Preparing for Discussion - Salvation: Abundant Life Now

Shane Hipps challenges us in session 4 of Animate: Faith to think of salvation as something that happens in the here and now as we're living life in this world, rather than something that we are looking forward to when this life is over. How have you understood the meaning of "salvation?"

A large portion of the discussion guide for this week is devoted to an exploration of the word "salvation," where it is used in scripture, and what it means. Let's start by just taking a look at several Old and New Testament verses regarding salvation (note: 2/3 of the references to salvation in the Bible come from the Old Testament):

Exodus 15:2
2 Chronicles 6:41
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 62:5-6
Luke 1:77
Acts 13:47
Romans 1:16

What is salvation in these scriptures? Does it differ from Old Testament to New Testament? 

If salvation is something happening in our lives now and something that we can see in specific moments in our lives, what does it mean to "be saved?" The jailor asked Paul & Silas this question in Acts 16:16-40.

What does this understanding of salvation mean about "tent revivals" and televangelists, about groups of people coming forward to "be saved" at an event? How does this understanding of salvation apply to the question of whether or not a person can lose their salvation?

How does James 2:14-26 inform this discussion? What do these verses say about salvation?

In our previous discussion we read the story of Zacchaeus, as a radical, risky act of Jesus. Now read it with this conversation about salvation in mind. (Luke 19:1-11) Verses 9-10 say:

⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

What does THAT mean? Is salvation a one time event here? Was Zacchaeus saved from then on? Or is salvation something that is unfolding throughout the story? Is "salvation" what is meant my Zacchaeus' response to Jesus? As in, "Today you are experiencing salvation," versus, "Salvation has come to you today once and for all."

In Luke 4:16-21 Jesus quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah and declares that he is the fulfillment of these words:

¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹ And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus describes in this passage the work he has come to do, his "saving work," the salvation he brings. These things are very present, not future, oriented. Do you think these verses describe what is meant by salvation? Are these verses literal or figurative? (Fun fact: The "year of the Lord's favor" is in reference to the Year of Jubilee, described in Leviticus 25, which adds another layer of meaning to the words of Jesus.)

Hipps tells a story of a moment of salvation in his own life when his father laid hands on him and prayed silently for him. Take a look at these moments in scripture, which may also be described as "salvation moments" or "God moments:"

John 4:29
John 8:10-11
John 3:1-10
John 21:15-19

Do you think these moments describe salvation? Is this what salvation is? Why or why not?

Have their been moments of salvation in your own life like those described above?

Shane Hipps also links up the idea of time and salvation, speaking of the time we have hear on earth as a valuable opportunity to experience salvation and to share salvation experiences with others. Take a look at these verses and think about how they might apply to this time/salvation concept:

Romans 13:11-12
2 Corinthians 6:1-3
Ephesians 5:15-16
1 Peter 4:7-11
1 John 2:15-17

Lastly, read Ephesian 4:26-5:2. What is the Day of Redemption? And what does it mean to be "sealed" for it? Is it possible that the time is BOTH now AND later?