Salvation Summaries

How is a person born again?  How are Christians to behave in this world? If you are a Christian, can you expect to be persecuted for your faith? What is eternal security, and can you have it? These and other important questions on salvation are answered in 1 Peter.

Overview of 1 Peter

Peter wrote this book to Christians in various locations to encourage them, for they were being persecuted for their faith. He reminded them over and over of the salvation that they had and the joy this brings, and that even though they were suffering now and would continue to suffer, God was always with them and would be taking them to heaven. Peter also wanted these spiritually immature Christians to continue to grow in their faith, to do away with some of their sinful behaviors, and to live in a godly way not only for unity among fellow believers, but to influence unbelievers to seek God, who judges all people in how they live.

When I read this book, I could not help but think of Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian organization that offers aid to and details stories of the many Christians who are being persecuted in the middle east and other locations.  A number of these fellow believers have been beaten and even killed for their faith. Thankfully, 1 Peter shows that the reward of being a Christian (of going to heaven upon death) and the thought of this reward can help Christians experience joy and gladness in the midst of trials and suffering.

SALVATION VERSES

1 Peter answers some very important questions on the topic of salvation.  In this blog post, I’ll address a person’s role, versus God’s role, in one’s salvation, and whether a person can have eternal security.

What is a person’s role, versus God’s role, in becoming saved?

If I were to ask you what part a person has in his/her salvation, relative to what God does, what would you say? 75% person, 25% God? 50% each?   

According to 1 Peter 1:1-2, and at least with respect to the Christians to whom Peter wrote, the answer appears to be 100% God.  In fact, God not only saved them, it was a predetermined decision on His part to do so.  In other words, He saved them before they even knew they would become saved.

• 1 Peter 1:1-2  To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,  2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.  (NIV)

Because the verses above contain several terms and phrases that may be unfamiliar to some, I’ve included a brief explanation for each below: 

• Elect (“To God’s elect”) – The Christians that Peter wrote to had been elected by God.  What does this mean?  According to Strong’s concordance, “elect” comes from the Greek word “eklektos” which means picked out or chosen by God to obtain salvation through Christ.  In short, these are specific people God had chosen to be saved.

• Strangers – while this could mean that the Christians were living in a strange and foreign land, it more likely refers to their status as citizens of heaven, and as citizens of heaven, that meant that they were (temporarily) living in a place that was not their real home.  Maybe some of you have seen the bumper sticker with the acronym, NOTW. Do you know what this means?  It means “not of this world.”  Christians, or people who have been born again, have their citizenship in heaven. Heaven is their real home; earth is just a temporary stopping place.   

• Chosen – this is essentially another term for elect.

• Foreknowledge – according to Robertson’s Word Pictures, foreknowledge means to know before hand.  God knew in advance that these believers would be saved.

• Sanctifying work of the Spirit – as indicated in this verse and verses in some of the books I’ve already commented on, the Holy Spirit has a role in a person’s salvation.

Now that we understand the meaning of the complicated terms in these verses, we can summarize what the verses actually means, and it is this:

• God elected or chose these people to be saved, He knew this would happen in advance of their becoming saved, and He ultimately saved them through the power of the Holy Spirit so that they would obey His Son, who shed his blood on the cross for them.  Thus, at least with respect to these Christians, they appear to have had no role in their salvation, according to verses 1-2. This is what Calvinists believe (I’m not a Calvinist).
• However, some might argue that the Christians had to have some role, for faith is required for a person to be saved, and faith seems to be something that is personal, or unique to each person.  Also, faith comes from hearing the Word, and a person becomes “born again” also by (hearing and understanding) the Word according to 1 Peter 1:23-25.  Arminians believe that salvation is a free will choice; a person can choose to believe and be saved or reject salvation even if God knows in advance who would be saved vs. not saved.  My personal view lines up more with this.
• As a result, from reading chapter 1, it is not clear to what extent these Jewish Christians contributed to their salvation.  They certainly had to hear the gospel, understand and believe it, thus they had some role in their salvation, but we do not know the extent to which God orchestrated this.

What is eternal security, and is it possible for someone to have it?

Assurance of salvation means that you are sure or certain of being saved, and confident that you will go to heaven when you die.

Eternal security means your salvation cannot be lost.  In other words, you are saved now and there is no chance that you will lose your salvation before you die.

The Christians to whom Peter wrote not only had assurance of their salvation, they had eternal security too.  To support this view, I’ve first identified verses to show that they have been and are saved.  I then show that even though they are saved, they need to grow up in their salvation, or continue to mature in the faith.  And last, I’ve shown that even though they are experiencing persecution and trials in this life, they know that they will be going to heaven when they die, and because of this they should be joyful.

THEY ARE SAVED

•  God saved them; they were God’s elect and chosen by Him.  1 Peter 1:1-2  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,  ² who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

• They have been redeemed.  1 Peter 1:18-19   ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,  ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

• They have been called out of darkness and into light. They went from not having received God’s mercy, to having received it.  1 Peter 2:9-10  ⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

• They have changed in how they live, which the result of being saved. 1 Peter 4:3-4   ³ For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do– living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.  ⁴ They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.

• Jesus Christ has forgiven them from their sins. They have been reconciled to God. 1 Peter 2:24 – 3:1  ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.  ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

THEY ARE TO “GROW UP” IN THEIR SALVATION, OR TO MATURE IN THEIR FAITH

• 1 Peter 2:2-3  ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,  ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

• 1 Peter 1:14-16   ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

THEY NOT ONLY HAVE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE, THEY HAVE ETERNAL SECURITY

• God not only caused them to be born again, He game them an inheritance of eternal life in heaven, and by God’s power He will keep them saved until they get to heaven.  1 Peter 1:3-5   ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade– kept in heaven for you,  ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

• They have been born again with from something that is eternal; thus, they will be eternal. 1 Peter 1:23-25   ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.  ²⁴ For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,  ²⁵ but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

Some people believe that you can lose your salvation, and thus they would disagree with the idea of having eternal security.  I realize there are some verses in the Bible that seem to support this view.  However, as I mentioned in my purpose for writing this blog, I plan to review one book of the Bible at a time, and summarize comments on verses in each book that relate to salvation.  Once this has been done, I will put all of the “salvation pieces” together, reconcile those verses that on the surface appear to contradict each other, and complete the “salvation puzzle.”  At that time, it will become clear to all on what salvation is, how it is obtained, how it relates to good works, and whether it can be lost.  But based upon the verses in 1 Peter, salvation does not appear to be something that a person can lose.