In an effort to escape an unstable and dangerous historical situation, there is a tendency in all religions for man to direct himself towards some attractive, ideal goal. The goal to which a Buddhist aspires is perfect quiet; it is sought and acquired through liberation from suffering which comes about through a gradual elimination of desire. Primitive religions tend towards some ideal state – not so much salvation, but rather invulnerability in some complete and perfect integration with the world and society. There is no lack of an effort to establish a relationship with the Absolute in other religions; however we may understand this relationship it usually comes down to salvation. The ideas on the meaning of life, understanding the world, human destiny, history that these religions profess and preach are essentially directed to salvation – a quest that torments the existence of man and the history of humankind.

1. Salvation as the History of Salvation

 Christianity is not exceptional in this regard. It presents itself as a proclamation of and path to salvation. What distinguishes it from other religions is that salvation is not a quest man undertakes because of his present dissatisfaction – but rather it is a history which begins at creation and ends in the rebirth of mankind in God. Over the great span of history God reveals himself to man; He communicates His very life to the extent that He becomes one with the history of mankind; He sends His only-begotten Son “made flesh” for the salvation of humankind. The Christian Creed has always recited a “history of salvation” in which we believe and which is part of our faith precisely because of its importance “for us men and for our salvation.” The very name “Jesus” means “God saves.” The title “Christ” traditionally added to Jesus, recalls the figure of the one who is Sent – the Messiah God sends to effect the salvation of His people.

 God did not limit himself to speaking as in other religions – he acted and worked with and for man to the extent of giving his own life in the person of Jesus Christ. God’s word is transformed into the action of the God who saves. It is no exaggeration to say that Christian faith can be synthesized in the statement “In the name of Jesus Christ, God is the Savior.” God, as God can save man and that he manifests this will to save historically in Jesus Christ; through Jesus Christ, the one mediator between God and man, all men are offered salvation.

 Current theology has left the metaphysics and speculation of the past behind and is rediscovering the concept the “history of salvation.” We can but be happy at this turn of events. It will shed greater light on God’s revelation in the eyes and understanding of mankind.

2. Universality of Salvation

 This development makes it easier to explain another characteristic of Christian salvation. Christian salvation must be understood in universal terms; it is destined for all human beings and not just special groups or elite as other religions might have it. The universality of the Christian salvation God offers to all mankind creates a problem: what happens to that portion of humanity that has never heard of Jesus Christ? Is this something beyond our control – or does God’s will to save really extend to all mankind? In other words, does God or does he not offer salvation to every human being? Can this gift we call grace be a direct, personal inner communication? To what extent are other religions paths to salvation willed by God himself?

 These questions are of immediate interest for the mission and for missionaries – we will return to them later. For the present we note that nowadays there is unusual interest in these questions: inter-religious dialogue and the theology of religions. Solutions are not easy; frequently they reflect the unilateral views of traditional theology - since Jesus Christ presented the Kingdom of God as transcendent it will only be fully realized at the end of time. This understanding has led to an emphasis in Christian preaching on the eschatological and transcendent aspects of salvation, eternal life and the state of beatitude to which all men are called. This emphasis is typical of a certain type of theology and spirituality that led to exaggerated individualism, and exclusive concentration on one’s own salvation. The word “redemption” is frequently associated with salvation. It stresses the action performed by Jesus of Nazareth to save men from sin and show them the path to eternal salvation.

3. God Manifests Himself as Saving

 In place of this abstract and partial understanding of salvation, theology today emphasizes the biblical notion of salvation, concentrating on the figure of Abraham, the experience of the Exodus and the expectation of a Messiah. One result of this is that “salvation” assumes a fuller and more real meaning; it includes freedom from slavery and evil; it indicates that the Kingdom of God is part of human history; it points to all the benefits that will accompany the arrival of the Messiah. 

 In the Bible God is invoked as Savior in every circumstance of existence: sickness, fear, anxiety, exile, slavery, war and death. God frees his people from all evils; there is no area of human life in which God is not invoked as savior. It is one of the most common titles in the Bible. The Jews were certain that God had freed them from the dangers that threatened them. They had had countless experiences to confirm this; they took pride in calling their ancestors “the protected and saved” by God. Sara is protected; Lot escapes the destruction of the city; Jacob benefits from divine assistance; Joseph is saved from danger and then becomes the savior of his brothers. Certain personal names mean “Yahweh is Savior.” The name Joshua is in fact the same as Jesus (cf. Mt 1,21; Lk 2,11).

 However it may occur in the Bible, salvation is always and only the work and gift of God. It comes from above, it is a miracle of love and faith – but it is never something abstract or remote. It fits in precisely with God’s plan, with the covenant he has established with his people. It occurs in the real historical world of man and mankind. For the people of Israel, liberation from the slavery of Egypt was a constant frame of reference for all their celebrations of salvation. For the Israelites the Exodus represents the great sign that reveals the salvation God is working for his people. “Then we cried to the Lord, to the God of our fathers; the Lord heard our voice, saw our humiliation, our misery and our oppression, and led us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm” (Dt 26, 6-9; Ex 14, 30-31). Although it is may be granted to individuals salvation is really intended for the whole people. This is the reason Israel returns constantly to that event which revealed God’s saving action. God made himself known by his saving Israel, and Israel, having experienced the salvation of God, celebrates his work and proclaims him the savior.

4. All Will See Salvation

 All the prophets are linked to this powerful saving action of God. They reinterpret Israel’s history and proclaim that God will restore unity to his people, he will purify them, he will give them a new heart, no longer made of stone but made of flesh. In the context of this hope one can perceive the Messiah. He is the sign of God’s fidelity, the earnest that God will save his people once and for all. The Messiah will bring God’s salvation to all people. For the prophets God’s kingship has a universal dimension: “All the earth is full of his glory” (Is 6,3); his kingdom will “embrace the universe” (Ps 130, 19). In this scheme God’s creative action reveals a universal character. The God of Israel is also the God of the world he created; every saving action of God towards Israel is also directed towards the salvation of the universe and of all mankind.

 In the songs of Second Isaiah – one of the highest expressions of religious thought – the prophet offers a meaningful description of the ”Servant of the Lord.” Surprisingly it matches the description of the Messiah. God chooses him; God calls him and consecrates him; God sends him and transforms him into the man of the Word. In the hands of God he becomes a humble agent of salvation. The innocent lamb acts according to the Spirit; he takes upon himself the sin of the world; he is in solidarity with his brothers; he does not reject suffering but accepts it in silence; he does not defend himself. His suffering is redemptive. In this way the Servant of the Lord “is despised and rejected among men”, he becomes “the light of the nations” and he brings the salvation of God to the very ends of the earth (cf. Is 42,1-7; 49, 1-9; 50, 4-11; 52, 13-15; 53, 1-12).

 They derive the greatest benefit from salvation who are willing to entrust their needs to God. The poor, the lowly, the meek, the just, the persecuted – these are the people who experience God’s salvation. “My defense is in the Lord, he will save men of honest heart” (Ps 7,11). The whole Psalter echoes this cry: “Save us, Lord our God!” (cf. Ps 106,47; 118, 25). The salvation God gives always has a mysterious aspect: it is a gift of and for today, but it is a promise for the future. The oracle of the Lord, the liturgical word that proclaims God’s saving action is itself a promise: “I am your salvation” (Ps 35,3). Our attention is drawn more to the savior, God, than to salvation. His presence in history is never in vain; it is his usual way of being for us: all “will see the salvation of our God” (Is 52,10).

5. In No One Else Is There Salvation

 The term salvation appears at least 150 times in the books of the New Testament. In a little more than one third of these cases it is used as a verb. Both the substantive and the verb reveal a broad spectrum of meaning. They indicate liberation, security, prosperity, health, justice, good, peace, though the religious meaning is predominant. Salvation is the work of God through Jesus of Nazareth; it frees man from his present situation and introduces him into a new life which is the very life of God. Those who believe know that salvation has already come; God’s promise was fulfilled in the person of Jesus. As Peter said to the embarrassment of those religious authorities who were trying to stamp out the word of life: “This Jesus is the stone rejected by the builders which has become the keystone – and you are the builders. There is no salvation in anyone else at all, for there is no other name under heaven granted to men, by which we may be saved” (Acts 4,11-12).

 It is above all Luke who is the theologian of salvation. He recalls the expectations of the Old Testament and “she who believed in the fulfillment of the Lord’s words” (Lk 1,45). In the canticle of Zachary he celebrates the powerful salvation of God (Lk 1, 68, 79); in the Nunc Dimittis Simeon sings out and proclaims that his eyes have seen salvation “a light to enlighten the gentiles and the glory of his people Israel” (Lk 2,29-32). The long awaited saving action of God has arrived. The sign of the scandal of God made flesh, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, in accordance with the words of the angel to the shepherds (cf. Lk 2,8-14).

 This scandal is even more striking in the preaching of the apostles. For Saint Paul, Christ crucified “is scandal for the Jews and foolishness for the pagans” (1 Co 1,23). Saint Paul’s letters reveal an absolute certainty: through Jesus Christ “put to death for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification” (Rm 4,25), we possess the messianic gift par excellence – peace. Paul never separates the death of Christ from his resurrection. Christ’s death ends in resurrection and reveals God’s love for us; it saves us from wrath and reconciles us to God. The indispensable condition for being reconciled with God is faith – the acceptance of God’s gift. This gift is already present and is destined to grow to fullness in glory. Salvation is still the object of our hope. For this reason Paul invites us “to boast even of our tribulations”, not because of what they are in themselves, nor because we have the strength to overcome them – but rather because of what they signify: the possibility that God’s love “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” will supply our weakness with all his strength (cf. Rm 5, 1-11).

6. He Who Loves Has Eternal Life

 The message of the apostles is fundamentally “the Gospel of Salvation” (Ep 1,13). God has the power to grant salvation to whoever believes, be he Jew or Greek (cf. Rm 1,16), and believers are “those who will be saved” (cf. 1 Co 1,18; 2 Co 2,15; Ep 2, 5-8). The word of this salvation has arrived but it is not yet full and definitive. All believers are “saved in hope” (Rm 8,24), that is they await the final manifestation of the Savior “when Christ will appear a second time … to those who await him for salvation” (He 9,28).

 The question remains: in what does Christian salvation consist? what hopes does it contain? what good does it involve? Jesus clearly chose not to be a political messiah. He did not intend to free his people from Roman domination. And yet Jesus is proclaimed, especially in Paul and John, as the one who brings definitive liberation: “If therefore the Son of God liberates you, you will be truly free” (Jn 8, 36). The liberation Jesus brings regards sin, the dominion of evil, the slavery of the flesh, remoteness from God and eternal death. Even when this salvation is made concrete with specific acts such as healings, exorcisms, saving from danger or death – the salvation he proclaims always refers to the final, definitive salvation. The miracles of Jesus are signs: to be saved is to be healed. These human events are but signs and prototypes that allow us to believe the word of the God who saves. Jesus is seeking total and definitive healing, something that goes to the very root of evil, which involves the entire history of man and the whole meaning of his existence.

 It may seem that the message of Jesus is entirely ethical or moral. Through his preaching, he would lead men along the path of righteousness so that they might become better. But since the very foundation of his message is: God saves, he is really pointing out the path that leads to communion with God. Through the person of Jesus, the Son of God made man for us, every individual is offered the possibility of establishing contact with God. According to John’s theology: “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (cf. Jn 3,36; 6,40.47). God is present in him so that we might receive true life. For John the better term for this path is love: whoever loves has eternal life, because “God is love” (cf. 1 Jn 4, 7-16).

7. Proclamation of the Coming Kingdom

 Jesus’ message can never be reduced to one of individual or exclusive salvation. At the center of his preaching there is the proclamation of the Kingdom of God breaking into the history of humanity. He assures us that this kingdom is close at hand (cf. Mt 4,17), it has already come (cf. Mk 1,15). And it has yet to arrive (cf. Lk 11,2). It is a present reality, but at the same time it is also transcendent and eschatological. It begins here but extends into the future. The beatitudes proclaim “happy” those who have experienced the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt 13, 16), those who accept the disconcerting mystery hidden in Jesus of Nazareth (cf. Mt 11,6). This happiness is already present in those who live the beatitudes but it is continually open to the future; it is directed towards the full achievement of the Kingdom of God; the kingdom is an eschatological reality that will be achieved fully and definitively only at the end of time – in eternal life and in communion with God.

 The Kingdom of God is not just eschatological, at the end of time, it is also in the present, in our midst; it is achieved through our lives, it inspires our choices, it gives us values that differ from those of this world. Blessed are the poor, the oppressed, the outcast, the persecuted. God stands on their side – not because they have a right to this privilege, nor because they are particularly worthy, but because God is, by biblical definition, the One who defends whoever cannot defend himself. This is the reason Jesus proclaims the gratuity and freedom of God’s enterprise which favors the powerless and the poor and pardons sinners. Throughout his public life he was committed to freeing man from everything that degraded or offended his dignity. He frees man from selfishness and injustice (Zacchaeus); from being an outcast (the lepers); from loneliness (the man born blind); from dependence (the paralytic); from shame (the woman with a hemorrhage); from hunger (multiplication of loaves); from fear (storm on the Sea of Galilee); from sickness (the many healings); from death (Lazarus), from sin. All of these events are signs of salvation, signs that the Kingdom of God is at hand, that it is already in our midst (cf. Lk 4,17-20).

 The evangelist Luke (cf. 6,20-26) encourages those who are “now” in painful circumstances with the prospect of a future reward but Matthew (cf. 5,1-12) emphasizes the disposition necessary to live the beatitudes. What is important is not so much the circumstances of human existence but the attitude with which we express our submission to the Word of God and our love of justice. Poverty has value if it is lived “in the spirit” if it is accompanied by meekness. True hunger is the hunger for justice. Blessed are the pure of heart, the peace makers, the merciful, those who are persecuted for justice’s sake. In other words the beatitudes express a message rich in power and fascination; the riches of the heart and one’s inner disposition come before economic or social conditions.

POINTS FOR REFLECTION

- Our approach to salvation has deep biblical roots - how do I make this apparent in my preaching and my catechesis?

- Am I careful to help those who do not believe – above all young people – to perceive the presence of God’s salvation in current history, in the personal history of each person?

- God wills that all be saved: how do we express this truth in our missionary work? What cultural phenomena do I use to present the “Savior” to people among whom I work as a missionary?

- Are we capable of introducing the people we evangelize into a deep and authentic experience of salvation?

- What place does kerygma occupy in our preaching? What experience of Christ the Savior do our Christians have?

- How can we help people see and live the Kingdom of God “now” and not put it off to the “not yet.”