Soteriology: The Doctrine of Salvation-3

Dr. Pothana's Teaching

2. Dr. Pothana's Teaching

3. The Nature of Salvation

4. The Natureof Salvation
I. Aspects of Salvation
II. Stages of Salvation
III. Means of Salvation
IV. Exclusivity of Salvation

5. I. Aspects of Salvation
A. Salvation
–Greek:
Soteria, soterionΣωτηρία, Σωτηρία (nouns).The adjective
is soterios Σωτήριοςfrom which we get the word
soteriology.
–Meaning:
Means deliverance, preservation, or salvation. It is
sometimes used of physical deliverance (cf. Luke 1:69, 71;
Acts 7:25; 27:37) such as Paul's desire to be delivered or
released from prison when he wrote: "I know that through
your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance"
(Phil. 1:19).

6. I. Aspects of Salvation
A. Salvation
–Meaning:
Spiritually, salvation refers to the process by which
God delivers sinners from the prison of sin by the
work of Christ.Paul declared, "I am not ashamed of
the gospel, because it is the power of God for the
salvation of everyone who believes"(Romans 1:16 cf.
Eph. 1:13.). He added later, "For it is with your heart
that you believe and are justified, and it is with your
mouth that you confess and are saved" (Rom. 10:10).
Peter announced: "Salvation is found in no-one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given to men by
which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12)

7. I. Aspects of Salvation
B. Redemption
–Greek:
The English term is translated by several Greek
words : apolutrosis; lutron; antilutron; agoradzo.
(απόπτωση; λουτρό; αντιλότρο; αγορατζό)
–Meaning:
The basic meaning of redemption is to ransom,
deliver, buy back, or pay a price for. It means
that Christ paid a price to redeem man. He paid
the debt that sinners had incurred against God.

8. I. Aspects of Salvation
B. Redemption
–Support:
“. . . being justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24)
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His
grace(Eph. 1:7).
“. . . who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be
testified in due time” (1 Tim. 2:6).
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many" (Mk. 10:45).

9. I. Aspects of Salvation
C. Justification
–Greek:
Dikaios-just or right(eous) (Matt. 1:19 Gal.
3:11).
Dikaiosunee –righteousness. It can refer to
practical justification (Matt. 3:15; 5:6,10; 6:13-
20; Phil. 1:11) or positional justification (Rom.
1:17 Gal. 2:21).
Dikaioo-justify, or justified. It sometimes refers
to God (Luke 7:29), or Christ (1Tim 3:16), of
salvation (Acts 13:39; Rom. 5:1)

10. I. Aspects of Salvation
C. Justification
–Meaning:
Justification is the act of God by which we who are
unrighteous in ourselves are nevertheless declared
righteous before God.
In Scripture the means of obtaining this
declaration is faith in the promises of God (Rom.
4:20).
Believing in Christ results in righteousness being
credited to sinners (Rom. 3:21-23) apart from
works (Rom. 1:17; 3:20; 4:2-5).

11. I. Aspects of Salvation
C. Justification
“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if
righteousness comes through the law, then Christ
died in vain” (Gal. 2:21).
Romans 4:2-5 is a key passage: "If, in fact,
Abraham was justified by works, he had something
to boast about--but not before God. What does the
Scripture say? `Abraham believed God, and it was
credited to him as righteousness.' Now when a man
works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but
as an obligation. However, to the man who does not
work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his
faith is credited as righteousness."

12. I. Aspects of Salvation
D. Regeneration
–Greek:
Paliggenesia-regeneration, rebirth, or spiritual
renovation. (Mt.19:28 -of Messianic renovation;
Titus 3:5 -of salvation).
–Meaning:
Regeneration is the impartation of spiritual life to
the soul of those who were “dead in trespasses and
sin” (Eph. 2:1); they are “made alive” by God
“through faith” in Christ (Eph. 2:8).
A parallel concept is new birth, or being “born
again” or “born from above” (John 3:6-7; 1 Pet.
1:23). They get a "new heart" by repenting (Eze.
11:19).

13. I. Aspects of Salvation
E. Regeneration
Paul declared that God "... saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit..." (Titus 3:5).
Regeneration, a work of God through the Holy
Spirit, results in sonship that endures for all
eternity. John wrote: "Yet to all who received him,
to those who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God…." (John 1:12-13).
Paul added, "You are all sons of God through faith
in Christ Jesus..." (Gal. 3:26).

14. I. Aspects of Salvation
F. Reconciliation
–Greek:
Katallasso-to reconcile or bring together (cf. Mt.
5:23-24; Rom. 5:10; 1Cor. 7:11.
Katallaga -reconciliation, bringing together
(Rom. 5:11; Rom. 11:15 (of Gentiles); 2Cor. 5:18,
19).
Hilaskomai -is "reconciliation" (Heb.2:17).
–Meaning:
Fallen human beings need to be reconciled to
God because sin has alienated them from God by
breaking their fellowship (2 Cor. 5:18-20).
Reconciliation is the removal of the enmity
towards God of a carnal mind (Rom. 8:7).

15. I. Aspects of Salvation
F. Reconciliation
“Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His
brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High
Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for
the sins of the people" (Heb.2:17).
Paul urged, “Now all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has
given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was
in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing
their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word
of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for
Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we
implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God”(2
Cor. 5:18-20).

16. I. Aspects of Salvation
G. Sanctification
–Greek:
Hagiasmos-consecration, purification, holiness.
–Meaning:
Sanctification is the act whereby God sets the believer
apart to Himself. Through sanctification, God delivers
the believer from his propensity to sin and prepares him
for service in God’s kingdom.
–Support:
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you
should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you
should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification
and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do
not know God” (1 Thess. 4:3-5).

17. II. Stages of Salvation
A. The Process of Salvation
–1. Justification:
Saved from thepenaltyof sin (one time act).
–2. Sanctification:
Saved from thepowerof sin (present process).
–3. Glorification:
Saved from the presenceof sin (future culmination).

18. II. Stages of Salvation
1. Justification
–Meaning:
Justification is the initial stage of salvation. It is the act
whereby God declares the sinner righteous through faith
in Christ alone. It is a legal status conferred by God in
relation to His Law.
–Significance:
The doctrine of justification is essential to the doctrine of
salvation by grace through faith alone apart from works.
The charge against sinners is unbelief (John 3:18).
Justification is God’s declaration “not guilty.”

19. II. Stages of Salvation
1. Justification
–Necessity of:
Total depravity. Because human beings are corrupted by
sin in every facet of their being, it is necessary for
redemption that a means be provided whereby the sinner
can attain to righteous apart from self effort or works
(John 15:5).
Original sin. Because all human beings since the fall of
Adam are sinners by birth (Psa. 51:5) and are “by nature
the children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3), it necessary that God
by His goodness provide the a means of their
redemption.

20. II. Stages of Salvation
1. Justification
–Support:
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom
the Lord does not impute iniquity” (Psa. 32:1-2).
Paul stated, “...God was in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to
them...” (2 Cor. 5:19).

21. II. Stages of Salvation
2. Sanctification
–Meaning:
Sanctification is the process by which God delivers us
from the power of sin. Whereas in justification God
declaresus to be righteous, in sanctification God makesus
righteous.
–Necessity:
While justification deals with the penaltyof sin it does
not address the propensityfor sin inherent in fallen
human nature. God by sanctification gives us the power
to be victorious over the sin in our lives (Rom. 7:14-18).

22. II. Stages of Salvation
2. Sanctification
–Arenas:
The world(1John 5:4).
The flesh(Rom. 7:24-25).
TheDevil (Jas. 4:7).
–Steps:
Knowing-recognizing that we are dead to sin
through Christ (Rom. 6:6).
Reckoning –counting that it is a fact (Rom. 6:11)
Yielding-submitting ourselves to God (Rom. 6:13)

23. II. Stages of Salvation
2. Sanctification
–Requirements:
Because the third step in sanctification involves
yieldedness, it does not follow automatically from
justification (Rom. 6:13). It involves cooperation on our
part; we must submit to God’s sanctifying grace.
Spiritual maturity is the natural fruit of sanctification
and is God’s plan for every believer. Hebrews says, “For
though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need
someone to teach you again the first principles of the
oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not
solid food”(Heb. 5:12). Thus, spiritual immaturity is the
result of resisting the work of the Spirit.

24. II. Stages of Salvation
3. Glorification
–Meaning:
Glorification is the future act whereby God delivers His
people from the very presenceof sin. It is the
culmination of God’s work of salvation.
–Process:
God accomplishes our glorification by transforming our
corrupted bodies into incorruptible bodies. “For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must
put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on
incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then
shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is
swallowed up in victory’”( 1 Cor. 15:53-54).

25. II. Stages of Salvation
3. Glorification
–Necessity:
To abolish sin (1 John 3:2). Because our bodies are still
corrupted by sin, we must be given new incorruptible
bodies. (Philip. 3:21)
To see God. No mortal man can see God and live (Ex.
33:20; Jn. 1:18), but yet seeing God face to face has been
the desire of the saints throughout the ages (1 John 3.2;
Rev. 22:4). Only by being transformed can this desire be
fulfilled.
To perfect freedom. The desire for righteousness is
presently hindered by the presence of sin in the body.
However, glorification fulfills the desire of every true
believer for freedom from sin (Rom. 7:15-17).

26. II. Stages of Salvation
3. Glorification
–Certainty:
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation
eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom.
8:18-19).
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet
been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He
is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as
He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies
himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

27. III. Means of Salvation
A. The Work of Christ
–His death:
Substitutionary atonement. Christ is our
substitute in death. His death on our behalf
releases us from the condemnation of the Law.
–His resurrection:
Bodily resurrection. God ties our life to Christ’s
life, i.e. His resurrection (Rom. 5:10). We are
raised from death by Him (Jn. 14:19).

28. III. Means of Salvation
B. Atonement
–Hebrew:
Kaphar. Literally, it means to cover, but it also
carries a broader meaning of expiation,
condoning, wiping away, placating, or canceling.
As a covering. “Make yourself an ark of gopher
wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside
and outside with pitch[kaphar]” (Gen. 6:14).

29. III. Means of Salvation
B. Atonement
As expiation. “When the sin which they have committed
becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull
for the sin, and bring it before the tabernacle of meeting.
And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on
the head of the bull before the Lord.Then the bull shall be
killed before the Lord. The anointed priest shall bring some
of the bull’s blood to the tabernacle of meeting. Then the
priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven
times before the Lord, in front of the veil. ‘And he shall put
some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before
the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of meeting…. So the
priest shall make atonementfor them, and it shall be
forgiventhem. Then he shall carry the bull outside the
camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is a sin
offering for the assembly” (Lev. 4:14-21).

30. III. Means of Salvation
3. Atonement
–Greek:
Hiloskomai-to propitiate, expiate, or conciliate.
“Therefore, in all things He had to be made like
His brethren, that He might be a merciful and
faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to
make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb.
2:17).

31. III. Means of Salvation
4. Substitutionary Atonement
–The necessity:
God’s justice. God is too holy to excuse sin (Hab. 1:13). It
must be punished. Someone (Christ) had to bear the
punishment that was due to sinners.
Total depravity. Because human beings are depraved
they are unable to earn their salvation. Being guilty
before God (Rom. 3:19), justice (death) must be upheld
against sinners. Only a substitutionary death can remove
that guilt.
Old Testament Sacrifices. The laying on of hands
symbolized the transference of guilt (Lev. 1:3-4).

32. III. Means of Salvation
4. Substitutionary Atonement
–The necessity:
Isaiah 53:5-6: “But He was wounded for our
transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. . . . And the Lord
has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
The Passover lamb. The lamb sacrificed at
Passover was a substitute and Christ is our
Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7).
Ransom. Jesus said His death was given as a
ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

33. III. Means of Salvation
4. Substitutionary Atonement
–Conclusion:
It was necessary that Christ must die as a
substitute for sinners in order to fulfill all
righteousness and to satisfy the wrath of God.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for
us, that we might become the righteousness of God
in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

34. III. Means of Salvation
5. Christ’s Life
–Resurrection:
By His life, we have life. It is the power of His
resurrection that empowers us to live godly lives.
“Therefore we were buried with Him through
baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life. For if we
have been united together in the likeness of His
death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of
His resurrection” (Rom. 6:4-6).

35. IV. The Exclusiveness of Salvation
Salvation is:
Provided bygrace alone (Titus 3:5; Rom. 11:6).
Based onthe work of Christ alone(Jn. 14:6; Acts
4:12; 1Tim. 2:5: Heb. 9:22).
Received byfaith alone(Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 4:4-5)

36. Dr. Pothana
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Email: [email protected]