LESSON THREE
SALVATION

A. SALVATION IS THE GREAT INCLUSIVE WORD OF THE GOSPEL.
Scriptural Reference:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16).

The great word “SALVATION” is the theme of the whole Bible, and the theme of every gospel sermon. The great hymns of the church sing of the great salvation wrought by Jesus Christ. We would like to quote Schofield in his note on Romans 1:16: “The Hebrew and Greek words for salvation imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing and soundness. Salvation is the great inclusive word of the gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes; as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification and glorification.”

B. SALVATION IS RECEIVED BY MAN.

In the last unit we studied God’s part in providing salvation. In this unit we shall study man’s part in receiving salvation. What God did for man in providing salvation is found in the four Gospels. What man has to do in receiving salvation is found in the book of Acts. It took death, burial and resurrection on the part of Christ to provide salvation; man has to be identified with Christ in death, burial and resurrection to enter into full salvation.

C. SALVATION IS FROM JESUS CHRIST ALONE.

Scriptural References:
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

From these Scriptures we note that as soon as man sinned God announced His great plan of salvation. Salvation is a gift of God and there is salvation in none other than Jesus.

D. SALVATION IS FOR THE WHOLE MAN.

Scriptural References:
“…Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:17).
“Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God…waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:21-23).
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb…for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9).

Salvation is not merely forgiveness of sins and justification, but it includes cleansing, keeping, regeneration, bodily healing, future resurrection and glorification. Salvation includes the following:
1. Jesus bore our sicknesses,
2. Redemption of the body,
3. Curse lifted from the earth.
The latter two are still future, but the price has been paid. In God’s own time each will be a reality.

E. SALVATION IS IN THREE TENSES: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
The saints can look back into the past to a definite work of grace in their hearts and lives. At the same time they are experiencing a work of grace in their lives daily and are looking forward to the rapture. Salvation as experienced in the life of man, is an act, a process, and a consummation. We have been saved, we are being saved and we shall be saved. In reality, no one is fully saved until the resurrection and glorification.

Salvation may be studied as being the three tenses as follows:

1. PAST – We have been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin.
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
“For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).
“According to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:5).

2. PRESENT – We are being saved from the habit, power and dominion of sin.
“Sin shall not have dominion over you” (Romans 6:14).
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12-13).
“Are changed into the same image from glory to glory” (II Corinthians 3:18).

3. FUTURE – We are saved from the consequences of sin.
“Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:11).
“Unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Peter 1:5).
“Who shall change our vile body” (Philippians 3:20-21).

F. THERE ARE THREE ASPECTS OF SALVATION. There are three aspects of SALVATION: JUSTIFICATION, REGENERATION and

SANCTIFICATION.
All three of these terms describe the same experience of salvation and all begin with the hearing of the Gospel. They do not necessarily speak of different experiences but rather give us different pictures of the same great experience of being saved. All three of these blessings of grace were procured by the atoning death of Christ and imparted to man by the Holy Ghost. Through justification man is declared righteous. Through regeneration a man becomes a child of God, a member of the body of Christ, a member of the Kingdom of God. Through sanctification man becomes a saint.

All three are necessary for full New Testament salvation.
1. JUSTIFICATION: This is a judicial term bringing to our minds a courtroom scene. Man, guilty and condemned before God, is acquitted and declared righteous – that is, justified.
2. REGENERATION AND ADOPTION – This suggests a household scene. The soul, dead in trespasses and in sins, needs a new life, which new life is imparted by a Divine act of regeneration. The person then becomes a child of God and a member of His household.
3. SANCTIFICATION – This suggests a temple scene, for the word is connected primarily with the worship of God. Set right in relation to God’s law and born again to a new life, the person is henceforth dedicated to the service of God. Bought with a price, he is no longer his own; he departs not from the temple (figuratively speaking) but serves God day and night. He is sanctified by God and self-given to God.

G. THERE ARE THREE ELEMENTS IN SALVATION.

Scriptural Reference:
“And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” (I John 5:8). There are three elements in salvation: Blood, Water and Spirit. These are associated together again and again in Scripture. They do not conflict one with the other but rather they agree in one. In the plan of salvation they are in Jesus Christ and made available to the sinner in the Name of Jesus.

The importance of these three elements will be seen when we note how often they are in close
association.

BLOOD WATER SPIRIT
At Creation Revelation 13:8 Genesis 1:2 Genesis 1:2
At the Flood Altar Built Flood Dove (Symbol)
Passover Blood Applied Red Sea Cloud
Mt. Carmel Sacrifice 12 Barrels Fire
Tabernacle Altar Laver Holy Place
To Nicodemus John 3:14 Water Spirit
At Calvary John 19:34 John 19:34 Gave up the Ghost
At Pentecost Acts 2:36 Baptism Holy Ghost

Can we say that any one of these elements is not essential? Certainly not! If that were true, then each of them is important and does a definite work of salvation. Let us not say that any one of them can be left out. Also, let us not say that one has received nothing when he has gone only part way and experienced only one of these elements. Let us remember that there are three and that they agree in one work of salvation.

H. WHAT IS THE SCRIPTURAL ORDER?

Often the question is asked, “When is the blood applied?” In reply to this we must keep to the Scripture. What was the order at the Passover? In the Tabernacle? At Mt. Carmel? In each case it was blood, water and spirit. Naturally the blood cannot be applied literally. It is a matter of faith in the atonement. It is a FAITH UNTO OBEDIENCE that receives and appropriates the atoning virtue of the shed blood. It is the opinion of the writer that this becomes an experience at the Birth of the Word, which compares with conception in the natural birth. Remember that the three – Blood, Water and Spirit – are all in the Name of Jesus.

I. SALVATION IS NEGLECTED AT A FEARFUL COST.
There is only one plan of salvation provided for us by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Unbelief and rejection of Jesus Christ means eternal loss of the soul of man in hell fire, which was prepared for the devil, and his angels. References: John 3:18-21; Hebrews 2:1-4; Hebrews 10:28-29; and I John 5:10.

LESSON THREE
SELF HELP TEST

A. Name the THREE TENSES of Salvation:
a. _____________________
b. _____________________
c. _____________________

B. Name the THREE ASPECTS of Salvation:
a. ___________________________
b. ___________________________
c. ___________________________

C. Name the THREE ELEMENTS of Salvation:
a. ________________
b. ________________
c. ________________

D. Fill in the blanks showing the importance of the THREE ELEMENTS of Salvation.
BLOOD WATER SPIRIT
At Creation ______________ ______________ ______________
Passover ______________ ______________ ______________
Mt. Carmel ______________ ______________ ______________
Tabernacle ______________ ______________ ______________