“Salvation”

For as long as the human race can be traced back in time, humanity has attempted to “get it right.” With that being considered right by the ethics and morals of the law, it seems the inconsistencies within humanity prohibit us from obtaining the states of righteousness defined as acting in an upright, moral way of which we call “getting it right. Every day in the human experience, throughout our human interaction, we reflect upon the profundity of our lives to measure if we have shown mercy, walked humbly, and done justly to all of humanity. It is by ethics, morals, values, and standards of this human experience that allows humans to believe they are doing right by one another. Therefore, humanity tries daily to perfect its people skills in attempt to obtain this righteousness. However, it seems our daily effort sometimes fails even when we have devoted our best to be kind to one another. An example can be located in the New Testament canon. In the book of Romans, the eighth chapter, as the Apostle Paul, the accredited author, writes to the Roman Empire from Jerusalem. In this particular letter, Paul describes the interpersonal conflict he is having within himself. He states his struggle between what he was purposed to do, he does not, but yet does something that he hates, and with all of the good that he attempts to do, he does not, but does evil (Romans 7:14-19). Paul is describing a conflict that is a constant struggle against his will, versus his desires. It is in this periscope where many followers of the Christian world can identify as their reasoning for not being able to “get it right,” but it is here where we find Paul demonstrating man’s inability to become righteous. However, throughout all of Christendom, Christianity has become an antidote which provides humankind the opportunity to become righteous and that is through the idea of “grace”. Grace is a universal expression in the Christian world that simply means “unmerited favor”. It is understood that this underserved, unearned favor is given to humankind because God understands the human condition and inability to obtain righteousness. However, all of the above is conditional and is only obtainable upon one’s receipt of Salvation. Salvation, which comes from the Greek word “sozo,” means to save, rescue, deliver, and protect. From this ideology, it brings us to ask a very pertinent question. What does humankind need in order to be saved or rescued or protected from and why? We will also explore the methods in which humankind should obtain this method of salvation. This paper seeks to define what salvation is in the need of Christian Faith.
Humanity is somehow unable to obtain righteousness, as Paul and his interpersonal conflict in Romans, the eighth chapter. As he continues to struggle with his will, desires, and decision, he reaches a conclusion in the twentieth verse, a statement that brings us into our first point, which states, “Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Paul surmises the totality of this interpersonal conflict, which fights and wars against his will, is no longer but it is sin that lives in him. The new concept we are introduced to as sin in the Britannica Encyclopedia Academic Edition, regards sin as a moral evil, considered from a religious standpoint. Sin is regarded in Judaism and Christianity as the deliberate and purposeful violation of the will of God. In Gary A. Anderson’s book entitled Sin: A History, he explores the concept of slavery in America and suggests it left a “stain” upon our hands that is still awaiting “cleansing”. It further goes on by stating that sin is much more than a violation of moral norms and that the effects of sin are more extensive than a guilty conscience. He presents the argument that according to Exodus 20:5, the sins of the Father are visited upon the sons and grandson up to the fourth generation. At the same