What is the Scriptural definition of "saved"?

[PRmerger]

My understanding of what it means to be “saved” is this:

We are standing before the Eternal Throne of Heaven, feasting in the Beatific Vision.

It seems that many Christians do not share this view.

Someone, being “saved” seems to mean: knowing that you are going to stand before the Eternal Throne.

Does anyone have any Scripture verses which define exactly what it means to be “saved”?

So if a Bible Christian asks me, “Are you saved”? what Bible verse is he using to define what he means?

 

[boomerang]

I have often wondered about the term “saved”. If you are “saved”, you are saved *from *some danger. You are not saved to something. You are saved from something. In this case, hell. You are saved from hell. So when you are saved, you aren’t going to hell. But you may still go to purgatory. Being saved from hell doesn’t automatically mean you are going straight to heaven immediately upon death, as the protestants believe. I can’t tell you any scripture quotes, though.

 

[PNEUMA]

My understanding of what it means to be “saved” is this:

We are “in Christ”

Rom 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation”

 

[7_Sorrows]

I have recently met someone who is an ex-Catholic and she keeps talking about being “saved”, but she seems to infer Catholics are not “saved”! personally, I get annoyed with the word “saved” being overused to me. the word used to intimidate me, but it doesn’t anymore.

 

[PRmerger]

My understanding of what it means to be “saved” is this:

We are “in Christ”

Rom 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation”

Do you have a Bible verse that says that being “saved” means being “in Christ”?

The above Bible verses don’t mention “saved”.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I have recently met someone who is an ex-Catholic and she keeps talking about being “saved”, but she seems to infer Catholics are not “saved”! personally, I get annoyed with the word “saved” being overused to me. the word used to intimidate me, but it doesn’t anymore.

For protestants being saved mean that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and his suffering and death was done in your place. It means that at some point in your life you accepted Jesus into your heart and now have a personal relationship with him.

It is the same for Catholics except we usually do not see being saved as occurring at a specific point in time, like I came to Jesus July 9, 1995. We see it more as a journey often starting as infants at baptism. Maybe Baptists give us the clearest example of our difference. They believe one has to freely choose to be baptized while we welcome infants even before they know what is going on.

And yes, saved from Hell only accomplished through a personal choice to accept Jesus as your savior. And that is all one needs to do. No need for church really, or sacraments, Mass any of that. Just follow the Bible. So they look at us and think we are too caught up in external ritual while lacking the personal relationship with Jesus.

 

[PRmerger]

For protestants being saved mean that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and his suffering and death was done in your place. It means that at some point in your life you accepted Jesus into your heart and now have a personal relationship with him.

What Bible verse(s) do they use to support this?

 

[PNEUMA]

PNEUMA;13821925:

My understanding of what it means to be “saved” is this:

We are “in Christ”

Rom 8:1

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation"Do you have a Bible verse that says that being “saved” means being “in Christ”?

The above Bible verses don’t mention “saved”.

Ephesians 2:4 “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works”

To be saved = to be created in Christ (recreated in Christ)

 

[PRmerger]

Ephesians 2:4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works"

To be saved = to be created in Christ (recreated in Christ)

 

[ajcstr]

Ephesians 2:4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works"

To be saved = to be created in Christ (recreated in Christ)

But lets include the complete verse 10 as so many times this is quoted up to only verse 9:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand,** that we should walk in them**.

 

[PRmerger]

But lets include the complete verse 10 as so many times this is quoted up to only verse 9:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand,** that we should walk in them**.

Great. But what is your point here, vis a vis our discussion on the definition of salvation?

 

[ajcstr]

Great. But what is your point here, vis a vis our discussion on the definition of salvation?

I could be wrong, but isn’t this the rest of the equation? Saved by grace through faith to do the works for which we were created.

 

[PRmerger]

I could be wrong, but isn’t this the rest of the equation? Saved by grace through faith to do the works for which we were created.

But the Scripture verse Pneuma cited does show that the Scriptural def of “saved” is: to be created in Christ.

 

[Todd977]

she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

Seems to me that “saved” means that your past sins have been forgiven.

 

[PRmerger]

she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

Seems to me that “saved” means that your past sins have been forgiven.

This seems to demonstrate that Jesus will save us from our sins.

But it doesn’t necessarily define that this is what it means to “be saved”.

 

[ynotzap]

Great. But what is your point here, vis a vis our discussion on the definition of salvation?

I agree with Pneuma’s post #8, and ajcstr’s post #10. Some Catholics view “being saved” as meriting Heaven as the consequence of living a Christian life. Some Protestants believe “once saved always saved.” Once saved (by conversion) does not guarantee that one will be faithful until the end. salvation can be lost if one is not faithful in practice to the tenants of Christianity. Love of God, and neighbor are the two greatest laws. So just receiving the sanctifying grace of faith is not enough, one must persevere until the end So to avoid a misunderstanding of what is meant to being saved must be clarified. Works are a necessary companion to the faith to be saved, not just belief.

 

[Darryl_B]

My understanding of what it means to be “saved” is this:

We are standing before the Eternal Throne of Heaven, feasting in the Beatific Vision.

It seems that many Christians do not share this view.

Someone, being “saved” seems to mean: knowing that you are going to stand before the Eternal Throne.

Does anyone have any Scripture verses which define exactly what it means to be “saved”?

So if a Bible Christian asks me, “Are you saved”? what Bible verse is he using to define what he means?

Saved to me is bringing us out of the pit of despair and also bringing us back to God. It begins when we are released, redeemed, it ends when

We are standing before the Eternal Throne of Heaven, feasting in the Beatific Vision.

It is like being on a sinking ship. (SOS slight Greek humour). You are saved from the sinking ship when you get into the lifeboat, but you are not saved, truly saved, until that lifeboat reaches the shores of home.

 

[ajcstr]

But the Scripture verse Pneuma cited does show that the Scriptural def of “saved” is: to be created in Christ.

Yes, but then what does “Created in Christ” mean.

I was just adding the comment because being “saved” is often equated to faith alone and that verse in Ephesians is widely used as a proof text but leaving off that last verse.

See the section on individual salvation from the Catholic Encyclopedia for a Catholic perspective if you are interested (I know the op was directed towards a protestant definition):

newadvent.org/cathen/13407a.htm

Another way to think of salvation is a release from sin. Barabbas who deserved death was released while Jesus, who Pilate could find no fault with, paid the price. That is why in Protestant theology the unsaved are said to have “died in their sins”.

 

[fisherman_carl]

The Catholic position is that we have been saved, when we first became a Christian (ie. Baptism), we are being saved, which is being conformed into the image of Christ, and we will be saved when we enter heaven. So salvation is really a past, present and future event. So if someone asks you have you been saved you can yes I was saved when i became a Christian, and I am being saved as I allow God’s grace to transform me and sanctify me and make me holy, and will be saved when I enter heaven. This view encompasses the entire Scripture since Scripture talks about salvation as a past, present, and future event.

 

[ajcstr]

I am probably stating the obvious, but to a protestant there is either saved or unsaved, like a switch, on or off. That is a major difference from the way a catholic would view salvation.