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I am starting to think that the word \u201csaved\u201d or the phrase \u201cwill be saved\u201d in the New Testament isn\u2019t always talking about salvation in the spiritual sense that we often assume it is.<\/p>\n
In other words, I think we have been conditioned to believe that when Jesus or Paul or anyone else in the New Testament scriptures uses the term \u201csalvation\u201d or \u201csaved\u201d that they mean something about going to heaven or escaping hell.<\/p>\n
Now, there may be certain verses where this may be the case [although I don\u2019t think going to heaven or escaping hell as we have come to know it was really the focus on anything Jesus talked about], but more often than not I think when we read this term what is in view is something much more practical.<\/p>\n
For example, the verse above from Matthew 27:42 uses the term \u201csaved\u201d and \u201csave\u201d in ways that have nothing to do with eternal rewards.<\/p>\n
Yet, the word in the Greek that is being used here is \u201cSozo\u201d which is the same word used in those passages where we most often assume the subject is \u201cescaping eternal torment.\u201d<\/p>\n
First, let\u2019s examine how the word \u201csozo\u201d is used in Matt. 27 above. First, those who mock Jesus as he is on the cross say that \u201cHe saved others.\u201d Do we think that the Pharisees believed or witnessed Jesus \u201csaving\u201d people in the sense that people went to heaven? That wouldn\u2019t make much sense in the context, and from these sources who did not believe any such thing about Jesus. However, what even the enemies of Jesus would have to affirm is that Jesus healed people all throughout his ministry. And one of the meanings of this word \u201csozo\u201d [translated here as \u201csaved\u201d] is this: \u201cto save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n So, a more accurate translation of this verse might be: \u201cHe [Jesus] healed others [or restored others, or rescued others from harm] but he cannot do the same for himself by removing those nails and coming down off the cross.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n In this case, the term \u201csaved\u201d or \u201csave\u201d is not at all about going to heaven or escaping hell. It\u2019s very simply and practically about escaping a very present danger experienced through physical pain in the body right now.<\/p>\n And that is exactly the kind of \u201csaved\u201d or \u201csave\u201d I believe the New Testament scriptures most often refer to when the term is used. The \u201csozo\u201d that Jesus offers his people during his ministry is the opportunity to be healed from their violent way of thinking that can only lead them to suffer death at the hands of the Romans [which is exactly what many of those same people suffered by not putting his words into practice].<\/p>\n Simply put, I think what Jesus came to \u201csave\u201d people from was death at the hands of the Romans, even as he was being put to death by the Romans.<\/p>\n Salvation and \u201cbeing saved\u201d then, in this context \u2013 I believe \u2013 was mostly about rescuing his people from physical death and destruction, not about selling tickets to heaven or passing out \u201cget out of hell free\u201d cards.<\/p>\n Now, certainly, Jesus did talk about our eternal condition post-death. When he told the thief on the cross next to him, \u201cToday you will be with me in paradise\u201d that was a promise of ongoing consciousness after we die. But I still think it\u2019s worth our time to go back and revisit those scriptures where Jesus specifically uses the word \u201csozo\u201d\u00a0 to see if what he\u2019s speaking of is really about rescuing his people from the hands of the Romans [specifically to avoid the fate of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70].<\/p>\n So far, I am very convinced that this is mainly his focus, not to get people to heaven in the afterlife, but to rescue his people from a hell that would come just 40 years later when Roman centurions would surround the city and bring an end to the age.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n **<\/p>\n The 3 Biblical Views of Hell Examined Class starts Oct. 5<\/strong><\/p>\n What if Hell isn\u2019t an eternal torture chamber and God is better than you think? Join me for a 3-week online course to learn the historical origins of Eternal Conscious Torment and the other 2 Biblical views of Hell taught by the Christian Church from the very beginning.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n REGISTER TODAY><\/a><\/p>\n Keith Giles<\/strong>\u00a0and his wife, Wendy, work with\u00a0Peace Catalyst International<\/a>\u00a0to help build relationships between Christians and Muslims in El Paso, TX.\u00a0 Keith was formerly a licensed and ordained minister who walked away from organized church over a decade ago to start a home fellowship that gave away 100% of the offering to the poor in the community. Today he is the author of several best-selling books, including\u00a0\u201cJesus Unexpected: Ending The End Times To Become The Second Coming\u201d<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>which is available now on Amazon.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 \u201cHe saved others,\u201d they said, \u201cbut he can\u2019t save himself! He\u2019s the king of Israel!\u00a0Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe\u00a0in him.\u201d [Matt. 27:42] I am starting to think that the word \u201csaved\u201d or the phrase \u201cwill be saved\u201d in the New Testament isn\u2019t always talking about salvation in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3089,"featured_media":6014,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,101,4,62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biblicism","category-eschatology","category-following-jesus","category-hell"],"yoast_head":"\n