When we speak of being 'saved', it does not mean I will be saved from stubbing my toe (for the record, I stubbed my toes three times today ...once against the laundry room door that sprung back, and twice trying to step over or around the dog).

Most people who talk about God do not have a problem when someone references the Bible ...and most of those people understand that when someone mentions 'salvation', they understand that it means not having to spend the rest of our lives in a not so good place.

(Yet, I feel I should make a comment here. There are increasing numbers of people who think that when a person dies ...they just die. And some people believe that most people just die, but a chosen number of people get to go to Heaven. And if that were true, then Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies would be more on track when she says 'going on to her reward' ---because that's what it would be, a reward, a treat, a special gift ---but I certainly wouldn't define it as salvation, as there would have to be something that a person is 'saved' from. And we all know the Bible refers over & over again to salvation, and it is not just a relative term ...the many verses in the New Testament refer specifically of salvation through Jesus. Yet again, it is indeed a special gift, not through our deeds, but through the grace of God.)

It is also interesting to note that 'saved' also means: set aside, stored, or preserved for later use. The Book of Romans 1:1, states, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ..."  We are not to consider ourselves to be set aside, or saved now. We are set apart from others, as we are to be like Paul, set apart as servants of Jesus, apostles to Him for the spreading of the Gospel. Matthew 28:19, tells us that Jesus told His apostles to go and make disciples of all nations. An apostle is a messenger, or one who is sent. A disciple is one who is willing to learn ...or a student. This is referred to as the Great Commission ...and obviously we must first accept who Jesus is, and then go out and tell others about that saving knowledge. The Holy Spirit stores all that knowledge within us. The 'later use' is what we graciously accept from Him and attempt to communicate to others of that 'saving' knowledge.

In some places, and at times, in many places, the earth where we live now is not a very nice place ---and if you are peaceful, content, secure, and happy ---then you should also be thankful, as there are many places where life is not secure and peaceful. And it is in those troublesome places where many people wish life would be a bit different. However we imagine that to be ...that is not the focus of this conversation. So, yes, we are talking about an afterlife ...and where we spend it, and those of us who would like to think we won't have to spend it in a not so good place would hope to be 'saved' from that place. And so we have the term 'salvation'.

John 10:9 ---Jesus said, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Luke 8:11-12 ---Jesus said,"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved."

Luke 19:9-10 ---And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”                

Mark 8:35 ---Jesus said, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it."

Mark 16:16 ---Jesus said,"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

Matthew 10:22 ---And Jesus said, "And you will be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."

So, why did Jesus die?  As He could have come to set the record straight from the mess up the chief priests and Pharisees had made of everything, and then just return to the Father. Yet, He died to save us ...is it not clear what He saved us from?

No, it is not like a game of 'freeze tag', where we are caught and someone has to set us free ...and the game continues. We are set free ...but set free from what??

John 8:31-32 ---So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.”