Theological Doctrines Surrounding Salvation (Soteriology)
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, February 19, 2026 (Donate)
Introduction
I was once teaching a Junior/Senior level world religions
course at a Christian academy. During that course, a hand went up and asked
what exactly was “justification”. I answered rather succinctly but then it
opened up a discussion about a lot of other “fancy” doctrinal words like “sanctification”,
“atonement”, and “regeneration”.
As the class continued, it wasn’t like they hadn’t heard
these words before—they were actually quite familiar with them. What they
really needed was a down-to-earth understanding of them. We had a great
discussion dealing with them that day, and then we were back on track the next
class period with world religions.
But I remembered how important that discussion was to
clarify on what these words and their associated doctrines really were. So, let’s
look at some heavyweight theological doctrines surrounding salvation. The
theological term for this is called “soteriology”.
While each could easily be their own chapter and greatly
expanded, I wanted to keep these concise and side-by-side—which is what we did
in that class and it helped tremendously.
Doctrine of Salvation
The doctrine of salvation is the gracious and sovereign work
of God whereby sinners are delivered from sin, guilt, and condemnation and
brought into eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Salvation is the deliverance of fallen, sinful, imperfect
man from the power and punishment of sin, and the restoration of the soul to His
favor and thus, we are being conformed to image of Christ. Salvation starts in
God’s eternal purpose (remember God knows everything!), and is accomplished by
Christ’s work on the Cross (atonement), and is applied by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Salvation is entirely of grace, not of human merit or
works. It includes justification, adoption, and sanctification (we will discuss
these in a moment!). Scripture affirms,
“For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians
2:8, NKJV)
Salvation was pre-purposed in election. It was then secured
by Christ’s redemption. And finally, it was applied by the Spirit in
regeneration. Christ actually accomplished salvation for His people, not merely
made it possible. The sinner, being spiritually dead, must be made alive by God
through His sovereign grace.
“Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5, NKJV)
Salvation is predicated on the finished work of Christ, who
died as a substitute for sinners and rose again for their justification. Faith
is the instrument through which salvation is received, yet even faith is a gift
of God. Now as a point of note—a lot of “fancy” doctrines were mentioned when
we discuss the doctrine of salvation! This is why I wanted to keep these
doctrines concise in the same unit.
Doctrine of Substitution
Substitution is the doctrine that Christ stood in the
place of sinners, bearing the penalty they deserved. Christ suffered as a
substitute to satisfy divine justice by an infinite God the Father. Scripture
states,
“The Lord has laid on Him the
iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV)
Death is the penalty for sin (Genesis 2:17), and thus a
substitute must bear that penalty. Animals were initially sued but they were
only a temporary atonement. They could never satisfy God’s full wrath. But
Christ, who is the infinite God Himself, died “the just for the unjust” (1
Peter 3:18). Substitution explains how God can remain just while
forgiving sinners since Christ endured the punishment on our behalf. It is
central to the gospel.
Doctrine of Atonement
Atonement refers to the work of Christ’s blood sacrifice
whereby He made satisfaction for sin and restored the relationship between God
and His people. It is the satisfaction made to divine justice by Christ’s
suffering and death.
Atonement is based on the substitutionary sacrifice of
Christ—which is why these two are collectively called substitutionary
atonement. This also connects to the Christ being the propitiation of our
sins (1 John 2:2).
Atonement is necessary because death entered the world
through sin as the punishment for sin is death (Genesis 2:17). So, the solution
must also involve death. The shedding of blood is required (Hebrews 9:22).
The atonement was sufficient, complete, and historically
accomplished at the cross by Christ.
Doctrine of Imputation
The doctrine of imputation refers to the gracious act of God
whereby righteousness or guilt is transferred or credited to another’s
legal standing.
Imputation is the charging of something to another person’s
account. In theology, it primarily concerns two things:
·
the transferring of Adam’s sin to his posterity and
ultimately to Christ who served the punishment (Christ became sin for us—2
Corinthians 5:21)
·
the transferring of Christ’s righteousness to
believers (Romans 4)
Because Adam acted as the federal head of humanity, his
disobedience was reckoned to all.
“For as by one man’s disobedience
many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19, NKJV)
Conversely, through faith, being the Last Adam and new
federal head (1 Corinthians 15:45), Christ’s obedience is credited to believers
so they are declared righteous before God. This is how sinners are able to go
to heaven since nothing impure will ever enter it (Revelation 21:27).
Since we are now made pure and spotless as Jesus’ righteousness is now our righteousness,
we are awarded the blessing of heaven to be with God and enjoy His eternal
blessings.
Christ is the new federal headship and the purveyor of the new
covenant in His blood. The sins of the elect were imputed to Christ, who bore
their guilt at the cross, and that His perfect righteousness is imputed to those
of us who believe in His death, burial, and resurrection for justification.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to
be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2
Corinthians 5:21, NKJV)
Imputation preserves the full justice of God as He imposed
the due punishment for sin while providing full assurance of salvation.
Doctrine of Propitiation
Propitiation refers to the satisfaction of God’s
righteous wrath against sin through the sacrifice of Christ. It is basically
the appeasing of God’s divine justice. Scripture says God set forth Christ “to
be a propitiation by His blood, through faith” (Romans 3:25).
God’s wrath is absolute and it is holy and just, not
arbitrary. Because sin deserves judgment, Christ bore that wrath in the place
of sinners. And God was pleased by that godly action to save sinners.
Propitiation shows both justice and mercy meeting at the
cross and God was satisfied fully by the work of Christ. God remains righteous
while forgiving those who, therefore, trust in Christ.
Doctrine of Redemption
Redemption is the act of purchasing and delivering
sinners from bondage to sin by the payment of a price. Think of it like a
ransom that has been delivered. The ransom price is the blood of Christ.
Scripture says,
“In Him we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7, NKJV)
The historical reality of Christ’s death was the necessary
payment for sin’s penalty. Redemption addresses man’s captivity and God’s
justice to set us free.
Doctrine of Regeneration
Regeneration is the sovereign act of God by which He imparts
spiritual life to those dead in trespasses and sins. It is often called the
new birth. It is the change in the heart by the Holy Spirit producing a new
disposition toward God.
Because death entered through sin, man is spiritually dead
apart from divine intervention. Jesus said,
“Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, NKJV)
Regeneration precedes and enables faith; it is not
self-produced. The believer becomes a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This
causes us transform our minds to godly affections, will, and understanding. It basically
restores spiritual capacity lost in Adam and is wholly of God’s grace to allow
us spiritually grow in the right direction.
Doctrine of Justification
Justification is the judicial act of God whereby He
declares the believing sinner righteous on the basis of Christ’s righteousness.
I’ve been taught that a good way to remember justification is “just-as-if-I
never sinned”. Though, this is not without its nuances of course.
It is God’s act of pardoning sinners and accounting
them righteous through faith in Christ. It is a legal declaration, not a
moral improvement.
“Being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24, NKJV)
Like many of these other doctrines, justification is based
on the historical death and resurrection of Christ. The righteousness credited
to believers is not their own but Christ’s as it is imputed to believers. Then
God does the judicial act of declaring us righteous. Let’s not miss that justification brings a new
peace with God and removes condemnation—with this judicial declaration, we are
no longer enemies of God.
Doctrine of Reconciliation
Reconciliation is the restoration of fellowship
between God and sinners through Christ’s atoning work. It is the removal of
enmity (i.e., being at odds with each other) and the renewal of friendship
between God and man. Scripture states,
“We were reconciled to God through
the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10, NKJV)
Reconciliation to be understood in light of the historical
Fall of Adam into sin (Genesis 3), which brought a taste of the separation from
God. Through Christ’s death, hostility is removed and peace established.
Reconciliation results in restored communion and adoption into God’s
family.
Doctrine of Adoption
Adoption is that kind act of God where those who are
justified by faith in Christ are received into His family and granted the
privileges of sons and daughters. It is the privilege believers obtain by
union with Christ, by which they are entitled to the inheritance of eternal
life.
It is not a natural right but a gracious and kind gift
grounded in Christ’s redemptive work. It shows the familial love of God by Him bringing
us into His family as sons and daughters.
According to Scripture, believers receive “the Spirit of
adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15). Adoption comes
after justification and regeneration and brings assurance, inheritance, godly
discipline, and intimate access to God.
It also shows a legal standing whereby Christians are princes
and princesses being adopted by the King of Kings. The Bible declares us as a
royal priesthood and the family of God (1 Peter 2:9; Galatians 3:26). As
children, believers are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans
8:17).
Doctrine of Sanctification
Once we are saved and justified, we now enter into a sanctification
process. It is the gracious work of Holy Spirit in our lives whereby we
Christians are set apart to grow in our holiness and progressively conformed
to the image of Christ.
It is basically the work of the Holy Spirit renewing the
whole person after the image of Christ. Sanctification goes back to Genesis
with the Fall man into sin and the loss of purity we originally had in god’s
perfect world. Our souls were tainted with sin.
When the Holy Spirit saves us we begin a new road: since sin
brought corruption, believers must be progressively restored. Scripture
declares,
“For this is the will of God, your
sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NKJV)
Sanctification includes being set apart at conversion (1
Corinthians 6:11) and an ongoing aspect, where we continually grow in obedience
to God and His Word. Growing in our purity toward God is not a work to earn
salvation but flows from it our obedience to Christ because love God and want to
leave sin behind.
“But as He who called you is holy,
you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15, NKJV)
God works in believers, yet we actively pursue holiness.
Doctrine of Immutability
Immutability is the attribute of God whereby He is
unchangeable in His nature, perfections, purposes, and promises. This
relates to the assurance of salvation because God doesn’t go back on His Word.
Immutability is God’s unalterable constancy in His nature
and being. Scripture says,
“For I am the Lord, I do not
change” (Malachi 3:6, NKJV)
The unchanging character of God guarantees the reliability
of Scripture and the certainty of redemption and salvation. God does not evolve
or improve; He is eternally perfect. His covenant promises stand firm because
His nature does not shift. The doctrine of immutability should be a great
comfort to us as believers.
Doctrine of Repentance
Repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, accompanied by
a turning from it to God. To the surprise of man, repentance is a gift granted
from God (2 Timothy 2:25-26).
Repentance is a change of mind leading to a godlier life. It
should occur prior to sanctification with is ongoing. After one believes the
Gospel—Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Acts 2:37)—Scripture declares
int eh following verse,
“Repent, and let every one of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38,
NKJV)
Repentance is a personal acknowledgement of real guilt
before a holy Creator. It should immediately lead to a godly sorrow, where we
recognize our sin and cry out to God to apologize for the evil we have done.
Repentance is often viewed as inseparable from faith and
involves confession and forsaking of sin. True spiritual repentance should result
in obedience.
Doctrine of Election
Election is God’s omniscient and sovereign will of who
gets saved according to His own foreknowledge and grace. Judas Iscariot was
not one of them.
It is God’s eternal purpose to save those in Christ while wanting
all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Being that man is made in the image of
a free God; God has given man levels of freedom in our thoughts (e.g., the power
of contrite choice to sin for instance or resist per Acts 7:51).
It is not a problem for an all-powerful and all-knowing God
to work out His sovereign will through the use of man’s freewill. This would be
a task all-too-easy for Him. The Bible says about our all-knowing God
that,
“He chose us in Him before the
foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4, NKJV)
Election does not negate human responsibility but magnifies God’s
incredible grace. The fact is that no sinner “deserves” to be saved. What we
all deserve is to be punished eternally. The fact that many do not go to
Hell, should be amazing if you think about it. Election, simply put, is based
on God’s foreknowledge and purpose.
Conclusion
For those unfamiliar with theological terms, this might have
felt a bit overwhelming. I get it, this is full of “Christian-eze” but hopefully,
this also helps clarify on the meanings of these words and their various
doctrinal meanings.
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various
churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers
in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding
news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight
Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
