Salvation Essay #5. Jesus and Salvation; A Brief Statement

The earliest followers of Jesus were divided about the salvation Jesus delivered.  Some wanted a political theocracy.  Others wanted a spiritual leader.  

Those wanting political theocracy wanted Jesus to rally the Hebrew people, establish a nation independent of Roman rule.  Salvation meant political autocracy.   An example was the the treasurer of the first disciples; Judas Iscariot.  He became very disappointed in Jesus.  He believed Jesus recklessly entered Jerusalem whereupon Jesus would be killed.  Consequently the mission of helping the people and establishing a political kingdom would stop.   Judas betrayed Jesus and obtained money from arresting authorities.  No doubt, the money motive was not greed on his part, but a way to further fund their mission, since Jesus was about to die. 

Except for Thomas, none of the first male disciples wanted Jesus to go to Jerusalem, because they believed that Jesus would be killed, and their mission destroyed.  As Jesus was about to be crucified, none of the male disciples stood with Jesus.  They were afraid, disillusioned, or both.   Prevalent belief was;  Jesus failed to deliver salvation from Roman political rule. 

Regarding notions of salvation for eternal life, the Gospels tell a similar story.  Upon the death of Jesus, the disciples met in secret.  They were too scared to be public.  Also, the women went to the tomb of Jesus not to seek a risen Lord.  Rather they went to anoint a dead body!   When they returned to the disciples and presented their encounter experiences with the risen Jesus, the disciples considered their testimony “nonsense” and “an idle tale”.  

So, amongst the first disciples, there was not an initial, unanimous “Whooopeee!  Jesus is Risen form the Dead!!” reaction.  Quite the contrary.  

Gradually, over the next few months, the Gospel writers tell us the first disciples remembered what Jesus taught them about his identity as the Messiah (Messiah means savior).   They began to realize that the salvation Jesus came to deliver was not an all powerful political theocracy with imposed religion enforced by military might.  Nor a spiritual rebellion against Rome.    

Rather, the reign of Jesus is a spiritual movement.  The here and now energy dynamics are an ethic of loving others.  This is salvation over hate and harmful behaviors.  The here and now dynamics are a sign of faith, that Jesus leads us through mortal life and saves for eternal life. 

The practice dynamics are worship of God in prayer, praise, thanksgiving.  This is salvation over feeling lost and meaningless.   Worship blesses us with God’s love via an eternal perspective. 

The discipline dynamics are spiritual.  Forgiveness, repentance, opening ourselves and witnessing to others about divine Grace saves us from existential misery, lostness, and hopelessness.  Inner peace and meaning upon the eternal preciousness of life is delivered.

Thus a fledgling “church” movement began to take shape.  And plunge headlong into internal and external opportunities, conflict, deals, plus horrendous and violent external opposition.   Yep, some were burned.  Others fed to lions, and worse, for public entertainment.  The only reason the “church” prevailed is God’s Spirit worked salvation faith among the first Christians.  Just as Jesus taught.   Some were devout Jews.  Some were converts from Roman religions.   They did not all agree about how to be Christians nor salvation.  God’s Spirit held them together. 

Next, we’ll consider salvation, advancing by faith, headlong via diverse friends, into cranky foes.