Salvation and Zion
This topic, “Salvation and Zion,” is about the place established by God for salvation and the way to receive salvation. The Bible instructs us that the spiritual Zion, the church observing God’s feasts, is where salvation sought by all humanity is realized for souls.
Salvation
Salvation means rescuing people facing difficulty or peril.
In the Old Testament, people experienced physical salvation by placing their trust in God. For instance, God saved the Israelites from the Egyptians at the Red Sea,[1] and during the era of the judges, He dispatched judges to deliver them from foreign invaders.[2]
While there were instances of salvation from disease, poverty, and danger in New Testament times,[3][4][5][6][7] the salvation emphasized in the New Testament concerns the soul, constituting the most important purpose of Christians’ faith.[8]
Zion, the Place of Salvation
Zion originally refers to a city (or mountain) in Palestine. However, another Zion is referenced in the New Testament.
But you [God’s people in the New Testament times] have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
Zion, where God’s people in the New Testament come to, transcends mere earthly geography; it represents spiritual Zion, a divine realm ordained for the salvation of the souls. Whether during Jesus’ first or second coming, believers assemble in spiritual Zion.[9] This sacred abode is where God resides,[10] bestowing eternal life.[11] The prophet Isaiah proclaimed that in Zion, the abode of salvation, God grants forgiveness.
Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals . . . There the LORD will be our Mighty One. . . . For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us. . . . and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.
Human souls are entities expelled from heaven due to their sins punishable by death.[12][13] The Bible warns that without salvation, we will endure punishment in hell, corresponding to our sins, and ultimately experience the second death.[14] The cause of the soul's death is the sin committed in heaven. Therefore, if the sin deserving of the death penalty is forgiven, eternal life—salvation—can be attained. In this context, Zion, where the blessing of the forgiveness of sin abounds, is a place of genuine salvation.
Way to Be Saved
To receive salvation in Zion, one must partake in the spiritual practices observed there. Spiritual Zion is characterized by the observance of God’s feasts. Jesus established spiritual Zion by keeping the feasts of the new covenant. The fact that Jesus, who came to redeem humanity from sin,[15] established Zion as the locus of salvation through the feasts, underscores the close connection between feasts and salvation.
Among these feasts, the Passover stands as a pivotal truth, promising humanity the forgiveness of sins through the precious blood of Jesus.[16][17] At the Passover, Jesus gave bread and wine symbolizing His flesh and blood, offering the forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life to all who partake.[18]
The Bible prophesies that in the last days, those who seek Zion will receive God’s teachings and receive salvation.[19][20] In essence, salvation awaits those who discover Zion—a church faithfully observing God’s feasts according to Christ’s teachings—and participate in the new covenant feasts holy.
See also
Related videos
- Sermon: Salvation Is Found in Zion
References
- ↑ "Exodus 14:30".
- ↑ "Judges 2:18".
- ↑ "Matthew 9:21–22".
- ↑ "Matthew 24:22".
- ↑ "Mark 5:22–23".
- ↑ "Acts 4:9–10".
- ↑ "Acts 27:20".
- ↑ "1 Peter 1:7–9".
- ↑ "Revelation 14:1".
- ↑ "Psalms 132:13–14".
- ↑ "Psalms 133:1–3".
- ↑ "Ezekiel 18:20".
- ↑ "Romans 6:23".
- ↑ "Revelation 20:12–14".
- ↑ "Matthew 1:21".
- ↑ "1 Timothy 1:15".
- ↑ "Romans 5:9".
- ↑ "Matthew 26:17–28".
- ↑ "Micah 4:1–2".
- ↑ "Revelation 14:1–5".