Wednesday, March 14, 2007

The Full Story of Salvation

Sometimes we have gotten only the partial picture of what salvation is in the Christian life. For many salvation is only other-worldly. It is the sweet by and by, heaven, the pearly gates, the streets of gold, and angels strumming harps. And, this is true that salvation has to do with our eternal destines- with God or apart from God. But salvation is more.

Salvation is also in the here and now. It is not just something in the future. When one yields their life to Jesus Christ not only will they experience salvation in the life to come but in the life now. Salvation is like the kingdom of God- it is already, but not yet. When speaking about salvation Christ used the present tense not only the future tense. Hurting people today need salvation now, not only the promise of "no more crying'" there after they die. When we view salvation as a present reality- it becomes a way of life that totally transforms the way we look at the world, each other and Jesus Christ.

Also, salvation is not only about me. The Bible tells us that all of creation will be redeemed. The Bible tells us that in the end God wins and Christ will return not to beam us to some celestial place but to create a new heaven and new earth right here. Humanity and all of creation stands in need of salvation.

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