What if you had a rich aunt who surprised you one day with a beautiful new car? What if the car had all of the latest bells and whistles-heated seats, gps, remote start, dual heat control, video player, everything new cars have. Which do you think would give your aunt the most pleasure and honor – if you simply drove the car from point A to Point B without ever using any of its benefits or if you would take full advantage and enjoy all the bells and whistles of the car? Do you think it would make you more pious if you denied yourself the luxury of the car’s features? Would you feel as if it were irreverent towards your aunt if you used the gadgets freely and generously given by her?

As Christians we have freely and generously been given salvation. Our salvation, sort of like the above car, came with bells and whistles. Over time the enemy has convinced us that it would be irreverent for us to take advantage of all God has provided us through salvation. He has convinced us that the only purpose for our salvation is to get us from point A (earth) to point B (heaven).

But saved and salvation in the bible is translated from two different words, sozo and soteria, respectively. Understanding these root words will help us understand our salvation package. Sozo means to save, heal, cure, preserve, keep safe and sound, rescue from danger or destruction, deliver. Sozo saves from physical death by healing, and from spiritual death by forgiving sin and its effects. It means to give new life and to cause to have a new heart. Soteria means forgiveness, healing, prosperity, deliverance, safety, rescue, liberation, and restoration

So when we were saved, we were freely and generously appropriated with healing, forgiveness, prosperity, deliverance, safety, rescue, freedom, and restoration as well as getting from point A to point B. Yes, getting from point A to point B is enough to shout about, but why not walk in the fullness of what God has provided? We are instructed to be good stewards, so why waste that which was paid for on the cross?

Let’s understand the salvation that has been freely given us and let us enjoy all of its benefits.

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (‭Psalm‬ ‭103‬:‭2-5‬ NIV)