What does it mean to be "saved?"

What Does It Mean to be “Saved?” (Greek: sozo)

Titus 3:5 says “he saved us”

It means being saved from sin,
being rescued
• from sin,
• from sin’s power,
• from sin’s penalty,
being preserved therefore safe and unharmed
• from divine wrath,
• from judgment,
• from hell,
• from eternal punishment

We talk about being saved. We talk about salvation. We remember the words of the Apostle Paul who said in writing to Timothy, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15) Those who would otherwise have been doomed.
That’s what we’re saved “from” (the “negative” side)
We have been rescued from imminent disaster and deadly danger.

There is also what we’re saved “to” (the “positive” side)
• not only lifting us out of danger
but also putting us into blessing,
• not only delivering us from punishment
but also bringing us to glory,
• not only taking us out of the threat of hell
but also giving to us the hope of heaven,
• not only dismissing us from divine wrath
but also bringing us under divine blessing.

The word then carries the idea of being delivered, as Paul said, “out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.” (Col 1.13)

Christ has rescued us out of sin and placed us into His body (the church), the very place of blessing. (Acts 2:47)
And so we know and love the word “saved.”
1 Peter 3:18 - “that he might bring us to God”

That’s what it means to be saved!

* Much of this comes from a John MacArthur sermon on Titus 3:1-8.