The Semantics of 'Salvation'

The Semantics of ‘Salvation’ “That’s just semantics!” is sometimes used an argument to dismiss assertions contrary to what the speaker believes. It is a curious fact that this statement can be totally right and totally wrong in the same utterance. The contrary assertion may in fact be a question of semantics (totally right), but this doesn’t mean that it can therefore be dismissed out of hand as irrelevant (totally wrong). Semantics is the study of meaning and is a significant factor when it comes to translation. Every single portion of scripture is subject to semantics because it has been translated from Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek into English. It is absolutely fascinating at how the connotation (meaning) of a word can have such a dramatic impact on the interpretation of a passage of scripture. This is not ‘just’ semantics, it is an absolute necessity! Consider the word translated as ‘salvation’ in every translation or version of Ephesians 6:17 listed on biblehub.com (BHC). The root word of this noun is the verb ‘sozo,’ which has the meaning of being delivered out of danger and into safety. Thus, the noun may be translated as salvation, deliverance, or preservation. However, the verb and its associated noun and adjective are translated with the connotation of salvation 137 times, as deliverance twice, and as preservation, or some similar connotation (‘healing,’ ‘restoration’), 19 times. This pattern highlights a definite bias towards the connotation of ‘salvation.’ Now, here are the semantics. Both ‘salvation’ and ‘preservation’ focus on the end result. In my experience salvation has often been referred to as “the moment of salvation.” People will often ask, “When were you saved?” referring to a specific moment in a person’s life. Likewise, some of the synonyms for ‘preservation’ are ‘healed,’ ‘recovered,’ and ‘restored.’ All of these refer to an end product, the result of a process, a singular moment in time. However, I have heard individuals state, with some degree of discomfort, that they never experienced an actual ‘moment’ of salvation. Salvation was, for them, more of a gradual progression of insights and choices, or more of a transformation by the renewal of their minds (Romans 12:2). Their experience is much closer to the connotation of ‘deliverance,’ which focuses on a process, the movement from danger into safety. What a travesty that these individuals have been made to feel like they have a ‘second-class’ testimony because of a bias towards a certain connotation in translation! So, here is a challenge for you. As you read scripture, whenever you come upon the word ‘salvation’ or its derivatives (‘saved,” ‘saving’) replace it with ‘deliverance’ (‘delivered,’ ‘delivering’). Then ask yourself, “Does semantics make a difference in this passage?” I will be doing that very exercise in my next posts on the helmet of “deliverance!”