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[Salvation as] being made right with God through forgiveness of sins ? is not wrong, but it leaves out a great deal. ? Salvation is much wider than that; it cannot be limited to forgiveness of sins or escaping judgement. In the Bible, salvation is a comprehensive reality, both future and present, and affects every aspect of existence.
The most fundamental meaning of salvation in Scripture is twofold: it is God?s deliverance of those in a situation of need from that which impedes their well-being, resulting in restoration to wholeness. Wholeness or well-being is God?s original intent for creation, and that which impedes wholeness ? sin, evil, and death in all their forms ? is fundamentally anti-creational. Both the deliverance of the needy and their full restoration to well-being (in relationship with God, others, and the world) are crucial to salvation, and the term may be used for either or both together.
In the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, grace comes before law; the gift of deliverance precedes the obligation or duty of obedience. Indeed, obedience is an expression of gratitude for the gracious deliverance YHWH worked on behalf of his people.
(Emphasis mine)
God Redeems His People ? Then and Now