Soteriology – The Doctrine of Salvation
The Greek word for salvation is soteria. Soteria + ology becomes soteriology. The noun is soteria which means deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation. It is used 46 times in the NT. The verb is sozo and is used 106 times in the NT and means to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction.
The Phases (tenses) of Salvation
JUSTIFICATION: past, saved from the penalty of sin, instantaneous
SANCTIFICATION: present, saved from the power of sin, life-long
GLORIFICATION: future, saved from the presence of sin, instantaneous
The Finished Work of Christ – John 19:30
What was finished?
1 – Reconciliation
2 – Redemption
3 – Propitiation
1 – Reconciliation - The aspect of Christ’s death on the cross that is toward man.
Reconciliation comes from the Greek word katallassō which means to change completely.
Reconciliation means a change of relationship from hostility to harmony and peace between
two parties. Mankind is the object of reconciliation since God is immutable and cannot
change.
-Two Distinct Dimensions of Reconciliation:
1 The world – Through the death of Christ God changed completely the position of the
world in its relation to Himself. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
2 Believers – The moment we believe in Christ we are said to be reconciled to God. We at
that moment receive the value of Christ’s reconciling death.
2 – Redemption – Redemption is toward sin.
Three distinct Greek words for Redemption
agorazo – To purchase in the market (2 Peter 2:1).
exagorazō – To purchase out of the market.
Lutron, lutroo - to redeem, liberate by payment of Ransom (1 Peter 1:18).
-Two Distinct Dimensions of Redemption:
1 The objective, historical aspect: ransom. The idea is that Christ, by His death on the
cross, purchased us in the slave market of sin and liberated us from the penalty of sin.
2 The subjective, experiential aspect: liberation. We are purchased out of the slave market
of sin when we believe in Christ.
3 – Propitiation – Propitiation is toward God.
Definition – Propitiation means the turning away of wrath by an offering. The wrath of God,
because of sin, was propitiated or completely satisfied by the death of Christ.
-Two Greek words
1 hilasmos – That which propitiates or satisfies.
2 hilasterion – The place of propitiation.
-Two Distinct Dimensions of Redemption:
1 hilasmos – that which propitiates or satisfies. This word is used in two verses to show that Christ is the One who propitiates. 1 John 2:2, 4:10.
2 hilasterion – the place of propitiation. Two verses – Romans 3:25, Hebrews 9:5
Propitiation is the work of God by which His wrath is satisfied by the death of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. This propitiation is universal in that the sins of the world are propitiated (1 John 2:2) by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice but specific, in that through faith, the believer enters into a relationship with God through Jesus, the living Mercy Seat (Romans 3:25).
God is satisfied with the death of His Son as the complete, final payment for sin. The question is, are we? The message to the lost person is not what they must do, but what God has done