Irreplaceable and non-negotiable is the central message of the Bible, which is Christ and the salvation he brings. As the central message of the bible, all other messages must be viewed in the light of it otherwise, it is a diversion from truth. Scriptures like Luke 24:27,44 and John 1:45 establish strongly that the bible is Christo-centric. While scriptures such as John 5:38-40, 45-47, Acts 10:43, 1 Peter 1:10-13 confirm that any such claim of upholding the law and prophets that does not point to salvation in Christ was just not correct. It means that God’s plan and implementation of salvation through Christ is the only message any part of the bible reveals, and that must be seen as such by all. Not forgetting that if Christ, of His fullness have we all received Grace for Grace, John 1:14-16

What salvation is not

Several views of salvation have been put forth without a corresponding balance of scripture to affirm such views. These views presented gave salvation as a lot of such things that were ritualistic shadows and settled in them as their finality. However, properly perusing scripture reveals among others, such things as water baptism, reformation, religious
rituals not meaning or being salvation.

In the case of baptism, the misinterpretation of Mathew 28:18-20, John 3:5, and Titus 3:5, among others, have been the basis of their confusion. However, these figurative expressions were pointing to the cleansing power of the Word as revealed in John 15:3 and Ephesians 5:26.

Reformation and character modification either way also do not engender salvation at all. Those with this view see salvation as a stage or an advanced step in human developmental process. This also is refuted by Romans 11:6 and Titus 3:5.

Luke 18:10-14 also reveals that depending on religious rituals for spiritual recognition is pride and self-exaltation that leads to ‘abasement’. Salvation does not result in abasing anybody, no matter the matter. We emphasize that it is not abominable to go through these rituals and possess the trait above since they fulfil all righteousness and possess the trait above. However, these are not and can never be substitutes for the real deal of salvation.

What salvation is

Salvation, therefore, is being delivered from sin and its consequences and being released into a new kingdom. Matthew 1:21 and Acts 16:30-31 show that salvation has a more eternal and spiritual outlook. However, Philippians 1:16-19 adds that there are physical and instant dimensions to it also. Romans 5:12 answers the question of where sin came from for which we require to be delivered. Take notice of the fact that it was a singular act of sin that made the world sinful. That is why in
response, Jesus primarily came to deal with same sin to free the world of sinfulness (see Isaiah 53:10, John 1:29, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 1:7). These therefore, bring to the fore that salvation involves cleansing from sin by the blood of Jesus, 1 Corinthians 6:11.

Change in standing and relation is one important trait of salvation where the previous one of guilt and condemnation is extinct into acquittal and acceptation. By a divine judicial act, the saved has been declared righteous not by merits but by standing (Psalm 32:2, Romans 4:8, Romans 8:1).

Another character of our salvation is the New Birth it gives us without any variableness or shadow of turning, John 1:12-13, James 1:18, 1 John 5:1. This is not an evolution but a revolution, not imitation but implantation, it is the impartation of the (New Life) very life of God. So that alteration, renovation, reformation or even reinvigoration are not suitable
definitions of it because it is ‘all new’ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In Ephesians 2:1 there is a clearly stated character of the life we receive at salvation that it’s a spiritual quickening. Salvation also makes us partakers of the divine nature becoming uncommon personalities among them that we dwell. 2 Peter 1:4. We are given an amazing description here in 1 John 3:9 that we are not constructors, producers,
manufacturers, ready makers etc. of sin. All because the seed of God remains in us.

Power, both ‘exousia’ and ‘dunamis’, are other endowments of our salvation to those who are saved by believing in Jesus (John 1:12, Ephesians 1:19). This power we are looking at in our salvation is both defensive and offensive, as stipulated by 1 Peter 1:3-5 and Luke 10:19. This power in salvation is also the generator of providence and supplies required for our living, according to Ephesians 3:20.

Taking a few of what we are saved from:

Matthew 1:21 – Sins
Titus 2:14 – All Iniquity
John 5:24/2 Corinthians 2:10 – Death
Romans 7:6/Galatians 3:13 – Law
Romans 8:15-21 – Bondage of corruption
John 1:12-13 – Bloodlines, Genetic, attitudinal issues
Ephesians 2:12,19 – Alienation and hopelessness
Colossians 1:13 – Power of darkness
Romans 8:1/John 5:24 – Condemnation
1 Thess. 1:10 – Wrath to come
1 Peter 1:18 – Vain ‘conversation’ by Tradition

Jesus Himself gave a lot of hints that established that being born of the Word and the Spirit ushers one into or gives entrance into another kingdom. Following that, the same act of God that saves, delivers, redeems us from one thing releases us to another one.

Few mentions of what we have been saved into:

John 3:5/Colossians 1:13 – Kingdom of God/Dear Son
Ephesians 4:24/1 Thessalonians 4:17 – Righteousness and Holiness
John 5:24 – Life
Romans 5:2/Galatians 1:6 – Grace
Galatians 2:4, 5:1, 5:13 – Liberty
John 1:13/Acts 17:29 – Divinity
Ephesians 2:19/1 Pet 1:3 – Fellow citizenship and lively hope
1 Peter 2:9 – Marvellous Light
Romans 8:2 – Spiritual Freedom
Romans 5:16, 18 – Justification of Life
2 Corinthians 4:17 – Exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory
Ephesians 2:10/Titus 2:14 – Good Works

How do I get saved or what must I do to be saved after knowing all this? (Acts 16:30-31, Romans 1:16)

Zion

One of the names given to the place that salvation brings us is Zion, according to the bible in Hebrews 12:22. Zion is one of the mountains on which Jerusalem was built, and later, the name was used to refer to Jerusalem. Zion has always been in prophecy as the choicest place of God’s grace, favour, deliverance, restoration and defence. Psalm 87:2-3, Isaiah 51:3, 60:14, 62:1.

Let’s be reminded that Zion has never been referred to anywhere in the Bible as the believer’s final destination with God. So to say, the child of God is not marching to Zion but is in Zion, a now operational place of believers.

Our better appreciation of Zion our new place would better come from understanding where we are coming from. Knowing what you are called out of and have sufficient basis for comparison. Let’s do this from Hebrews 12:18:21 which was referenced from Exodus 19. The name given to the place we used to be before believing is Sinai and is so described.

i. A place of conditional promise – Exodus 19:5-6
ii. A place of self-righteousness – Exodus 19:10-11
iii. A place of distant relationship – Exodus 19:12-13
iv. A place of terror – Exodus 19:16
v. A place of deafening and trembling sound – Exodus 19:16
vi. A place of inaccessibility – Exodus 19:17
vii. A place of judgement – Exodus 19:18
viii. A place of instability – Exodus 19:18b
ix. A place of death – Exodus 19:21
x. A place of incompetent mediators – Exodus 19:22

This is a microcosm of the entire Levitical system as seen in Ex 20:18-20. While this is true, there is a sharp difference between Sinai and Zion, where we are now looking at Hebrews 12:22-24.

i. Stable residence (we have come) – Hebrews 12:22, Ephesians 2:19
ii. City of the Living God – Hebrews 12:22, Ephesians 2:18
iii. Heavenly Jerusalem – Hebrews 12:22, John 14:27
iv. Innumerable Company of angels – Hebrews 12:22, Heb. 1:13-14

v. General assembly and church of the first born written in heaven – Hebrews 12:22, Colossians 1:15
vi. Living with God the judge of all – Hebrews 12:22, 1 John. 3:20
vii. Spirits of just men made perfect Hebrews 12:23, 1 Peter 4:6
viii. Jesus (Competent) mediator – Hebrews 12:24, Hebrews 4:14-16
ix. The blood of Sprinkling – Hebrews 12:24, 1 John 1:6-10

Galatians 4:21-31 draws a contrast between Sinai and Zion, Hagar and Sarah, the Law and Grace. A careful perusal of the passage reveals the following

i. The Abrahamic life and story is an allegory, temporary and transitional
ii. Hagar Sarah’s house help represented the law
iii. The Sinaic order or the law engenders bondage and slavery
iv. The Sinaic order or the law has been abolished
v. Believers have been born into full term liberty

Relatively Sinai, Hagar or the law corresponds to fear, slavery, judgement, condemnation, vengeance etc. as Zion, Sarah, or Grace corresponds to forgiveness, redemption, deliverance, freedom etc.

The propulsive force or thrust of the Galatian contrast was to admonish against return to the religious slavery of the law which some were defending in Galatia. This situation led to the contrast been drawn and the counsel of 5:1.

Our confidence in all of this is the declaration over our lives captured in Romans 6:14b “For Ye are not under the law but under Grace”. Romans 4:16,10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8 gives us how to enter Zion.