea is rescue from the power and dominion of sin.” Yes, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ’s good news for us, is that He has the power to bring salvation!
As a mental exercise or a meditation, you can put in “good news” every time you see the word gospel used in your Bible. You can see that the different revelations of “good news” in your Bible all support and uphold the coming of the Kingdom of God, through which all who have ever lived will have the opportunity to be saved!
Taking Action
We all know Peter’s inspiring and convicting message to the Jews who had only days before called for the execution of Jesus Christ. He called them to repentance, not just of that sin but of all their sins—all of their carnal human nature (Acts 2:38). He told them that they needed salvation. “And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:40–41).
Peter told the throng that they needed to take action to be saved. In response, around 3,000 of them accepted baptism. And what about our day, today? We certainly live in a “perverse” generation. The Living Church of God is proclaiming that same message—that everyone whom God calls should take action, repent, and receive salvation.
Many of you reading this article have yourselves “taken action.” You were saved from the death penalty for sin, and this was made possible for you because you took action in the past, knowing from Paul that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Romans 3:23–25).
Notice that God did not, at baptism, save you from future sins you had not yet committed. Rather, He gave you the Holy Spirit to give you access to the power to overcome your sinful nature and to learn to practice righteousness instead of sin. So, when someone asks you the question, Are you saved? you can answer, with confidence, I was saved from my past sins by the shed blood of Christ. I am being saved, growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, so that I can become more like Him. And, in the end, I will be saved by Christ’s life (Romans 5:10).
Saved by the Savior
We often call Jesus Christ our Savior, but how often do we really think deeply about what that title means? Consider the angel’s announcement to Joseph about Mary being pregnant with Jesus.
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20–21).
Notice that He would save people from their sins, not in their sins. To do this, He suffered, bled, and died. It’s not that we had to become worthy of salvation before Christ died for us. Rather, we read that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Christ has that deep love for every potential member of His family, even those who have not yet accepted His offer of salvation.
And for those of us who have accepted His offer, He is our High Priest: “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). When we sin—not that we practice sin, but we all have human frailties we must repent of—we have a way of escape. “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
It’s not that we sin again and again, and that Jesus Christ will become the King of a sin-filled world. No—remember that John the Baptist said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Christ takes away your sins and mine, and the time will soon come when He will take away the sin of the whole world in His kingdom.
The Savior’s Mercy
We know that Christ sent us the Holy Spirit so we would be able to practice righteousness, not sin. But we also know that we continue to sin, having not yet been made perfect. But we should not live in worry about our salvation. We should remember what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians:
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:3–6).
No, God’s work in each of us is not yet complete—but we can still have joy and confidence in our salvation. We can call on God to save us from our weaknesses and our trials. Think of these words of King David:
O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O Lord—how long? Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks? (Psalm 6:1–5)
Yes, David told God why he should be delivered, as a dead David could not thank Him!
Asking God to plead his case, David said, “Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’” (Psalm 35:3). David knew that God was his salvation. We should know that for ourselves as well.
Saved for a Purpose
As Christians, we are heirs of the Kingdom of God. We are heirs of eternal life. You’re heirs of the earth. The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall also inherit salvation. “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation… ?” (Hebrews 2:1–3).
The Laodiceans tend to neglect such a great salvation. Having been given such an awesome gift, we must not be like that—we must not grow complacent and think, I don’t need to strive to be close to my Savior; He’ll do it all for me. While He will do far more than we ask (Ephesians 3:20), He still wants us to have an attitude like David’s: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
We need not be afraid. Though Scripture tells us to work out our own salvation with “fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), it is not that we distrust our Savior or doubt His ability to save us. Rather, we look with awe and reverence at what God is doing in our lives. It is no small thing. It is not something we should neglect. He is mighty enough to save us to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25).
And He saves us for a purpose. We who are called in this present perverse age have been called to do the Work of preaching the Gospel to all nations. That Gospel of the Kingdom of God is also the gospel of salvation—not just yours and mine, but salvation of all who accept God’s call. And there is a reward that comes with our doing the Work: “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).
Yes, there is a process of salvation, of ourselves individually and of the whole world. Unlike those who believe that their salvation was a “one and done” event, we understand that our salvation will reach its completion at a wonderful time in the not-too-distant future, when we will inherit immortality:
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:50–54).
The World Needs Salvation
Most professing Christians have the false idea that salvation is only a past event, that you accept Christ and that’s it—“once saved, always saved.” But, as we have seen, salvation is a past, present, and future process. Again—if someone asks you the common question Are you saved? or Have you been saved?, you can give them the full answer: I’ve been justified, redeemed, and saved from my past sins; I am now being saved as I grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ; and I shall be ultimately saved by Christ’s life.
This world desperately needs salvation. Some of you older readers may remember the powerful address given to the United Nations General Assembly by United States President John F. Kennedy, who said, “Mankind must put an end to war–or war will put an end to mankind…. Today, every inhabitant of this planet must contemplate the day when this planet may no longer be habitable…. Together we shall save our planet, or together we shall perish in its flames” (September 25, 1961).
More than 60 years after President Kennedy’s warning, that threat has only grown worse. And when we think about the extinction of all mankind, we think about a deeper meaning and a more personal connection to the word salvation. When we pray, Your Kingdom come, we’re praying not only for ourselves; we’re praying for all humanity, that God will save the human race from total extinction. We pray that others will be saved, not just ourselves.
God has saved us from slavery to sin. He has given us the promise of eternal life. We read, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
We are strangers and pilgrims here on planet Earth, but we rejoice in the knowledge of what God is doing in our lives. So, let us thank God for the gift of salvation, as well as for His awesome plan that results in that salvation. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Let’s remember to pray, as King David prayed, Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.