The word "salvation" appears over 150 times in the Bible.
Over 100 times in the old testament, and over 40 times in the new testament.
Christians talk about it a lot. But what does it mean?
σωτηρία
sōtēria
so-tay-ree'-ah
Feminine of a derivative of G4990 as (properly abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally): - deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.
Total KJV occurrences: 45
This is closely related to the word "Savior"
σωτήρ
sōtēr
so-tare'
From G4982; a deliverer, that is, God or Christ: - saviour.
Total KJV occurrences: 24
What does a savior do? He saves you of course.
σώζω
sōzō
sode'-zo
From a primary word σῶς sōs̄ (contraction for the obsolete σάος saos, “safe”); to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.
Total KJV occurrences: 110
What does He save us for? A rainy day?
What does He save us from? Why do we even need salvation?
Often in the old testament, God "saved" the Israelites.
Exod 14:30; Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
Deut 33:29; "Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places."
2 Sam 22:4; "I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.
Psa 34:6; This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.
Isa 45:22; "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.
It seems most of the time, in the old testament, God saved people from their enemies, from troubles, from distress, from the Egyptians, but there is really no mention in the old testament of God saving them from sin.
Jer 4:14; Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem, That you may be saved. How long will your wicked thoughts Lodge within you?
..and yet, even in being saved from these things, it seems turning away from wickedness and evil was required.
Isa 30:15; For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength." But you were not willing,
So it seems what God mostly saved people from was their current situation. In fact the phrase "eternal life" isn't even in the old testament anywhere. However there was an "eternal home" for some.
Ecc 12:5 Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.
It seems in the old testament people were mostly worried about being "saved" from whatever was threatening them at the time. The phrase "down to Sheol" appears over 20 times in the old testament.
It's interesting the idea of "going to heaven in the afterlife" doesn't really appear in the old testament very often. Also the word "hades" (hell) does not appear in t old testament.
.. in the new testament, we find out more about the after-life.
Over 100 times in the old testament, and over 40 times in the new testament.
Christians talk about it a lot. But what does it mean?
σωτηρία
sōtēria
so-tay-ree'-ah
Feminine of a derivative of G4990 as (properly abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally): - deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.
Total KJV occurrences: 45
This is closely related to the word "Savior"
σωτήρ
sōtēr
so-tare'
From G4982; a deliverer, that is, God or Christ: - saviour.
Total KJV occurrences: 24
What does a savior do? He saves you of course.
σώζω
sōzō
sode'-zo
From a primary word σῶς sōs̄ (contraction for the obsolete σάος saos, “safe”); to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.
Total KJV occurrences: 110
What does He save us for? A rainy day?
What does He save us from? Why do we even need salvation?
Often in the old testament, God "saved" the Israelites.
Exod 14:30; Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
Deut 33:29; "Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places."
2 Sam 22:4; "I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.
Psa 34:6; This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.
Isa 45:22; "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.
It seems most of the time, in the old testament, God saved people from their enemies, from troubles, from distress, from the Egyptians, but there is really no mention in the old testament of God saving them from sin.
Jer 4:14; Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem, That you may be saved. How long will your wicked thoughts Lodge within you?
..and yet, even in being saved from these things, it seems turning away from wickedness and evil was required.
Isa 30:15; For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength." But you were not willing,
So it seems what God mostly saved people from was their current situation. In fact the phrase "eternal life" isn't even in the old testament anywhere. However there was an "eternal home" for some.
Ecc 12:5 Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.
It seems in the old testament people were mostly worried about being "saved" from whatever was threatening them at the time. The phrase "down to Sheol" appears over 20 times in the old testament.
It's interesting the idea of "going to heaven in the afterlife" doesn't really appear in the old testament very often. Also the word "hades" (hell) does not appear in t old testament.
.. in the new testament, we find out more about the after-life.