A Note to my precious DBNB folks

Folks,
I have not been able to stop thinking about all the dialogue we've had about the meaning of "salvation" in the New Testament, especially last night. Let me say something on the subject that I think can point us to the root of the issue.

Many Christians want "salvation" to mean that everything is settled between me and God. When one says, "I was saved on such and such a date," what s/he means – or wants to mean - is that on that date, my status in the eyes of God changed. Because I received or accepted Christ, or prayed the prayer (or however each of you states it) my sins were forgiven and I was accepted unconditionally into the grace, love and complete care of God. And because it is unconditional, that acceptance can not be lost. My fate after death is settled.

All of this is absolutely true. Because of (a) God's wonderful grace, (b) Christ's redemptive work on the cross, and (c) one's embrace of that through faith, that unconditional acceptance and change of status has taken place.

And if that was all the Bible had to say on the subject of "salvation," there would be
nothing more to discuss, and we could move on.

But the fact is, many struggle on a regular basis with this scenario, asking questions like, If I'm "saved," why don't I FEEL "saved"? If I'm "saved," why do I get no persistent victory over my besetting sin(s)? If I'm "saved," why do I still experience so much fear or shame or regret or anger or depression or disfunctionality?

I challenge you to go to one of the several Bible search websites and look up all the many different uses of the words, "save," "saved," and "salvation." If you do, you will be shocked to find that - even though we are unconditionally accepted by God - there is still a lot of "saving" (rescuing, getting back what was lost) to do. There is a great deal going on in our hearts and lives that is not taken care of merely by being accepted by God.

If I see a pathetic lost dog in the street - hungry, cold, wet, weary, beat up, and near death, and I pick him up and take him home, then we can say I have "saved" that dog. But what kind of person would I be if I just brought it home, put it in the back yard, and didn't feed, warm, dry, heal and love it? And if the dog had been in that condition long enough, the fact is, he'd probably respond to me with a great deal of distrust, defensiveness, meanness, and who knows what else. He might even try to run away from me - simply out of habit. It's going to take some time for that dog to heal, and to gradually grow into the kind of happy, fruitful "dogginess" I have in mind for him. If none of that takes place, my initial picking him up and taking him home is still a kind of salvation, but who gives a sh*t?

Honestly, I think that what is often at the root of this problem (the meaning of salvation) is that many want to be able to feel like their status with God and their eternal destiny are secure, so that they are now "free" to govern their own lives, however foolishly or corruptly, without having to worry about any eternal consequences. It's as if some folks say unconsciously, "OK, I've handled the whole Hell thing, and I no longer have to feel condemned for all the sh*t in my life, and I can now feel superior to anyone who isn't "saved." Now I can go on pursuing my own agenda, my own brand of "righteousness" (or the lack of it), and I can seek to build my own little kingdom in which I'm the boss. Without having to worry about my fate after death."

I can assure you that, if such a "salvation" is found in the New Testament, I don't see it. On the contrary, I will fight against it every time I get the opportunity. If that was the "salvation" God had in mind, he would not be worthy of our respect – let alone our devotion. Here's the issue in a nutshell:

God accepts us, but we still have a problem with Him, and with the other dogs he has brought home. In the New Testament, salvation includes solving those problems too, and then much, much more.