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Brush Up On Your Theology; 6. Soteriology

by Dr. Henderson Ward  
9/06/2015 / Bible Studies

Soteriology comes from the Greek word soterious, which means salvation. In Christian theology this concept has to do with the doctrine of salvation in terms of the complete work of God in bringing people from a state of sin and rebellion to a state of grace and reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Although many religions understand, and teach, about salvation nevertheless none do so in the absolute terms and exceptional manner as is done in Christianity.

The first human being Adam sinned, and as a consequence he fell from grace. That blessed harmony, and close communion, he had with God was thereby broken. Because of this fall all humanity are dead in trespasses and sins:

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 2:1)

It is important to understand that a person can do nothing, by way of works, to save himself; for as he is apart from God, his best efforts are self-righteous and unacceptable:

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6).

Salvation is God's way of bringing his righteousness to people by faith in Jesus Christ:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17)

"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Corinthians 1:21)

"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." ( Galatians 3:22)

Salvation is primarily based on faith in the death of Jesus Christ for remission of sins:

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26)

Salvation accomplishes many things in satisfying the demands of God's justice, tempered by his mercies, and founded on his compassion, and among them are:

REDEMPTION (deliverance from the sins of humanity by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross):

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." (Galatians 3:13)

"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28);

RECONCILIATION (the restoration of fellowship between errant humanity and God)

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10)

"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled" (Colossians 1:21)

PROPITIATION (the acceptance of Christ's death on the cross as a substitution for sin thereby satisfying the righteous demands of God for our sin)

"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." (Romans 3:25)

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10).

When a person believes on Jesus Christ he is saved (from God's condemnation and wrath):

"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31),

A saved person, because of Jesus' substitutionary death, is redeemed, cleansed, justified and reconciled:

"Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all." (John 13:10)

"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)

To be saved a person must have faith in Jesus, for faith is the single condition for salvation:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16).

Salvation is also progressive, "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 NIV) and needs the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in the process:

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Romans 8:13)

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12)

The responsibility of the saved is to live a life reflective of the grace of God by exhibiting spiritual fruit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galations 5:22-23).

Salvation in its fullness is yet to come and will involve the divestment of our sinful nature and possession of our new immortal bodies when Christ returns:

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:28)

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:5).

As do the Wesleyans I take my place in the Arminianist camp in the Calvinism versus Arminianism divide, and on the question of Perseverance of the Saints the involvement of the Holy Spirit is often overlooked.

I believe that when a person is genuinely saved, as opposed to mere professing, having obtained eternal life and the Holy Spirit he CAN lose his salvation, otherwise the warning that one must endure to the end to be saved would make no sense (Matthew 10:22), but with God's grace that saved person will persevere to the end.

Enough said.

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Dr. Henderson Ward received his Doctor of Divinity in theology, with distinction, from Masters International School of Divinity, USA, where he is currently a post-doctoral fellow. Dr. Ward's career involved pastoring, evangelism, and teaching. Copyright 2017

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