Reclaiming the Words, Vol X: Salvation
What if “salvation” isn’t just about being rescued from hell — but being restored to life with Yah, here and now?
Reclaiming the Words, Vol X: Salvation
What if “salvation” isn’t just about being rescued from hell — but being restored to life with Yah, here and now?
About the Series: Reclaiming the Words
Language forms faith — and over time, sacred words lose their shape.
Reclaiming the Words is a weekly series dedicated to recovering the original meaning of key biblical terms. By exploring the Hebrew and Greek roots of words like believe, grace, law, repent, holy, faith, gospel, righteousness, and now salvation, we rediscover their covenant context, cultural grounding, and Kingdom purpose.
Each word reclaimed becomes a doorway to deeper discipleship, rooted in the life and teachings of Yeshua.
Part X: What Is Salvation?
Reclaiming Yeshua and Sōtēria as Deliverance, Healing, and Covenant Belonging
“You shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His people from their sins.”
— Matthew 1:21
Salvation is often framed today as an exit strategy — a way to escape judgment and go to heaven. But in Scripture, salvation is not an escape. It is a return — a rescue and restoration to life in covenant with Yah.
The Hebrew Word: Yeshua / Yeshuah (יְשׁוּעָה)
The Hebrew word for salvation — yeshuah — comes from the root yasha (יָשַׁע), meaning:
To rescue
To deliver
To bring to a place of safety, wholeness, and peace
But this word is not just a concept — it’s a name.
“You shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His people from their sins.”
— Matthew 1:21
Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) is the shortened form of Yehoshua (Joshua), which means:
“Yahweh saves” or “Yah is salvation.”
This is not symbolic — it is literal. The Messiah is named Salvation, because He is salvation.
“I have waited for Your yeshuah, O Yahweh.”
— Genesis 49:18
“My eyes have seen Your salvation [yeshuah]…”
— Luke 2:30
These verses are not just prophetic — they are personal.
When Simeon saw the infant Yeshua in the Temple, he was not speaking metaphorically.
He was literally holding Yeshuah — Salvation in the flesh.
“Behold, Elohim is my salvation [yeshuah]; I will trust and not be afraid.”
— Isaiah 12:2
This is the essence of the Gospel:
Salvation is not a formula. It is a Person.
And that Person's very name declares Yah’s heart — to rescue, to heal, and to restore.
The Greek Word: Sōtēria (σωτηρία)
In the New Testament, sōtēria carries a broad range of meaning:
Deliverance from danger
Healing and wholeness
Liberation and restoration
Entrance into covenant life through Messiah
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save [sōzō] the lost.”
— Luke 19:10
“Today salvation [sōtēria] has come to this house.”
— Luke 19:9
Salvation in the Life of Yeshua
Yeshua brought salvation not just through His death, but through His entire life:
Healing the sick → restoring bodies
Casting out demons → freeing the oppressed
Feeding the hungry → showing Kingdom provision
Forgiving sins → renewing relationship with the Father
“He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor… to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives…”
— Isaiah 61:1–2
This is what salvation looks like: freedom, healing, forgiveness, return, belonging.
The Apostolic Witness
Paul doesn’t just preach “going to heaven.” He proclaims rescue from the powers of darkness and restoration to life in Messiah.
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son.”
— Colossians 1:13“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling…”
— Philippians 2:12
Salvation is past (rescued by grace), present (walking in faithfulness), and future (awaiting the fullness of redemption).
Why the English Falls Short
“Salvation” often feels static — as if it’s a ticket stamped once and settled. But in Scripture, salvation is dynamic. It’s deliverance, healing, return, and ongoing covenant life.
Yeshua didn’t come to simply rescue us from punishment — He came to restore us to relationship, and empower us to walk in the fullness of His Kingdom.
Practical Application:
Live as the Rescued — and the Restored
Salvation is not something you only receive. It’s something you walk in.
To live as the saved means:
You remember you were rescued — and you live with gratitude, not pride
You embrace healing and transformation, not just forgiveness
You live as part of Yah’s redemptive mission — extending that restoration to others
You walk in covenant — not because you fear being lost, but because you’ve been found
Salvation isn’t about arrival. It’s about abiding — living your life in the shadow of His rescue and the light of His Kingdom.
“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”
— Isaiah 12:3
Five Discussion Questions
How does salvation in the Bible differ from the way it’s often presented today?
What does Yeshua’s name teach us about the nature of His mission?
Why is it important to understand salvation as healing and restoration, not just escape?
In what ways are you still being “saved” — healed, delivered, restored — day by day?
How can you participate in Yah’s salvation work in the lives of others?