What Does it Mean to Be Saved?

TLDR: Willful obedience to Jesus is the key that will determine whether a person will go to Heaven or not.  (And that simplified statement is loaded with a lot of meaning and deeper meaning behind it.)  Salvation (sozo) is more of a refinement process to make you Christlike, than a state of being, or guarantee that you will go to Heaven.  And sozo is obtained through obedience to Jesus.

In today’s American society (2023) people seem to have this idea that ‘being saved’ means that you are going to Heaven and / or you believe in Jesus and have gone through the (church’s) denomination’s ‘ritual’ to be ‘saved.’ But what if this concept of ‘being saved’ was not the original meaning?   

To explain what it means to be saved, some background is needed, along with some definitions.

Definitions

Lost:

Believe:

Saved:

Background Info

Today’s (2023) Belief System in the Church

In today’s belief system, there are many different ideas about salvation.  A lot of them stem from misinterpretations, assumptions, and twisting of scriptures to make things ‘fit’ into specific belief systems or theologies. 

Concerning misinterpretations: Words change meaning over the years.  When translating words from one language to another, the words may be translated correctly, but the meaning of the words from language to language may be different.  Also, since the meaning of words change over time, even if the original scriptures were translated correctly in a certain year, then a few hundred years later, the words may change meaning; thus, causing old translations to be interpreted differently from the past.  When people translated the Bible, it appears as though they translated things to make it fit into their ‘current day’ understanding of Jesus and Christianity.  (Where ‘current day’ means:  the culture and year that they lived in.)

Concerning assumptions:  since words can have multiple meanings to them, people will obtain different ideas of what things mean when reading through the scriptures.  This gives way to new ideas and theologies.  But it does not necessarily mean it is correct.  People also tend to apply their experiences, desires, and cultures to the scriptures, which can take the original meaning out of context or changes its meaning entirely; thus, creating entirely new theologies based upon man’s understanding. 

Misinterpretations, assumptions, and the twisting of scripture have all corrupted what the meaning of salvation is.

Some False Belief Systems People Have About Salvation

For many people in America (in the year 2023), they assume that they should be a good person and this will let them into Heaven.  If you happen to be one of these people, then allow me to tell you the reality: You need to be perfect as Jesus is perfect to get into Heaven.  But don’t lose hope; instead, learn reality.

Here are some various belief systems cultivated in America in 2023:

Some people believe that all you have to do is say Billy Graham’s salvation prayer, and you will be saved.  This is false.

Some people believe that you just need to accept Jesus into your heart and say Billy Graham’s salvation prayer, and you will be saved.  This is false – there is no verse in the Bible that tells you to ‘accept Jesus into your heart for salvation.’

Some people believe that the ‘salvation prayer’ invented by Billy Graham is in the Bible.  But this is false, because the scriptures used in the 2023 Bible were written 1900 to 4000+ years before Billy Graham was born, so it would be impossible for that to be in the current Bible.

Some people believe that you can just acknowledge the idea that Jesus is Lord over your life and you will get into Heaven.  This is false – this is based off of definitions changing from language to language and from the wicked and lazy desires of man to justify the evil desires in his heart to do what he wants instead of obeying Jesus.

Some people believe that if you go to church once a week, pay your tithe, and say you believe in Jesus, that you will go to Heaven.  This is false – this is based off of cultural lies and beliefs.

Some people believe that you just have to believe* in faith that Jesus is your Lord and Savior and you will go to Heaven.  This is false – this is based off of definitions changing from language to language.  (*The word ‘believe’ meaning: ‘to accept as true.’)

Some people believe that trusting in Jesus as your savior and accepting His forgiveness will get you into Heaven.  This is false – you have to repent to receive forgiveness.  And it is through obedience to Jesus that gets you into Heaven, Not singularly ‘trusting Jesus as savior.’

Some people believe that they are instantaneously changed into a new creature when they go through their religious salvation method of ‘getting saved.’  This is false – it takes years and sometimes decades for a person to go through the refining fires of the Holy Spirit to become Christlike.

Some people believe that they immediately have the mind of Christ when they ‘get saved’ – This is false. You have to go through the refining fires of the Holy Spirit and become a new creation to obtain the mind of Christ. And the only way you do obtain the mind of Christ is by creating connections to the 7 spirits of God, which are (and a manifestation of) the mind of Christ.  And those spirits are: the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel, the Spirit of Might, the Spirit of Knowledge, and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord.

Some people believe that you instantly get the baptism of the Holy Spirit when you ‘get saved’ or are baptized. – This is false.  It is possible to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit when you dedicate your life to Jesus, but it is not guaranteed.  Nor is it guaranteed that you will get the baptism of the Holy Spirit when you are baptized in water.  John the Baptist received the baptism of the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb.  (Luke 1:15)  In the book of Acts, the people were baptized in the Holy Spirit while Peter was preaching (Acts 10:44).  When and where you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not guaranteed. 

A scripture about salvation that people believe in:

(Romans 10:9, KJV):

‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.’

This scripture is where Paul is talking.  Some people quote this scripture as their total theological view on salvation.  However, Paul is just making a generalization about salvation.  It is not much different from the TLDR statement I made at the beginning.  The biggest difference is that Paul wrote such a thing from his language and cultural view, while I wrote my ‘TLDR’ statement from my culture’s and language’s point of view.  Both mean the same thing. 

Some modern-day views turn this scripture into their ‘total truth’ and foundation for salvation, while ignoring the things that Jesus said about salvation.  And they used the modern-day (2023) definition of the word ‘saved.’  This creates a bad theology and great misunderstandings and leads people astray.

This is one thing I want to convey: looking at a single passage in scripture and claiming, “This is the ‘only’ key to salvation,” is a bad thing to do.  There are multiple passages in scripture that explain salvation.  They are summed up as: “dedication and obedience to Jesus.”  Examine all the passages in scripture about salvation to get a full understanding on salvation.  Don’t just rely on a single passage, lest you be led astray.    

What Does Being ‘Saved’ Mean?

If you look at the word ‘sozo,’ you will see that it has a different meaning from the modern meaning of ‘being saved.’ 

The old meanings were: ‘to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):– heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.’

The (general) modern day meaning of ‘to be saved’ means: ‘a person meets the requirements and will go to Heaven when they die.’

Some theologies integrate the old meanings with the modern meanings and claim: ‘Jesus saves you from going to hell.’

First, I will start by saying this: Jesus does not ‘save’ you from going to hell.  Being sent to hell after you die is a free will choice on your part.  It is your choice whether you will be obedient and serve Jesus for eternity, or whether you wont.  It is up to you.  If you choose to NOT be obedient and serve Jesus for eternity, then Jesus will send you to hell.  It is your choice.  And Jesus will not go against your free will and force you to be obedient.  And disobedience leads to hell.  That is why Jesus does not save you from hell.

So, if you are not being saved from hell, then what are you being saved from?  You are being saved from captivity.  You are being saved from the chains and bondages of mammon and satan.  And when you are set free from satan, you are able to serve Jesus and be obedient to Him.  (see the You are Raised in Mammon section for more information.)

One of the main concepts of ‘salvation’ is transforming to being Christlike.  One reference to this is the ‘renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2).  Another reference is (Acts 2:21) ‘whosoever shall call on the name of the lord shall be saved.’ (Because calling on Jesus is required for the transformation to become Christlike.) Another reference is Luke 4:18, which shows that Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted (which is part of the process of becoming Christlike.)

The transformation to be Christlike is a life-long process.  (It is not instant.)  And that process is known as ‘sozo,’ or ‘saved’ if translated into English.  The word ‘sozo’ is a very interesting word, because it has multiple meanings, all of which, show you how Jesus will affect your life.  One meaning is: ‘to be made whole / healing’  To be made whole is the process of being transformed into being Christlike.  And part of that process is the inner healing you obtain from your broken heart.  But that transformation is also a process that ‘delivers / saves’ you from the mindset and ways of satan / mammon.

Instead of considering the concept of “being saved” as whether you go to Heaven or hell, consider it as a process to transform you into being Christlike. 

‘Saved’ By Grace

It is because of God’s grace that you are given many, many chances.  It is by God’s grace that He sent His Son to be the sacrifice of atonement that would allow you access to God, God’s Grace, and the Holy Spirit (which is the one who transforms you to be Christlike so you could enter into Heaven.)  God’s grace is that love that puts you through the refining fires of God.  And by those refining fires of God, you are transformed to be Christlike.  Those refining fires are those trials, tests, tribulations, and healing of your heart that the Holy Spirit puts you through. 

It is by God’s grace that you are made sozo (whole), and sozo (saved) from the salvery, chains, and bondages of mammon (satans way of life), and sozo (healed) emotionally (heart).  

You are Raised in Mammon

This is how things are in this era (2023):

To be very simple and to the point, I will say this: the ways of the world are the ways of satan / mammon.  Mammon is a way of life.  It is your culture.  It is how you were raised.  Man has given authority over the Earth, and the things within it, including governments, schools, traditions, cultures, people, tribes, belief systems, the churches, entertainment, economic systems, etc. all over to satan.  Every generation alive today (2023) has been fully taken over by satan.  It has not been this way since the times of Noah.  Between the flood and perhaps about 1970 AD, there was at least one generation that was not fully under the authority of satan. 

The ways of life we know are almost all mammonic in nature.  Even the things taught in church have become mammonic in nature.  Very few of the commands of Jesus are taught today.  And everything taught that is not in line with the commands of Jesus is satanic.

I will give a couple of brief examples that are mammonic in nature:

The concept of: ‘I need to go to school to get a good education to get a good job so I can provide for my family.’  (This might sound good, but it is satanic.  It mentions nothing about expanding Jesus’ Kingdom.  It only builds your kingdom.)

The concept of: ‘doing things to be accepted by others.’ (This is fear of man.  Nothing about it is Godly.)

The concept of: ‘money is power’ and ‘money can buy love’ (Money has no power in the Kingdom of God.  It is a tool to expand the Kingdom, nothing more.)

The concept of: ‘fashion’  (All fashion is vanity.  If vanity is your god, then Jesus is not your god, and hell is your path. )

The concept of: ‘Competitive Sports’ (These sports teach division, competition, and sometimes violence.  All of these things destroy the Kingdom of God.  These sports bring hell to Earth.)

The concept of: ‘Corporate environment’ (The 2023 corporate environment (world) is how the principalities called Mammom or the Antichrist would run a business).

The concept of: ‘Entertainment’ (If entertainment does not teach the commands of Jesus, or endorse them, then it is satanic.  Entertainment that twists or misrepresents Jesus or His commands is satanic.)

The concept of: ‘the poverty mindset’ (Poverty locks people in hopelessness, laziness, downtroddenness, and breaks them to the point that they will not enter into their destiny and purpose that God created them for; thus, causing destruction to the Kingdom of God.) 

If it is not Jesus, then it is satan.  And very few children are raised in homes or communities that focus mainly on Jesus.  And due to this, the children end up broken and spiritually destroyed.  They become the ‘broken hearted’ that Jesus came to heal / save.   And they become the children and people that satan wants them to become.  And those children become slaves to the mammon culture (way of life) and become chained and bound to it.

Jesus has to be the very core and embodiment of the home / community to prevent kids from becoming mammonites.  (When you are living the way that Jesus wants you to live, you will live in community, and community will help raise the children.)

Obedience to Jesus

In Mark 16:16, Jesus, Himself, said, ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ (KJV)

This quote is directly from Jesus.  The words of Jesus are above the words of Paul or any other apostle, prophet, angel, or demon.  The thing I want to point out directly is the word ‘believe.’  The Greek word ‘believe’ has a drastically different meaning from the American word ‘believe.’  Jesus used the Greek word pisteuo, not the American word ‘believe’ (which did not exist back then.)

The word pisteuo (believe) means: to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ):– believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

Just like the word sozo, pisteuo has multiple meanings that combine into a greater understanding of what it means to dedicate ourselves to Jesus.  In modern theology, some people assume that to ‘entrust’ (pisteuo) is to entrust your spiritual well being.  But this is a little off.  You need to ‘entrust’ your life on Earth, and wherever else you may live, to Jesus.  Pisteuo also means to have faith in Jesus.  (Read the section ‘What is Faith’ for more information on what faith is.)

And pisteuo also means, ‘to commit yourself to.’  Romans 10:9 mentions confessing that Jesus is Lord.  The act of committing your life to Jesus causes Jesus to be the lord of your life.  It means that you do what Jesus tells you to do.  And that you will do those things first and above all other desires, wants, needs, and what others tell you to do.  It shows total obedience, where Jesus is your master, and you are His slave.  And in the act of committing yourself to Jesus, it shows that you ‘entrust’ your life to Him.

So bringing it all together, to ‘believe’ in Jesus is multifaceted in nature, because you must have faith in Jesus and His commands, you must commit yourself to Jesus (make Him your Lord and be obedient), and entrust your ‘life’ to Him. (With your ‘life’ meaning: your wants, desires, plans for your future and now, and how you want to run and live your life.) 

When you ‘pistueo (believe) in Jesus,’ you don’t get to do what you want to do anymore – you have to do what Jesus wants you to do.

Obedience to Jesus will lead you to the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  It will lead you to the fulfillment of sozo.  It will lead you out of  (free you from) mammon.  It will transform your mind.  It will cause you to become Christlike.  It will allow you to walk in the power and authority of Jesus.  And it allows you to have access to God’s blessings.  You will be freed from the curses of this world and the curses of the law.  And obedience will lead you to your baptisms.  And to be obedient to Jesus, you must first learn the commands of Jesus (which is the act of ‘seek first the Kingdom’).

Outside of obedience to Jesus, you will gain the curses of the world.  You will not have access to Jesus’ power or authority.  You will suffer from the curses of the law.  You will live a life of slavery to satan / mammon.  You will prevent the blessings of God from falling onto you.  (You only have access to God’s blessings when you are obedient to Jesus.) You will chase away your guardian angels.  You will be oppressed, downtrodden, poor in spirit, and possibly hopeless and pitiful.   You will work against God’s Kingdom and damage it.  And you will become a wicked and lazy servant.

One final thing about Mark 16:16: Jesus said, ‘but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ So if you are not pistueo to Jesus, you will be damned.  Keep that in mind. 

What is Faith

In the American definition, faith is: ‘complete trust or confidence in someone or something.’  Or it may be defined as, ‘a strong belief in God or doctrine.’  And this is a situation where the definition of things creates bad theology.  People in America tend to attribute faith as being a form of belief.  But this concept actually causes people to have little to no faith, because they don’t really know what faith is according to God.

So, what is faith according to God?  It is multiple things: 

• The ideas you receive from the Holy Spirit and other spiritual entities, like angels.

• Focused free will   

• The laws that govern your life

• Your belief system (both spiritually and physically)

• The state of your mind, will, and / or emotions.

The Ideas You Receive

God created everything.  There is nothing in existence that He did not create.  All inventions are from God.  He created them before they existed.  And He gave those ideas to people.  And people took those ideas and used focused free will to bring them into existence.  Your imagination is the key item needed to be able to receive these ideas from God.  This is because God puts all new ideas into people’s imagination.  If people’s imagination is shut down, then they cannot receive ideas from God.

Focused Free Will

Focused free will is when you apply, or bring into existence, the ideas you received from God.  For example: Let’s suppose you receive an idea on how to create a new toy for a child.  Then you take that idea, learn what you need to learn, then take the time to develop that toy to bring it into existence.  The time and effort you used, as well as, the time you spent learning how to make the toy, is all considered as ‘focused free will.’

The Laws That Govern Your Life

The laws that govern your life are all the things YOU accept as true.  (You may accept delusion and lies as ‘truth’.)  It is also the curses and blessings over your life.  All of these come from everything you have learned, experienced, and set forth into your life (this includes everything good and bad).  These things are written on your soul, spirit, and autonomous collective.  And these various ‘truths’ become your reality and your faith. 

If you do not believe something is possible, then you will not have the faith to receive it or make it happen.  If you believe something happens in a specific way, then that ‘something’ will manifest in your life in that specific way, because YOU want it to happen that way (because it is your faith to happen that way).  (But such things may not happen that way in other people’s lives, because their faith / laws over their lives are different.)

Your Belief System

Your belief system is also the laws that govern your life.  But your belief systems writes and erases those laws.  Subconsciously, your belief system is always influenced by the laws that govern your life until you make a free will choice to change your belief.  

Also, your belief system can work outside of those laws if you focus on an idea with your free will, mind, will, and emotions all being in alignment – although this may only yield temporary results.  Or if done long enough, or enough times, then it will change the laws that govern your life and what you believe to be true.  

Your belief system will affect you both physically and spiritually.  For example, if you believe that you will get sick, then you will get sick.  If you believe that you cannot hear God, then you will close your ears to hearing His voice.

The State of Your Mind, Will, and or Emotions

Your mind, will, and emotions govern whether your faith will be applied (executed) or not.  If your emotions are negative, then you may not feel like applying your faith.  (Your emotions drive your free will.)  If your will is complacent, then you will not be able to focus your free will (faith).  If your mind does not believe in the idea, then the idea will die.  (The mind is part of your belief system.) 

In order to have focused free will, the mind, will, and emotions have to all be in alignment and agreement.  If even one is off, then the focused free will (faith) will be broken and will produce nothing.

Faith and Works

TLDR: Faith produces Works.  Without faith, no works will manifest.

God wants you to use your faith to bring things into existence to build and expand His Kingdom.  And we are all created to do different things to do that.  And what we were created to do is called our ‘blueprint.’ In order to fulfill our blueprint and purpose, you will have to be able to receive ideas from God and put them into action, or create those ideas. 

However, those ideas may not make sense to us, or might seem stupid.  But to be able to trust God and execute those ideas regardless of what we think, is what God wants.  And when we bring those ideas into existence, it is called ‘works.’

Works are those things we do for the Kingdom of God through / with our faith.  But if we do not apply our faith, then there will be no works.  Faith without works is dead, because faith that produces nothing is dead in nature.  If something is alive, then it produces something (fruit).  Taking an idea that God gave you and implementing it is faith.  And what is produced by that is the fruit of your faith, which is called ‘works.’

Who are the Wicked and Lazy Servants?

Now, here is a hard truth: those people who refuse to apply their faith to create works are considered as ‘lazy servants.’

Obedience to Jesus will produce works (fruit).  Our works that expand God’s Kingdom is the proof of our obedience.  However, not all works expand God’s Kingdom.  Only the works that are completed via obedience to Jesus are the works that are counted as worthy. 

If you decide to work for the Kingdom of God and you did things the way you wanted to, or the ways the institutional church taught you, then you run into the realm of having no worthy works.  In fact, you will find out that you built your own personal kingdom (or some other guy’s kingdom) and not God’s Kingdom.  This results in being a ‘wicked servant’ because you did not build God’s Kingdom, and built someone else’s kingdom.  And when you build another kingdom that is not God’s Kingdom, then you actually harm God’s Kingdom. 

Only the works resulting from the obedience to Jesus will not burn up on Judgment Day. 

Saved by Faith or Works?

The theologies behind being saved by grace or by works are flawed and lack understanding.  Neither one of them are 100% false or 100% true. 

It is because of God’s love that we have grace.  Grace gives us numerous chances to change and become Christlike.  Grace sent Jesus as the sacrifice for the atonement of our sins.  But Grace is only available to those who are obedient to Jesus.  If you are not obedient / pisteuo to Jesus, then grace will not be extended to you.  Grace is only available to you if you are obedient.  Grace also takes you through the process of sozo to become Christlike.  So it is true that you are sozo by grace. 

But grace does not guarantee that you will go to Heaven.

Concerning works: you can do all the good works you want, but they will not get you into Heaven.  If a creature could get into Heaven by doing some good works, then satan could gain access to Heaven by just doing a ‘good work.’  But God is love.  And love would not allow ‘good works’ to overrule an evil heart that would lead God’s Kingdom into destruction.  That is why ‘works’ will not get you into Heaven. 

The works of the upright and obedient servants of Jesus bear fruit and are proof of their obedience.  Obedience to Jesus always produces works.  Those works also expand the Kingdom of God.  And those servants will be rewarded for those works on Judgment Day.

The ‘servant’ who has no works was not obedient; therefore, that servant may considered as a ‘lazy’ servant.  (There can be exceptions, like a person dedicates themselves to Jesus before they die, like the thief on the cross.)

Although works do not guarantee that you will go to Heaven, they are a determining factor that is used to determine what kind of servant you are: obedient or wicked and lazy.  And the wicked and lazy do not make it into Heaven, because they would become the next satan.

Who are the ‘Lost’?

People assume that being ‘lost’ is not accepting Jesus as your savior.  In reality, to be lost is to be disobedient to Jesus.  It means that you do not devote your life to Jesus.  It means that you do what you want to do in life.  It means that you have a worldly / mammonic mindset.  It means that you have the mindset that satan implanted in you while you grew up.  In short, the ‘lost’ are those who are still enslaved to the ways of mammon.

A person can say the Billy Graham salvation prayer and ‘give their heart to Jesus’ and still be lost, because they did not pisteuo (in) Jesus.

In Luke 19:10, (KJV) Jesus says,  “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The word lost has a figurative meaning of: ‘destroy, die, or perish.’  So Jesus has come to seek and restore those who have been destroyed.  The lost are not people who do not know Jesus, but are people who have had their character and personality destroyed by satan.  And when a person is destroyed that way, they lose the righteousness they once had.

To be saved is a process of changing a ‘lost’ person’s character and personality to be Christlike, as well as, getting the healing needed to not be broken anymore.

When a person dies, if they are capable of being perfect like Jesus is perfect, then they will be sent to a place called The Court of Healing and Reconciliation.  In this place, every hurt will be healed, and you will learn how to be a citizen of Heaven.  Then, once you can be a citizen of Heaven, then you will put on your new assignment. 

The Ways You Can Lose Your Salvation

There are some people who believe that you cannot lose your salvation.  First off, it is possible to be forbidden to enter into Heaven after you die.  These following things will keep you from entering Heaven:

• Being selfish and refusing to be selfless.

• Using God’s Kingdom or Word to enrich yourself.  This includes fleecing the sheep or using the sheep (and taking their resources) to build your kingdom (church).

• Wasting money on luxuries while knowing that servants of God are lacking – you should be blessing them, instead of trying to bless yourself.  To ignore people like that is to ignore Jesus himself.

• Refusing to forgive people.

• Holding onto your bitterness and resentment.

• Refusing to release your accusations against people, places, or things (this is you holding onto your bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness.)

• Betray God.

• Turn your back on God.  (You must finish the ‘race’ and not give up.)

• Be the person who willfully does (and enjoys doing) the things God hates:  (Proverbs 6:16-19): ‘These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.’

• Anyone who contends against Love.

• The wicked and lazy servants

God is Love.  Love will protect the sheep.  Everyone in Heaven is loving and selfless.  Anyone who contends against Love would harm the sheep (citizens) of Heaven.  And to prevent this, God will not allow anyone who contends against Love into Heaven.  If He did, then that person / being would become the next satan.  (All of those things on the list contend against Love.)

Aside from being forbidden from entering into Heaven, you can lose the sozo (healing, the transformed mind, and your Christlikeness) you received from God by doing the things listed above.  Doing the things listed above will bring curses upon you, and it will break and destroy your soul. 

Summary

Salvation in modern times (2023) is usually defined in concept as ‘going to Heaven’ or to have Jesus as your savior.  In reality, it is more of a process of transforming a person to be Christlike.  To sum things up and simplify them, it is dedicating your life to Jesus and willfully obeying Him that gets you into Heaven.  And it is by your obedience that grace is extended to you, as well as your sozo.  

Seek First the Kingdom

To seek first the Kingdom, you will need to learn the commands of Jesus. To help with that, here is something you can download: