Genesis 47:25 King James Version (KJV) And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.

I like to look at first use scriptures to gain insight into the meaning of words. Saved, i.e. salvation, has an implication of immediacy in which we sense danger and are relieved from the fear of that danger. A life has been saved and with it comes two important factors, a relationship that expects to receive unmerited favor, grace, and servitude out of gratitude.

What we deem to be a danger in our lives might vary but the attitude towards salvation must always remain the same. We were helpless to save ourselves and needed someone with the power to save us from those dangers to intercede on our behalf.  We must ask ourselves that all important question in order to understand our salvation, what are we being saved from?

Isaiah 64:5 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
    those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
    in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?^[a]

Footnotes: Isaiah 64:5 Or in your ways is continuance, that we might be saved

Because sin cannot approach God and we continue in sin we cannot have a personal relationship with God. If we seek Him to save us from anything other than our sin nature, we pray that His forbearance will continue by grace to lead us to that saving grace knowledge we find in accepting His Lordship.

Grace and service thru salvation only comes from His Lordship. This however is only the first salvation. This is salvation from the penalty of sin. Because we accept His Lordship our outcome falls solely in His hands.

John 12:25 English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Did we hate our lives when we asked to be saved?