This is a very important lessons because salvation is the very purpose of our life—to be united with God. In this lesson, we explored what salvation truly means and the path that Christ Himself revealed to us.
In short, salvation is the healing of our fallen condition—the condition we inherited from Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Because of their sin, humanity became separated from God and subject to death. This earthly life, with all its struggles and fears, is not a punishment but a path God allows for spiritual perfection and restoration, a time where we learn to love and freely follow God’s will. Our task is to heal the soul from a tendency to sin and to restore our union with God through Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.
The first step is to overcome the illusion that we can define what is good on our own. When we make ourselves the standard of righteousness, we are blind to our sinfulness and the reality that all truth and goodness come from God. Our “good” actions, when guided by self-will, are often corrupted by pride and self-interest. Living by our own wisdom, we become prideful, self-centered and estranged from God.
Yet God never abandons us. In time, He awakens our heart to His truth. Once we believe in the Gospel, we begin to see our own sinfulness and desire to change, to become more like Christ.
God gave the Ten Commandments through Moses, but the Law alone was not sufficient to heal our fallen nature. It revealed sin but did not provide the power to overcome it. Many, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, sought righteousness by human effort—by rule-keeping rather than transformation of the heart. Christ saw them as hypocrites.
When the time was right, God sent His Only-Begotten Son, and the great mystery of the Incarnation took place: God’s divinity was united with human flesh. Jesus Christ, being fully God and fully man, came to transform and heal all humanity so that we might be reunited with Him and become like Him, healing the consequences of the Fall.
His earthly life, recorded in the Gospels, shows us the way we must live to be healed and receive His grace to live in communion with Him.
Out of love, He voluntarily offered Himself on the Cross on our behalf, revealing that death itself can be overcome. This was not a mere payment but an act of love. His death was followed by His Resurrection, showing that life beyond death is now possible for all who follow Him.
After His Resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven, opening the gates of Paradise so all who follow Him can enter. He then sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, transforming the Apostles and empowering them to establish His Church—a living faith community where the grace of the Holy Spirit continually works through the sacraments to heal and sanctify us.
This is known as general salvation—the possibility of salvation for all. Yet salvation must also become personal. Each person, through free will, must choose to follow Christ’s path. This begins with faith, recognition of our sinfulness and repentance, followed by Baptism, through which we enter His Church—the spiritual hospital for our healing. There we are nourished through the Eucharist, receiving Christ’s Body and Blood as real participation in His life. When we fall into sin, we are restored through Confession, renewing the purity of our baptism.
Our personal salvation is a lifelong process of transformation though repentance. Step by step, through prayer, repentance, and obedience to Christ’s commandments, our soul is purified and our will is trained to align with His. This is called synergia—the cooperation of our effort with God’s grace. We are saved by grace, yet this grace is given only when we actively participate in the life Christ offers.
Throughout life we face trials and tribulations—both those allowed by God and those we undertake voluntarily through fasting, prayer, forgiveness, and self-denial. These shape and purify us. Even if we do not reach perfection in this life, the Fathers assure us that God, in His mercy, will receive all who persevere faithfully to the end.
All of this takes place within the Church, the Body of Christ, where the Holy Spirit is ever at work healing, restoring, and sanctifying the faithful.
In summary:
The ultimate goal of our life is Theosis—to be united with God, illumined by His glory, and transformed by His grace. To live in Theosis is to live in love, humility, and communion with God, reflecting His image in our daily life.
Christ has opened the way for all, but each of us must cooperate with His grace, repent, and live a life of faith and love within His Church. This lifelong journey—the Orthodox Way of Life—leads to Theosis, our true destiny: union with God for all eternity.
Only God’s grace saves, but salvation involves our cooperation with His grace.
Five Key Points to Remember
Union – Our life’s purpose is union with God (Salvation).
Christ Heals – Through His Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection, Christ heals our fallen nature.
Synergia – Salvation is by grace, requiring our free cooperation through faith and repentance.
The Church – The Orthodox Church is the spiritual hospital where healing and transformation occurs in the sacramental life.
Theosis – Our goal is to be transformed by God’s grace and live in eternal communion with Him.
Resources:
Reading: Chapter 6 in Orthodox way: A Catechism for Seekers
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