In Hebrews 2:3 we read “How shall we escape if we neglect SO GREAT A SALVATION, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” (NKJV). Salvation is SO GREAT because there are THREE ASPECTS of salvation that meet every need that the sinner has. Let’s go over each of these and we’ll see that Scripture has much to say about each one.

1) SALVATION from the PENALTY OF SIN (Past Aspect). The word “salvation” means “deliverance” and in this aspect of salvation God is offering the sinner deliverance from the “penalty of sin.” The Bible says “the wages of sin is DEATH” (Romans 6:23) and “it is appointed unto to men once to die and after this the JUDGMENT” (Hebrews 9:27). On the cross of Calvary Jesus Christ took the sinner’s place in DEATH and JUDGMENT so that the believing sinner can be “delivered from death and judgment.” In John 10:9 Jesus promised the believer INSTANT SALVATION, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, HE WILL BE SAVED.” We who have been saved can preach this same message of salvation. The Apostle Paul told a repentant jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and YOU WILL BE SAVED.” Once a sinner believes on Christ as their Savior they can have the ASSURANCE OF SALVATION through many passages of Scripture. Here are two well-known passages: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED….For by grace YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (John 3:16-17 and Ephesians 2:8-9).

2) SALVATION from the POWER OF SIN (Present Aspect). The believer, though born of God and possessing a New Nature (see 2nd Peter 1:4), still has the Old Nature of sin that he/she was born with (see Romans 7:18-20) and needs to be “delivered from it.” Jesus spoke of this deliverance He can give to the believer in John 8:34 & 36, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a SLAVE OF SIN…therefore if the Son makes you free, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED.” It is through Christs “risen and glorified LIFE” that we can experience this PRESENT SALVATION from one moment to the next. The following two verses speak of this: “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE…Therefore He is also able to SAVE TO THE UTTERMOST those who come to God through Him, since HE ALWAYS LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM” (Romans 5:10 and Hebrews 7:25).

3) SALVATION from the PRESENCE OF SIN (Future Aspect). We have seen that the believing sinner is saved from death and judgment by Christ’s DEATH and saved from power of the sinful nature by Christ’s LIFE, yet the day is coming when our salvation will be complete at the COMING OF CHRIST. He will then give us GLORIFIED BODIES and this will complete our salvation. The following passages assure us of this final phase of our salvation: “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To THOSE WHO EAGERLY WAIT FOR HIM HE WILL APPEAR A SECOND TIME, apart from sin, FOR SALVATION…For our citizenship is in heaven, from which WE ALSO EAGERLY WAIT FOR THE SAVIOR, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODY THAT IT MAY BE CONFORMED TO HIS GLORIOUS BODY” (Hebrews 9:28 and Philippians 3:20-21).

In conclusion, Christ’s DEATH HAS SAVED US from perishing in hell; Christ’s LIFE IS SAVING US from sinning, and Christ’s COMING WILL SAVE US by giving us new bodies and translating us to heaven!  (441.3)  (DO)