How Is The Messiah Our Salvation?


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There is a process that moves man from being deserving of death to being favored with evelasting life. The process of doing this involves the concepts of salvation, atonement, substitution, justification, and redemption. Ultimately, each of these concepts points to the work of the Messiah as our Savior.

The Uniqueness of a Savior

There is one unique concept that belongs only to the Bible. It is the concept of a Savior ... a substitutionary atoning sacrifice that grants us righteousness and eternal life. No other religion offers this. Most religions will have a concept of an afterlife or reincarnation, but all of them have a judgement based on your good works (not your relationship to a Savior). Many religions have something like a Messiah ... an expected figure that may come with great power or authority. But that is not the same as a Savior. It is this single truth upon which everything hangs. It is this single concept the world is fighting so much; because if this is true, then the world is convicted of sin.

In I Corinthians chapter one we read that they "preach a crucified Messiah. To the Jews this is an offense. And to the Greeks this is foolishness. Yet to those of us who understand the whole picture given by Scripture, this is the Strength and Wisdom of Elohim." A crucified Messiah ... we cannot overstate the importance of this concept. It contains many deep layers of meaning ... and I would like to take a moment to remind us of just a few.

Salvation

The English word 'salvation' comes from the Hebrew word 'yahshuah' and the essential meaning is 'to rescue'. When something or someone is in trouble, another can come to the rescue. In the physical this can refer to things that can be destroyed. An example of this is a city during a time of war in which a military leader comes to defeat the enemy and rescue the city from destruction. In the spiritual, this refers to things which can die. The primary example is our soul which is in danger of death because of sin. We need someone who can come and rescue our soul from that death.

The concept of salvation is so wrapped up in the work of the Messiah, that His Hebrew name 'Yahshuah' is identical with the Hebrew word for 'salvation'. Not surprisingly, many of the passages of Scripture that speak of salvation also contain prophecies of the Messiah. Such examples include Is 49:5-8 and Zec 9:9-11. It is only through Yahshuah, our Savior, that the concepts of atonement and redemption come together and the process of our salvation is possible.

Atonement

The English word 'atonement' comes from the Hebrew word 'kippur' and the essential meaning is 'to cover, cleanse, or wipe out'. Sin creates a large spot in our lives which brings the penalty of death. This spot must be cleansed and wiped out which can only be done by the shedding of blood which typically is the blood of the sinner. For atonement to be complete, the penalty of death must also be covered or satisfied which, again, is typically by that of the sinner. In order to understand the importance and magnitude of salvation we need to understand two things. First, we must realize that each and every person, including ourselves, is a sinner. Second, we must accept that initially our blood and our death are needed to cleanse and cover that sin.

The effect of atonement on sin is to make something or someone pure before the Almighty. Interestingly, the first time atonement is used in Scripture is during the consecration of the high priest of the Tabernacle. It was only the high priest that was able to enter the most set apart place in the Tabernacle on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for all of Israel. Yahshuah is the High Priest of the Heavenly Tabernacle and it is He, and He only, who is able to make the ultimate atonement for the covering of sin which makes all believers pure before the Almighty.

Substitution

It is by the great mercy of our Heavenly Father that the blood and death of a substitute is allowed in the place of a repentant sinner. When a person took an animal to the Tabernacle as a sacrifice made by the priest, that animal was a substitute for the person's blood and death in the act of covering the sin. But this process will have an impact on an individual. The person who has committed a sin must choose an animal to die in his place, must place his hands upon the animals head at the Tabernacle to show it is his replacement, and then kill the animal. Such an act can tear at the emotions, show us face to face the cost of sin, and the value of a substitute. But the sacrifice of an animal is only a temporal solution ... we still need and eternal solution.

In an incredible act of love, our substitute in the shedding of our blood and in place of our death comes Yahshuah the Messiah. He shed His blood and suffered the torture on the cross to take our place in punishment and death. He is the ultimate substitute in the atoning process. Yet we must choose to do this. In our act of repentance, we must come to the Messiah and ask Him to be our Savior which makes Him our substitute, and then witness His death on the cross which takes us face to face with the cost that comes with our sins.

Redemption

The English word 'redemption' comes from the Hebrew word 'geullah' and the essential meaning is 'to buy back' but carries with it a connection to blood relatives. This is a difficult concept for those accustomed to a western style monetary system like that used in the United States. Yet in Scripture, the concept of a redeemer comes up in many ways. One example is that of a kinsman redeemer in regards to an inheritance. The land that belonged to a tribe was to remain with that tribe. If a person were to die in such a way that the land would be lost to another tribe or people, the nearest kinsman had both the right and the responsibility to buy it back. Such an example happened, in Messiah's ancestry no less, when Ruth's husband died and left her, a Moabitess, with land from Israel. In that case, Boaz acted as a kinsman redeemer in taking both Ruth and the land back into Israel.

The relationship with the Almighty is so close that Yahveh is known as our Heavenly Father and His Son Yahshuah became a man who can be called our Brother. In many ways, He acts as a kinsman redeemer. When something is redeemed, a price must be paid. In the act of being our substitute in atonement, Yahshuah has paid the price for our souls. In so doing, He has brought us back into close relationship with the One Most High and to gain the promise of eternal life that was lost in the Garden of Eden.

Justification

The English word 'justify' comes from the Hebrew word 'tsadaq' and has the essential meaning of 'to be just or righteous' and carries with it the connotation of 'acquittal' when used in a legal sense. When sin and salvation are mentioned in the Scriptures, it is often within the context of the legal language used for courts. As uncomfortable as an appearance in a court and a judgment can sound, this is what all people face at the end time judgment. When the judgment comes, a person hopes to be found just or righteous because, only in this way, is a person not given a punishment. To be found just in the eyes of the Almighty is to be able to have not only close relationship but eternal life as well.

How can a sinful people become just before Elohim who is perfectly righteous? This is one of the great questions in the life of the believer. When we come to the Great White Throne Judgment, we want to hear the verdict of acquittal which carries the meaning of not guilty or even declared as righteous. When we repent, confess our sins, and seek forgiveness in Messiah we are forgiven our trespasses against the Almighty and when we stand in court and the judgment comes we are then able to be found righteous.

Judgment

The English word 'judgment' comes from the Hebrew word 'shephet' and the essential meaning is 'to judge or punish'. The idea of a judgment is not so difficult to grasp as courts do this on a regular basis around the world. Such courts are needed because a crime has been committed and a punishment must be given. However, the judgment that comes at the end of Scripture is the end of the salvation process that began in the Garden of Eden. The judgment is simple. Those who die in their sins are found guilty. Those whose sins are covered through atonement are acquitted (set free and declared righteous).

In the book of Revelation, we find that at the time of judgment there are books and also the book of life. We will be judged on our works in the books. However, of more importance is the Book of Life in which our guilt or our innocence is shown and where eternal life is at stake. In this book, the only matter of importance is whether we have accepted Yahshuah as Savior. Have we heard the word of salvation that comes through Him and then believed? Those who have chosen to accept Him are the same ones who are acquitted at the time of judgment and obtain eternal life because they are found just and righteous. A crucified Messiah. To the believer this means salvation, atonement, substitution, redemption, and justification. Nothing shows how precious life is more than a crucified Messiah. Nothing defends life more than a crucified Messiah. Nothing fights death more than a crucified Messiah. This is our Savior. His name is Yahshuah.

His Work Alone

This is what defending life looks like on His level. This is what Yahshuah does. He has to do it. We cannot. You cannot do it. He cannot do it. She cannot do it. I cannot do it. Only Yahshuah can do these things. That is why He is the hero. Because only He can defeat sin and death ... for us ... his sheep. And He must do all, emphasis ALL, of the work. As I have heard elsewhere, the only thing we can contribute towards our salvation is our sin ... and If we had only a one percent part in the work of salvation we would find a way to mess it up. He has to do all the work. Just like in the kingdom illustration earlier, when we had to go humbly ask for a cup of water from the Prince ... we must humbly go to the Savior and ask Him to be a crucified Messiah for us. And much of the world refuses to do this.

But we who are believers are given both the privilege to celebrate and the duty to honor our Savior and the work He does for us in the Covenant Festivals. His work as sacrifice, His work as High Priest, His leading and sanctifying His people all come together in these festivals and it is truly a time to celebrate.