SALVATION

SS1 CRS
2nd Term

SALVATION

Salvation means to be saved, redeemed, delivered, or rescued. Thus, the word Salvation raises such questions as: saved from what? Redeemed from what? Delivered from what? Or rescued from what? Implicitly, awaiting man is a sort of destruction from which Man needs to be saved, redeemed, delivered or rescued. The origin of that destruction is Adam’s disobedience. Man was created to live forever, but He ate the fruit that caused his death and the death of the entire human race. And because God loves man, He prepares a way of restoring man back to the original plan of Eternal Life. Thus, salvation is the restoration of this eternal life. There is an argument among scholars as to what that key to salvation really is. The two major parties are

(1) GOOD WORK              (2) FAITH 

GOOD WORK: Those that hold good work as the key to salvation argue that since God is identified with goodness, then His salvation would be available to people of good works.  They support this claim with examples like Enoch, Cornelius and Job. Enoch did not die, but was taken up into heaven because he was good. Cornelius’ good works attracted God’s attention to him. God restored Job because he was steadfast in good doing. Furthermore, since man fell by disobedience to God’s command, then he can only rise by obedience to God’s command. Thus, they hold the Ten Commandments sacred and inviolable.

Whereas there is nothing wrong with the 10 commandments, there is however something wrong with man following it sheepishly. Jesus cautioned the Pharisees that man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made for man. Since the law is made for man, and not man for the law, then the law should be reinterpreted wherever its current understanding contradicts human interest.

SALVATION IS BY FAITH (Eph 2:8-9, Heb 11:1-3): Faith is one’s belief in God. Some of those who claim that salvation is entirely by faith are St. Paul and Martin Luther. St. Paul says that it is by God’s grace that one is saved through faith. It is not the result of one’s own efforts (works of righteousness) but God’s gift so that no one can boast about it. In fact, without faith, no one can please God. The example used here is Abraham who believed in God, and it was counted as righteousness.

GENUINE SAVING FAITH MANIFESTS THROUGH GOOD WORK (James 2:14 – 26): A person may claim to have faith but his lifestyle does not reflect his faith. Thus, Jesus says that by their fruit you shall know them; not all that call me Lord, Lord, shall enter into heaven, but those who do the will of my father. St. James admonishes that faith without work is dead. Thus, the argument is no longer that Faith alone is insufficient and must be complemented by good work, but that a genuine saving faith manifests itself in good works.