Every Thursday I bring adapted teachings that I hope will help you garner a deeper, richer, truer understanding of Christianity.
The following are adapted teachings from Dr. Elmer Towns, Co-Founder of Liberty University and Dean of the B.R. Lakin School of Religion.
What is Soteriology? It means the study of salvation (Soteria and logos being the root words). It has four aspects
- Atonement-The historical accomp. of Jesus on the cross
- Conversion-The human experience in salvation
- Regeneration-The non-experiential results of salvation (God)
- Union with Christ-Self-explanatory
The term “salvation” identified the change wrought in the life of one who “by faith” obtains the benefits of salvation of the death of Christ.
I found this next part to be of high importance, please read carefully
Salvation is both an instantaneous event and progressive experience in the life of the believer. In other words Salvation is in three tenses: We have been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin, we are being saved from the habit and dominion of sin and we will be saved at the Lord’s return from all bodily infirmities that are the result of sin.
So, have we been saved? Are there definitive markers in our life that show we are, what the Bible calls, “A new creature”? Have we been transformed by the renewing of our mind and are we no longer conformed to the hedonistic temporal pleasures of this world? Are we resisting and fleeing temptation? Are we living a life above reproach? Is our life more and more like Christ’s; or are we still living like the world? God has given us grace which is the opposite of what we deserve. What are we doing to repay Him? (I put we because I am asking myself these questions as well)
Tune in next Thursday for part 2-Calvinism as it relates to Soteriology; arguments for and against will be presented.
