Pastor Lyons, This is an interesting question. What is salvation? I notice that there are no comments on this subject, and this may be that many people do not know what salvation is. The traditional term would reflect to a person going up and saying the sinners prayer and accepting the right hand of fellowship. I have found out that salvation is cohesive with obedience. We are saved from sin. This means that Jesus has forgiven us from all of our sins and know we have been adopted in the Royal Family as sons of God. Salvation entitles us to having Jesus as an advocate. However many people come to church and recieve salvation to return home to the same lifestyle. Along with salvation comes authorithy. Jesus saves us that we may be a continnum of his work and his ministry. Do we know that through salvation we have the authorithy to heal the sick, and even raise the dead. Jesus did it. The intuition of the Holy Spirit empowers us to do the same work until he comes again. Many of congregants are caught up in the sociallistic setting of coming together in church and deny the power of Christ. We have become so programmitic and event oriented that we do not realize the reality of salvation. We have been saved from the sins of this world. Think about the cost that was involved in this process. Salvation does not give us the spirit of fear nor the spirit of being ashamed.