The Era of Salvation

After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations!” He then sent his disciples to announce his salvation to the “ends of the Earth.” The Era of Salvation commenced with his Death and Resurrection; therefore, his life-giving message must be announced to all men. The Messiah of Israel has achieved life and deliverance from bondage for his people!

God exalted Jesus to the Messianic Throne as promised in the Scriptures: “I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession,” and therefore he sends his emissaries to announce his sovereignty and salvation throughout the nations of the Earth – (Psalm 2:8).

[Photo by Isaac Davis on Unsplash]

By bestowing the Gift of the Spirit on them, Jesus empowers his disciples to proclaim his Good News to all humanity, the one task he assigned to his Church before his departure:

• “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the Earth” – (Acts 1:8).

This salvation is for men of every generation and nation without exception. Jesus died and God raised him from the dead so they no longer would live for themselves but for Him, and in newness and fullness of life.

God loved mankind so much that He “gave his only born Son” over to death so all men might believe and receive “everlasting life.” Moreover, Jesus has bequeathed to each of us the ministry of reconciling other men and women to His Father by proclaiming this same Gospel – (John 3:16, Acts 2:36-38, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

Because of his suffering “for our sins,” God raised Jesus from the dead and “highly exalted him, granting him the name that is above every name,” – JESUS - the name that means “Yahweh saves.”

Thus, the salvation promised by the God of Israel has become real for all men who will embrace it as His Son, the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth,” shepherds the nations until the day when they stand before him and his Father’s “Throne” in the New Creation – (Philippians 2:6-11, Revelation 1:4-6, 7:9-17, 12:5-11).

All peoples and nations belong to Jesus whether they know it or not. His sacrificial death voided the legal claim of Satan over mankind. Moreover, his resurrection broke the iron grip of Death that held us all. This is a radical message of liberation from the tyranny of sin, Satan, and death that all men must hear – (1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Philippians 2:6-11, Hebrews 2:14-15, Revelation 1:6-8,3:21, 5:5-14).

ONE COMMUNITY

God has “spoken” definitively and with eloquent finality through His Son. It is the Son alone who “achieved the purification of sin,” therefore, he sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on High places” as the Great High Priest who mediates salvation and life for his people. He alone has achieved victory over sin and Death – (Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:14-18).

Salvation is available to all men “through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe, for there is no distinction.” The offer of life is made to all because of the faithful obedience of the Messiah who “died for our sins” when we were still “enemies of God” and “dead in our trespasses” – (Romans 3:21-22).

Sin is the Great Equalizer that condemns every man, woman, and child to bondage, decay, hopelessness, and death. In the final analysis, neither ethnicity, political power, nor economic status will make any difference. Death awaits us all.

However, because of his Death and Resurrection, anyone may receive the forgiveness of sin and justification before God, whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, poor or rich; namely, “from the faith of Jesus Christ.” Death still occurs, but for his disciples, it will be reversed when he raises them from the dead – (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

Considering his faithful act on our behalf when we deserved only death, we can only respond to his generous and unmerited offer by repenting and placing faith in Jesus and what God has accomplished through him.

Ever since His Son “achieved the purification of sins” through his sacrificial death, God is forming a new community composed of men and women from every nation who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the ‘Ekklésia’, the “Assembly.” Every person who places faith in Jesus becomes a member of this holy people – (Ephesians 2:15).

[Photo by Everaldo Coelho on Unsplash]

No nation, civilization, or political ideology can claim Jesus or his teachings as its property. His Gospel is a message for every man, woman, and child on the Earth; therefore, it transcends all national and cultural boundaries. His disciples proclaim one message for all men, whether “Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male and female, for all are one in Christ Jesus” – (Galatians 3:28).

In the truest sense, his “Good News” is a universal message and religion. All men have sinned. Everyone needs salvation and everlasting life. No one deserves it, but God graciously offers it to one and all through His Son, and “freely” so.

Finally, salvation is provided on the same basis to every man, woman, and child, namely, from the faith of Jesus Christ. All we can do is respond with repentance and faith to this offer and the self-sacrificial act of the Nazarene who “gave his life as a ransom for many.”

[Download PDF copy]

RELATED POSTS:

• The Death of Death - (The arrival of Jesus at the end of the age will mean the end of the Last Enemy, namely, Death - 1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

• Christ is Risen! - (Paul anchors all that God has done in the past death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus of Nazareth, inaugurating the messianic age – Galatians 1:1-5)

• Redeeming the Nations - (The nations and the Kings of the Earth are found in the City of New Jerusalem because of the redeeming work of the Lamb)