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\nAfter reading and re-reading the New Testament, I\u2019m now fully convinced that our view of salvation isn\u2019t what the authors of the Gospels or the Epistles had in mind when they used this term.<\/p>\n
\nAfter reading and re-reading the New Testament, I\u2019m now fully convinced that our view of salvation isn\u2019t what the authors of the Gospels or the Epistles had in mind when they used this term.<\/p>\n
As I\u2019ve mentioned in a previous article, the phrase \u201cHe saved others but he cannot save himself\u201d was spoken about Jesus as he was hanging on the cross. But those Pharisees couldn\u2019t have meant \u201cJesus helped others get to heaven, but he cannot help himself get to heaven.\u201d That would be ridiculous. Instead, the obvious meaning of \u201cHe saved others\u201d is about a very different type of salvation; a very practical form that involves escaping death or suffering in this life [not the next one].<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve also noticed that there are numerous examples in the Gospels and the other New Testament documents where people often ask \u201cWhat must we do to be saved?\u201d and while I once assumed that this question must be about \u201chow do I get to heaven after I die?\u201d, I now realize that it was probably a question about how to escape a very practical danger that these people felt was coming soon.<\/p>\n
For example, why is it that no one ever asks anyone this question in the Old Testament scriptures?<\/p>\n
Why is it that everyone suddenly needs an answer to this question once Jesus arrives but they didn\u2019t worry about it beforehand?<\/p>\n
I asked this very question on my social media recently and the responses I received ranged from ludicrous to just plain sad. Most assumed that the question must have been about how to get to heaven after they died, but that begs my question: Why didn\u2019t anyone seem to care about getting to heaven BEFORE Jesus arrived on the scene?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Answer: It\u2019s not about getting to heaven. It\u2019s about being saved from something in the here and now.<\/p>\n The question \u201cWhat must I do to be saved?\u201d often comes immediately after the preaching of the coming Day of the Lord which was prophesied by the prophet Joel and referenced by other Old Testament prophets. Jesus refers to this coming Day of the Lord in his Olivet Discourse. Peter also mentions it in Acts chapter 2. Paul refers to it in his writings as well.<\/p>\n Once people hear that this Day of the Lord is coming in their lifetimes, the most obvious question is: \u201cWhat must I do to avoid getting killed in that?\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s what is meant by the question: It\u2019s about avoiding the destruction prophesied by Joel and confirmed by Jesus and the Apostles. So, being \u201csaved\u201d in this context is not about getting to heaven. It\u2019s about surviving an apocalyptic event.<\/p>\n The mistake made by later Christian theologians was to spiritualize this question and reinterpret these passages as if the whole point was to get to heaven and avoid hell in the afterlife. It\u2019s also why terms like \u201cThe Kingdom of God\u201d get reframed as \u201cHeaven after we die\u201d rather than what Jesus says it is: A new reality we can enjoy in this very moment.<\/p>\n Rethinking the way we view salvation is key to understanding Jesus and his mission and message.<\/p>\n Maybe that\u2019s why he starts out his ministry by warning us to \u201cThink Differently\u201d [metanonia<\/em>]? We need new eyes and fresh perspectives to unlearn all the religious garbage we\u2019ve inherited from our parents and pastors.<\/p>\n If \u201cWhat must I do to be saved?\u201d isn\u2019t about getting to heaven, then it\u2019s also not a question about whether or not we\u2019re already loved, or forgiven, or accepted by God. The scriptures declare over and over again that God was in Christ NOT counting our sins against us but reconciling the World to Himself. We are already loved. We are already forgiven. There\u2019s nothing we need to do to unlock it or activate God\u2019s acceptance. It\u2019s ours right now.<\/p>\n What must I do to be saved? Nothing. You\u2019re already saved, treasured, beloved and accepted by your Abba.<\/p>\n Rest in that.<\/p>\n **<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Did God sacrifice Himself to Himself to appease Himself and save us from Himself? No. That\u2019s not the Gospel and it\u2019s not what the crucifixion is all about.<\/em><\/p>\n Join me starting April 5 for a new 3-week online course to explore the meaning of the cross and the beauty of Christ\u2019s incarnation, resurrection and life. Jesus Unforsaken<\/strong><\/em> is based on the new book of the same name releasing March 23.<\/p>\n REGISTER TODAY><\/a><\/p>\n **<\/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 the best-selling \u201cJesus Un\u201d series of 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<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After reading and re-reading the New Testament, I\u2019m now fully convinced that our view of salvation isn\u2019t what the authors of the Gospels or the Epistles had in mind when they used this term. As I\u2019ve mentioned in a previous article, the phrase \u201cHe saved others but he cannot save himself\u201d was spoken about Jesus […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3089,"featured_media":6490,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[87,402,403],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gods-love","category-gospel-of-the-kingdom","category-universalism"],"yoast_head":"\n