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 For you’ve been saved by grace through trusting in him—it’s not through yourselves, it’s the gift of God! 9 This has nothing to do with human effort, so don’t be proud of yourselves.(Ephesians 2:8,9)

5 not because of anything good that we’ve done, but because of his mercy. He did this through the cleansing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit,(Titus 3:5)

9 He is the one who has saved us and called us to live a holy life—not through what we do, but by God’s own plan and through his grace.(2 Timothy 1:9)

16 I’m certainly not ashamed about the good news, for it’s God’s power to save everyone who trusts in him—to the Jewish people first, and then to everyone else as well.(Romans 1:16)

23 We have all sinned, and we fall far short of God’s glorious ideal.(Romans 3:23)

7 Who would die for anybody else, even someone who does what’s right? (Though perhaps somebody would be brave enough to die for someone really good.) 8 But God demonstrates his love for us in that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.(Romans 5:7,8)

23 The wage sin pays is death, but God’s free gift is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.(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 For if you declare that you accept Jesus as Lord, and you are convinced in your mind that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. 10 Your trust in God makes you right and good, and your declaration of accepting God saves you.(Romans 10:9,10)

10 Your trust in God makes you right and good, and your declaration of accepting God saves you.(Romans 10:10)

31 "Trust in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your whole household," they replied.(Acts 16:31)

12 There is no salvation in anyone else; there is no other name under heaven given to humanity that can possibly save us."(Acts 4:12)

21 But whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’(Acts 2:21)

6 Jesus replied, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.(John 14:6)

16 For God loved the world, and this is how: he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who trusts in him shouldn’t die, but have eternal life.(John 3:16)

12 But to all those who accepted him and trusted in him, he gave the right to become God’s children.(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 That’s why anyone who is in Christ is a new being—what was old is gone, the new has come!(2 Corinthians 5:17)

3 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "Unless you are reborn, you can’t experience God’s kingdom."(John 3:3)

3 "I tell you the truth, unless you change the way you think and become like little children, you won’t ever enter the kingdom of heaven," he told them.(Matthew 18:3)

9 But if we confess our sins, he is trustworthy and right so that he can forgive us our sins and make us clean from all that is not right in us.(1 John 1:9)

9 The Lord is not delaying the fulfillment of his promise, as some define delay, but he is being very patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost, but everyone to come and repent.(2 Peter 3:9)

20 Look, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me.(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 I give them eternal life; they shall never be lost, and no one can snatch them from me.(John 10:28)

36 Anyone who trusts in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to trust the Son will not experience eternal life but remains under God’s condemnation.(John 3:36)

8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you cannot see him now, you trust in him and you’re filled with wonderful, indescribable happiness. 9 Your reward for trusting in him is that you will be saved!(1 Peter 1:8,9)

16 Anyone who trusts in me and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who chooses not to trust will be condemned.(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 For God’s grace has been revealed, bringing salvation to everyone. 12 It teaches us to reject a godless way of life with the desires of this world. Instead we should live thoughtful, self-controlled lives that are right before God in the present world(Titus 2:11,12)

22 According to ceremonial law, almost everything is made clean with blood, and without shedding blood nothing is made ritually free from the stain of sin.(Hebrews 9:22)

28 so too for Christ—having been sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, he will come again, not to deal with sin, but to save those who wait for him.(Hebrews 9:28)

10 While we were his enemies, God made us his friends through the death of his Son, and so we can be absolutely sure that he will save us through the life of his Son.(Romans 5:10)

22 Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.(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 Looking right at them, Jesus replied, "From a human point of view, it’s impossible—but not with God. Everything is possible with God."(Mark 10:27)

27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible in human terms is possible for God."(Luke 18:27)

10 For the Son of man came to search for and save those who are lost."(Luke 19:10)

47 That’s what the Lord has told us to do: ‘I’ve made you a light to the foreigners, and through you salvation will go to the ends of the earth.’"(Acts 13:47)

13 Enter by the narrow entrance. For the entrance is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many travel that way. 14 But the entrance is narrow, and the way is difficult that leads to life, and only a few find it.(Matthew 7:13,14)

9 Don’t you know those who are unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don’t be fooled! People who are immoral, worship idols, commit adultery, are sexual perverts, homosexuals, 10 thieves, greedy, drunkards, abusers, or cheats, will not inherit the kingdom of God.(1 Corinthians 6:9,10)

52 "You can go. Your trust in me has healed you." Immediately Bartimaeus could see and he followed Jesus as he went on his way.(Mark 10:52)

1 Only in God do I find peace; my salvation comes from him.(Psalms 62:1)

35 You protect me with the shield of your salvation; you support me with your powerful right hand; your help has made me great.

36 You gave me space in which to walk, and prevented my feet from slipping.(Psalms 18:35,36)

17 Even though there are no blossoms on the fig trees and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no harvest; even though there are no animals in the pen and no cattle in the stalls;

18 still I will be happy in the Lord, joyful in the God of my salvation.(Habakkuk 3:17,18)

4 Because you are so valuable to me, because I honor you, and because I love you, I give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your lives.(Isaiah 43:4)