In Christianity, salvation is the belief that, as part of divine providence, God saves people from some or all of the following:
The theological study of salvation is called soteriology. It covers the means by which salvation is effected or achieved, and its results.
The concept of salvation belongs mostly to Judaism and Christianity; seemingly analogous concepts within other religions, such as nirvana and moksha, are not in fact equivalents to the concept of salvation, not least because these latter concepts are not reliant upon divine agency.[3]
The Bible presents salvation in the form of a story that describes the outworking of God's eternal plan to deal with the problem of human sin. The story is set against the background of the history of God's people and reaches its climax in the person and work of Christ. The Old Testament part of the story shows that people are sinners by nature, and describes a series of covenants by which God sets people free and makes promises to them. His plan includes the promise of blessing for all nations through Abraham and the redemption of Israel from every form of bondage. God showed his saving power throughout Israel's history, but he also spoke about a Messianic figure who would save all people from the power, guilt, and penalty of sin. This role was fulfilled by Jesus, who will ultimately destroy all the devil's work, including suffering, pain, and death.[1 Jn 3:8]
— Macmillan Dictionary of the Bible.
Salvation is a process that begins when a person first becomes a Christian, continues through that person's life, and is completed when one stands before Christ in judgment. Therefore, according to Catholic apologist James Akin, the faithful Christian can say in faith and hope, "I have been saved; I am being saved; and I will be saved."[9]
Christian salvation concepts are varied and complicated by certain theological concepts, traditional beliefs, and dogmas. Scripture is subject to individual and ecclesiastical interpretations. Therefore, Christian soteriology ranges from exclusive salvation[10]:p.123 to universal reconciliation[11] concepts. While some of the differences are as widespread as Christianity itself, the overwhelming majority agrees that salvation is made possible by the work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, dying on the cross.
The purpose of salvation is debated (compare purpose of life), but in general most theologians agree that God devised and implemented His plan of salvation because He loves them and regards human beings as His children. Since human existence on Earth is said to be "[given] to sin,"[Jn 8:34] salvation also has connotations that deal with the liberation[12] of human beings from sin, and therefore also the inevitable suffering associated with the punishment of sin—i.e., "the wages of sin is death."[Rom. 6:23]
- from biological death, by providing for them an eternal life or long-lasting afterlife (cf. afterlife).[1]
- from spiritual death, by providing divine law, illumination, and judgment.[1]
- from divine punishment, particularly from Hell, by granting them acceptance into Heaven.[citation needed]
- from having sinful character and conduct, through a process of positive moral change.[2]
The theological study of salvation is called soteriology. It covers the means by which salvation is effected or achieved, and its results.
The concept of salvation belongs mostly to Judaism and Christianity; seemingly analogous concepts within other religions, such as nirvana and moksha, are not in fact equivalents to the concept of salvation, not least because these latter concepts are not reliant upon divine agency.[3]
Hebrew bible/Old Testament
The main story line of the Old Testament is a sequence of events through which Yahweh, the god of Israel, intervenes in the history of his chosen people to save and rescue, usually in response to the "cry" of Israel (e.g., in Exodus, Judges and psalm 107). The most important of these events is the Exodus, by which Yahweh saves Israel from oppression in Egypt. The salvation narrative identifies Israel as Yahweh's people and the world as his domain, over which he is all-powerful. The Old Testament concept of salvation, unlike the later Christian ideology, was not spiritual or individual: salvation was deliverance from any circumstance that prevented communal existence. This might be political circumstances (the Persian defeat of Babylon was seen by Isaiah as Yahweh's salvation of Israel), but can also extend to such matters as poverty, disease and slander.Christianity
According to Christian belief, salvation is made possible by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which in the context of salvation is referred to as the "atonement".[6] His resurrection vindicates his death and his victory is confirmed by his exaltation to God's throne. For this reason, the New Testament portrays Jesus as the only Saviour of human beings,[Acts 4:12] and the Early Church regarded his salvation as a message for everyone, Gentiles as well as Jews.[Acts 13:47] [7] However, it has been pointed out that in the words of Jesus in [John 4:22] "If there is one theological issue that both Jews and Christians should be able to agree on, it is that "salvation is from the Jews"."[8] It had been expressed in Judaism from the days of Abraham onward that the salvation of all mankind is to come from Israel, i.e. the Jews through their relationship with God. This is the primary sense in which the Jews are "the Chosen People". Christians who believe in the accuracy of the New Testament, would accept that "salvation is from the Jews", since "those are the very words that Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well".[8]The Bible presents salvation in the form of a story that describes the outworking of God's eternal plan to deal with the problem of human sin. The story is set against the background of the history of God's people and reaches its climax in the person and work of Christ. The Old Testament part of the story shows that people are sinners by nature, and describes a series of covenants by which God sets people free and makes promises to them. His plan includes the promise of blessing for all nations through Abraham and the redemption of Israel from every form of bondage. God showed his saving power throughout Israel's history, but he also spoke about a Messianic figure who would save all people from the power, guilt, and penalty of sin. This role was fulfilled by Jesus, who will ultimately destroy all the devil's work, including suffering, pain, and death.[1 Jn 3:8]
— Macmillan Dictionary of the Bible.
Salvation is a process that begins when a person first becomes a Christian, continues through that person's life, and is completed when one stands before Christ in judgment. Therefore, according to Catholic apologist James Akin, the faithful Christian can say in faith and hope, "I have been saved; I am being saved; and I will be saved."[9]
Christian salvation concepts are varied and complicated by certain theological concepts, traditional beliefs, and dogmas. Scripture is subject to individual and ecclesiastical interpretations. Therefore, Christian soteriology ranges from exclusive salvation[10]:p.123 to universal reconciliation[11] concepts. While some of the differences are as widespread as Christianity itself, the overwhelming majority agrees that salvation is made possible by the work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, dying on the cross.
The purpose of salvation is debated (compare purpose of life), but in general most theologians agree that God devised and implemented His plan of salvation because He loves them and regards human beings as His children. Since human existence on Earth is said to be "[given] to sin,"[Jn 8:34] salvation also has connotations that deal with the liberation[12] of human beings from sin, and therefore also the inevitable suffering associated with the punishment of sin—i.e., "the wages of sin is death."[Rom. 6:23]
At the heart of Christian faith is the reality and hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. Christian faith is faith in the God of salvation revealed in Jesus of Nazareth. The Christian tradition has always equated this salvation with the transcendent, eschatological fulfillment of human existence in a life freed from sin, finitude, and mortality and united with the triune God. This is perhaps the non-negotiable item of Christian faith. What has been a matter of debate is the relation between salvation and our activities in the world.
— Anselm Kyongsuk Min[13]:p.79
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