Salvação: o que é e como receber pela fé

Salvação é o resgate que Deus oferece ao ser humano da condenação do pecado para a comunhão eterna com ele, por meio da morte e ressurreição de Jesus Cristo. Não é uma conquista pelo esforço próprio, mas um presente recebido pela fé.

O que a Bíblia ensina sobre a graça

O ponto de partida bíblico é a incapacidade humana de salvar a si mesma. Diante da culpa e do afastamento moral de Deus, a salvação depende exclusivamente da iniciativa divina:

8 Τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι, διὰ τῆς35 A [96%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ --- ℵB [4%] NU πίστεως—καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, Θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον— 9 οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται.(Ephesians 2:8,9)

5 —οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων τῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ὧν35 [97%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ α ℵA,C [3%] NU (The Alexandrians confused the referent.) ἐποιήσαμεν ἡμεῖς ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν αὐτοῦ ἔλεον35 [95%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ το αυτου ελεος ℵA [4%] NU ¦ το ελεος αυτου [1%] (Liddell & Scott give the masculine as the original form, with the neuter appearing later.)—ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως Πνεύματος Ἁγίου,(Titus 3:5)

9 —τοῦ σώσαντος ἡμᾶς καὶ καλέσαντος κλήσει ἁγίᾳ, οὐ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν ἀλλὰ κατ᾿35 [95%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ κατα ℵA,C [5%] NU ἰδίαν πρόθεσιν καὶ χάριν, τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων,(2 Timothy 1:9)

16 Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχύνομαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ,35 [97%] OC,RP,HF,TR,CP ¦ --- ℵA,B,C [3%] NU δύναμις γὰρ Θεοῦ ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι (Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον, καὶ Ἕλληνι)·(Romans 1:16)

23 πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ,(Romans 3:23)

7 Μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται (ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν), 8 συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν.(Romans 5:7,8)

23 Τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος, τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.(Romans 6:23)

Como receber a salvação

A resposta humana ao convite de Deus não consiste em rituais ou méritos acumulados, mas em crer no sacrifício de Cristo e declarar submissão a ele:

9 ὅτι ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς ἐν τῷ στόματί σου, «Κύριον Ἰησοῦν,» καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ¦ ∼ 21 [14%] ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ. 10 Καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν.(Romans 10:9,10)

10 Καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν.(Romans 10:10)

31 Οἱ δὲ εἶπον, ¦ ειπαν ℵA,B,D [3%] NU «Πίστευσον ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν35 C,D [97%] HF,RP,OC,TR,CP ¦ --- ℵA,B [3%] NU καὶ σωθήσῃ, σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου.»(Acts 16:31)

12 Καί, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἄλλῳ ¦ 1 εν [10%] CP οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία, οὐδὲ35 ℵA,B,0165 [30%] OC,NU ¦ ουτε [70%] HF,RP,TR ¦ ουδεν CP ¦ ου D γὰρ ὄνομα ἕτερόν ἐστιν35 A,0165 [20%] CP ¦ ∼ 132 B [80%] HF,RP,OC,TR,NU ¦ ∼ 213 ℵ ¦ ∼ 321 D ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν,35 ℵA,B,D,0165 [40%] HF,OC,TR,CP,NU ¦ --- [60%] RP τὸ δεδομένον ἐν ἀνθρώποις, ἐν ᾧ δεῖ σωθῆναι ἡμᾶς.»(Acts 4:12)

21 Καὶ ἔσται· πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται ¦ επικαλεσεται [15%] ¦ επικαλεσειται [3%] ¦ επικαλεσητε A τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου σωθήσεται.›(Acts 2:21)

6 Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ35 A,B,C,D,N,Q,W [99.5%] CP,HF,RP,OC,TR[NU] ¦ --- 𝕻66ℵ [0.5%] Ἰησοῦς· «Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή. Οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα εἰ μὴ δι᾿ ἐμοῦ.(John 14:6)

16 Οὕτως35pt 𝕻63,66,75ℵA,B,W [60%] (I include this for the record, to show that the dropping of -ς before a consonant was not automatic.) γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον ὥστε τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ35 𝕻63A,T (97.5%) CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ --- 𝕻66,75ℵB,W (0.4%) NU ¦ long omissions (2.1%) [homoioteleuton] τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται, ἀλλ᾿ ἔχῃ ¦ εχει [30%] ζωὴν αἰώνιον.(John 3:16)

12 Ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ·(John 1:12)

As marcas de uma vida transformada

A salvação não encerra o relacionamento com Deus no perdão inicial; ela produz arrependimento contínuo e regeneração de caráter:

17 ὥστε, εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις· τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν· ἰδού, γέγονεν καινὰ τὰ πάντα.35 (56.3%) RP,HF,OC,TR ¦ ∼ 231 (40.6%) CP ¦ 1 𝕻46ℵB,C,048 (2.3%) NU ¦ five other readings (0.8%)(2 Corinthians 5:17)

3 Ἀπεκρίθη35 𝕻66,75B,W [50%] OC,NU ¦ 1 ο ℵA,N [50%] CP,HF,RP,TR Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, «Ἀμήν, ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ Ἄνωθεν, οὐ δύναται ἰδεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.»(John 3:3)

3 «Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε καὶ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.(Matthew 18:3)

9 Ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, πιστός ἐστιν καὶ δίκαιος ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ¦ καθαρισει A [12%] ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας.(1 John 1:9)

9 Οὐ βραδύνει ὁ35 [81%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ --- 𝕻72ℵA,B,C,048 [19%] NU Κύριος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥς τινες βραδυτῆτα ἡγοῦνται, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ εἰς ἡμᾶς,35 [80%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ 1 υμας 𝕻72B,C,048v [13%] NU ¦ δι υμας ℵA [4%] ¦ δι 2 [2%] ¦ εφ υμας [1%] (Some copyists assimilated to the 2nd person in verse 8, but here in verse 9 Peter is making a general statement that is properly inclusive.) μὴ βουλόμενός τινας ἀπολέσθαι ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρῆσαι.(2 Peter 3:9)

20 » ›Ἰδού, ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν καὶ κρούω. Ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου καὶ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, καὶ35 Ma,b,f,h¼,i⅔ ℵ,0169,CP,RP,HF,OC[NU] ¦ --- Md,e,g,h,i⅓ A,TR εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δειπνήσω μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ.(Revelation 3:20)

A certeza do cuidado de Deus

Quem confia em Cristo tem a promessa de preservação. A esperança cristã se apoia na fidelidade de quem prometeu, não na instabilidade das emoções humanas:

28 Κἀγὼ ζωὴν αἰώνιον δίδωμι αὐτοῖς,35 𝕻66A,D (98.4%) CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ ∼ 3412 𝕻75ℵB,W (1.6%) NU καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάσει τις αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου.(John 10:28)

36 Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον· ὁ δὲ ἀπειθῶν τῷ Υἱῷ οὐκ ὄψεται τὴν35 [50%] CP,HF ¦ --- 𝕻66,75(ℵ)A,B,C,D,W [50%] RP,OC,TR,NU ζωήν, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μενεῖ35 [50%] (CP) ¦ μένει [50%] HF,RP,OC,TR,NU ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν.»(John 3:36)

8 —ὃν οὐκ εἰδότες35 A [93%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ ιδοντες 𝕻72ℵB,C [7%] NU ἀγαπᾶτε, εἰς ὃν (ἄρτι μὴ ὁρῶντες) πιστεύοντες δὲ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ καὶ δεδοξασμένῃ, 9 κομιζόμενοι τὸ τέλος τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν,35 ℵA,C [96%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP[NU]ECM ¦ ημων [3%] ¦ --- B [1%] σωτηρίαν ψυχῶν.(1 Peter 1:8,9)

16 Ὁ πιστεύσας καὶ βαπτισθεὶς σωθήσεται· ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας κατακριθήσεται.(Mark 16:16)

O alcance no tempo: passado, presente e futuro

Na teologia bíblica, a salvação possui três dimensões: fomos salvos da condenação da culpa (justificação), somos libertos diariamente do poder do pecado (santificação) e seremos plenamente livres de sua presença na eternidade (glorificação):

11 Ἐπεφάνη γὰρ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ35 [96%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ --- (ℵ)A,C [4%] NU σωτήριος πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις, 12 παιδεύουσα ἡμᾶς ἵνα, ἀρνησάμενοι τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ τὰς κοσμικὰς ἐπιθυμίας, σωφρόνως καὶ δικαίως καὶ εὐσεβῶς ζήσωμεν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι,(Titus 2:11,12)

22 Καὶ σχεδὸν ἐν αἵματι πάντα καθαρίζεται κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ χωρὶς αἱματεκχυσίας οὐ γίνεται ἄφεσις.(Hebrews 9:22)

28 οὕτως καὶ35 𝕻46ℵA,C [95%] RP,HF,OC,CP,NU ¦ --- [5%] TR ὁ Χριστός, ἅπαξ προσενεχθεὶς εἰς τὸ πολλῶν ἀνενεγκεῖν ἁμαρτίας—ἐκ δευτέρου χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας ὀφθήσεται τοῖς αὐτὸν ἀπεκδεχομένοις εἰς σωτηρίαν.(Hebrews 9:28)

10 Εἰ γάρ, ἐχθροὶ ὄντες, κατηλλάγημεν τῷ Θεῷ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον, καταλλαγέντες, σωθησόμεθα ¦ σωθησωμεθα [14%] ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ.(Romans 5:10)

22 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνήσκουσιν, οὕτως καὶ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ πάντες ζωοποιηθήσονται.(1 Corinthians 15:22)

O poder de Deus onde não há saída humana

A salvação revela que o resgate impossível aos recursos humanos torna-se realidade pelo agir do próprio Deus:

27 Ἐμβλέψας δὲ35 A,D,N,W [99%] HF,RP,CP,TR ¦ --- ℵB,C [1%] OC,NU αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει, «Παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατον, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ παρὰ35 ℵB,C,N [90%] HF,RP,CP,OC,NU ¦ 1 τω A,D,W [10%] TR Θεῷ· πάντα γὰρ δυνατά ἐστιν35 A,N [98%] HF,RP,CP,TR,OC ¦ --- ℵB,C(D)W [2%] NU παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ.»(Mark 10:27)

27 Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, «Τὰ ἀδύνατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δυνατὰ ἐστιν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ.»35 A,N [92%] CP,HF,RP,TR ¦ ∼ 2341 ℵB [6%] OC,NU ¦ 124 [2%] ¦ ∼ 241 D,W(Luke 18:27)

10 ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι ¦ ζητεισαι CP καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.»(Luke 19:10)

47 Οὕτως γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος· ‹Τέθεικά ¦ τεθηκα [20%] ¦ τεθικα ℵ σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν, τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς.› »(Acts 13:47)

13 »Εἰσέλθετε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης· ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι᾿ αὐτῆς. 14 Τί35 C,N,W (99%) RP,HF,OC,CP,NU ¦ οτι ℵ,TR ¦ οτι δε B στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.(Matthew 7:13,14)

9 Ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἄδικοι βασιλείαν Θεοῦ35 [97%] HF,RP,OC,TR,CP ¦ ∼ 21 𝕻46ℵA(B)C [3%] NU οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν; Μὴ πλανᾶσθε· οὔτε πόρνοι, οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι, οὔτε μοιχοί, οὔτε μαλακοί, οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται, 10 οὔτε πλεονέκται, οὔτε κλέπται,35 [80%] HF,RP,OC,CP ¦ ∼ 32 (ουδε 𝕻46) 1 𝕻46ℵA,B,C [15%] TR,NU ¦ ∼ 31 [5%] οὔτε35 B [94%] HF,RP,OC,TR,CP ¦ ου ℵA,C [6%] NU ¦ ουδε 𝕻46 μέθυσοι, οὐ λοίδοροι, οὐχ ἅρπαγες βασιλείαν Θεοῦ οὐ35 (85.9%) HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ --- 𝕻46ℵA,B,C (13.6%) CP,NU ¦ one other reading (0.5%) κληρονομήσουσιν.(1 Corinthians 6:9,10)

52 Ὁ δὲ35 ℵA,C,D(W) [99%] HF,RP,CP,TR ¦ ∼ και 1 B [1%] OC,NU Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, «Ὕπαγε· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε.» Καὶ εὐθέως35 A,C,D,W [99%] HF,RP,CP,TR,OC ¦ ευθυς ℵB [1%] NU ἀνέβλεψεν, καὶ ἠκολούθησεν35 [30%] CP ¦ ηκολουθει ℵA,B,C,D,W [69%] HF,RP,TR,OC,NU ¦ ηκολουθη [1%] τῷ Ἰησοῦ35 [95%] HF,RP,CP,TR,OC ¦ αυτω ℵA,B,C,D,W [5%] NU ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ.(Mark 10:52)