All of us have perhaps heard dialogue in which one or both parties speak of being “saved”. Just the other day an individual informed me “I was saved when I was twelve years old”. What precisely or vaguely does that mean? I NEVER doubt the sincerity of others who may have had a spiritual experience at one time or another. The multiplicities of spiritual experiences that I have had are indeed multiplicative; yet I am not yet saved.
Was saved – am saved – will be saved – what does it mean? Does it mean one prayed a certain prescription prayer, visited a certain clueless congregation, heard a certain denominational delivery. Or is it because they actually went through the motions of repenting of their sins? The connotation of repentance has been lost in the church world. Period!
Salvation is deliverance from the “death of sin”.
Since it is widely accepted in so-called Judea-Christian theology that it was a violation of ordinance that caused the penalty of death to be joined to flesh and bone, it is equally by and through ordinance that death’s reversal is to be understood. Presently there is an accompaniment at the time of the first death called judgment; being saved from sin is to be saved from the weighty or harsh side of judgment. This time of inspection or evaluation is thorough and conclusive. Clean is still clean and filthy is still filthy, and as scripture teaches; some men’s sin go before them to the judgment and some men’s sin follow them to the judgment.
If Jesus died for the sins of all men and it is by his death the slate is wiped cleaned and none have further responsibility, how is it that there remains any wicked to be destroyed? And yet this “home free mentality” is what the “CHURCH” teaches. The inspection, however, reveals the essence taught in several parables, “goat – sheep”, “goat – sheep”, “depart I never knew you – well done enter in” … “ahh … tare – burn it”, “burn it”, “oh good – wheat, save it”!
So then salvation is secured before that time but not implemented UNTIL that time. That time being the time of inspection or just prior to judgment. Judgment is the ruling; inspection is the deliberation wherein an advocate is needed.
One is not brought to the inspection and accepted therein by “Avinu”, meaning “Our Father”, by the merits of Christ but rather according to his own works; [1] he is not judged by what Jesus did but by what he himself does.
Redemption is NOT salvation. It merely pays a price of ransom and allows one to enter into the congregation of the Lord legitimately. This is validated in the fulfillment of the law of redeeming an unclean animal (like an ass) by sacrificing the innocent blood of a clean animal.[2] To be in the congregation of the Lord is to be able to participate in the things of God by truthful revelation, with those that understand, and not remain in conjecture from afar, in coverings not approved by higher ordinance.
Being “saved” is a so-called Christian triumphant acclamation that somehow gets lost in the terminology of salvation; its implementation however, can only, EVENTUALLY be realized in coming to the place of inheritance that INCLUDES salvation. It is among that which is laid there (in the place of inheritance) by promise; and understood to be kept there by faith. Having had its beginning in hope, the idea of “Being Saved” can be focused on AFTER having made an application for only what grace will provide – that being forgiveness!
Salvation is a state of the soul that stems from the element of obedience; obedience is the obvious cure for disobedience – NOT blanket forgiveness. Scripture teaches “if a man offends – rebuke him; if he repents – forgive him.” Repentance is a reconciling intermediate that must provide bridge to the gap. Forgiveness can only be understood in its reception and therefore MUST be applied for before it can be applied. The changing of one’s mind from the propensity to be disobedient is accomplished by repentance which in effect sets the opposite intent firmly in place. Consciousness, that is, deliberate choice, helps reprogram sub consciousness and invariably feeds thereupon unconsciously. At this point the determination to separate by relinquishing malice, guile, envy, hypocrisy, and evil speaking is met and embraced by every force, hidden or otherwise, that is foreordained to teach and guide that “repentant” to victory. Salvation is now promised.
It is interesting to note that scripture teaches it was the water that caused the saving of eight souls and not the ark. You see, water destroyed sinful flesh and this constituted salvation. These eight address the secret of circumcision (the cutting off of flesh) which is performed by the ordinance of eight. Subsequent destruction attached by promise is to the disobedient; those who stumble at the directives hidden in symbolisms and words. The ark and its purposeful fabrication came about through hearing and doing. James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”[3] In Egypt, the individual abodes of the children of Israel were not passed over by the “death angel” merely because the doors and lintels were smeared with the blood of a particular lamb. The sign of hearing and obeying YHVH protected those within and conveyed to death, by that symbolism posted, that this life was beyond its reach. Laid by promise, established by faith, kept active by hope, and experienced after the culmination of that particular portion of divine determination, understanding presented itself, and lack of knowledge became a non issue to those who did not perish.
It was not until the exact time to leave one arena for another, that salvation was actually understood. Until the ark rested and Noah settled the matter then at hand, albeit, with the help of others through a “four-square” cubit opening, the magnitude of what constituted being saved by the flood was neither comprehended short term nor long term. Although the name Adonai Tseva’ot was not then employed, his help came from that name – Lord of Hosts, for it is HE that directs both sides of force or participation in all power in heaven and in earth. The term both sides connote the darkness and the light: and are represented effectively in the raven and the dove; agents of the air sent in specific order and from within to without for the sake of revelation.
Baptism is then effectively the knowledge of the symbolism by which sin is washed away; the filthiness in which the flesh had been involved in is summarily by conscious participation removed by faith. A man washes his face and hands expecting them to get clean. Since faith involves things hoped for and not seen[4] it MUST attach itself to promise and by necessity to a perspective implying futurity. Promises are advanced issuances involving terms of agreement on the part of one or more participants; they must be embraced to be understood. By choice – a man makes the decision to repent or not to repent. This changing of the activities of the mind in order to facilitate the changing of the activities of the flesh precedes the baptism juncture of cleansing and is commensurate with the measure of commitment. Baptism only accomplishes its ordination upon that which is subjected to it. The eye or hand that did not agree to the terms of change (repentance), to forsake things seen and pent-up as desirous to the soul may resurface to offend; and may then need be plucked or severed in judgment. No part of evil can be allowed to be saved, and yet multitudes, multitudes as in a valley of decision cannot relinquish thoughts or deeds that clearly represent the aspect of evil and insist that they are both Christian and saved.
Sanctification is NOT salvation. It is certainly a part of the process but sanctification in no way constitutes “the end of faith;” wherein, salvation is promised to be awarded. Truth gladly suffers reiteration – “the end of faith” and “the saving of your soul” equate simultaneously. To be sanctified is to be accounted holy; and without holiness we are to understand that no man shall see the Lord. To be holy is to be consecrated and set aside; it is an active separation due to the cleansing or thorough purging that is understood to be a process. It is NOT an effortless “poof” application as from the wand of a fairy or by the word of an angel. It is a process; a process ongoing and effective only by divine ordinance which inherently carries a perfection factor. “Be Ye Holy – For I Am Holy”. The Hebrew word for holy is qôdesh which means apartness, or set-apart, separated. So then the more separated from unsavory atmosphere one is – the more holy he is seen and pronounced to be. The secret of sitting in heavenly places is approached during this process.
The actual washing of the water by the word,[5] is the process heretofore mentioned. If the word of God could be mastered in a single setting then we would have no need of written or oral scriptural commentary or otherwise. Those set aside and charged with the task of perfecting the saints, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers would have no relevance in transferring the power or essence locked within precept, line, parable, or psalm. The reward of approval for those striving for the mastery of their calling, having studied, would be negated by a single swift wand stroke or utterance that would settle the issue and we would all be created equal.
Fact is folks – we ARE NOT all created equal.
No matter how wishful one is in believing a lie, lies are issued for purposes of damnation. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.[6] All men believe, they believe truth and they believe lie, and it is the dividing of the word – rightly accomplished – that assembles truth that inherently contains the power to set the believer free. Herein is the wisdom of the Almighty hidden, and seen only by those willing to leave the arena of a lesser truth, in order to enter the arena of a greater truth; it is not his will that any perish.
Salvation IS of the LORD – YHVH. Those that are agents of change and preach repentance and baptism as a washing of water by the word are a part of one being “saved”. Job waited patiently for his change once he understood it as a necessity. A little understanding facilitates a little cleaning. It isn’t much of a separation but it is a beginning. People begin the journey and fall down and get satisfied either in believing lies or in believing dabbles of truth; then they get boisterous, presumptuous, speaking evil of dignities, calling themselves “Christ-like” and “saved”.
He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved. [7] Whosoever that calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.[8] Whoso walks upright (or in truth) shall be saved.[9] He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.[10]
A perfect example to illustrate the point is in “Whosoever that calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. Calling upon the Lord in and of itself does NOT save you; it simply begins the process.
Essay | October 7, 2006
What Salvation Is and What It Is Not PDF