Length: 23 minutes

As Christians, we will commonly call ourselves “saved.” We will speak about the day we received Jesus as “our salvation.” And we will call Jesus “our Savior.” Now this may sound like an obvious, unimportant question to ask, but what are you saved from?

This is a “Basic Training Article” which means that it takes many hours of teaching from Reform Church and summarizes it in just minutes.

There are many different answers you may get when you ask that question. Some may say “from hell,” some may say “from sin,” some “from the enemy,” and some “from myself,” but have you ever heard anyone say, “from everything in the earth”? 

We are certainly saved from all the things mentioned above, but Jesus came to save us from the earth (or rather what’s in it) and that has been lost in the minds of many believers today.

Overview

Before we explain anything, we must lay some foundational things about the world and why the world is the way it is. 

Everything in this world is corrupt. Things decay. hurt. get sick. age. Now, why should that happen? Some people would just say “Well, we live in a fallen world.” But why is the world decaying and dying the way it is?

I’ll tell you — sin, Adam’s sin. 

Romans 5:12 (NKJV) …through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin…

All things in this world, apart from Jesus, are dead because of sin. Things are not in this state because of each individual person’s sin. No, death spread to all creation when that one man, Adam sinned. So the earth is the way it is today, and all the hurt you see in it, is due to his one sin in the Garden of Eden

The Death

Now, let’s talk about this “death” that came through Adam. Don’t let anyone tell you that the death that came through Adam’s sin was just “spiritual death.“ They’ll say, “When Adam sinned he just spiritually died. He was only separated from God.“ But there is no scripture that defines death as “separation from God.“ It’s true, Adam did separate himself from God when he sinned, but this separation is not the death the Bible speaks about. The death that came through Adam was physical death, death that came to his physical body and everyone that was born from him. See for yourself:

Romans 8:10 (NKJV) …the body is dead because of sin… [Adam’s sin]

This very clearly says that it’s people’s bodies that are dead because of Adam’s sin. And how do I know this is referring to Adam’s sin? Because there is only one sin in the world. All sin is Adam’s sin. It all came through this one man (Romans 5:12).

The death that came through Adam was physical death, but people ask, “If Adam died physically when he ate of the tree in the Garden of Eden, then why did he live for so many years after? Why didn’t he fall over dead after he ate of the tree?” Well, this is important: when the Bible says that “death” came through Adam’s sin, the death it is referring to is a process. It is not only talking about someone breathing their last breath. Sure, it includes that, but death in this case is referring to the process of corrupting. When Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, his physical body died instantaneously, but death, in this case, is referring to a process of corruption.

Here is some biblical proof of that. Here in 2 Peter, instead of saying that death came into the world through Adam’s sin, he says that corruption came into the world through lust (sin):

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) …the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The death (or we can say “the corruption”) that came through Adam was indeed a physical death and corruption that spread to the whole world. But the death that began working in Adam the moment he ate of that tree was a process, until he would return to the ground. A process of decay known as corruption.

Here is some further evidence that death includes all hurt, suffering, disability, aging, etc.

• Paul called his sufferings “death working in him” (2 Corinthians 4:12). 
  
• Paul referred to the disabled womb of Sarah as “the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19). 
  
• Paul refers to a corruptible body as being dead, even while a person still lives (Romans 8:10). 
  
• Abrahams aged body is called “dead,” and is said to have needed “life from the dead” — classifying His agedness as deadness (Romans 4:17, 19). 

All this bodily hurt, weakness, handicap, and aging, the Bible calls “death.” This did not mean that these people were separated from God. This is referring to a physical condition of their body. Death is a process of weakness (or inactivity, if you see our glossary) until one returns to the ground. Along the way, it may manifest in sickness, disease, hurt, or weakness, but the Bible classifies all these things as death. It is a bodily problem, which is why our Savior needed to take on a body to physically die in it, to fulfill this curse. If it wasn’t a bodily problem, Jesus wouldn’t need a body to fulfill it. Since the problem was in human bodies, Jesus partook of the same, to fix this bodily death in the world (Hebrews 2:14 makes that clear).

It’s so important that we define this problem correctly. If we don’t define death correctly, we will also not define Jesus’ salvation from death correctly. If death is defined as separation from God, then it reduces Jesus’ salvation to merely a salvation from separation, a restoration of relationship, with no physical, tangible, practical application to the problems human beings go through. But more on that in a moment.

The Root

God didn’t create the world to be corruptible, So, where did all the weakness, hurt and decay in the world come from? It came from Adam’s sin. There are no problems or tribulation that you see in this world that did not come from sin.

Adam’s sin is the source. It is the root. That’s where Paul is coming from when he says this by the Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 15:56 (NKJV) The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

When Paul says, “the sting of death is sin”, Paul is saying that sin is what gives death its power. It is the cause. That is an important point to make. Sin is what gives death dominion. Romans 5:14 says sin is what causes death to reign.

Now, imagine if Adam and Eve never sinned! Wow! If there was no sin, there would be no death, right? If there was no sin, everyone would be free. If there was no sin, people would live forever! If there was no sin, no one would ever get sick, grow old, or feel pain. If there was no sin, it would be heaven on earth! But only if there was no sin.

Oh. If only we had a savior from this sin! If only we had someone to cleanse us from it! If we only had someone to come down out of Heaven and remove the root of death from us! After all, if there were no root, then there could be no bondage to its fruit! If only we had someone to save us from the sin that causes death.

John 1:29 (NKJV) “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

How can we as believers say that we are saved from our sins and yet still feel in bondage to the hurt, aging, sickness, and death in this world? You may say, “I’ve never said I was in bondage!” But every time you say, “Everyone inevitably gets sick. everyone eventually dies, pain is something everyone goes through,” you might as well have said “I’m in prison.” Bondage means something you can’t get out of. When you say you will inevitably go through something, that’s bondage. I’m not saying any believer is truly in bondage, but that’s what they’re saying.

If sin is the root of all death, aging, and pain in this world, how can we say we are saved from sin, yet still bound to its fruit!? How can we say we’re cleansed of sin and still trapped in it’s curse? It’s like saying we’re free from the cause, but we’re still bound to the effects.

For those that would say, “But I still sin in my actions,” you’re forgetting that you are not free because you never sin in your actions. You’re free from sin because Jesus forgave and cleansed you, despite your actions. Inside you have been made righteous and truly holy (2 Corinthians 5:21 and Ephesians 4:24). You are forgiven, as if you have never sinned before! But there’s little use in saying we’re free from sin if we’re still bound to all it’s effects.

Corruption and death come through sin, so if we’re cleansed of that sin, that should mean that we’ve also escaped the corruption that comes from it! And that’s exactly what the Bible says.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NKJV) (3)  …His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness… (4) …having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Corruption/decay is only in the world because of lust (referring to that inherent sin from Adam). If God cleanses you of that lust… no more bondage to corruption for you! On the other hand, instead of lust and sin, God has given you all things that pertain to godliness! Instead of corruption and death, God has given you all things that pertain to life! And yes, this life is for your mortal body – to make it forever healthy, youthful, and strong. 

Death may come through sin, but life comes through righteousness!

Romans 8:10-11 (NKJV) And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal [dead] bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The moment a person becomes righteous is the moment they become free from the whole world and all the corruption in it. 

Being righteous and cleansed from all sin is God’s way of redeeming you from the earth and the corruption in it. Not “righteousness” as in doing right! Your right deeds cannot redeem you or keep you from corruption. It’s the righteousness that comes as a gift from Jesus that has redeemed us. His righteousness is your exit out.  

Jesus is not saving you from problem to problem. Jesus dealt with the root of anything you could ever encounter in this world by dealing with sin. If Jesus can effectively deal with that root, then Jesus has effectively delivered you from this entire world. Look at Galatians 1:4:

Galatians 1:4 (NKJV) …[Jesus] gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

What does this verse say Jesus came to save us from? The present evil age. But how does it say He did it? By giving Himself up for our sins!

The reason this age is bound to hurt and suffering is because of sin! So, if Jesus bears sin in His own body on the cross, to take it away from you, then you have just been delivered from the world you live in! How wise is Jesus? Jesus has taken away from us the cause of all corruption, so that we would be delivered from this world, even while still walking in it (John 17:15).

Romans 8:2 (NKJV) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

The Paralytic 

Jesus being our savior from sin takes on new meaning when you realize what sin is. Look at this example of a paralyzed man (a paralytic) that was brought to Jesus to be healed:

Matthew 9:2 (NKJV) Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.“

“What? Jesus, this is a paralytic that was brought to you to be healed! What are you doing forgiving his sins?” But you see, when this man was brought to Jesus, he was bound to all the sickness and decay in this world. When Jesus saw his faith, rather than merely heal the man once, Jesus said the words “Your sins are forgiven you,” and set him free from every evil thing in the whole world, including that paralysis.

Then Jesus looked over at the scribes and said this:

Matthew 9:6 (NKJV) But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins“—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

Let me ask you a question. When was this man free from paralysis? I’ll tell you. This man’s body may have been healed when Jesus said, “Arise,” but this man’s last moment bound to paralysis was when Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven you.” This man’s healing was only a manifest token of the fact that he was free. This is why, Jesus said to the scribes that they would know He had power to forgive sins, by the healing of this man. That means that his healing was only an evidence of his forgiveness! His healing came from his forgiveness!

If you have believed, you are not free from the point you see it manifests in your body. You are free from corruption from the point you were made righteous! All that’s left is to know it, because this freedom only manifests by knowledge (2 Peter 1:2, Philemon 1:6).

Righteousness Is A Door

Righteousness is like a door through which one enters to escape the world (Psalms 118:19). There is an immense amount of scripture for this, but it would take too long for this article.

Jesus described Himself as a door in John 10, because He’s the one that makes us righteous (Romans 5:1-2).

John 10:9 (NKJV) I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…

Jesus says that He is a door for His sheep to enter so that they can be saved. But saved from what? Well, we have to find out where the sheep are if we want to know what they’re being saved from, when they walk through the door.

John 10:16 tells us where the sheep are. It says the sheep are in “a fold.” So, when the sheep walk through the door, they’re leaving the “fold.” But what does that mean?

“The fold” represents “a nation.”  That’s why Jesus, speaking to the Jews says, “I have other sheep that aren’t of this “fold” (this nation, the Jewish nation). Them I must also bring (referring to the Gentiles).” 

There is so much more to say, but to make this short, John 10 is saying that Jesus brings His sheep out from amongst the nations, through the door. This is saying that Jesus saves us from the nations, from the world! 

John 10 is completely in symbol, but Ezekiel 34 explains it a little clearer:

Ezekiel 34:12-13 (NKJV) As a shepherd seeks out his flock… so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered… And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries [the folds]…

John 10 explains that Jesus is delivering the sheep from the folds where they are. Here, instead of saying folds, it plainly says “from the people” and “from the countries.”

So, when Jesus says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved,” He is speaking about being saved out of this world.

Being made righteous through Jesus is like walking out of a door from the present world. The moment you step foot through His righteousness was the moment you became an alien, a stranger to the world and its corruption.

Revelation 5:9 (NKJV) And they sang a new song, saying: “…For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation…”

Overcame The World

With everything we’ve said it’s no wonder that, when Jesus described His victory He would accomplish at the cross, He called it “overcoming the world.”

John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

It’s clear that Jesus achieved a victory over the entire world (namely the sin and death in it), but what does it mean when Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation.” 

It’s true, we live in a world of tribulation. All the article thus far has established that. But when Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation,” this is not talking about suffering the tribulation of the world. This is why Jesus goes on to say that He has overcome this world of tribulation. Even more so, 1 John 5:4 says that we received Jesus’ victory over this world, when we first believed. If we are still relating to the tribulation of this world, the same way unbelievers do, what’s the point in having Jesus’ victory? If we should expect to go through trouble the same way the world does, where’s the victory? Where’s the difference? If it’s the same with or without Jesus, what’s the point?

Jesus says we will have tribulation while we live in this world, but with His victory over it. The question is, “What is it like to walk through the tribulation of this world with the victory of Jesus?” If you just keep reading, a few verses later, Jesus answers that question for us. He explains exactly what it’s like to be in a world of tribulation, yet with redemption from all the evil In It. 

John 17:15 (KJV) I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

What does it look like to walk through a world of tribulation with Jesus’ victory? It looks like walking through evil but being kept from it. It looks like walking through a furnace, while the fire doesn’t have power over your body. Just because we have tribulation in the world we live in, does not mean we suffer the consequences of it just like the world does. Why? Because of those very important words, “I have overcome the world.” And we know exactly how He did that, freeing us from sin, thus all the evil In the world. 

But some may say, “No. When Jesus says, ‘Keep them from the evil’ He’s just talking about keeping them safe from the devil or from sin. He’s not actually talking about keeping our physical bodies and lives safe. We still experience physical problems.”

Well, in this chapter, Jesus refers several times to “keeping” His disciples and those who believe in Him. This “keeping” is undoubtedly referring to protecting their physical lives. The Bible says so.

John 17:11-12 (NKJV) Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me… While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition…

Jesus prays to the Father to “keep” His disciples and then says that He has “kept” them and has not lost even one of them (except Judas). This “keeping” is referring to protecting His disciple’s physical lives from the evil in this world. This is why, just shortly after this prayer, Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested and sentenced to death, but told the soldiers to leave His disciples alone. Read carefully what this says…

John 18:8-9 (NKJV) Jesus answered, “…Therefore, if you seek Me, let these [the disciples] go their way,” that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”

Look carefully. When Jesus asks the soldiers to leave His disciples alone and not bring them to the same death sentence He was being brought to, the Bible says this was to fulfill His previous prayer, when He said that He had “kept” His disciples and lost not one.

So, by the Bible’s own interpretation, when Jesus refers to being “kept” in John 17, this is referring to His disciples’ physical lives being kept from evil. 

Jesus prayed, not that we would be taken out of the world, but that we would be “kept” from the evil in it. In other words, in this world you will have tribulation, but take heart, because Jesus has conquered this world, providing you an escape from it (2 Peter 1:4).  Therefore, you can be “kept” and protected from all of it, not suffering any of its effects. 

The number one thing that trips people up with all of this is what they see in their life, or in the lives of others. I’m not saying these things are automatically manifested in your life. I’m saying they’re yours, as a believer, and ready for you to experience whenever you believe them (John 11:40). Jesus has overcome this world, but it is necessary that we believe these freedoms before we will ever experience them. Those who believe it are those who will receive it. Just like when you were first saved (Colossians 2:6). 

There is still tribulation, death, and corruption in this world, but righteousness is like a door through which we have run to be saved from it all. This is how three men walk through flames without even smelling like the fire (Daniel 3:27). This is why lion’s mouths are shut to do no hurt or destruction (Daniel 6:22). This is why, even if a thousand fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, it no longer needs to come near you. (Psalms 91:7). Because all these things are only in the world through sin, and sin is what He has taken away from you, rendering you disqualified from death. 

The world Is full of tribulation, but righteousness Is your exit from earth.