In case you missed it, you should read the conversation in the comments section of the “Isn’t She Beautiful” post from January 25th (link). It stemmed from my dislike of Rob Bell’s theology, specifically his expressed views on salvation and redemption. I see the individual’s salvation in Scripture as part of the redemption of the entire cosmos. So what do I see in Scripture that tells us what salvation is? And what does it mean to be saved? And how does one become saved? Well, let’s start with the basics, with the simplest Biblical scriptures. Because these are accurate theological statements, they can be found throughout Scripture on the basis of exegesis and hermeneutics.
- We are in need of salvation, because we are totally evil and subject to the wrath of God, even though He wishes otherwise. (Romans 3:23)
- Because we are totally evil, we will never be able to come to God on our own. (Romans 3:10-11, 8:7-9)
- We have been called to salvation, before we even know it. That is, we have been selected for salvation. There is no reason for our selection, other than God’s own sovereign choice. (Ephesians 1:4-5,11)
- The means of our salvation, that is how it is accomplished, is this: the substitution of Jesus the Christ, God’s perfect, begotten (and therefore Jesus is God) Son for our sins. This is accomplished on the cross, crucifixion. The substitution is a one-time thing because of Jesus’ resurrection, conquering our sins, and throwing them away forever. (Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 10:1-14)
- The means is useless unless it is accepted. One accepts the substitution by placing their hand on Christ’s head, just as it was in the Mosaic law. We accept the sacrifice through faith in Christ. (Romans 3:26-31)
- Salvation is not a one-time thing. It is a continual regeneration of the entire body, until it is finalized upon either death or Christ’s return. (1 Corinthians 1:7-9)
Now where do works come into play? This seems to be the confusion on behalf of many, including Pastor Bell. Some people think that we are saved because our works line up with Jesus. This is not true. We are saved through faith. But, as with any belief one holds, works follow. You set your alarm clock at night because you have faith that tomorrow is coming and you want to wake up at a certain time. You may set your alarm clock, but if you don’t believe tomorrow is coming and you don’t want to wake up at a certain time, it’s meaningless. You’re just doing it to do it. On the other hand, if you have faith that tomorrow is coming and you want to wake up at a certain time, it is necessary to set your alarm clock. Without that work of setting your alarm clock, your faith is, in essence, dead. (James 2)
Hope this example clears some things up about the relation between faith and works. Please feel free to comment.