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Back To The Basics - Christianity 101 - Part 4

The Diocese

Posted: 02/28/2025


Back to the Basics - Christianity 101 - Part 4

How Was the Universal Nature of Salvation Revealed?

By the will and mercy of God, which is directly connected to the mission of Jesus Christ. Before our Lord’s birth, the Archangel Gabriel clearly conveyed the will of God the Father to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:31) and later to Joseph (Matthew 1:21), instructing them to name the child "Savior." On the day of the Lord’s birth, the angels announced the good news of the Savior’s birth to the shepherds, emphasizing that this salvation was meant for all people (Luke 2:10-11). This was fulfilled, and the words of the elder Simeon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, once again affirmed this truth: "My eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before all peoples" (Luke 2:29-31).

Could Man Be Freed from Sin by His Own Initiative?

Absolutely not. The only way for humanity to be cleansed from sin and receive salvation was and remains through the greatest and free divine gift granted to mankind through Jesus Christ (Romans 3:25). The Apostle John clearly states in his first general epistle that this mystery was accomplished not by our initiative but by God’s, which is one of the greatest manifestations of divine love:

"This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10).

Origen, a prominent theologian of the third century who greatly influenced the universal Church, addressed this issue and concluded that man cannot attain the grace of salvation without God’s help, even if he were the most righteous person in the world. He likened man to a light emitted from a candle and God to the light of the sun. Even though man has his own light, it is insignificant compared to the powerful light of God and disappears within it.

When Was Christ’s Mission of Salvation Fulfilled?

Through His crucifixion and divine resurrection.

a) Crucifixion
By being crucified, Jesus Christ also crucified the "old man" within us and renewed all who believe in Him:

"We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin." (Romans 6:6)

The crucifixion became the means of human justification (1 Peter 2:24). The Cross, for true Christians, became a symbol of God’s power, and instead of being an instrument of death, it was called the "Sign of Victory."

The preaching of the Cross has always been one of the fundamental teachings of true and orthodox Christians. It is no coincidence that the Apostle Paul states:

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

b) Resurrection
With Christ’s miraculous resurrection, the chain of salvation that began with Adam was completed:

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22)

Jesus Christ’s divine resurrection and faith in His resurrection serve as the guarantee of salvation for all humanity:

"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep." (1 Thessalonians 4:14)


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