What is the True Biblical Meaning of Salvation?

People today have different meanings of salvation. For example just recently on CNN it was reported that there was a 17 year old Laquan McDonald that was shot 17 times by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke as I watched the video.  What I see in the video was that Laquan McDonald as he was walking pulled out a 3 inch pocket knife by which the teenager did not pose any threat to the officers by which he kept walking away from other police officers by which Officer Van Dyke shot the first few shots by which the teenager fell to the ground and from that point there were a dozen more bullets that shot through the body of this young man by which I saw gun shot smoke riddle through his helpless body. There were different law enforcement officers on CNN who says that the officer Van Dyke as well as his fellow officers was in imminent danger simply because of the fact that Laquan McDonald "appears" to have approach them by which it was necessary for the officer to use deadly force.  What I saw on the video is that Laquan McDonald did not approach the officers nor was he an "imminent" danger that warrant this young man to be pump with 17 bullets in his lifeless body.  It is amazing that the media as well as law enforcement will say that they have a "different" view as to what they saw happened the video.  What they saw in the video is concrete by which they want viewers to see everything through the "distorted" version as to "how" they perceive the video.  

   It is true within the Church today where there are  various leaders who have "different" opinions as to their meaning of what salvation is.  We live in a postmodern culture that believe in the relativity of truth as oppose to objectivity of the content of what is true biblical truth.  In so many words that there is no such thing as the absolute standard of truth by which we must believe and govern our lives.  Man is the orbiter of his or her own truth. "What may be true to you may not be truth to me."  So if there is no standard of truth by which we judge morality than what is the litmus test by which we judge what truth is? (1 Jn. 4:1)  There has to be a standard by which we judge what is biblical truth as oppose to the relativity of postmodernist own "personal" truth.  Postmodernity, subjectivity, and relativism have in fact destroyed the ethical teachings and moral life of the Church today by which we are witnessing the "insurgent" of the great apostasy (1 Tim. 4:1, 2-4).

   Within this article I will begin to (1) define the true biblical meaning of salvation. (2) the misunderstanding of the doctrine of salvation. And (3) A biblical defense of the doctrine of salvation.  It is so important to have such a proper understanding of what salvation is by which there are many believers who "doubtful" whether they are saved, the unsaved being led astray, and the professing believer continuing to harden their hearts so as to cross over the threshold of faith in Jesus Christ.  To have such an misunderstanding of the true biblical meaning of salvation is to miss eternity in heaven.

   The true biblical definition of salvation according to Romans 10:9-10 where the apostle Paul says, "If you declare in your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."  The true biblical meaning of salvation is to confess (1) Jesus is Lord. (2) believing in one's own heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. And (3) that the believing person is saved.  Not only is the believer saved but are justified by God through faith in Jesus Christ minus any human works or merits (Eph. 2:8-9).  For the saved to have God's righteousness is through personal faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:22-24).  For the person to have God 's righteousness is that of their right standing with God; not that of moral perfectionism. God is holy; we are unholy in the sense that we are not morally perfect. God is perfect in His character and moral qualities.  The problem with legalism in the church today is that not only is the person saved by Christ but are perfect as to live a life of sinless perfectionism or live "free" from sin (1 Jn. 1:8).  The saved person is saved from the "guilt" and "penalty" of sin (Rom. 6:23).  Had it not been for Jesus standing on behalf of us as sinners by meeting God's justice we would have been eternally condemned (Jn. 3:36).

   The misunderstanding of the doctrine of salvation have in fact reach into the annals of the church today.  There are "fringe" groups outside the historic Christian church today (e.g. strict Holiness/Pentecostal sects) believe that to be saved is that of such subsequential work of salvation (Acts 2:4; 19:1).  What is meant by the  subsequential  work of salvation is "tarrying" for the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4).  In so many words that "speaking in tongues" is apart of the substitutionary death of Christ by which the believer experience such Pentecostal experience based upon Acts 2:1ff.  If in fact "speaking in tongues" is apart of Christ's death on the cross than the whole idea of the substitutionary death of Christ is null and void by which it is does not secure that of salvation (Gal. 1:8-9; 3:1).  Salvation is a work of God on behalf of man; not man saving himself (Jn. 3:5).  The whole of the system of many Charismatics and Pentecostal churches are characterized by a religion of works; not grace (Matt. 23; Eph. 2:8-9).  Speaking in tongues is definitely not apart of the cross of Christ nor will it ever be.  Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, through Christ alone without any human works or merits (Eph. 2:8).  

   The biblical defense of the doctrine of salvation basically is according to Romans 10:9, 10.  Even though there are numerous passages of scriptures that will affirm that of the doctrine of salvation, but within Romans 10:9, 10 is the capstone of the believer professing faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9).  According to Romans 10:9, 10 is that the person who is in need of salvation must "confess" all that Jesus Is: that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and as a result the believing sinner will be saved.  Saved from what? That of the guilt and penalty of sin (Rom. 6:23).  Not only is the believing sinner saved by the grace of God through personal faith in Jesus Christ but have God's own righteousness: that of the believer's right standing with God; not that of such moral perfectionism ( Rom. 3:22-24; 1 Jn. 1:8).

Rev. Darryl L. Miller, is founder & Lead pastor of Contending for the Faith Reformed Church in Atlanta, Georgia.  He is also the president & Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. Darryl is the bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?  He is also the Radio Host, "Answers In Focus" Ministries that is aired weekly throughout metro Atlanta and the surrounding counties of Georgia.  As a apologist, pastor-teacher, senior researcher/editor and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world.  Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside of Atlanta, Georgia with their puppy "Little Baby."