[UntoHim]

Like Mike said, maybe we don't know salvation as much as we think we do. We Americans are so used to a gospel that doesn't require much - "Let Jesus into your heart", "Let Jesus become your personal savior" and on and on it goes.

The gospels are filled with examples of people who THOUGHT that they knew what salvation was....from a Jewish leader/teacher, Nicodemus, whom Jesus himself scolded for not understanding the most basic and fundamental elements of salvation (to be born again) to the immoral woman at the well who thought her salvation came from being a decedent of Jacob and from the mountain she worshiped on (and was ignoring the gift of salvation being offered right in front of her) to the rich young man who thought his salvation was secure in the keeping of the commandments (whom Jesus tested right then and there - "go and sell all you have and give to the poor" - and then he went away sorrowful)

These were all different people with different notions of what salvation was. All were confident, despite any personal sins and failures they may have had, that they had received salvation. If we walked up to them before their encounter with Jesus Christ and asked them "are you saved?" they would have surely said "why, yes, yes I'm saved, why would you even ask such a thing!". And if it was you or me or anyone of us we would probably point out their sins and failures. But the Lord Jesus really didn't do this in a direct manner, for the end was not to expose their sins, failures, shortcomings and ignorance (he only exposed these as a means to an end)... the end was to be the salvation of their very souls.

We don't know for sure if any of these three were truly saved. The bible gives us hints that Nicodemus may have become a follower (he participated in Jesus' burial), the woman at the well, after her encounter with Jesus, proclaimed to her village "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” The rich young man went away sorrowful and there is no account of him returning.

Was salvation different for all three of these? It sure seems like it was. But this is not the concept of us modern Westerners - We have always been taught that salvation is this or that, this way or that way, this prayer or that prayer.

Maybe let's all take a step back. Let's let the Word of God tell us what salvation truly is. Let's let the blood, sweat and tears of the many saints and martyrs throughout the ages tell us what salvation truly is. Let's let those whom the Lord has put over us and with us tell us what salvation truly is.

Ok, sermon over, I'll put my soapbox away for now.