Soteria
Written: October 5, 2018
I once heard it said that the word, salvation, has been hijacked and used as such a loose term in the Church today. I have really struggled with it. Why? Because the truth of the meaning of salvation is my heart's desire for all people to fully experience.
Most of the people I have asked, “Are you saved?”, have given me the generic answer… “Yes, I asked Jesus into my heart when I was ------ years old.” But that’s not what saved means! It doesn’t mean saying a prayer and going on about life with the “insurance” of “I will one day go to heaven because I said the prayer!”
Have you ever seen someone who is “saved” but still living a life of hell? They live daily struggling with the enemy’s lies of defeat, they come to church but still live in addiction, they say they are saved (because they prayed the prayer), but the fruit of salvation is non-existent in their lives! Why? Because they have prayed a prayer of forgiveness, but they haven’t begun the process of walking in salvation through the knowledge of the Word! The enemy doesn't want us to realize there's a process because he knows when we find it, we find the victory over his schemes! He could actually care less if you have quoted your ‘fire insurance’ prayer, as long as you stay in the flesh and far from the mandate of Jesus.
Please do not think I am condemning anyone here or saying anyone who has prayed the sinner's prayer isn’t going to heaven someday. What I am saying is that we have the option to live in the KINGDOM (the character and authority of God) or to live in hell while still here on earth. We all have struggles, and I believe that’s part of the human side. On this earth, we will never be perfect, but we are continuously being perfected in Christ if we allow it! All I want is to see the body of Christ walking in true salvation, which in turn will attract the lost back to God.
I have been asking God to give me deeper and deeper revelation of what it truly means to be kingdom-minded and walk as a kingdom citizen. I believe the more revelation He pours out, the more shocked I am personally of what I’ve believed most of my life.
The most infamous scriptures used to lead people to Christ are John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” And Romans 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
In both of these passages, the word “believe” is the word pisteuo, which means to commit to, have faith in, assurance of, obey, trust, and be confident in. The word confess is the word homologeo, which breaks down into 2 root words homou – close association, together; and logos – the WORD (Christ), (lego) to speak.
So, it is saying that whoever commits, has faith in, obeys and trusts in Jesus Christ with all that is in them (believes in their heart – the heart is the seat of physical life) AND comes together with Him, acknowledging and speaking the WORD – Jesus Christ – is saved through (to go through something is a process) Him.
Saved, what does that even mean? Ask a few people that question! You will get some interesting answers – “I’m going to heaven.” “I will have eternal life.” “I am rescued from hell.” – don’t get me wrong, all of these are a part of salvation, but they are not salvation, they are the consequences of salvation!
Saved is the word “sozo” (sode’ zo), and it means whole, healed, delivered, preserved, protected.
Let’s look at a few more scriptures: (original language placed in the text)
Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house (habitation, dwelling place), since he also is a son of Abraham. For Jesus Christ came to seek (desire) and to save (sozo) the lost (those separated into destruction).”
Salvation is the word soteria, meaning delivered, rescued, saved, and its foundational root word is “sozo”!! Jesus came to this earth not to get billions of people to say a prayer of salvation. He came to this earth desiring to show people what it means to be saved and give us a blueprint in order to walk out the process of our salvation, so we are no longer separated into destruction but instead set apart unto Him!
Did you know that the “prayer of salvation/sinners' prayer” wasn’t even a thing until somewhere between the 18th and 20th centuries?? For real! Look it up!
This began to really convict me about 2 years ago when I was listening to an evangelist talk about how 5000 + people prayed the sinner's prayer at an event they put on. I left there wondering… ‘well, they said a prayer, but who is going to disciple them into their salvation – their wholeness, freedom, deliverance, etc.??’ This is when I began asking God what the difference was.
Did you know that Romans 1:16 tells us that it is the power of God to salvation for those who believe (commit to, have faith in, assurance of, obey, trust, and are confident in). It takes the inherent power of God IN us, His strength, virtue, and miracle-working power to walk us into true salvation once we truly commit, trust, and believe.
Acts 4:12 explains that there is absolutely no other way to be made whole, to be healed, to be delivered, and to be rescued except through Jesus Christ!!
Let me say that again… it is only THROUGH Jesus Christ that any of us on this earth will EVER experience true salvation and eternal life! I want to get this into your heart… through is a process word – here are a few meanings:
Indicate movement into one side and out another
Indicate passage into and out of a process
Indicates a period of time
From beginning to end
Salvation is a process that takes place as we build an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. I truly believe this. It’s a process of renewing the mind from carnal to kingdom! It’s not a quick ‘get out of hell’ prayer! It’s a process of daily living, transformation, restoration, and constant growth in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. To be saved is the outcome of the process of salvation. As we are walking out our salvation, we have the promise of being rescued, healed, delivered, made whole, and safe. But if we refuse the process, we can’t expect the promise, and we never change!
Ephesians 6:13-17 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day … Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, take up the shield of faith,… and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God…”
In order to walk out our salvation, we have to have our spiritual armor on daily! Why? Because we are a spirit being living in a natural body, and our war is not of this world or with people, it’s spiritual! If we are going to walk whole, healed, delivered, and free, we have to be covered spiritually!!! There are so many people fighting in the natural for their health or to get free from addiction, to be free from the bondage of fear, to feel accepted, to feel loved and so on but what many don’t realize is that it’s spiritual and the only way to overcome is by the blood of Jesus Christ and the process of renewing the mind. And what about depression, anxiety, and such ... many times these are rooted in past experiences and trauma, and they have to be dealt with! I dare to say that is why it’s called the “helmet of salvation” because the helmet is used for the protection of the head, which is where transformation and restoration have to take place in order to receive the promise of salvation… if we don’t believe, we don’t receive! The Word is very clear on that!
I just want to encourage you today, if you are struggling with any form of bondage and you just haven’t been able to find freedom… first and foremost, I encourage you to reassess your relationship with Jesus Christ and get that in order and second, I encourage you to find someone – be it a true, godly friend, a pastor or a counselor – and let them help you, through the power of Jesus Christ, walk you into the process of true salvation! Jesus desires a relationship with YOU!
Father, I thank You for loving each and every one of us. I ask that You go into the depths of our souls and reveal any thought processes that are keeping us from truly knowing You and believing in You. Expose the lies of the enemy and speak Your truths into our hearts. Father, I ask that You give each of us a hunger for You as we’ve never experienced before, a hunger to know You more intimately than we could ever dream or imagine. I give you all the glory, honor, and praise. In Jesus name. Amen.