Every problem in this world is diagnosed depending on its cause. According to Christianity, the main human problem is sin which is known to cause suffering in this life and also in eternal life. Therefore, the only treatment or solution for sin is the salvation which sets someone free from temporal and eternal suffering. Salvation came into being 2000 years ago after the death of Jesus Christ through his crucifixion; hence the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is termed to be the foundation of salvation. Therefore, Christianity begins with accepting the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross that we may be saved or forgiven from our sins. The bible says in the book of Mathew 26: 28 that, through the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed, God agreed with man that the blood will be poured out so that as many as possible who accept Christ will have their sins forgiven. In addition, in the book on Hebrews 9:22, the law declares that almost everything must be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ and no sins will be forgiven except through the blood is offered. To emphasis the forgiveness of sin through salvation, Revelation 1:5 says that we have peace and kindness which we have received from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and was the first one to conquer death. But one may ask what sin is? Sin is the act of rebelling the rules or what is right before God the creator of heaven and earth.
Basically, Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life and no one can call him or herself a Christian if he or she has not accepted him or her personal savior. When one gets saved, he or she is saved to the following conditions; experiencing the forgiveness and love of God, freedom from the consequences and effects of sin, is acceptable before God, faith as living trust in God, social peace, love and justice and a future historical fulfillment. The other conditions one is saved to be untied from social oppression and prospering and well-being of an individual. From the above-mentioned conditions of one being saved, salvation can therefore be illustrated in different ways which are present social-historical conditions of an individual, present quality of an individual’s life, transhistorical future condition of a person and future transhistorical social conditions of an individual.
God is revealed to be self-determining and free in Jesus Christ and he acts to save all the people in the world from their sins and the consequences and effects of sins. Jesus Christ was made to become sin by dying on the cross so that we may be saved. These are said to be the elements of a principle atonement or reconciliation in the doings of Jesus Christ. Therefore, through the death of Christ human beings who have accepted him are no longer sinners punishable in hostility from God and in death. But rather human beings are forgiven through Christ’s death and are justified sinners that are, sinners who need not experience the effects of sin before God.
In the life of Jesus Christ, God has returned man back to himself. The world is not under God’s justice and the conviction of its sins and this has been done to all human beings and the world as a whole. It is the holy spirit of God who convicts people to say yes to God’s acts of saving his people through his grace. Generally, this is a life we live by faith, hope and love in which people are baptized, receive the forgiveness, receive the Holy Spirit’s freedom and accept the gift of reconciliation as one tries to live the grace ethics. Even though God through Jesus Christ has overcome the powers of evil and sins, the Christian’s life does not fully emulate this act of sin free and completeness. This is because the globe still experiences the destructive principles that are bedeviled and the rebellions of humans against God’s perfect will.
Salvation is a journey in which one has to work it out herself or himself. There are six main elements or principles of eternal salvation. The first one is that Jesus Christ is the savior and he is the only way to God the Father who is in heaven. This means that there is no other name that God can honor apart from the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says that it is only Jesus Christ who has power to save. His name is the only one that is given mandate to save anyone in the whole world. Also according to 1st John 4:14, God sent his son Jesus Christ to be the savior of the world and whoever will confess that Jesus Christ is the son of God, God abides in him and he in God shall be saved.
Therefore, the above two scriptures indicate that Christ is the only one who can save. Those who choose to reject to believe in Christ and his message of eternal salvation which was symbolized through His death on the cross will perish and go to hell. The second principle is that God desires that all men be saved. Through Jesus Christ, God has given every woman and man the opportunity to make their own decision in life to either choose life or death. 1st Timothy 2:4 indicates that God does not want anyone to perish but rather he desires that all men be saved and get to know the knowledge of the truth of Christ. In addition, 2 Peter 3:9 says that the Lord is not slow in fulfilling his promises as many the people tend to think. But rather God is patient because he desires everyone to be saved by turning away from their sins. Basically, the above-mentioned verses show us that the desire of God is that no one should perish. However, he can not force anyone to receive Christ as the savior but it is an individual choice.
Thirdly, we are all saved by God’s grace through his faith and not by our own works. This implies that the gift of salvation is free and it is given to all men by God through his son Jesus Christ. God has a plan and a purpose for everyone’s life after one gets saved. The following verses show us that good works are not the basis of getting us into heaven. Ephesians 2:8 says that we are saved by the grace of God through faith and it is not through ourselves, not even our works but it is the gift of the Lord so that no one will boast of that.
To emphasize that our works are not the determinants, Galatians 2:16 says that a man is not validated by his works of the law but it is through faith in Jesus Christ because by the works of the law no one shall be accepted. Therefore, it is not our doings that will make us get into heaven.
Fourthly, immediately we receive Christ as the savior of our lives, we are made righteous before God. This implies that we are free to move towards the throne of God for communication through prayers and there is life after death hence we will precede to heaven after we die. Though we may commit sins again we can be forgiven if we confess the sins before God. The fifth principle highlights the ways of becoming saved and receiving the gift of internal salvation. The ways are that one should declare he or she is a sinner and is willing to repent and turn away from his or her sins. One should be ready to accept that Christ is the only savior and that he died on the cross so that one may be redeemed and be willing to accept him as his personal savior.
Finally, after one has received Christ as the savior, he or she should be ready to become fisherman of God. At this level one will have understood what salvation is and is well equipped and prepared to spread the gospel to others. According to Mathew 5:14, every Christian is like the light to the world, a city built on a high hill and can not hide, and no one lights the lamp and put it under the table but should put it on a lampstand where everyone can see it. So every Christian should let their light shine so that all the people can see their good works and give praise to God.
Reference
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Hole Richard, 1998. Truth on Christian Salvation & Accepting Jesus Christ [Online]. 2009. Web.
Jones R.Joe, n.d. Schematic reflections on salvation in Jesus Christ [Online]. 2009. Web.
Religion facts, 2004. Christian Doctrines of Salvation [Online] (Updated 2009). Web.
Vaticana E. Libreria, 2005. To the bishops priests and deacons men and women religious and all the lay faithful on Christian love [Online]. 2009. Web.