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The UK Bible Students Website Christian Biblical Studies |
ONE SAVIOUR, TWO SALVATIONS
Citations are to the NIV-UK (1984)
The Scriptures present two contrasting programmes of
salvation:
1. The salvation of the Church expounded by Jesus at His first advent, it began in earnest at Pentecost, and was a call to Jewish and Gentile believers throughout the Gospel Age.
This unique salvation meant deliverance from the sin and death conditions of mortal existence, with a view to immortal (Divine) life in heaven (2 Pet. 1: 4).
It would continue until a predetermined number was reached (144,000; Rev. 7:4-8). The call would cease on the return of Jesus in His second advent.
2. The broadest category of salvation applies to all humanity during the Millennial Age, the coming 1,000-year rule of Christ over earth, a period devoted to the blessing of the world and its uplift out of death and sin. For the world, salvation will mean a resurrection on earth, and a graduated rescue from sin to the earthly perfection of the original man, Adam. Since perfection of life and body were lost through Adam’s disobedience to God, so this will be the state to which the obedient of humanity will be restored.
To sum up, the deliverance of the Church and the deliverance of mankind are accomplished as a result of Christ’s meritorious death, but in different ways and at different times (1 John 2: 2; our emphasis added):
[Jesus] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
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June 2017