What Exactly Are We Saved From?

I remember some time back, I asked the question during a Bible study, "What exactly are we being saved from?"  As the answers began, it was clear that people understood that salvation was necessary.  But it was also clear that they had very little understanding about what or who we must be saved from.  Most thought we needed to be saved from the devil.  Others thought we needed to be saved from sin, hell, and/or ourselves.

As I work through the book of Amos, it is almost impossible to walk away without seriously considering the question at hand.  It is equally impossible to walk away without at least being encountered by the biblical answer.

In a culture where hate is categorized as a four-letter-word, we can expect that the culture's god could never be accused of having such an emotion.  But the God of the Bible (Yahweh) is wholly "other" than the culture's god.  He hates sin (Amos 5:21; 6:8).  And He is loving in doing so.  His faithful judgment is both glorious and terrible.  It is inescapable and complete.  No one can run or hide.  No one can pay Him off.

The answer from Scripture is clear:

Sinners must be saved from the Lord.  We must be saved from the wrath of God.

A quote from Leon Morris provides us with a fuller understanding:

A good deal depends upon our conception of the place and nature of the wrath of God. If this is regarded as a very real factor so that the sinner is exposed to its severity, then the removal of the wrath will be an important part of our understanding of salvation; whereas if we diminish the part played by the divine wrath we shall not find it necessary to think seriously of propitiation.

We think little of judgment because we think little of sin (until someone sins against us!).  But when we think little of judgment, we cannot possibly think much of the One who absorbs (propitiates) the judgment of God - Jesus Christ.  Consequently, athletes are worshiped more than Christ.

However, when we understand how great our sin really is, then we begin to understand how great the judgment we deserve really is.  And when we understand the glory of this judgment, then we finally understand the glory of the Lamb of God, who is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world (1 Jn 2:2).

For more information about this subject you can get:
Saved From What? by Sproul
Apostolic Preaching of the Cross by Morris

Morris's quote from CB.