In meditations 38 to 41 we searched through the Gospels, the book of Acts, and the letters of the apostle Paul to the followers of Jesus in Rome and Corinth to see how they depict ‘divine salvation’. Today we will continue to look for ‘salvation pictures’ in Paul’s other letters to the followers of Jesus. Then we will also delve into ‘the letter to the Hebrews’. As we already said earlier, we will not repeat the pictures which we have already found in the New Testament, although many of them are repeated:
‘Divine Salvation’ is pictured as:
• Being rescued from this evil world
"He died for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live." Galatians 1:4
• Being rescued from the curse of the (Mosaic) Law
"Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the Law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 21:22-23), 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" Galatians 3:13
• Being baptised into Christ
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Galatians 3:26-27
• Being a Christlike new creation
"In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation." Galatians 6:15
"We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Ephesians 2:10
"You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness-- righteous, holy, and true."
Ephesians 4:24
• Being blessed with the blessings of God’s Spirit ‘in the heavenly realms’
"How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ." Ephesians 1:3
• Having access to God through the Holy Spirit on the basis of the Messiah’s sacrifice
"Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us." Ephesians 2:18
• Being enthroned with the Messiah ‘in the heavenly realms’
"He raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms-- all because we are one with Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:6
• Being rooted in God’s love
"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love." Ephesians 3:16-17
• Being sealed with God’s Spirit for God’s coming ‘Day of Liberation’ (i.e. the return of the Messiah, the final judgement and the inception of the new creation)
"...and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30
• Being transferred to the Kingdom of the Messiah
"He [God the Father] has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son." Colossians 1:13
• Being ‘a child of the light’ and ‘a child of the day’
"...but you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober."
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6
• Belonging to God’s family
"I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, so that if I can't come for a while, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and support of the truth." 1 Timothy 3:14-15
• Being Jesus’ brother or sister
"So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters." Hebrews 2:11
We might be startled to see so many pictures throughout the New Testament that all accentuate a specific aspect of God’s present and future salvation. Please, take in these ‘salvation pictures’ and let them be a joy to your heart. May they open your mind for the manifold facets of God’s mission.
Next time we will search for ‘salvation pictures’ in the letters of the apostles Peter and John.
The Bible verses Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 2:10 and Ephesians 4:30 are quotes of the New International Version. Galatians 6:15 is a quote of the New King James Version. All other texts are quoted from the New Living Translation.
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