Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

We get our word salvation from the Greek word sozo, which means “to rescue, deliver, heal, protect, preserve, to make whole, to do well.” When we think to ourselves or profess to others that we are saved, is this what we mean? Or, do we mean, “My sins have been forgiven; therefore, I have been saved from eternal punishment?”

Considering sozo’s larger meaning, the gospel is not just good news; it’s great news! One teacher I have followed teaches that salvation is the forgiveness of sins, the deliverance from oppression, and the healing of disease. Has he gone too far? Jesus’ provides us with His answer:

 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives,

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set free those who are downtrodden,

To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

We have not just been saved from a horrific end, but saved into a glorious now, into a kingdom of perpetual new beginnings. It should be normal, with minds that are being renewed, to regularly discover that being a new creation in Christ is a bigger deal than we had previously grasped.

 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (from 2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

I don’t fully know what “all these things” refers to, but I can easily imagine that being reconciled to God would include a renewed, sozosized salvation, which includes healing, deliverance and blessing

Father, save us from our impoverished ideas of your kingdom. May we succeed as agents of the eternal life you entrusted to us. May your blood not be wasted upon us. May your Word return to You having accomplished that for which it was sent. Help us to align our hearts with Yours. Upgrade our expectations from then to now. Upgrade our experience from good to great.  Succeed wildly in making Your appeal through us. Amen.

 

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