We mentioned in the previous post that “spiritual growth” is a life-long journey that begins immediately after we are initially saved and continues until we depart from this life. Before we actually begin this journey, it is important that we first check to see if we are prepared for it; in other words, what must be in place before we begin this journey. Here, we are referring to salvation—“are you saved?”

When I was growing up, I heard people talking about “getting saved” but I had no idea of what they were talking about. It sounded as if only people of certain denominations were speaking of being saved. Some of these people were first time church goers and on their first visit, they “got saved”. I thought maybe they were talking about joining church or feeling overwhelmed with emotions like members of our church would do when they started shouting. I could not understand why they called it “getting saved”. In our church, I don’t recall hearing anyone talking about “getting saved”. I was curious and I wanted to know what that meant but no one I asked was able to tell me. I do remember hearing the Scripture: “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved and he that does not believe shall be damned” (Mark 16:16) KJV). That verse stayed in my mind because it had a “curse” word in it—“damned”. As a child, I did not pay attention to the “saved” word, I was just surprised that “damned” was in the Bible. When I inquired about it, I was told it meant whosoever believed in the Lord Jesus Christ would go to Heaven and whosoever did not believe would “go to hell”— another “curse” word. In our church we were Christians, we were members of “this” Church, we believed that if we were good we would go to Heaven when we died; but if we were not good, we would go to “h-e-l-l”. But what did it mean to “get saved”?, I had no idea.

On the adult side, the picture is not much different. As important as I now understand it to be, I still do not hear many people saying that they ”got saved” or that they are saved. And when I do hear the expression, it usually comes from people who share a particular denominational belief. I am not saying that members of other Christian denominations do not believe they are saved.  I am saying, however, “being saved” is not publicly announced as much as it is among members of this particular denominational belief.

I do not know what an individual means when he says is saved, but the more I read about it, pray for understanding of the true meaning of it and reflect on my own religious experience, the more I am convinced that all Christians should seek to identify with the idea of being saved. In fact, if you are not saved you cannot go on this spiritual growth journey that we are speaking of at this time, because this is a journey into the kingdom of God and Jesus said that if you are not born again you cannot even see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). So to go on this spiritual growth journey, you must be saved.

So, just what does it mean to be saved? When one says she is saved she is saying that she has received salvation. But what is salvation? Generally speaking, salvation is, (according to M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain): the act of saving someone from sin or evil: the state of being saved from sin or evil : something that saves someone or something from danger or a difficult situation.

From a theological perspective, salvation is an act of God that delivers not only individual men, but the world from the sin that has plagued the world since the fall of man. It is an act whereby God is “initiating us into a fellowship and making us true conversational partners with the Father and the Son through the Spirit and, hence, with each other (1 John 1:1-4)” (Simon Chan, Spiritual Theology, p.78). In other words, salvation is an act of the Almighty God that opens a way for us to enjoy a life with Him as He originally intended—one where we ”… love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:5); and “…love thy neighbour as thyself…” (Lev. 19:18). Salvation, therefore, delivers us from the distorted perceptions afforded us by the carnal mind (temporal things) and focuses us on the spiritual aspect of living (eternal things); it removes the barrier of sin that prevents us from having that righteous relationship with God.

Theologians describe salvation as a process that begins with justification and regeneration; and extends to sanctification and ultimately glorification. Justification and regeneration are understood to be a once for all act; but sanctification is continuous (progressive) and finally ends when we meet with our ultimate destiny of glorification or union with God.

The focus of this discussion is the beginning of the salvation process, therefore, we will be discussing justification and regeneration. These are not two separate acts but two aspects of one act. These two parts come so close together in the initial stage of salvation that it is difficult to determine which one comes first. This particular point is very much debated among scholars—each providing his/her own rationale in support of his/her position. Whichever one comes first, it is immediately followed by the other; they always come together but are understood to be two very distinct aspects.

Although scholars cannot agree on which aspect comes first when discussing the two, justification is usually discussed first. We will do the same thing here. So let us look to see what we are talking about when we speak of justification.

The dictionary defines justification as: “the act, process, or state of being justified by God” and to be justified means “to provide or be a good reason for (something) : to prove or show (something) to be just, right, or reasonable” and to be just means:  “acting or being in conformity with what is morally upright or good :  righteous”. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/justification)  The dictionary is therefore saying that justification is an act that proves or shows something to be just, right, or reasonable as it relates to conforming to what is morally upright or good–righteous.

From a theological point of view justification can be defined as follows:

Justification can be defined as that act of God whereby He declares absolutely righteous any and all who take shelter in the blood of Christ as their only hope for salvation. Justification is a legal term which changes the believing sinner’s standing before God, declaring him acquitted and accepted by God, with the guilt and penalty of his sins put away forever. (Source: See note below.)

Justification, in other words, is the saving work of Jesus Christ. He is the only one who could declare a sinful man righteous. A righteous God required a pure and righteous sacrifice to make atonement for a sinful world. Jesus, who knew no sin (righteous), took on the sins of the world and was crucified on a cross to free us from the debt of sin. He died, was buried and was resurrected, all to the glory of God; and as a result, made it possible for us to have an intimate, righteous relationship with His Father and our God.

As we said, justification is only one aspect of this initial saving act. The other aspect of this saving act of God is regeneration. Regeneration is defined as follows: The English word “regeneration” is the translation of palingenesia, from palin (again) and genesis (birth). It means simply a new birth, a new beginning, a new order.

The following is a more elaborate definition of regeneration from a theological perspective:

Regeneration then, may be defined as an act of God whereby He bestows upon the believing sinner new life. This life is God’s own life, the imparting of His own nature. God Himself is the Source and Bestower of His life, so that believers are said to be “partakers of the Divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), “created in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10), “born of God” (John 1:13), “born again” (John 3:3, 7), “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). (Source: See note below.)

According to this definition of regeneration we can say that God is regenerating or making us over in His spiritual image and likeness—the way He intended us to be when He first created man. He wants us to share in this Divine nature—His nature of love and righteousness. He is doing this through His Son, Jesus whom He sent to the world to redeem us unto Himself.

Since we are regenerated or “born again” we can now begin to function in this newness of life. Things have new meanings, priorities change—it is not my will but thine be done. We cast all my cares on Him for He cares for us; we lean not to our own understanding but in all our ways we acknowledge Him; and we abandon self centeredness, arrogance, pride, etc. for bringing glory to God’s name. We have a new found peace, joy and happiness in this new life; not because we do not have problems—we might have even more—but because we know that God will deliver us from them all.

Now when we say we are saved, we know that to mean that we have been justified by God through the atoning death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—freed from the bondage of sin and declared righteous. We have been regenerated—born again. We walk in the newness of life and share in God’s own Divine nature of spiritual righteousness. We are a new creation. We are saved!

 

 

 

 

Points for Consideration and Meditation:

• Consider this: Through justification your sins are forgiven and through regeneration you are a new creation.
• Meditate on this: Are you growing in the newness of your life? Are you becoming more spiritual minded?

 

Note:  Source –  Regeneration, Justification and Sanctification, by Lehman Strauss, Bible.org

For further reading,  Article by Lehman Strauss,