A Complete Salvation: Rediscovering the Breadth of the Gospel
In our modern fast-paced world, we sometimes have a tendency to abbreviate the Gospel. We might reduce it to a simple "get out of jail free" card or view it strictly as an emotional experience.
But recently, I came across a vintage sermon outline simply titled "A Complete Salvation." Attributed to "J.G.," this small clipping serves as a powerful reminder that the work of Christ is not partial—it is total. It addresses our past, transforms our present, and secures our future.
Let’s walk through these pillars of a complete salvation together.
1. Saviour from Sin's Penalty
Scripture: “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
The foundation of our faith begins here. We cannot work our way out of the debt we owe. The wages of sin is death, a penalty that is absolute and terrifying. But a "complete salvation" begins with the cancellation of that debt.
Paul calls this the "unspeakable gift." It is the gift of Justification—being declared righteous not because of what we have done, but because of who Jesus is. He took the penalty we deserved so that we could receive the grace we did not earn. This is the starting line of the Christian walk: the relief of a burden lifted.
2. Deliverer from Sin's Power
Scripture: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” (Romans 6:17)
Many Christians stop at the first point—they are happy to escape the penalty of sin, yet they remain enslaved to its habits. But a complete salvation doesn't just save you from hell; it saves you from the mastery of sin right now.
Paul reminds the Romans that while they used to be slaves to sin, a change has occurred. Through "obedience from the heart"—a reference to their response to the Gospel—the chains have been broken. This is Sanctification. The Holy Spirit empowers us to walk in newness of life. We are no longer helpless victims of our impulses; we are delivered people walking in freedom.
3. Leader in Service
Scripture: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.” (2 Corinthians 2:15)
Salvation is not a spectator sport. Once we are saved from the penalty and delivered from the power of sin, we are enlisted into service. We are called to follow the Leader.
The Apostle Paul uses the imagery of a "sweet savour" (aroma). In the ancient world, a triumphal procession included burning incense. To us, this means our lives should smell like Christ to the world around us. Whether through our work, our family life, or our ministry, a complete salvation turns the saved individual into a servant for others. We are saved to serve.
4. Hope in Resurrection
Scripture: “...Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
Finally, a complete salvation looks forward. If our hope in Christ were limited only to this life, we would be, as Paul says elsewhere, "of all men most miserable." But the Gospel conquers the final enemy: Death itself.
This is Glorification. The assurance that the grave is not the end. Because He lives, we also will live. This hope stabilizes us when the world feels chaotic. We know the final chapter of the story, and it ends in victory.
Summary
The beauty of this old outline is its holistic nature.
Past: He saved us from the Penalty.
Present: He saves us from the Power and leads us in Service.
Future: He will save us through the Resurrection.
Let us not settle for a partial faith. Let us embrace the fullness of the complete salvation found in Jesus Christ.