What does the word 'salvation' really mean in Christianity???
When the Gentiles become Christians by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal saviour, from what do they receive salvation?
Does this mean a salvation from anything which belongs to this world or to the world to come?
If it is a salvation from something that belongs to this world:
Is it from sin? or Is it from sicknesses? or Is it from poverty? or Is it from any kind of mental agony?
If it is a salvation from anything that belongs to the world after death, is it from hell?
Those
who claim that they have received salvation through Christ have to
answer this question very carefully as whatever the answer given should
be proved in their own lives.
Before trying to find a definition for the word 'salvation', let's
look at the job, which was done by our Lord Jesus in order to bring us
so called 'salvation'.
Jesus has suffered two punishments in order to
bring us 'salvation'. But, many have not understood this fact. Let's
see what these two punishments are.
Two Punishments Upon Jesus for The Single Accusation
The First Punishment
We all know that according to the Roman law, Jesus had not done anything that deserved crucifixion. Look at the below verse.
John 19:6
6 When
the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out,
saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him,
and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
When Jesus was handed over to Pilate, he wanted to release him as
soon as he knew that he was not guilty of any wrong doing. Read the
below scriptures:
John 18:29-30
Pilate
then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against
this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor,
we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
John 18:38
... he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
What did Pilate do in order to release Jesus when he found him no guilty?
He thought of giving him a punishment due for an accused who does
not deserve death. In order to understand this thought of Pilate, please
read the following scriptures carefully.
John 19:1-4
1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
4 Pilate therefore went
forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you,
that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
When we read the above verses, we see Pilate punished Jesus knowing that he was not guilty of any crime that deserved death.
Then why did Pilate punish Jesus???
When we read the same
story in the Book of St.Luke too, it is clear that Pilate wanted to
punish Jesus as he wanted to release him.
Luke 23:14-16
14 Said
unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the
people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no
fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15 No,
nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death
is done unto him. 16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
The word 'scourged' in John 19:1 and the word 'chastise' in Luke 23:16 include the stripes
given to Jesus. However, none of the four gospels in the New Testament
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) has a record to say that Jesus was given
stripes by Pilate. The obvious reason for missing this record may be the
fact that none of the disciples would have been at the place
where Jesus was given stripes.
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