Salvation, or the Savior?
Today's Christian generation is most interested in one thing, and that is salvation. Could there be a problem with that? I think so, because it would make God secondary.
Can salvation be separated from the Savior? In other words, can we have salvation without knowing God? Obviously not, but many people think differently, say differently, and this is reflected in their actions. Many Christians call those people believers who confess Jesus as Lord with their words. Where is the knowledge of God in this? Although I know that they often cite the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch as proof of this:
„Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:26-39)
How did we read it? Where was he heading home from? From Jerusalem, because he went there to pray. He is not an unbeliever. We can also see this from the fact that he read the Holy Scriptures. He knew God, he sought Him! In fact, with his life before his baptism, he shames the majority of believers today, in faith and action.
Most Christians say that salvation cannot be earned by works. Yet they believe that with one baptism, one confession, or one prayer, they have earned salvation.
„"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:1-6)
So Jesus is the way. It is not enough to know about this way, we must walk this way:
„Thus says the LORD: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'” (Jeremiah 6:16)
This is what Jesus spoke about, which we can read in the Gospel of Matthew:
„Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Jesus is the truth, which is not enough to know, but we must act according to the truth.
„And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.'” (Deuteronomy 6:24-25)
This is what Jesus was talking about when He said the following:
„Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
Jesus is life. It is not enough to know about life, we must be part of life:
„Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” (John 15:4-6)
Jesus referred to what was read in the prophet Ezekiel:
„And the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything!” (Ezekiel 15:1-5)
So, just as a vine branch is useless without fruit, so we are useless without good works. In both cases, they are reserved for the fire.
So Jesus is:
- the way we walk
- the truth by which we walk
- the life in which we are to be a part (to abide in Him)
But the story doesn't end here, because the sentence has a continuation:
„I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
So through these we can reach the Father! Because even though most Christians consider Jesus as the goal, the Father is still the goal. We can get to know the Father through His Son. That is why He said the following:
„Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?” (John 14:8-9)
This is the goal, knowing the Father, through which we can have salvation. This is the only way to salvation, whether we like it or not.
„And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
And this is only possible through Jesus. For us, the Savior is the most important thing, not the benefit, such as the possibility of salvation. Just as they saw benefit in Jesus in the past, so they do today. In the past, they followed Jesus because good things happened to them:
„So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." (John 6:24-27)
I don't need to introduce this trend, we are well aware of the gospel of material abundance. They seek benefit, they preach benefit, not the real Jesus. Others followed Jesus because He healed many sick people, we can see this trend today. Then when Jesus announced that He would not heal, they wanted to kill Him:
„And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself.' What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well." And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.” (Luke 4:15-30)
Although I know this is a well-known passage, they still do not think about its message. In fact, Jesus let them know that he would not perform a miracle there. Because just as in the time of Elijah and Elisha, there were many in need, yet God only performed a miracle on one person. Why do they proclaim today that Jesus wants to heal everyone? Jesus clearly stated that he only does what is in the will of the Father. And the Father's will is that everyone be healthy spiritually and not physically.
But when Jesus was no longer of any use to anyone, He was left alone, even His disciples abandoned Him, the crowd that had once shouted Hosanna began to shout: Crucify him!
What are we seeking? Benefit from God, or God Himself?
Antal Farkas
(December 12, 2025)
