In the last three episodes of Theology 101, we considered salvation to include Christ’s coming into our hearts, His consequent sojourn in our lives, and the resultant witness given by His fulfillment. Given these irreplaceable truths, Hebrews 2:3 raises an eternally important question when it asks, “How shall we escape if we neglect such great salvation?”
This question takes on added significance when we reflect on the greatness of the salvation God provided by sending his only begotten Son into the world to make that salvation possible. This greatness lies in the fact that salvation is eternal and ideally it also has remarkable significance for life here and now. Many biblical passages could be quoted that show us his greatness.
Resurrection
This week, Theology 101 chooses one of these passages: Ephesians 2:1-3. The first of these three verses says, “And he made you alive, you that were dead in your trespasses and your sins. We could say that one aspect of the greatness of salvation is that it is spiritually a resurrection from the dead. Believers are made alive to fellowship with God here and now, as well as to the prospect of eternity with Him and all His redeemed people.
Exit
The next verse of this brief passage in Ephesians 2 tells us that this great salvation is a release from disobedience. Satan is called “the prince of the power of the air” (v. 2). The often recited model prayer contains the request: “Deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). Our great salvation makes such deliverance possible. Jesus said of some he met, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do your father’s desires. (John 8:44). Thus, Galatians 5:1 implores, “Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has set us free.”
Rescue
The third verse of Ephesians 2 tells us that our great salvation is also a rescue from condemnation. Before coming to Christ, we humans are “children of wrath” delivered “to the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the spirit” (v. 3). Without the salvation that Christ provides, we humans live in double jeopardy – about what we have done (evil) and what we have not done (good). We have all sinned in thought, word, and deed, and we have not loved God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind (Matthew 22:37).
In summary, three major aspects of our great salvation are spiritual resurrection from death, spiritual release from disobedience, and spiritual rescue from eternal condemnation.
