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Study Section 18: Soteriology

18.1 Connect.

The doctrine of salvation is misunderstood and diminished by many preachers who claim to
Preach the true gospel. It is shocking to see false teachers who promise their members wealth,
healing, power, progress in work, and even divine power is part of their salvation package. They
see salvation as the means to prosperity. They claim that one cannot be saved and remain poor. I
believe that these false teaching are there because the doctrine of salvation has been misunderstood.
The right understanding of this doctrine will change how relate to God and to others. We will know that
salvation form the power of sin and death is what we all need. Salvation is offered to sinners because of
the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus brings justification to those who trust in His Work
on their behalf by faith.

In this study, after examining the various views of Christians on these topics, we will attempt to establish
a biblical view of all the doctrine of salvation as presented in God’s Word.

18.2 Objectives.

1. The student should be able to identify the three main views of salvation in current Christianity.

2. The student should be able to explain the problems with the Liberation and Prosperity Gospel
views.

3. The student should be able to explain the primary view of eternal salvation in Scripture.

18.3 Understanding of Doctrine of Salvation.

What is soteriology? Soteriology is the study of the doctrine of salvation. There are many
Hebrew words that are used to signify salvation, yāšaʿ (to save, help in distress, rescue, deliver,
set free) appears most frequently in the Old Testament. Commonly, the deliverance of which the
Old Testament speaks is material in nature, though there are important exceptions. In contrast,
the employment of sōtēria in the New Testament, though it may include material preservation,
usually signifies a deliverance with special spiritual significance.

The name “Immanuel,” “God with us,” signifies significant progress in the history of salvation. In
Matthew’s Gospel the angel tells Joseph that Mary’s child is conceived of the Holy Spirit, and that he is
“to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (1:21–23). The name “Jesus”
(derived from the Hebrew Joshua) itself means salvation. The purpose for the Son of Man’s coming is to
seek out and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

The New Testament continues the Old Testament affirmation that salvation belongs to God alone, but
with greater specificity. Peter’s certainty of this relation between “Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you
crucified” and the “God [who raised him] from the dead” moves him to the exclusive confession that
salvation belongs only to the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:10–12). The future dimension of salvation is
glorification, the culmination of the saving process wherein believers will experience Christ’s presence in
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new and resurrected bodies no longer burdened by the vestiges of sin.
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