This summer I was invited to an aunt’s birthday celebration and was asked to share some words. I had written a nice little , on my flight, to attend the celebration, the Lord spoke to my heart - God had a different message. This is that message; The Truth About Salvation.
John 3:16 “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” When we think and talk about that scripture, we become focused on heaven. Why? Because we have been told the lie of religion that eternal life is about going to heaven. If eternal life is not heaven, what is it? When we want to understand scripture, we should always interpret scripture with scripture.
John 17:3 says, “now this is eternal they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent”.
Based on what Jesus said, eternal life is that we may know the only true God and know Jesus Christ Whom He sent. Religion has switched the focus of eternal life and salvation to a destination, but eternal life and our salvation are about a relationship that involves a destination. That destination is not just heaven, it is about a place in Christ
In John 14:3, Jesus announced to His disciples "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. a place for you – not heaven but the in Christ realm
Salvation is an invitation to a relationship, to vital fellowship and to a life of purpose. This life of purpose can only be lived from a place. This place is ‘in Christ’. Salvation introduces you to an out of the box God for an out of the box life – lived seated in Christ. Salvation is from the Greek word ‘soteria’, the all-inclusive word of the gospel. Hebrews 1:14 refers to us as the heirs of salvation or soteria. Soteria means deliverance, preservation, wholeness, That word soteria also includes the Hebrew word for salvation or peace – ‘shalom’ which means - shalom means "completeness, wholeness, peace, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, absence of agitation or discord, to be complete, perfect and full. The famous bible scholar Scofield says - Salvation is the great inclusive word of the gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification.” Through salvation each of us has become an heir of salvation and all that is contained in soteria and shalom is yours. Take it! Until the next newsletter, stay strong in your walk in the Lord and enjoy salvation.
Yours in His service,
Ayodola & the W2NM Team
