For most of us from an evangelical tradition, “salvation” meant one thing: You’re either going to heaven or you’re not. But is that what it always meant?
When I was a pastor we did Evangelism Explosion and whenever we'd go house to house to present the gospel, I always felt like I was a salesman pitching a product. Even the training process taught us how to "close the deal" (although I don't think they used those specific words). It all felt artificial.
The get out of hell free card. The sinners prayer. The conversion story. These things haunted me in my youth. Primarily because I didn't have a conversion story. So then I must not be saved. But yet felt completely paralyzed by big altar calls and public displays. Chose to get baptized in a lake at 10. Decided this must be the time. But was it?? Doubt, fear. All the time. Said the prayer in a closet, wrote down the date so I'd have it in writing.
All this. So awful. So the opposite of what I know believe and understand. And now, ironically, without being imprisoned in.thst belief system, for the first time I don't have that fear. I feel free.
Salvation isn’t a gated community in the sky for those who aced the theology quiz. It’s what happens when the fire of bodhichitta burns through your delusion of separateness and you start loving the world as your own.
The earliest stories of liberation weren’t about soul insurance. They were about divine jailbreaks from empire. That’s what we forgot when we turned salvation into a heavenly slot machine. Insert belief, receive eternity. Ding ding ding, you’re righteous.
But the real kingdom doesn’t come with golden streets. It comes when we tear down the scaffolding around our hearts and let compassion run wild like an unsupervised toddler with a paintbrush.
Jesus didn’t die so we could argue about doctrine. He died because he lived like love was the only law. And if we’re still treating salvation as an escape plan instead of an uprising of mercy, we’ve missed the plot entirely.
Blessed be the heretics who remember that salvation is a verb.
If only this message could be preached in churches. I have always struggled with the idea of a personal salvation, and the implied criticism(she's probably not really saved) from church leaders and congregants alike.
Very thankful for this explanation and I always got hung up on “there’s nothing you contribute to the process,” but “you have to accept it/say the prayer.”
I agree that salvation is more then just being saved from hell, I have struggled with the concept of salvation being used as fire insurance. Having said that though, I think we must not lose the hope of eternity after this life and being with the Lord because this life is temporary and short. So eternity does matter to me alot more then this life because after all we will be dead forever.
I don't we should lose sight of eternity in exchange for this short temporary life.
Yes I do believe that Jesus wants us to live transformed lives, but this life is just too short and full of suffering , so their must be a hope of an afterlife?
I am seeing more and more of these types of posts of people that have deconstructed and no longer believe or care in what happens after this life, that only this life matters and I find it very disturbing.
Good stuff, Joe! Thank you.
When I was a pastor we did Evangelism Explosion and whenever we'd go house to house to present the gospel, I always felt like I was a salesman pitching a product. Even the training process taught us how to "close the deal" (although I don't think they used those specific words). It all felt artificial.
Wow was this something I needed to read today! Thank you for this! THIS is the Christianity and salvation I want! 🙌
The get out of hell free card. The sinners prayer. The conversion story. These things haunted me in my youth. Primarily because I didn't have a conversion story. So then I must not be saved. But yet felt completely paralyzed by big altar calls and public displays. Chose to get baptized in a lake at 10. Decided this must be the time. But was it?? Doubt, fear. All the time. Said the prayer in a closet, wrote down the date so I'd have it in writing.
All this. So awful. So the opposite of what I know believe and understand. And now, ironically, without being imprisoned in.thst belief system, for the first time I don't have that fear. I feel free.
Salvation isn’t a gated community in the sky for those who aced the theology quiz. It’s what happens when the fire of bodhichitta burns through your delusion of separateness and you start loving the world as your own.
The earliest stories of liberation weren’t about soul insurance. They were about divine jailbreaks from empire. That’s what we forgot when we turned salvation into a heavenly slot machine. Insert belief, receive eternity. Ding ding ding, you’re righteous.
But the real kingdom doesn’t come with golden streets. It comes when we tear down the scaffolding around our hearts and let compassion run wild like an unsupervised toddler with a paintbrush.
Jesus didn’t die so we could argue about doctrine. He died because he lived like love was the only law. And if we’re still treating salvation as an escape plan instead of an uprising of mercy, we’ve missed the plot entirely.
Blessed be the heretics who remember that salvation is a verb.
The story was always trying to set us free.
and still is.
Thank you.
If only this message could be preached in churches. I have always struggled with the idea of a personal salvation, and the implied criticism(she's probably not really saved) from church leaders and congregants alike.
So well explained. Thanks for the coherent voice of thoughtful explanation. 🙏
Very thankful for this explanation and I always got hung up on “there’s nothing you contribute to the process,” but “you have to accept it/say the prayer.”
In diving deeper into the idea of “original sin” I also found this helpful article: https://faithalone.org/journal-articles/universal-sin-and-salvation-in-romans-512-21/
I agree that salvation is more then just being saved from hell, I have struggled with the concept of salvation being used as fire insurance. Having said that though, I think we must not lose the hope of eternity after this life and being with the Lord because this life is temporary and short. So eternity does matter to me alot more then this life because after all we will be dead forever.
I don't we should lose sight of eternity in exchange for this short temporary life.
Yes I do believe that Jesus wants us to live transformed lives, but this life is just too short and full of suffering , so their must be a hope of an afterlife?
I am seeing more and more of these types of posts of people that have deconstructed and no longer believe or care in what happens after this life, that only this life matters and I find it very disturbing.
Needed this reminder. Thanks, Joe!