Salvation Essay #4. Jesus and Salvation; A Brief Statement

By: Jeff Swanson, Interim Pastor,  New Hope Lutheran Church, El Paso, Texas.  15 April 2025 

 

Jesus was born at a time of intense “salvation” seeking.   The global population sought deliverance; salvation from disease, famine, violence, beasts, weather, earthquakes, and all that threatened them….just like we desire today.  Salvation needs were then, are now, hard wired into human minds and group thinking.  Jesus demonstrated that salvation has come to us.  

 

Supernatural awareness of God, angels, devils, and spirits was prominent.  The ancient Greeks called this supernatural awareness “Metaphysics.”  Metaphysics means “after nature.”  Of all creatures, our human brains are able to consider realities beyond the observable physical world.   We can imagine an afterlife.  Heaven. Hell. God’s presence. Temptation by evil beings.  We can present ourselves to the supernatural by prayers and rituals such as singing praises and burning incense.  We use ceremonies, prayers, to ward off devils and evil.  Martin Luther even threw an ink bottle at the the devil. 

 

To those who say that metaphysics is nonsense, I’ll state two observations.  First, arguably, the most rational, logical, scientist of all time, Dr Albert Einstein, said this; “Knowledge is important.  Imagination is even more important.”  He affirmed that our brains are capable of scientific inquiry such as understanding the molecular nature of measles.  And we can entertain theories, and notions about the nature and process of phenomena….beyond nature, such as God.   Second, I suspect the psychological essence of our brain capability to consider the supernatural is rooted in “awe.”    Like the Psalmist, we can observe nature, consider God, and cast our wonder into the grandeur of heaven and the tiniest subatomic particles.  Then in awe exclaim, “What are we that Thou art mindful of us?”  

 

So, four factions in Jesus’ historical world, developed attempts to explore the supernatural largely for the purposes of salvation seeking. 

  1.  Sadducees.  These believed in the culture and nation of Israel.  They operated the big temple in Jerusalem which was multiple times bigger than any modern stadium today.  They were not very concerned about afterlife salvation of individuals.  They wanted cultural unity and perpetuation so that the tribes and religion of Hebrews would continue throughout generations. 
  2. Pharisees.  These operated in the smaller local synagogues throughout Hebrew lands.   “Synagogue” means assembly or gathering.  They wanted behavioral conformity to laws and rituals, they deemed were pleasing to God and good for humans, so that humans were well behaved in this life and saved for the next.  They taught using history stories and scripture readings. They had nearly 600 laws to obey including what counted as “work” on a Sabbath day. 
  3. Essenes.  These were groups who left the population centers and preferred to live in small wilderness communes.  There they were somewhat free from the taxation powers of the Roman government and the assertive pressures to conform — imposed by the Sadducees and Pharisees.  They studied, wrote, prayed, worshipped and sought salvation in isolated groups.   
  4. All others.  The ancient Hebrews and first Christians were quite aware of Roman and Greek temples, notions about the divinity of some rulers, and myriads of stories about supernatural beings.  Zeus.  Achilles.  Mars.  Venus.  Janus from which “January’’ is named and many others.

 

Jesus presented a new salvation reality; that God brings salvation to us.  God gives us brains, laws and rules to protect and save us now, such as the Ten Commandments.  Example:  Save children’s lives by vaccinations from measles.  Yet we still die.  So Jesus  demonstrated that eternal salvation is not in our own energies, but God’s grace.  Jesus personified God’s salvation energy come to us.  The energy is grace, love, forgiveness.  Jesus leads through death to eternal life.  

 

Jesus presented the salvation reality;  we’re not in control of eternal salvation.  God is in total control.  We relate to God by trust and faith in Jesus, who delivers salvation.   We use God given brains now to work salvation daily by scientific inquiry and engaging so life thrives on Planet Earth.  We order our lives by prayer, praise, and thanksgiving to God.  God is salvation now and forever. 

 

The next essay will further explore ways the early Christians believed and acted upon salvation brought to us by Jesus.