Salvation

Jesus' name in Hebrew is Yeshua which means salvation!

God's salvation involves a concern for physical as well as spiritual well- being.

The main idea of salvation is to liberate, deliver from evil, and free from oppression - safety, welfare, prosperity and victory are used to define this saving activity.

The essence of spirituality is for God's people to know the dynamic Presence and quickening power of  The Lord at work on earth in their daily lives.

In the Middle Ages the concept of salvation revolved around the idea  of escaping out of here and going to heaven.

The Hebrews didn't view salvation as deliverance from this world.  Their  commitment was not to escape this life but to know God's power and presence, which could transform their lives and their society.

The Hebrew thinking contrasted the  Greek thinking -  Hebrews stressed the wholeness of human beings.  They were not afraid to be human.  As a socially involved people, the Hebrews sought to live to the hilt entering into the fullness of the human experience.

They knew that to seek flight from this life by death was no permanent solution to the ills of this world.  For instance in Acts 16:27 the Greek jailer at Philippe who thought of ending his life the moment Paul and Silas escaped from prison would of been strange to the Hebrew mind set of Paul and Silas.  They believed God's presence in every  experience of life - trusting themselves to His mercy and grace.

The Hebrews boldly affirmed their God given humanity.  Again and again in scripture we see their identity was found in society, not in isolation from others.  They did not view the earth as an alien place but as a part of creation.  It was on earth and on earth alone that human beings highest deity and calling could be performed - namely that of bringing glory to their Maker thru the praise of their lips  and the work of their hands.

Matt.25:31-36 is a vivid illustration of the definition of salvation - so to do the work of salvation is to   Bring healing, relief and victory to those weighed down by the cares and concerns of the here and now.