Article May 23, 1988 Issue

The door of salvation

What does it mean to be "saved"?
Where does salvation fit in if
we are feeling sick or burdened?

Carole F. Jackson

"I Am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 10:9. These words of Jesus promise—to the one who understands and lives them— God's care and direction as well as whatever is needed for an active and productive life. If any of this seems missing from our experience, we can rejoice that we do not have to resign ourselves to such a state. We can open our heart to the Christ and begin now to live the abundant life for which God created us! And a good first step is to gain more insight into Christ Jesus' saying, "I am the door."

Often, popular theological interpretations of this passage teach that we are saved from our sins—that is, we escape punishment for them—simply by verbally or mentally accepting Jesus as our Saviour. In this way, Jesus of Nazareth is thought to be the open door, the way of salvation, for anyone who faithfully believes it to be so.

This widely accepted interpretation of the way to enter into salvation does bring some comfort because it assures us of our ability to enter in and to claim somewhat the freedom from sin bestowed on man by God. But can we really evidence spirituality and be regenerated simply by believing that Jesus died for our sins? Can that be all there is to it? What of the many other questions this interpretation raises? For instance, some have probably wondered at the injustice of Jesus' dying for our sins. Does it seem logical that God, divine Love, would send forth His only begotten Son, who was sinless, and punish him so that we might go unpunished for our sinfulness?

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