Contemplating the Core

     There are entire courses on the study of salvation, soteriology, but I am neither qualified nor attempting to, wax theological here. I have simply been contemplating salvation. Christians talk about salvation all the time, we believe we have it, but what is it really, at its core? 

From human perspective salvation is like:

A flower that grows, at first unseen then, grounded in the word and watered by the Spirit, the first leaves and buds appear. The day the blossom finally opens itself to the sun (Son), that is salvation.

Some experience salvation as a sudden blaze of light into a darkened heart and mind. When the Truth of Jesus that was hidden in darkness until now is finally seen, understood, and acted upon, that is salvation.

Another perspective is a gentle wooing of the heart that grows both in knowledge of, and love for, the pursuer, Jesus. When that pursuit culminates in a decision to take Jesus your as one and only Savior, that is salvation.

This next idea has caused a lot of confusion about salvation, the idea that salvation is a prayer we say. Although prayer is a needed and natural response to Jesus' invitation to salvation, the prayer only cements in our mind the reality which is already taking place in our spirit. Although it is helpful to provide a new believer with a guideline for prayer, many people rely on their words instead of the Word, as their source of salvation. True faith is always accompanied by changed lives. If someone's heart, mind, will, and behavior are unchanged long after that prayer, the Holy Spirit is not indwelling them. Saying a prayer is not salvation.

In a similar vein, some confuse salvation with a flood of feelings like elation. Although most people respond to receiving Christ with immense love, awe and gratitude, the reality of regeneration is not dependent on feelings. The God who created our emotional makeup understands that our response will be as individual as we are. Feelings change and can be manipulated. Elation is not a reliable indication of salvation.

All of the above can be part of our salvation experience, but my own perspective is a little different. For me taking Christ as my Savior was a knock down, drag out fight between my will and the Holy Spirit's conviction. Needless to say, I lost. Early in my exposure to the Bible, I mentally accepted the truths of the gospel, but I did not want to ask Jesus to save me because that meant handing Him the keys to my life and I still wanted the steering wheel. I was a teenager looking forward to controlling my own life, too young to realize adults do not have control either. Some say God will not intrude where He is not wanted--His Spirit is not aware of this! Ask Moses, ask Jonah, ask Paul, ask me. Although opening and warming to the Son, light into my darkened mind, saying a prayer, and later, awe at being loved and pursued so much, my first response to accepting Christ's offer of salvation was to surrender in defeat.

    Human perception of salvation is interesting, but God is the one who defines it.

From God's perspective: 

Salvation is being born again. In John 3, Jesus explains salvation to Nicodemus as being born of the Spirit. We are born physically alive but spiritually dead. Regeneration is the process that makes us spiritually alive. Those who are born physically can die, but they cannot be unborn. Likewise, those born of the Spirit cannot be unborn.

Ezekiel 11 describes salvation as what we would now call a heart transplant. When we trust Christ's sacrifice on the cross to save us, God removes our dead heart of stone and replaces it with a living heart of flesh. Human heart transplants may fail and may even need to be repeated, but God's heart transplants are unfailing forever. 

Though salvation is an invitation--to be forgiven, to become God's child, to live in heaven with Him--it is not just a generous offer, it is a command to be obeyed. If the "Godfather" (movie reference) could make you an offer you can't refuse, certainly God the Father can. Salvation is a free gift, but those who refuse that gift will pay the penalty for it--eternal death.

   I know I am swimming in the shallow end of soteriology and I am not even going to dip my toe into the pool of predestination, but the main comfort I draw from the above descriptions is eternal security. The nature of the spiritual birth that we call salvation is the greatest proof of its permanence. Salvation at its core is that unchangeable event in time in which Jesus calls his own to Himself and, through the Spirit's enabling, we answer.