Title: Romans 1:16, Salvation from what?
Contents
14 Salvation from what?
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (1:16).
I want to stay a little longer on verse 16. Because it feels so important. Verse 16 One verse contains all the important elements related to the gospel. These are “the gospel, faith, salvation, and power.” And you will see that they are paired with each other. “Gospel and faith” are paired, and “salvation and power” are paired. The gospel is received by faith, and salvation comes only through power. And the four elements work together as one power to save souls who were dead in trespasses and sins.
① It says, “This gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (p. 16). Then, what does salvation mean from what? “Be saved, are you sure of your salvation? The word salvation is often used easily, such as “I am saved”, but I would like to take a closer look at what salvation really means.
㉠ First, we must be saved from the ruler of sin. The ruler refers to Satan. Before the fathers of mankind followed the words of Satan, they were God's people in the image of God. However, after being sold for the price of sin, he became a slave to Satan.
㉡ “At that time you walked in them, after the customs of this world, and after the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). In Hebrews 2, the purpose of Jesus Christ's coming to this earth in the flesh is "to remove those who have had the power of death, the devil, and to release all those who are enslaved by the fear of death" (Hebrews 2). 2:14-15) says.
㉢ That is why the Lord calls Satan “the ruler of this world” (John 31). But unbelievers do not know this. Because Satan is “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). By what I mean, Satan did not say, “In the day you eat, you will be my servants.” He lied, saying, “You will become like God.” Even now, people are living a “self-centered” life as if they are living for themselves, unaware that they are being enslaved by Satan and are being led to destruction. First, all people must be saved from the power of Satan.
② Second, we must be saved from the responsibility of sin. Just as the debtor has a responsibility to pay it off, so with sin comes responsibility.
㉠ So, if you commit a sin, you will fall into a sense of guilt that you cannot escape from. The law holds accountability for sin. Therefore, they are demanding that the execution be executed, as declared, “the wages of sin is death.” No one is exempt from guilt or free from self-reliance.
㉡ How did God solve this problem? “What the law could not do, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh” (8:3). “He did not hold our sins on them, but he made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:19, 21). “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (8:1). Everyone must be saved from this guilt. Otherwise, you will be responsible for your own sins.
③ Third, we must be saved from the pollution of sin. Adam sinned as a representative of mankind. Thus, as “I was born in iniquity, my mother conceived me in sin” (Psalm 51:5), so the pollution spread to all mankind.
㉡ God, who has begun a good work in us, “who has washed it with water and made it clean with the word, sanctifying it and setting it up before him as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or such, holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27) You will. We must be saved from the contamination of sin.
④ Lastly, even the “mortal body” must be saved. We have been saved, but it is a spirit, not a body.
㉠ Not only does the element of sin remain in the body, but it is also a mortal, mortal body. The apostle 8:11 says, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
㉡ “Not only this, but also we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, also groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies” (8:23), and our lowly bodies give glory to the Lord. On the day you change like your body, salvation will be complete.
⑤ It is necessary to revisit what I have said so far in terms of time. If you study the Bible, you will see that it is said that we have been saved in the past perfect tense, but it also says that we are being saved in the present, and also in the future tense that we will be saved in the future. That's why it's helpful to explain salvation in time steps.
㉠ Salvation does not just mean going to heaven at the moment of death. Christians have already been saved from the power of Satan. They have passed from death to life. You died in the kingdom of death where Satan reigns, and you are reborn in the kingdom of life where the Lord reigns. We are also saved from guilt. Because our Lord has already paid the price for sin. Formerly sold for sin, but now the Lord has paid the ransom (Din 2:6), and now we are freed from the responsibility of sin. These two have already been made in the past.
㉡ However, we are still being saved from the pollution of sin. Just as we wash our hands and feet when we return from work, while we live in an evil world like a mud pit, we get dirty without knowing it. Therefore, it is necessary to wash your feet daily, even if you are “already bathed” (John 13:10). This is called sanctification.
㉢ Sanctification cannot be completed in this world. That is why we must receive salvation every day. This belongs to the present. Let's not say too easily that I have already been saved. The same emphasis must be placed on the fact that we are still being saved every day.
㉣ And there are still things to be saved in the future. It is waiting for the redemption of the body. We have the hope that our lowly body will be transformed into the glorious body of the Lord. What in the world can that glory be compared to?
⑥ As mentioned above, the gospel has the power to “save a mortal body from the power of sin, from the responsibility of sin, from the pollution of sin.”
㉠ We have already been saved in the past. You are currently being saved. In the future, salvation will be consummated. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.
Let's meditate.
1. It is said that the gospel saves those who believe. What is salvation from?
2. Let's talk about the past, present, and future aspects of salvation.
3, Are you making progress in your present salvation, that is, sanctification?