What is Salvation? Salvation, also called deliverance or redemption, is the "saving of human beings from sin and its consequences, which include death and separation from God" by Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and the justification following this salvation. The simplest definition of salvation is, to be delivered (or rescued) from the deadly clutches and eternal effects of sin.
When thinking about salvation, we need to understand what are we saved from, what are we saved to, and who are we saved by. The Bible clearly tells us that apart from Jesus Christ, we are condemned, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (John 3:18). Scripture tells us that Jesus paid for our sins when He died on the cross and that means that we are no longer condemned, but is rescued from ALL condemnation, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
So what are we saved from? We are saved from eternal damnation. Hell. Hell is mentioned over a 100 times in the Bible. It is sometimes called Hades, Abaddon, Sheol, the pit of Abyss, everlasting punishment, the abode of the dead, the inferno, the nether regions, eternal damnation, perdition, hellfire, fire, and brimstone. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story about a certain rich man, and a beggar named Lazarus. Lazarus laid at the gate, full of sores, begging to be fed with the crumbs from the rich man's table. It came to pass that Lazarus died and was carried off by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man died also, and was buried, and in hell he lifted his eyes, being in torment, and saw Lazarus in Abraham's bosom. The rich man cried out to Abraham to have mercy on him, to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool his tongue, because he was being tormented in the flames. Abraham reminded him about his life, how he received the good things in life and Lazarus received evil things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and he was being tormented.
Hell is a complete separation from the presence of God. Second Thessalonians 1:8 states, "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." This is what we are saved from!
What are we saved to? Salvation means that we are saved not only from something, which are our sins, but also for something and to someone. Salvation is a free gift that God offers us. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). Scripture helps us to see that we have been set free. We are rescued from bondage and brought into freedom. It tells us that we are saved from God's wrath and brought into peace with God. Salvation begins to clean us and help makes us into what God wants us to be so that even when we make the slightest changes for the good, it pleases God. We can thank God that we are not what we ought to be, but we are not what we use to be either. Salvation is the first step we must all make if we want to be pleasing and acceptable to God. Jesus Christ is the Way to God, the Truth in God, and the only Life through God. No one can get to the Father without going through Jesus.
What are we saved for? We are saved to have a relationship with God. Once you recognize the Voice of God and submit to His Spirit, salvation begins to take place and cannot be stopped by anyone, any place, or anything. Salvation is not a feeling. It is a reality. Once you are saved, no one can take your salvation from you. Knowing Jesus as your personal Savior is the most exciting and important relationship you can ever have on this earth. It puts you into full and constant fellowship in your relationship with God. Salvation is the beginning of a wonderful faith related adventure with the Most High God, who is ALL-Mighty, ALL-Powerful, and ALL-Loving God! Imagine that!
The Bible speaks about Salvation in terms of the past, the present, and the future. When Jesus died on the cross for us, salvation rescued us from the penalty of sin which is death. The past is that, "It is He who saved us and chose us for his holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was his plan long before the world began - to show his love and kindness to us through Christ" (2 Timothy 1:9).
In referenced to the present, we are still in the process of being saved, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Salvation has a future. On that day when our life will come to an end, we will be absent from the body and present with the Lord, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). "For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Salvation is rescuing us from the principle of sin in our daily lives and our overall presence of sin while we continue to live. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:8-9). How exciting! What a mighty blessing! We Shall Be Saved!