Salvation

Lore & Background

In Abrahamic religions, salvation is the saving of the soul from sin and its consequences, also called deliverance or redemption. Depending on the religion or denomination, salvation is considered caused by grace of God, faith, good deeds, or a combination. Religions often emphasize that man is a sinner by nature and that the penalty of sin is death. In contemporary Judaism, redemption refers to God redeeming the people of Israel from their exiles, including the final redemption. Judaism holds that adherents do not need personal salvation as Christians believe, and does not subscribe to original sin. Salvation is closely related to redemption, a saving from states that destroy the value of human existence. God is the source of salvation for humanity, provided an individual honors God by observing His precepts. The Jewish concept of Messiah envisions a human figure who will redeem the world from war and suffering, leading to universal brotherhood. Christianity's primary premise is that the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ formed the climax of a divine plan for humanity's salvation. Salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ, whose death on the cross was the once-for-all sacrifice that atoned for the sin of humanity. Christian soteriology ranges from exclusive salvation to universal reconciliation concepts. The Bible presents salvation as a story describing God's eternal plan to deal with human sin, climaxing in Christ.

Reader's Guide

Salvation is a central concept in Abrahamic religions, with distinct interpretations in Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism, salvation is tied to the destiny of Israel as the elect people of God, emphasizing individual morality and observance of the Torah. Salvation is open to all people who observe the ethical pattern summarized in the Ten Commandments. The Jewish concept of Messiah is not a divine being but a human influence in an age of universal peace. In Christianity, salvation is made possible solely through Jesus Christ, whose atonement addresses universal human sin. Variant views on salvation divide Christian denominations, including Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism, with fault lines involving depravity, predestination, atonement, and justification. Most denominations believe salvation is a process beginning when a person becomes Christian, continuing through life, and completed at judgment before Christ. The academic study of salvation, soteriology, examines these varied theological frameworks. The concept remains a non-negotiable item of Christian faith, equated with transcendent, eschatological fulfillment of human existence freed from sin, finitude, and mortality, united with the triune God.

Did You Know?

• The academic study of salvation is called soteriology.
• In Judaism, salvation is open to all people, not limited to those of the Jewish faith.
• Christianity holds that salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ.
• The Jewish concept of Messiah is not considered a future divine or supernatural being but a dominating human influence in an age of universal peace.