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Another Look at 'Getting Saved'
By Steve Jones
Most of us have run into a concerned evangelist — whether in a church service, street corner or at work — who questioned whether we were "saved." The want of a satisfactory affirmative may have led (as it often does) to a presentation of the "Romans Road," "the Four Spiritual Laws," or at least John 3:16.
The problem with the inquiry, however, is that it makes several unwarranted assumptions. For one thing, it presupposes that the old Reformation and revivalist view of salvation, which constitutes the substance of the evangelist's message, is identical to the teaching of Christ and his apostles.
The concerned evangelist, by the way, is usually a spiritually minded person with godly motives. Many such people have been instrumental in introducing others to the Father. This article is not a diatribe against them. It is merely an attempt to challenge some of their presuppositions about Christian salvation.
For most preachers of popular religion, salvation has a simple meaning. It begins with the fall of Adam in Eden. The first sin brought a curse into the world: alienation from God. The Creator averted his face from humanity when this happened, we are told. Gospel tracts speak of a "gulf" between God and man because of sin. If we are unfortunate enough to die while in the state of separation, we are forever lost in hell. To be "saved," therefore, is to be in a standing where this is no longer a present threat.
There is no doubt that this accords with the Protestant Reformers' doctrine. But does it accord with redemptive history and the message of Jesus?
I. Saved from Enemies
Salvation, in its most basic meaning, is a deliverance from evil. The evil may be physical calamity. It may be moral and spiritual wickedness. Salvation from these things may pertain to individuals or it may be corporate, the rescue of entire societies.
To the Semitic people living in Old Testament times, salvation meant deliverance from one's enemies. When the psalmist asked God for "salvation," he was speaking not of metaphysics, nor of legal transactions to fix the "gulf" between God and men. "Deliver my soul from the sword" (Psalm 22:20) was a common cry, but not, "Deliver my soul from the burning hell." Yes, the pious Hebrew was concerned about forgiveness and a right relationship with his God. But the most common meaning of such words as "save," "deliver," and "redeem" related to temporal circumstances. "The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord … he rescues them from the wicked." (Psalm 37:39, 40)
II. Eschatological Salvation
By the time of Jesus, salvation was also related to eschatology, or "last things." There was a need to be saved from the divine wrath ready to break out upon the land — the "day of vengeance." In the tradition of the synoptic gospels (i.e., Matthew, Mark and Luke), Jesus didn't ask people if they were "saved." Salvation was a thing off in the future, an eschatological deliverance from the coming judgment. "The one who endures to the end," said Jesus, "will be saved." After enumerating some signs of the coming tribulation, Jesus enjoined his hearers to "look up, for your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28)
III. Metaphysical Salvation
The hope of a soon coming of Jesus in the clouds waned as the first Christian generation began to grow old. By the time of Augustine, salvation was viewed as primarily metaphysical, involving such unseen realities as sanctifying grace and original sin. The church of the Middle Ages pressed home the utter depravity of man. Sinners afflicted themselves, often doing harsh penance for their transgressions.
Later on, the Reformers carried this gloom into their theology. Salvation was presented to generations as a legal deliverance from an infinitely offended God, an appeasing of his wrath by a vicarious sacrifice he himself had provided. It is little wonder that justification by faith alone brought such release to people so aware of their wickedness.
IV. Modern Salvation
Things are far different today. For good or ill, comparatively few are raised to think of themselves as "filthy sinners," separated from God by an immense chasm. Our needs are in many ways distinct from those of the Old Testament Jew, or the first hearers of Christ, or the 17th century Puritan living under the dread of his Maker. If the interpretation of "saved" has changed throughout redemptive history to meet the needs of each age, there is no compelling reason that it should remain static for us today.
The post-war generations in America are different than previous generations. Some of the distinctions are good, many aren't. The "baby boomers" and subsequent generations need help overcoming an egocentric existence. The affluence of the Western world has drawn multitudes into materialism, self-indulgence and a bent toward immediate gratification. And despite the "peace and love" rhetoric of the 1960s, there remains a challenge to put the peace ethic of Christ into everyday practice.
It is true, of course, that the human condition is fundamentally the same in all ages. We all grope for meaning, relief from suffering, transcendence from the mundane. But different ages have distinct needs. Ours calls for a restatement and fresh application of Christian salvation.
Today, we need a message of liberation from self-centeredness and indulgence more than we need to hear about the "free ticket to glory hereafter" offered by our well-intentioned friends. The need of the hour is the Sermon on the Mount, with its message of non-retaliation, mercy and simplicity. Or the Parable of the Good Samaritan, with its example of loving outreach. Or the self-giving love of 1 Corinthians 13.
Certainly, we believe that God's grace extends beyond the grave. The resurrection of the dead clearly was a part of the program known as the Kingdom of God, which formed the core of our Lord's message. But the main issue contained in this message is the triumph of God's justice upon the earth. Even in the book of Revelation, the New Jerusalem is seen descending to earth to usher in perfect peace and righteousness.
So how should we answer the question, "Are you saved?" Maybe something like this: I have realized that I am not what I should be before God, and have expressed sincere contrition for this. I wish now to learn servanthood, peace, charity, faith, patience, selfless love. I am looking heavenward for strength to be like Jesus. And so, I am in the process of being saved from what I so thoroughly dislike in myself and the world.
Many Christians will balk at the idea of salvation as a process. But this is biblical language. Paul spoke of the gospel this way: "To us who are being saved, it is the power of God." (1 Cor. 1:18) We are "being saved," progressively delivered from what we once were. Salvation is a thing to be worked out (Phil. 2:12).
This is not to deny that some people undergo radical changes overnight. We've all known those who dropped drunkenness, drug use and other destructive behaviors as soon as they put their faith in Christ. For them, salvation manifests itself as a sudden transformation and we should thank God for this. The Spirit blows as it wills and is subject to no one's theology.
But the way of redemption is still, first and foremost, a journey. Those who overemphasize the "saved forever in a moment of time" perspective confuse the beginning of the journey with the journey itself. And that is what salvation is — a disciple's walk with the Teacher.
About the Author
Steve Jones has made his living as a writer since 1989. He spent part of his career as religion editor for a daily newspaper. In the mid-1990s, he also was an interim pastor for a small congregation in Michigan.
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