3. Idea of salvation. — A characteristic thought of the NT is that salvation is past, present, and future. This may be seen with regard both to the actual words relating to salvation and to different expressions of the idea. Christians are spoken of as those who have been saved, and who are in possession of a salvation which they can use or neglect : ' By grace have ye been saved," ' By grace have ye been saved through faith' (Epli 2=-*); ' According to his mercy he saved us ' (Tit 3=) ; ' How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salva- tion?'(He 2^). Yet salvation is also future. As a helmet ' the hope of salvation ' is to be ' put on ' (1 Th 5*). 'Now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed ' (Ro 13"). Those who now have been iustilied by Clirist's blood have yet to be saved through Him from the wrath (5') ; and those who have been reconciled to God tlirough Christ's death have yet to be saved by His life (5'°). Christians are bidden to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Ph 2'=) ; salva- tion is said to be ready to be revealed in the last time (1 P 1°), although it is now received by a foretaste (P). Christians are at some future time to inherit salvation (He 1'''). While Christ has been once for all offered to bear the sins of many. He has yet to ajipear for salvation to those who wait for Him (9="). The same three aspects— a past gift, a present possession, a future inheritance — are to be traced also in regard to eternal life, redemption, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the Kingdom of Heaven, phrases which afford different e.xpressions of the idea of salvation. In the Fourth Gospel eternal life is the present possession of the believer (3'" S-* 6" 6" 12™ 17=). This is indicated not only by the use of the present tense, but also by that which is asserted about eternal life. To believe, to hear the word, to eat the flesh of the Son of Man, to drink His blood, to be "rowing in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, are all acts and conditions possible and realized in the
SALVATION, SAVE, SAVIOUR
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present life. Cut the present possession i« a^o <i step towards future attauinient. Uiis is l.ii e 1 at in 6"- ", and more distinctly shown in 4 • an loa Similarly in 1 Jn. tlie present ciaiacler of eternal life is'indieated in 3^= 5"- '=• -■, » ; U.e futurity of it is sugfjested in 2^, and a link be- tween the two is hintcl at n 1^. In the rest of the NT the idea of wliat is future pivixmUerates. A„ vM. 49 Uo G-'-- '^ 1 Ti 1'" 6'- are aml.i^uous ; in Mt 0- (Mk 10", Lk 18-), Mt 19- 2.V;, Mk 10» Lk lO-^o 18». Ko 2', Titr^ 3', Jude^' the phrase refers to tlie future. ' Kedemption is used in Lk 168 Qsa and ' redeem ' in Lk 24-' for the redemption to be accomplished by the Messiah, and 'redemp- tion ' is used in Lk 21'^ for that which is to ac- company tlie comins of the Sou of Man after our Lord's eartlily ministry 'with power and great D-lorv ' In the Epistles redemption denotes a past Nvorkin Ro3=', He 9>'^- ■», I P l'"; a present pos- session in 1 Co V», Eph 1', Co V* ; a future gitt in Ro 8-3 Eph 1" 4»». In Tit 2" the word is ambig- uous ' He 11» is irrelevant. The gift of the Holy Ghost is spoken of as past, present and to come It has already been received in 1 Co 12'^ Gal4 , J a 4" 1 Jn S-*. It is a present possession m 1 uo 316 6" Eph ■'"' It is a future inheritance m ho 8"-3 •-> Co r-^ oi Eph l". Similarly, the Kingdoiu of 'Heaven or of God, which is the sphere in wOiich salvation and redemi.tion and the gift of the Holy Ghost are received, is spoken of sometimes as now existing, sometimes as to be established in the future In Ko 14'«- ", 1 Co 4'»-='', Col l'» 4" it is V ewed as present ; in i Co 6- '» 15-, Gal 5=' Eph ^5 QTh 15 " P 1", Hev 11" 12'" it IS regarded as
0 " in i , ii A A , Afct* A A »— O
future. In the Gospels the Present character is indicated in Mt 3= 4" 10' 11»- " 12=M3, Mk V\ Lk qj. 27. 60.62 10" • si.'ns of its future character are in Mt V 13"-" iV- »" 19"-» 25" 26-, Mk 9»-" 14=*, Lk 13'j8. 29 1911 opi 0-218. 29. s». There is thus a consist- ent view tliroughout the NT in accordance with which salvation is regarded sometimes as already accomplished, sometimes as a present state some- times as an inheritance to be received in the future. In regard to the salvation thus represented in the NT as an abiding and growing possession the following points may be noticed. , . . . ,,^ (a) The deliverance which gives admission to the state of salvation is everywhere regarded as ac- complished by Christ. In Ac 2^ •»« 'the Lord' of whom Joel (3^ Heb. : 2^^ Eng.) declared that through callin" on His name there should be salvation is identified with Christ. In St. Peter's speec^li in Ac 4'- it is said that ' in none other than Jesus Christ of Nazareth" is there salvation ; for neither is there any other name under heaven that is given among men whereby we must be saved In the speech of St. Peter and the apostles in 55> it is said that Jesus ' did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. In bt. leters speech at the Council of Jerusalem m 1,5" belie is expressed ' that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we [Jews] shall be saved, even as they [Gentiles].' 'Our Lord Jesus Christ gave hiniself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world' (Gal 1^). 'In Christ Jesus ' the Gentiles ' that once were far oti are niade ni"h by the blood of Christ'; and His work of peace was such as to 'reconcile them both [Jews an(l Gentiles] in one body unto God through the cross (Eph 2"-''). ' The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it mav be conformed to the body of his glory is a saviour' (Ph 3='). ' Our Saviour Christ Jesus . . . abolished death, and brouglit life and incorruption to light through the gospel '(2 li I")- He is de- scribed as 'our Saviour' (Tit 1* 2" 3«) as the author of 'salvation' (He 2"'), and 'Saviour