Getting Saved

“By your perseverance you will win your souls.” Luke 21:19 NASB (1963) Souls – How do you acquire salvation? It’s a fair question, especially since the evangelical world provides a clear answer. “You get saved by confessing Jesus as your Savior and Lord.” There’s just one small problem. The idea of “getting saved” really doesn’t…

The Grand Assignment

that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.  Psalm 67:2  ESV Saving power – When Israel stood before Sinai God revealed His grand assignment for this chosen nation to make known His way on the earth, to reveal His saving power among all nations.  That assignment has never changed. …

When Is Now?

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”  Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.  2 Corinthians 6:2  ESV Now – “When is the day of your salvation?”  That isn’t the same as the question, “When was…

Play Station

For God alone my soul waits in silence, from Him comes my salvation.  Psalm 62:1  ESV (English text) Comes – I think it’s important to recognize how the very structure of our language subtly alters how we understand the text.  The fact is that Hebrew doesn’t even work like English or any of the Indo-European…

Who Comes to Rescue?

He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me.  Selah.  God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.  Psalm 57:3 NASB Save me – Send and save.  That’s the action of YHWH.  I can’t ascend to heaven to grab deliverance.  He has to send it.  What He sends…

Future Salvation

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.  Matthew 1:21  ESV Will save – Is salvation proleptic?  Ah, what a great word!  You might have to look it up, but just in case you don’t have time, “prolepsis” means “the representation of…

The Other Shoe

for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  Romans 10:10  NASB Resulting – You’ll need to read a few other English translations of this verse to see the issue. “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses…

Empty Hand Faith

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17  NASB Hearing – When we first examined this verse (August 17, 2011), we noted that this is Paul’s shema.  Although written in Greek, Paul clearly has the Hebrew verb shama in mind.  And as we know, shama means both “to hear”…

Rewriting History

and all who dwell on earth will worship him, every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.  Revelation 13:8  NASB From the foundation of the world – What to do with this prepositional phrase?  That’s the big…

Paycheck

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  Philippians 2:12 ESV Work – Anyone who knows a little about the study of motion and work is familiar with this Greek word.  It is ergon (noun) and ergazomai (verb).  We get ergonomics from this root.  In the Greek culture, it covered an extremely wide range…