What Is Salvation?

(Psalms 27:1) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  (KJV)

(Psalms 37:39) But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.  (KJV)

(Isaiah 12:2) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.  (KJV)

(Isaiah 25:9) And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.  (KJV)

What is salvation?
Somehow the world has failed to see the real meaning of salvation. Salvation is an outstanding Bible doctrine and also the initial Christian experience. The saints of God need to clearly see what God did for them on the cross when Christ died. Let us look at the Christian life at its inception and see what we start with the very moment we put our trust in Christ. Now, what is salvation?


I. REDEMPTION FROM DARKNESS.
(Colossians 1:13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  (KJV)

1. MAN HAS BEEN BLINDED BY SATAN, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD.
Have you ever been lost in the woods at night or in a blinding snow storm?  I haven’t been exactly lost, just a bit discombobulated.  Once my dad and I started out for our deer stand in the dark and just about the time we thought we should be there we stepped out of the woods into a farm yard up the road from where we had parked the car.  The darkness had us fooled.  The sun came up and we easily walked to where our stand was.
Another time I was doing a one man drive for my dad and it began to snow very hard.  I walked and walked and walked.  I thought I was about to get where he was and I saw a NO TRESPASSING sign.  I decided to walk over to the sign and discovered that it was on the other side of the road from where we were hunting.  I had walked in a big circle.  I started into the woods again and strange as it may seem the same thing happened. After walking for a very long time I stepped out on the road again.  I decided to try one more time as it had stopped snowing so hard.  I then noticed someone else coming out of the woods and it was my dad.  He wondered where I had been since I had been gone so long and he thought I was just going to make a small circle.
The darkness and the snow had fooled us and that is just what happens in the spiritual realm.  The darkness and the prince and power of the air blind us and keep us from finding our way to God.
(2 Corinthians 4:3-4) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  (KJV)

2. MAN NEEDS SALVATION TO RESCUE HIM FROM DARKNESS AND OPEN HIS EYES TO THE NEW LIFE THAT IS IN CHRIST.
(Acts 26:18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.  (KJV)
(Luke 18:35-43) And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.  (KJV)

II. REDEMPTION FROM SIN.
(1 Peter 1:18-19) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  (KJV)
A sign in a convenience store read, "Check Cashing Policy: To err is human. To forgive, $10." It's a funny way to recognize the fact that we make mistakes, but it's also evidence of the way many people think about forgiveness.
To forgive is to accept within yourself the consequences of the sins of others. It means to accept the pain, the problems and the burden that comes when someone sins against you. Forgiveness is neither an easy nor a frequent gift.
This is what God has done for us: ". . . knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot"
(1 Pet. 1:18, 19 NKJV)  What did God give for your forgiveness? It wasn't money or anything of wealth or value in worldly terms. He gave His Son. Jesus took upon Himself the burden of our sins.

1. REDEMPTION ITSELF MEANS TO BE BORN AGAIN.
(John 3:3-7) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  (KJV)

2. REDEMPTION DELIVERS FROM THE AUTHORITY OF SIN AND PUTS ONE UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST.
(Romans 6:14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  (KJV)
God delivers you from sin; and if you again become subject to it, it will be the effect of your own choice or negligence.


III. RESURRECTION FROM DEATH.
(Ephesians 2:1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  (KJV)

1. WHEN A MAN TRUSTS CHRIST AND BELIEVES ON HIM, HE IS RAISED FROM THE DEAD AND MADE TO "SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS."
(Ephesians 2:5-6) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  (KJV)

2. SIN HAS KILLED US SPIRITUALLY; FAITH IN CHRIST RAISES US OUT OF THE GRAVE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH AND GIVES US DIVINE LIFE.

IV. RETURN FROM EXILE.
(Ephesians 2:13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  (KJV)

1. ONE THING THAT SIN DID WHEN IT INVADED THE GARDEN OF EDEN WAS TO SEPARATE MAN FROM GOD.
(Isaiah 59:2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.  (KJV)
Sin is like a giant canyon, with man on one side and God on the other. A canyon can never be removed; it will always be there. And it is useless to try to fill up a canyon. But when a bridge is put across a canyon, a man can cross it as if no canyon ever existed there. Forgiveness of our sin is like a bridge. A bridge allows us to have eternal life, even though there is sin which otherwise would separate us from God.
Sin is also like a cut or break in an electric wire. There must be a perfect connection from the source to the light bulb before there can be any light in the bulb. Sin separates our connection with God. Forgiveness is like a splice in a wire. It does not take a brand new wire to complete the circuit, but there must be a wire in which every single break has been repaired.
Sin separates man and God. There is only one way to get back to God; through Jesus Christ!

We are like the lost sheep.
(Luke 15:4-7) What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.  (KJV)

2. ACROSS THE DISTANCE OF SEPARATION FROM GOD, MAN CAN CALL ON GOD.
(Acts 2:21) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  (KJV)
The lost silver.

(Luke 15:8-10) Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.  (KJV)

3. SALVATION THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, BRINGS MAN HOME FROM EXILE TO WALK WITH GOD.
(Ephesians 2:13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  (KJV)

The lost son.
Luke 15:11-32

V. RELEASES FROM CAPTIVITY.
(Romans 6:6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  (KJV)

1. MAN WITHOUT CHRIST IS BOUND BY A CHAIN OF SIN.
(Mark 5:1-5) And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.  (KJV)

2. SALVATION MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR MAN TO BE FREE TO LIVE FOR THE SAVIOUR, FREE TO SERVE THE SAVIOUR AND FREE TO ENJOY THE SAVIOUR.
(John 8:32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  (KJV)

(Mark 5:15) And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.  (KJV)

Jesus never turns anyone away who comes to Him.

I had company for the past several days, so haven't had time to read this yet, but am looking forward to reading through it. Thank you Rohn for donating your time to the forum.

Thank you Rohn....

I needed that!!!