There’s something powerful about a love story. Here is (part of) mine:
I am from Jacksonville, and my wife, Farra, is from outside of Orlando. Our worlds collided in 2008 in a “Personal and Family Health” class during a Summer B semester at the University of Florida.
When I met her, dating her never crossed my mind—simply because she was WAY out of my league, which is still true today. In my mind, I stood no chance. Until one day, she admitted to one of my friends that she had a crush on me.
It had to be fake news. It was not. I mustered up the courage to pursue a relationship with her.
A first date turned into a second, and two dates quickly became a full-on boyfriend/girlfriend, “Facebook official” kind of relationship. Is “Facebook official” still a thing? Probably not.
One night, we stayed up late talking about the future. The conversation quickly moved from our future as individuals to our future together. It was that night that I knew my loyalty entirely belonged to her.
Fast forward five years, and I am on my knee proposing to her, pledging my allegiance to her for the rest of my life. In turn, she did the same. I get a little teary just thinking about it.
More Than a Moment
Why did I make you read a sped-up version of the genesis of my marriage? Well, one, because it is fun to relive (sue me), and two, because it is a beautiful illustration of our relationship with Christ.
[[ For what it’s worth, read the book of Ephesians. Paul would agree with me! ]]
Often, we think about salvation merely as the moment we decide to give our lives to Jesus. It’s a beautiful moment. An entire room has its eyes closed; you feel the Lord and raise your hand to accept him.
But what if I told you salvation is more than a single moment? Salvation is an incredible journey within an entirely new reality.
Salvation as Allegiance
The initial decision is a defining moment when you “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” (Romans 10:9, ESV). This is when we take the step across the threshold into the kingdom of God. From there, we have the opportunity to participate in this new reality—living as citizens of the kingdom of God within the context of the world as it is now.
In this way, the salvation experience resembles a love story. You have a moment when you realize this is what you were made for, alongside whom you belong.
In his book Salvation by Allegiance Alone, scholar Matthew Bates writes, “Faith is not simply a mental agreement or intellectual belief but involves loyalty and allegiance to Jesus as the Christ, the King.”
In this way, salvation is a heartfelt trust and a committed loyalty that results in obedience and discipleship. It is not just a private, individual affair but a communal and transformative journey that leads us into active participation in God's kingdom. Salvation is allegiance.
What Do We Need “Saving” From?
Before we unpack these truths, let’s explore why we need to be “saved” in the first place.
[[ For what it’s worth, if you revisit previous posts about sin and the gospel, much of this will be answered. ]]
The need for salvation arises from the cosmic problem of sin. Sin goes beyond just a series of bad behaviors and poor decision-making. The emergence of sin has led humanity to a propensity to look away from God in every aspect of life. Remember what Paul writes in Romans 3:23 (ESV): “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This separation from God leads to spiritual death, as Paul further explains in Romans 6:23 (ESV), “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
In other words, our good deeds, moral efforts, and religious practices cannot earn us salvation. We need a savior to rescue us from the consequences of sin and restore our relationship with God.
Salvation as a “Gift”
Salvation, then, is a gift from God, made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul succinctly captures this in Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
This gift, however, is more than just a Christmas present wrapped under a tree. Ancient gift-giving practices lead to a heartfelt response. Jesus offers salvation; our response is allegiance to him as our King. It’s that “simple.”
[[ For what it’s worth, you must read John Barclay’s book “Paul and the Gift.” Just do it. ]]
To receive this gift, we must give ourselves to Jesus Christ, acknowledge him as our savior, and confidently step into a new reality—the intended reality that God desired for humanity in the first place. This is eternity ruling and reigning with King Jesus.
The Traditional Framework
It is helpful to view salvation through the lens of allegiance. This helps clarify the decision and the life that follows. That said, it is essential to explore a more “traditional” approach to understanding salvation.
[[ For what it’s worth, this is more to clarify some of the “words” you may encounter regarding salvation. Don’t let the words scare you! ]]
Traditionally, salvation is understood in three distinct “stages.” They are…
Justification (being declared righteous before God; see Romans 5:1)
Sanctification (the ongoing process of being made holy; see 2 Corinthians 3:18)
Glorification (the future culmination of salvation in eternity; see Philippians 3:20-21)
In other words, we give our allegiance to Jesus, he declares us righteous on behalf of his life and work, we spend our lives in a new reality conforming to the image of Christ, and we look to the day when we step into eternity in a glorified body, all in service to our King Jesus, who “…has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV).
Empowered Participation
Salvation is not just a momentary event but an ongoing participation in the life of the kingdom. This allegiance transforms our daily lives, calling us to live out kingdom values and mission.
Participation in salvation involves following Jesus’ teachings and commands as acts of love, engaging with other believers in the church, using our gifts and resources to serve others, and inviting others to give their loyalty to Jesus, as well.
That sounds like a tall order, huh? Well, this active participation is made possible by another outcome of Christ's life and work: the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Our allegiance to King Jesus leads to salvation and initiates the profound reality of the Holy Spirit indwelling within believers. This indwelling signifies a new birth, empowering us to live out our faith in alignment with God's will.
The Holy Spirit is our guide, comforter, and source of divine power, enabling us to grow in holiness, bear spiritual fruit, and participate in the mission of advancing God's Kingdom. As Paul states in Romans 8:9 (ESV), “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” In this way, the presence of the Holy Spirit is both the evidence and the enabler of a genuine salvation experience.
[[ For what it’s worth, we will do an entire series on the Holy Spirit later. I am fully aware there is a lot more to unpack here. I deleted four paragraphs from this post alone! Ha! ]]
Hopefully, That Made Sense
Participating in salvation means more than just accepting a gift; it means living out a new reality. As N.T. Wright says, “The goal of salvation is not to go to heaven when you die, but to be raised to life in God’s new heaven and new earth.”
Salvation is rooted in both eternal hope for what is to come and the incredible reality that, empowered by the Holy Spirit, it can be lived right now. It is an adventure.
What’s more, as believers, we have confidence in this salvation. God is faithful, and his promises are sure. In 1 John 5:13 (ESV), John assures us, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”
In other words, this is an adventure that leads straight into eternity.
Let’s get practical with this in the next post. We will discuss the mission of the kingdom, the role of the church, and spiritual discipline.
Until Next Time,
Petey