salvation meaning essay

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Salvation: An Overview

Other essays.

“Salvation,” as the term implies, is “rescue” – rescue from hell but also from sin itself, its power and ultimately its very presence.

Salvation is a widely-encompassing theme in Scripture presented from a variety of perspectives and entailing a variety of benefits. What follows is a rather “birds-eye view” of the biblical presentation, serving as an introduction to this larger section on soteriology.

Introduction

The theme of God’s gracious rescue of sinners for his own glory dominates in Scripture both in its comprehensive story from creation to consummation and in the various ways this salvation is presented and described by the biblical writers. It is a work of God from beginning to end, stemming from his heart of love for the ill-deserving (grace) and issuing in his own self-sacrifice and the redemption and restoration of his chosen people.

Salvation in the Bible’s Story

The Bible’s story of salvation begins in the first pages of Scripture. God created man to image God’s rule over the earth, but man rebelled and fell under divine judgment. The way back to God now is impossible from the human side, for man is the guilty party rendered helpless by sin and with no right of approach. But in grace God promised a champion (Gen 3:15) who would defeat the tempter and bring restoration. This promise unfolds throughout biblical history, and the hope broadens as God adds promise to promise. In successive covenants God pledged himself to bless the world through the seed of Abraham (Gen 12:1-3) who will reign in righteousness on David’s throne (2Sam 7) universally and forever. The triune God will himself effect the forgiveness of his people’s sin and consequent acceptance by the Son’s self-offering in substitutional sacrifice (Isa 53) and by his gracious gift of righteousness (Jer 23:6, 16; Zech 3; Rom 3:21-31). By the bestowal of his Spirit God will enable his people to live in obedience (Jer 31:31-34; Rom 8:1-14), and in the end “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14; cf. Isa 11:9), and God’s redeemed people will at last dwell safely in his blessed presence in the new heaven and the new earth.

This story that lies on the surface of the biblical narrative is also carried by means of a number of varied yet inter-connected themes – below we mention just a few:

• Adam and the new Adam
• God’s faithful son
• Creation to new creation
• Temple & the presence of God
• Defeat of the Tempter
• Exodus-new Exodus

Throughout the biblical story God’s promise of salvation (Gen 3:15) unfolds via promise and fulfillment culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ who in his first coming secured salvation for his people and in his return will bring that salvation to consummation (Heb 9:28).

Perspectives of Salvation

Salvation may helpfully be viewed from various perspectives. A trinitarian perspective (Eph 1:3-14) focuses on the respective works of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Salvation is generally spoken of as originating in the divine decree and the Father’s choice (election) of those whom he would save and his “giving” of these beloved people to his Son (John 6:39). The Son, in turn, is sent and willingly comes on this mission of rescue (John 17:1-4) and in place of his people offers himself in sacrifice to God (John 17:9; Eph 5:2, 25; cf. Rom 3:21-25). The Father and the Son, in turn, send the Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26) who bears witness of Christ (John 15:26-27), convicts (John 16:8-11), unites us in faith to Christ to receive the salvation he embodies (Rom 8:1-17), brings to life (John 3:1-8), gives faith (1Cor 12:3), and seals us as his forever (Eph 1:13-14).

Salvation in christological perspective focuses on the works of Christ in accomplishing salvation. In his incarnation he joined himself to us in order to become our mediator (John 1:14; 1Tim 2:5). In his sinless life he established the righteous record God’s law demands (Gal 4:4-5). In his death he took our place, bearing our curse and rendering satisfaction to God (Gal 3:13). In his resurrection he entered the age to come and takes us with him to newness of life (Eph 2:5), sharing in his vindication (Rom 4:25; 1Tim 3:16) in glory (Eph 2:5-6). In his ascension he was exalted to his mediatorial glory at the right hand of God (Acts 2:36) from which he poured out his Spirit on his people (Acts 2, Pentecost) and makes intercession (Heb 7:25). And in his return he will bring our salvation to its decreed consummation (1Jn 3:2).

This christological perspective also focuses on the offices of Christ: prophet, priest, and king. As prophet he reveals, by the Word and the Spirit, the will of God for salvation. As priest he offered himself a sacrifice for us in satisfaction of divine justice and makes intercession for us. And as king he rules and defends us, and he restrains and conquers all his and our enemies. 1

This christological perspective also focuses on Christ as the last Adam , our new representative head who wins back for us all that was lost in the first Adam (Rom 5:12-21). And it focuses on Christ as the covenant for his people (Isa 42:6; 49:8; cf. Luke 22:20) who in his death secures all covenant-promised blessings (Jer 31:31-34).

Salvation in individual and cosmic perspective focuses on the experiential dimensions of salvation individually and personally (conversion, assurance, renewal, etc.) and in the larger created order. Sin has distorted humanity, and the created order itself was caught up in its fallenness and judgment (Gen 3; Rom 8:17-25). Salvation in the end encompasses this cosmic perspective: the created order itself will be restored in the day of our resurrection.

Salvation in chronological perspective focuses on the outworking of salvation from its source in God’s elective decree (redemption planned ), to its accomplishment in the work of Christ (redemption accomplished ), to our experience of it in union with Christ (redemption applied ). Salvation is an eschatological concept in that its promised benefits will be realized fully only in the final state; Scripture, however, describes it as experienced in stages – initially upon faith (Eph 2:8), continually in the outworking of God’s purpose in us (Phil 1:6), and climactically when Jesus returns for us (Heb 9:28; 1Jn 3:1-3). In this sense we may say that we have been saved (Eph 2:5, 8; 2Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5, etc.), we are being saved (Phil 1:6; 1Pet 1:5), and we shall be saved (Heb 9:28; 1Pet 1:5; cf. Rom 13:11). Each of these “stages” of salvation entail corresponding benefits (see below) and in their completeness perfectly overcome the problem of our sinful alienation, enmity, guilt, and corruption.

Salvation Planned

God’s choosing of those whom he would save is everywhere in Scripture described as an act of grace. It is a choice grounded solely in God himself without reference to anything in us. From eternity he set his love on us and determined to bring us to glory (Eph 1:3-6).

Salvation Accomplished

In his death the Lord Jesus redeemed us from the curse of God’s broken law (Gal 3:13) by offering himself in our place and bearing our curse, thereby satisfying God’s just wrath (propitiation; Rom 3:21-25), and providing for us the righteousness God requires of us (1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). In his substitutionary death our Lord secured every saving blessing (Rom 8:32).

“Salvation” (rescue) is the broad term, but this salvation that Christ purchased for us in his death has multiple dimensions, answering our multi-dimensional need.

• In redemption we are liberated by the payment of the ransom price of Christ’s blood.
• In forgiveness our debt is cancelled, the debt having been paid in full in Christ’s redeeming death.
• In justification we are declared righteous before God the judge by virtue of Christ’s substitutionary death and gift of righteousness.
• In reconciliation we are brought from enmity into fellowship with God.
• In adoption we, in union with Christ the Son, become God’s children.

The NT presents a certain “logic” to these various aspects and benefits of the work of Christ. Most famously, in Rom 3:21-25 Paul explains that we are justified through Christ’s redemptive work that, in turn, was secured by means of his propitiatory death. Similarly, in 2Cor 5:19-21 he explains that our justification stems from Christ’s substitutionary death and results in reconciliation. In Eph 1:7 he tells us that Christ’s substitutionary death constitutes the ransom price by which we are forgiven (cf. Gal 3:10-13); that is, we are not forgiven by mere divine fiat but by a substitutional payment of the debt that freed us from it. The NT insists that all saving blessings come to us as a consequence of Christ’s death (Rom 8:32; cf. 1Cor 15:3; 2Cor 5:14ff); among all the various metaphors employed to describe Christ’s death, and among all the dimensions of its varied import and significance, propitiation via penal substitution is basic and central.

Salvation Applied

Our experience of salvation hinges in its entirety the Spirit’s uniting us with the risen Savior to participate in his resurrected life. Christ accomplished redemption for us, and in him all saving blessing is found.

Calvin’s famous statement here bears repeating:

First, we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us. Therefore, to share with us what he has received from the Father, he had to become ours and to dwell within us. For this reason, he is called “our Head” [Eph. 4:15], and “the first-born among many brethren” [Rom. 8:29]. We also, in turn, are said to be “engrafted into him” [Rom. 11:17], and to “put on Christ” [Gal. 3:27]; for, as I have said, all that he possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with him ( Institutes of the Christian Religion 3.1.1).

This experiential dimension of our salvation begins with divine calling (1Cor 1:9) and culminates in glorification (Rom 8:30). God’s life-giving call unites us with his Son by his Spirit so that we may experience in union with him the salvation he accomplished and embodies – it is in union with him that we share in the experience of his resurrection, life, and exalted glory (Col 3:1-4). Concepts such as conversion, assurance, renewal, sanctification, perseverance, resurrection, and glorification, express this multi-dimensional experience of salvation in Christ from beginning to end. “Salvation,” as the term implies, is “rescue” – rescue from hell but also from sin itself, its power and ultimately its very presence.

We are brought into the experience of salvation now, in this life, although it is not yet in its fullness. Our experience of salvation in its fullness awaits our Lord’s return (Heb 9:28), when we shall at last be with him and be made like him (1Jn 3:2).

Further Reading

• Matthew Barrett, 40 Questions about Salvation
• John MacArthur, “ The Big Picture of Salvation ”
• Leon Morris, The Atonement: Its Meaning and Significance
• John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied
• John R.W. Stott, The Cross of Christ
• Bruce Ware, “ The Doctrine of Salvation ”

This essay is part of the Concise Theology series. All views expressed in this essay are those of the author. This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate the content as long as an attribution link, indication of changes, and the same Creative Commons License applies to that material. If you are interested in translating our content or are interested in joining our community of translators,  please reach out to us .

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What is Salvation in Christianity?

By alice a. anacioco | july 27, 2017 | comments 20 comments.

When talking about salvation, people make it sound so complex when in fact it really isn’t. Many Christians who claim they’re saved do not really understand what it means to be saved. What is salvation in Christianity?

In our evangelism we often quote Romans 10:9 which says, “that if you confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”   Saved from what? Why do we need to be saved?

Some also use Matthew 24:13 which talks about standing firm to the end in order to be saved. Again, saved from what? And why do we need to be saved?

The Definition of Salvation

Just a quick glance at the world we live in reveals man’s sinful condition and the awful and sad reality that man will never be able to save himself all on his own. Man’s condition is one which is completely helpless and despite all his efforts to bring about peace and prosperity in a supposedly new society, the world remains in chaos, shattered and torn as a result of sin.

It all started in the Garden of Eden when Adam sinned by disobeying God. As a result, man’s fellowship with God was cut off and he was bound to suffer eternally in hell as punishment for his sin. There is hope, however, as the Bible speaks of God’s gracious plan to provide a solution to man’s problem and we call that “salvation.”

*Read here: Death Penalty for Sin, Eternal Life in Christ

The word salvation is from the Greek word “ soteria” which is derived from the word “ soter” meaning savior. It is personal and universal and is centered on the life and works of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As used in Scriptures in its broadest sense, the word salvation includes comprehensively the total work of God by which He seeks to rescue man from the power of sin and bestows upon him the abundance of His grace, eternal life and eternal glory.

In theology, however, the major use of the word salvation is to denote a work of God on behalf of men which includes redemption, reconciliation, propitiation, conviction, repentance, faith, regeneration, forgiveness, justification, sanctification, preservation, and glorification.

In simpler terms, salvation is God reaching out to man to rescue him from the power of sin and the eternal punishment for that sin in hell.

Why Do We Need to be Saved?

In order for us to really come to terms with our need of salvation, we first need to realize that we are sinners in need of saving; we’re all fallen. We need salvation as a result of the sin of rebellion as recorded in Genesis 3 and also our own personal rebellion against God and rejection of Him.

We need salvation to escape the penalty and punishment that hangs over all mankind. We need to be saved from eternal destruction and punishment. Man’s offense was against God, and God being holy and just demands justice. The Bible tells us that “we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”   (Romans 3:23) and the penalty for that sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Secondly, we need to be saved from our state of being alienated or separated from God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “our sin has separated us from God.”  If we are separated from God then we will not able to enjoy His presence, His fellowship, His grace, mercy and blessings.

In other words, we will not be with God in heaven for eternity because hell means “separation from God.”  Heaven is God’s throne, His dwelling place (Acts 66:1; Acts 7:49), and if we will not be with God in heaven, then we will be spending eternity in hell.

How Did God Save Us?

God saved us by sending His only Son to die on the cross for us. On the cross, Jesus made the once-for-all sacrifice for man’s sin and its penalty which is death. Since the just penalty for sin and death is finite and eternal, only God Himself could pay for it because only He is finite and eternal.

But God being divine could not die so He had to become human in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ who is God, took on human flesh, lived a perfect life of obedience to the Father, even to the point of death (Philippians 2:8).

The Bible says that we are spiritually dead because of sin (Ephesians 2:1) and are cut off from the presence of God, making it impossible for us to make contact with God by our own efforts. It is for this reason that Jesus Christ came; He came to redeem us and to bridge the gap that separated us from God. Jesus came to restore the broken relationship between man and God.

How Do We get Saved?

In Acts 16:29-31 we read how the jailer asked Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved. And in response, Paul and Silas told him to believe in the Lord Jesus and he and his household will be saved.

God has already done the work for us. All we need to do is receive the gift of salvation that He is offering for free. Salvation is received by grace through faith alone in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is what makes Biblical Christianity different from all the other world religions, sects and cults. We are saved by putting our trust in something that God has done for us and not in something we can do.

It is because of God’s great love that He Himself made a way for us to be reconciled back to Him. God had to bear the pain of seeing His Son suffer and die so that we will not perish in hell but have eternal life (John 3:16).

This is what salvation means in Christianity; God coming in human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life of obedience and set an example for us to follow, to suffer and die on the cross for our sins and to rise again to conquer death and hell, in order set us free from the power of sin and death and to rescue and deliver us from the wrath of God and the judgment that is to be poured out upon all flesh on the earth in a future event known as the Great Tribulation.

Question is: Have you acknowledged your need of a Savior? Have you trusted Jesus for your salvation? If not, trust Him today. Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. It’s not yet too late, for God is patient with you because He does not want anyone to perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Recommended Resource: The Case for Christ:  A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus b y Lee Stobel

Strobel asks challenging questions like:

• How reliable is the New Testament?
• Does evidence for Jesus exist outside the Bible?
• Is Jesus who he said he was?
• Is there any reason to believe the resurrection was an actual event?

Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award, Strobel’s tough, point-blank questions read like a captivating, fast-paced novel. But it’s not fiction. It’s a riveting quest for the truth about history’s most compelling figure.

20 Replies to “What is Salvation in Christianity?”

You have made me understand the word salvation which I was given a chance to preach in my dream but couldn’t. So when I woke up, I went through your articles in your website to understand it very well.

I pray that God will give me more insight into His word like you.

I’m glad for you to come by and are able to gain a better understanding of what salvation really means. I understand that some people could make salvation so complicated that it becomes more difficult to understand. I’m just glad that this article was of help to you.

In regards to being able to preach, I’m sure God sees your desire to serve Him. If you have the willingness to become an instrument of God to share the Gospel, God will honor that and will give you wisdom as you continue to read and meditate on His word.

God bless you more.

Hello Alice, Thank you for this great post! God loved us so much that He gave us His son in order to save us. How His love is unconditional regarding all the sins we have done. His grace and mercy are a gift, they are above all. Jesus I trust in You! Keep up this beautiful work. May God bless you. Diana

Indeed, it’s the unconditional love of God that caused Him to come down, gave up His majesty and glory in heaven to live a perfect life of obedience to the Father. He suffered and died just so we can be forgiven of our sins and be reconciled back to God. It’s all because of the grace and mercy of God that we can have hope of eternal life. 

Thanks for your comment, God bless!

Alice, you are certainly well versed for your arguments that you present in your blog.Your blog is well written and has a clean crisp presentation to it. You have a header that is straight to the point. I may have overlooked it but I did not see any links to your site for any books, dvds, or any advertisements of any kind. You have a well written article here. Jerry

Hey Jerry, thanks for your comment and the kind words, I truly appreciate it. 

It’s my passion to share the truth of God’s word through articles that aim to inspire, encourage and enlighten Christians and non-Christians alike. In as much as I do not claim to know and understand everything that’s written in the Bible, I do try to be honest and objective as much as possible whenever I give an explanation, exegesis or interpretation of biblical texts and passages.

Although the main bulk of my posts is centered on the good news of salvation, I will also be tackling issues that relate to Christian growth and Christian living. By the way, I have some articles, not all of them, with recommended resources such as books and DVDs which readers can avail of if they want to read more about the featured topic.

This is so true! We need to accept Jesus Christ as our savior. Unfortunately, there are too many young people who think they can get by without salvation. I think Romans 6:23 says it all: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Great article!

Yes Kevin, salvation is a gift from God through Jesus Christ our Lord; all we need to do is receive it by faith.

It’s really sad that many people ignore the Gospel message and that’s why I believe it’s our duty as believers to keep sharing it to everyone. It’s not our job to convert people but it’s our mandate to keep spreading the word.

Thanks for stopping by, God bless us!

Hi, great post! Your site is a pleasure to read and set out really clearly. You appear to have a very sound theology and are very grounded in scripture which is great. I came to Jesus two years ago and the transformation in my life has been incredible. His grace is so amazing, I marvel at it every day and I am so glad I came to call upon his name. I just want to share this message with as many people as possible, especially in these trying times. Do you believe we are living in the last days? Do you think we will witness the events of the Great Tribulation in our lifetime? Keep up the great work, God bless.

Praise the Lord Oliver for your life. It’s my joy and pleasure getting to know you. The word of God in 2 Corinthians 5:17 is so true; anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come. Change and transformation are inevitable to anyone who has truly received God’s gift of salvation.

Having received and experienced the amazing grace of God; having been rescued from the powers of sin and death and from the wrath of God, we are likewise mandated to share it to as many people as possible so they too will come to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Yes Oliver, I believe we are living in the very last days. We can see the signs everywhere. What we read in 2 Timothy 3 are happening right now; people have become lovers of themselves, lovers of money, and all are showing all these kinds of ungodliness.

Are we going to witness the events of the Great Tribulation in our lifetime? Hmmm … let me put it this way, I am not looking forward to witnessing it. I am waiting for the second coming of Christ for the Church. Do you know that many Christians today believe that Jesus Christ will return in their lifetime? No one knows the day nor the hour (Matthew 24:36), but whether we will still be here when that day comes or we will “fall asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:51), let us always make ourselves ready to meet the Lord face to face.

Oh and to answer your question as to whether we will witness the Great Tribulation, I would have to say, “No.” Why? Because Jesus did not only save us from eternal punishment but His death also saved us from the wrath of God that is to be poured out during the Great Tribulation. Yes, I hold to a pre-trib rapture because the word of God in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 and Revelation 3:10 are pretty much clear that we are not appointed unto wrath and we will be kept from the hour of great trial.

I am aware there are 3-4 views regarding the timing of the rapture but this disagreement is considered minor. I think the most important thing is that we believe that Jesus is coming back to take His bride, the Church and to defeat all His enemies.

God bless you!

Hey thanks for your response to my question. Yeah, it is an interesting subject. I am still seeking guidance from the Lord on if the wrath we will miss is the seven bowls of wrath as spoken about in Revelation, but if we will still have to deal with the trumpets and seals. Like you say, ultimately as long as we know that we will be saved and that Jesus is coming for his bride, that is the main thing. Please keep up the great work, it’s great to have found this site! 🙂 God bless.

Hello Oliver! I’m glad to hear from you again.

Even as we know we are saved and have assurance that Jesus will come again to receive us unto Himself as He promised in John 14:1-3, let us be encouraged all the more to seek guidance from the Lord concerning His written word.

Shalom and God bless you more!

Amazing to be hearing the gospel again and still feel touched and grateful for what God has done in my life. Thanks for sharing this concise but yet packed with truths in an easy to digest way. I do wish many many people will come to read this and know how simple it is to believe even when the word “salvation” appears complicated and hard. Keep up the good work.

Hello Ht, the message of salvation is indeed amazing! It’s because of the amazing grace of God that He saved us from destruction. Salvation in Christianity may sound complicated to those who do not understand why God Himself had to come to earth in the flesh to die on the cross for our sins. But if we just realize how our sins have separated us from God, we will understand that somebody had to pay for the penalty, and that’s what the Lord Jesus accomplished through His suffering, death and resurrection.

May God bless and keep you always, shalom!

We only need to receive the gift of salvation in order to be saved. It is such a precious gift indeed. Jesus has already done all the work for us. Every day I continue to be amazed by His grace and patience. More people need to hear about the gospel of grace.

That’s right Yvonne, all we have to do is receive God’s gift of salvation; receive it by faith and live a life that pleases God. How amazing is the love of God that He saved us regardless of how sinful and rebellious we are. God is so gracious, kind, loving and wonderful. That’s the God that we serve! God has commissioned us to share the gospel of grace, the gospel of salvation to everyone so that they too will experience what we have in Christ.

Hi Alice, thanks for a lovely post. I agree wholeheartedly, we are saved by the tremendous Grace of God which He freely gave when He gave us His Son. There is nothing for us to do to earn this Grace other than to accept it. Allow it to wash us clean. What a gift. What a privilege. What an Honour. Amazing Grace.

Indeed Lauren, how great is the love that God has lavished on us. He saved us not because of anything we’ve done but because of His amazing love. He saved us not because we deserve it but because of His grace and mercy. God loves us unconditionally, there is nothing we can do to make Him love us less.

May we then strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him, may we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and obey Him whole-heartedly. 

God really is patient. Thank you for sharing this. I’ve only in recent years come to discover salvation; and come to find my faith to follow Jesus.

I was in a really awful place for most of my life, but now I’m 23; and thankfully still here to experience the beauty of life. Through suicidal attempts, and extreme reckless behaviour in which I pretty well toyed with the possibility of death – as my doctor has told me, it’s amazing you’re still here.

And it is. I’ve clearly had angles watching over me, and I can see the purpose in it now. Because now I understand my faith, and because of what Jesus has done – salvation. It’s really beautiful, and I am ever so thankful to have made it to this place today. The Lord has saved me!

God is patient indeed, hallelujah! He is longsuffering and does not want anyone of us to perish but that we all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). I’m glad you have finally accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. We may have all come from different walks of life, different culture and upbringing but God is Lord of us all. He is no respecter of person but He loves us all just the same. He has given His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins so that we will no longer be bound for hell but will have eternal life (John 3:16). God has saved you and me, praise His Name!

God loves you so much Mei and He has big plans for you that’s why He saved and rescued you. You are still young, you have many blessed years ahead of you to love & serve God. If you are not yet a part of a church family, I encourage you to join one that’s nearest to you where God can utilize you with the gifts He has given you. Continue to keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), keep the faith and be a blessing to others. 

Your sister in Christ,

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How To Write Your Testimony of Salvation

• By Dr. Patrick Briney
• February 20, 2022

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Writing your testimony of salvation is as easy as answering five questions.

After answering the following questions, combine them into a single essay of five or six paragraphs. Some people use their testimonies to make their own personalized Gospel tract.

Question one.

When were you saved?

• This helps people understand that salvation occurs at a point in time when you accept God’s invitation to save you.
• You are not Christian because you are born into a Christian family or gradually become a Christian over time.

Question two.

What helped you become a Christian?

• Describe how important people or events helped you make the decision to become a Christian.

Question three.

Why did you become a Christian?

• Explain why you thought it was important for you to make the decision to become a Christian.

Question four.

How did you become a Christian?

• Explain what you did to become a Christian.
• This is the most important part of your testimony. It’s your opportunity to share with others how to accept God’s invitation too.

Question five.

Why do you encourage others to be Christians?

Salvation is the most important thing that can ever happen to you. Being saved means that your destiny has changed from eternal death to eternal life.

It follows then that the most important thing you can write about or talk about is how God saved you. Here is what to do next:

• Answer the questions.
• Combine your answers into one essay.
• Share your testimony by sending it to friends and family.

Click here to read examples of testimonies written by members of MBBC.

2 thoughts on “How To Write Your Testimony of Salvation”

Thank you for asking. Click here to read the many examples here in our blog.

Very good. Simple. To the point. Good questions. Doable by any believer. The kind of work I have come to know as routine excellence by Dr. Briney.

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What is a salvation experience?

• by Ethan Davis
• September 25, 2023 November 20, 2023

A salvation experience is a profound and soul-stirring encounter with the divine. It’s a pivotal moment in one’s spiritual journey, which marks the beginning of a deep and personal relationship with God. It brings an overwhelming sense of forgiveness, redemption, and liberation from sin. As individuals reflect on their shortcomings and seek guidance, they embark on a quest for salvation.

In this sacred moment, individuals may feel an intense presence of God, as if they are enveloped by divine light and unconditional love. Visions, audible messages, peace and joy may be experienced – all manifestations of God’s saving grace.

What makes the salvation experience unique is its deeply personal nature. It surpasses religious rituals or societal norms and touches the very core of one’s being. It’s an act of vulnerability, infused with hope, faith, and trust in a higher power .

Throughout history, countless individuals have testified to the life-changing impact of a salvation experience. C.S. Lewis, in his book “Mere Christianity,” shares his own journey towards faith and how encountering Christ transformed his entire worldview. This shows that salvation experiences are not confined to any particular culture or religious tradition but can be encountered by anyone seeking genuine connection with the divine.

The Importance of a Salvation Experience

A salvation experience is a life-altering moment. You accept Jesus as your savior, not just a custom. It’s a personal meeting with God, granting you forgiveness, redemption and eternal life . It brings hope, grace and assurance of God’s love.

You are also part of a bigger community – the body of Christ. This shared faith binds believers, and helps them through life’s struggles.

Experiencing salvation encourages us to live life God’s way – seeking goodness, forgiving and loving others. We can be a force for good, by spreading the Good News of Jesus.

Fully embracing the importance of a salvation experience requires spiritual practices. Read the Bible for insights about God. Pray to build a connection. Fellowship with other believers through church and groups.

The significance of a salvation experience is immense. It affects life spiritually, emotionally, mentally and socially. By taking this journey and growing spiritually, you will experience love, joy, peace and purpose.

The Elements of a Salvation Experience

Salvation is an intensely personal and spiritual experience. It marks a change in one’s journey of faith. It is when one chooses to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior , confessing and repenting their sins, and submitting to God’s will.

People feel different emotions during salvation: from being humbled and awed to feeling relieved and joyful . Some may have a sense of being freed from guilt and shame , while others may feel an intense love and acceptance . Some people may express their newfound faith through prayer, worship, or sharing their story.

It is essential to note that each salvation experience is unique. Some may have a sudden, dramatic encounter , while others may have a gradual awakening or quiet realization . The circumstances surrounding the experience can vary, too – it could happen at an evangelistic event, through personal study, or during difficult times.

According to the Bible , Christian teachings, and various denominations, salvation is a central concept in Christianity . Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, humans are given the chance to be at peace with God and to receive eternal life.

The Process of Salvation

The process of salvation is a transformative journey. It takes someone from spiritual brokenness to redemption. Acknowledge a need for salvation , repent of sins, accept Jesus as Savior and surrender to His lordship.

Individuals see their own shortcomings. Realize their dependency on God’s grace. With remorse, confess and turn away from sinful ways. This step prepares the heart for change.

Salvation is not only an intellectual acceptance. It needs a deep inner conviction and relationship with Jesus. Through faith, people receive forgiveness of sins. They are freed from guilt and shame. This newfound relationship with Christ gives hope, joy and peace.

Every salvation experience is unique. Showing the power of God’s love and mercy. Sarah is an example. She was lost in despair and addiction. But she found God’s grace through compassionate believers. In surrendering her life to Jesus, Sarah found true freedom and experienced radical transformation. It impacted her and those around her.

Salvation: an escape from hell or a loyalty program with heavenly rewards?

Different Perspectives on Salvation

The salvation train has a special ticket and a bonus snack bar. But the secret handshake is only known by those with personal stories and experiences.

Different Perspectives on Salvation:

Within each religion, there may be differences in how salvation is understood. Secular perspectives could also exist, seeing salvation as growth or finding meaning and fulfillment outside of religious contexts.

Exploring history reveals different views of salvation across cultures and time. Ancient Egyptians believed in judgment after death, and Ancient Greeks wrote about living virtuously. Salvation has been a major focus throughout the ages and continues to shape our spiritual journeys now.

Personal Testimonies and Experiences

John, Sarah, David, and Emily had unique encounters with salvation .

For John , it was a profound sense of peace and joy.

Sarah found a deep change in perspective and purpose.

David encountered forgiveness and redemption.

Emily discovered hope and renewed purpose.

These experiences show the many ways people can find salvation. It’s not one-size-fits-all!

Here are some tips to strengthen your newfound faith:

• Seek wise guidance.
• Join a spiritual community.
• Study religious texts.
• Engage in prayer.
• Serve others.

With these steps, you can grow in faith and find solace. Who knew salvation could come with such benefits and challenges? It’s like a two-for-one deal with a side of existential crisis.

Benefits and Challenges of a Salvation Experience

Ready to say goodbye to sin? A salvation experience brings myriad rewards and obstacles. Let’s look further into these! Benefits include:

• Rediscovering Purpose: Find a renewed sense of purpose and spiritual journey.
• Inner Transformation: Replace old patterns with new values rooted in faith .
• Peace and Serenity: Enjoy comfort and belonging amidst the chaos of life.
• Empowerment: Gain confidence through newfound connection with a higher power.
• Community Support: Join a community that provides love, acceptance, and growth .

Challenges include:

• Resistance from Others: Experience resistance from non-believers .
• Spiritual Warfare: Navigate unseen battles with strength and perseverance .
• Self-Reflection and Accountability: Confront flaws and remain accountable .
• Temptations and Tests: Overcome temptations and tests of commitment .
• Evolving Perspectives: Reassess previous ideologies and adjust to new understandings .

To get the most out of the salvation experience, here are some tips:

• Seek Guidance: Find a mentor or spiritual leader .
• Establish a Support System: Surround yourself with like-minded individuals .
• Engage in Spiritual Practices: Incorporate prayer, meditation , etc.
• Embrace Growth Opportunities: View challenges as growth opportunities .
• Serve Others: Selflessly help others for personal transformation .

By following these tips with dedication and commitment, one can navigate both the benefits and challenges of a salvation experience with grace and resilience, ultimately discovering fulfillment on their spiritual journey. Just remember, even salvation can’t fix a terrible fashion sense!

A salvation experience is a life-changing event for a person’s spiritual journey. It involves an encounter with the divine that brings a major shift in beliefs, values, and behavior. It can lead to a newfound purpose, inner peace, and fulfillment.

When having the experience, a person may sense the presence of God and form a strong connection with their faith. This could involve intense self-reflection and repentance for wrongdoings. It is an emotional process of letting go of old habits and adopting a new way of life.

For those hoping for a salvation experience, prayer and meditation can be beneficial. Taking time in silence and introspection creates space for spiritual growth and connection with the divine. Prayer can be seen as talking to God and expressing thoughts, worries, and appreciation.

Reading religious texts or listening to sermons can provide guidance and inspiration. Seeking assistance from religious leaders or joining a religious community can offer support, accountability, and education.

It is essential to remember that every person’s journey to salvation is unique. What works for one person may not be suitable for another. It is important to approach the experience with an open mind and heart, and trust in your intuition and convictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about What is a salvation experience?

Q: What is a salvation experience?

A: A salvation experience refers to the moment when a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, accepting the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life.

Q: How does one have a salvation experience?

A: A person can have a salvation experience by acknowledging their need for forgiveness, believing in Jesus as the Son of God who died for their sins , and confessing their faith in Him.

Q: Can a salvation experience happen at any time?

A: Yes, a salvation experience can happen at any time when an individual genuinely seeks and invites Jesus into their life. It is a personal and transformative encounter with God.

Q: Is a salvation experience necessary for salvation?

A: Yes, a salvation experience is necessary for salvation according to Christian belief . It signifies a person’s new birth in Christ and the beginning of their journey as a follower of Jesus .

Q: Can a salvation experience be a gradual process?

A: While a salvation experience is often described as a specific moment, it can also be a gradual process for some individuals. It involves a growing understanding and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior.

Q: What are the lasting effects of a salvation experience?

A: A salvation experience brings about spiritual transformation, including a deep sense of peace, joy, and the assurance of eternal life. It also leads to a desire to live a life pleasing to God and to share the message of salvation with others.

Ethan Davis

Ethan Davis, the founder of Jesus Salvation, transformed his life from hardship to faith after a significant encounter at age 32. After earning a Communications degree from Kansas State University, he established JesusSalvation.com to help others towards salvation, sharing inspiring stories, scriptures, and prayers.

Redemption as a Biblical Image of Salvation Essay

Introduction, definition and description of redemption, redemption and a sin, application.

Salvation is healing from sin and its consequences, but people cannot get rid of sin by their own efforts. For salvation, a New Ancestor of humanity was needed, who should be a human but also an utterly sinless Being. However, such a Being is only God Himself who takes on the mission of saving people. Jesus Christ saves humankind through His teaching, life, death, and resurrection (Kenyon, 2017). In the redemptive feat, all these four stages are present in undivided unity. Redemption is one of the significant salvation elements as it helps one dispose of sins. This paper aims to disclose one of the biblical images of salvation – redemption – and trace its application to my practice.

In any Christian church, people see the image of the Cross and Crucification; the cross is the main symbol of Christianity, and its main events are the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to historical sayings, Christ comes to die, and His death on the cross is not a tragic accident that cut short a promising ministry but a goal towards which He is walking quite consciously (Kenyon, 2017). From the theological perspective, the reality of redemption is so deep and encompassing that any image with which it could be described will be partial.

Just as three projections of a three-dimensional body on a plane allow one to learn something important about it, but do not give an exhaustive picture. Different views on redemption are similar to such projections – they do not contradict each other but enable people to look at the same reality from various perspectives. In general, redemption is understood not as an act of legal redemption but as an act of being, grace-filled, supernatural liberation by the God-man Jesus Christ of fallen humanity from slavery to sin and death.

In the Bible, the redemption aspect reflected in the church tradition is the healing of human nature damaged by sin. In fact, sin is not only individual wrong actions but also internal corruption that prompts us to them (Kenyon, 2017). A fallen person can be compared to a drug addict who commits theft in order to get money for drugs – disposing of condemnation in itself is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for returning to everyday life. A morbid passion for wrongdoings will again push a person to commit a crime.

Sin, in its essence, is disobedience, that is, the mismatch of the will of man and the will of God, the rebellion of man against God. Sin leads to the destruction of the original unity between God and man (Kenyon, 2017). In a positive aspect, the goal of redemption coincides with the ultimate goal of creation, which is the deification of man and, through him, of the whole world. Meanwhile, in the negative aspect, redemption consists in removing those barriers that separate man from God from a certain point on.

Historically, Christianity has seen sin as both a crime and a disease, and in the saving acts of the Lord – people’s deliverance from both guilt and corruption. Therefore, salvation requires, first, the propitiation of God, the removal of a lawful oath, and the return of God’s favor to people. Secondly, it demands the mortification of sins or the granting of new life (Kenyon, 2017). The absolute value of this sacrifice is that Christ loved a man with boundless love.

This principle of redemption may find application not only in the theological fields but also in medical one. Specifically, in the palliative care units, people spend the last days of their lives. Even though they are aware of the coming death, they sustain faith and pray, asking for redemption and forgiveness. It is primarily spread among the elderly, whose life was full of experience. During their stay in the palliative care units, they recollect their wrongdoings and beg Lord to forgive them and dispose of them of those sins.

Some people find immense consolation in this act, while others consider it as punishment. The latter case refers to those who are scared to face the upcoming death and encounter God Himself, who will decide whether to redeem their sins or not. Almost looking into death’s eyes, individuals are either afraid of accepting the situation or hoping to find peace. Hence, as a healthcare professional, one has to be understanding of one’s desire – to be scared or die peacefully. As a result, it is possible to find the application of redemption in palliative care since the dying tend to pray and hope the Lord would grant salvation or redeem their sin.

In summation, redemption is one of the primary elements of salvation that God grants to people. Historically, Christ’s death was the act of atonement for all human sins. Now, He is the only being capable of bestowing redemption for His eternal love to humankind. This act may be perceived as a blessing or punishment, depending on the situation. However, it is considered the most potent aspect of protecting the individual from wrongdoings.

Kenyon, E. W. (2017). The Bible in the light of our redemption . Whitaker House.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 24). Redemption as a Biblical Image of Salvation. https://ivypanda.com/essays/redemption-as-a-biblical-image-of-salvation/

"Redemption as a Biblical Image of Salvation." IvyPanda , 24 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/redemption-as-a-biblical-image-of-salvation/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Redemption as a Biblical Image of Salvation'. 24 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Redemption as a Biblical Image of Salvation." November 24, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/redemption-as-a-biblical-image-of-salvation/.

1. IvyPanda . "Redemption as a Biblical Image of Salvation." November 24, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/redemption-as-a-biblical-image-of-salvation/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Redemption as a Biblical Image of Salvation." November 24, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/redemption-as-a-biblical-image-of-salvation/.

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• Characters Analysis: “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”
• The Resurrection in the New Testament
• Hope in the Christian Metanarrative
• Religion: What Evangelism Is and Is Not
• Psychology and Christianity: “Abnormality” From a Biblical Perspective
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• Tax Consequences: Result of Selling
• Suffering and Redemption in Puritan and Early Colonial Literature
• Pauline Theology in Moo's and Schreiner's Views
• Paul’s Consistent Teaching on Law
• Christ's Atonement and the Concept of Forgiveness
• “Sanctification in Lutheran Theology” by Scaer
• Theology: Religious Representatives in Modern Warfare

The Model Short Story

On "salvation" by langston hughes.

Matthew Sharpe

“Salvation” is the third chapter of Langston Hughes’s memoir The Big Sea , but this two-page tour de force of prose is also a compact and complete story. Here are five things I like about it:

• The control of time.  As the story opens, time breezes along in the weeks leading up to the revival meeting at twelve-year-old Langston’s church. Time then slows down paragraph by paragraph until, as Langston’s decisive moment approaches, it creeps.
• The control of space.  Sometimes we see close-ups from twelve-year-old Langston’s point of view of “old women with jet-black faces and braided hair, old men with work-gnarled hands”; other times we see long shots, as if from up in the church’s rafters: “Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting. Waves of rejoicing swept the place.” And, as the church does, the author imbues with enormous significance the ten feet of space between the front row of pews and the altar, which the boy must cross to be saved.
• The doubleness of the narrator.  His diction and sensibility move fluidly back and forth between the man’s and the boy’s.
• Polyphony.  Not only the two Langstons’, but his Auntie Reed’s, the preacher’s, and his friend Westley’s voices are heard, as is the voice of the church via the liturgy.
• Irony.  The verbal irony of the title, “Salvation,” is a kind of shorthand for the dramatic irony of the plot, wherein the more lost young Langston feels, the more his fellow congregants are convinced they are saving him.

“Salvation” by Langston Hughes

I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this. There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed’s church. Every night for weeks there had been much preaching, singing, praying, and shouting, and some very hardened sinners had been brought to Christ, and the membership of the church had grown by leaps and bounds. Then just before the revival ended, they held a special meeting for children, “to bring the young lambs to the fold.” My aunt spoke of it for days ahead. That night I was escorted to the front row and placed on the mourners’ bench with all the other young sinners, who had not yet been brought to Jesus.

My aunt told me that when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul. I believed her. I had heard a great many old people say the same thing and it seemed to me they ought to know. So I sat there calmly in the hot, crowded church, waiting for Jesus to come to me.

The preacher preached a wonderful rhythmical sermon, all moans and shouts and lonely cries and dire pictures of hell, and then he sang a song about the ninety and nine safe in the fold, but one little lamb was left out in the cold. Then he said: “Won’t you come? Won’t you come to Jesus? Young lambs, won’t you come?” And he held out his arms to all us young sinners there on the mourners’ bench. And the little girls cried. And some of them jumped up and went to Jesus right away. But most of us just sat there.

A great many old people came and knelt around us and prayed, old women with jet-black faces and braided hair, old men with work-gnarled hands. And the church sang a song about the lower lights are burning, some poor sinners to be saved. And the whole building rocked with prayer and song.

Still I kept waiting to see Jesus.

Finally all the young people had gone to the altar and were saved, but one boy and me. He was a rounder’s son named Westley. Westley and I were surrounded by sisters and deacons praying. It was very hot in the church, and getting late now. Finally Westley said to me in a whisper: “God damn! I’m tired o’ sitting here. Let’s get up and be saved.” So he got up and was saved.

Then I was left all alone on the mourners’ bench. My aunt came and knelt at my knees and cried, while prayers and song swirled all around me in the little church. The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans and voices. And I kept waiting serenely for Jesus, waiting, waiting – but he didn’t come. I wanted to see him, but nothing happened to me. Nothing! I wanted something to happen to me, but nothing happened.

I heard the songs and the minister saying: “Why don’t you come? My dear child, why don’t you come to Jesus? Jesus is waiting for you. He wants you. Why don’t you come? Sister Reed, what is this child’s name?”

“Langston,” my aunt sobbed.

“Langston, why don’t you come? Why don’t you come and be saved? Oh, Lamb of God! Why don’t you come?”

Now it was really getting late. I began to be ashamed of myself, holding everything up so long. I began to wonder what God thought about Westley, who certainly hadn’t seen Jesus either, but who was now sitting proudly on the platform, swinging his knickerbockered legs and grinning down at me, surrounded by deacons and old women on their knees praying. God had not struck Westley dead for taking his name in vain or for lying in the temple. So I decided that maybe to save further trouble, I’d better lie, too, and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved.

So I got up.

Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting, as they saw me rise. Waves of rejoicing swept the place. Women leaped in the air. My aunt threw her arms around me. The minister took me by the hand and led me to the platform.

When things quieted down, in a hushed silence, punctuated by a few ecstatic “Amens,” all the new young lambs were blessed in the name of God. Then joyous singing filled the room.

That night, for the first time in my life but one for I was a big boy twelve years old – I cried. I cried, in bed alone, and couldn’t stop. I buried my head under the quilts, but my aunt heard me. She woke up and told my uncle I was crying because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and because I had seen Jesus. But I was really crying because I couldn’t bear to tell her that I had lied, that I had deceived everybody in the church, that I hadn’t seen Jesus, and that now I didn’t believe there was a Jesus anymore, since he didn’t come to help me.

“Salvation” from  The Big Sea by Langston Hughes. Copyright © 1940 by Langston Hughes. Copyright renewed 1968 by Arna Bontemps and George Houston Bass. Reprinted by permission of Hill and Wang, a division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC. www.fsgbooks.com

Langston Hughes  (1902-1967) was a poet, novelist, playwright, columnist, memoirist, and short story writer. The author of more than 30 books and a dozen plays, he was extremely influential during the Harlem Renaissance and in the decades beyond; he also had a profound influence on a younger generation of writers, including Paule Marshall and Alice Walker. “Salvation” is taken from his memoir,  The Big Sea .

About this series

In The Model Short Story, acclaimed authors choose a short story and discuss its importance to them and how it has assisted them in their own writing practice.

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The Pumpkin

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Why Easter brings me back to church

Even though i don’t practice in earnest anymore, memories and community give me a reason to return every spring, by gabriella ferrigine.

“Please — come join us in the cafeteria after Mass has concluded!”

Father Ariel’s jaunty voice echoed from where he was standing at the slabbed marble pulpit, as he smiled out at the congregation. His family, who had arrived from the Philippines in droves to celebrate his 50th birthday, beamed from the first several rows of glossy, varnished pews. 

I’m not an atheist per se, but trying to find an equilibrium with faith has undoubtedly become a game of mental Tetris.

Mid-morning light filtered through stained glass depicting saints and the Stations of the Cross, casting soft pinks and blues and greens across the church: our local parish, St. James. Sun illuminated the top of Father Ariel’s head, and behind him, a domed mural of the stages of Jesus’ life — his birth in a manger, his crucifixion atop Calvary, and his resurrection after emerging from a stone sepulchre — seemed to swell higher with every slow, measured note of music from the raftered choir.

It was a Sunday morning in April, not exactly Easter but right around the time. The smell of incense — a combination of frankincense and myrrh — leached from every corner of the space, creating a somewhat soporific effect. I pictured my family, friends and neighbors gently falling asleep to its bitter, powdery aroma, like Dorothy  did in the poppy field. Everything felt buoyant and peaceful.

My family and many other parishioners — mainly gentle, geriatric hordes — joined Father Ariel with his multitude of relatives in my middle-school cafeteria for an authentic Filipino feast. Side dishes of pearly quail eggs, roasted fish and meats, bright salads and an array of desserts adorned every inch of table space, the very same where I ate many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my youth. At the center of it all was a huge roast pig, or lechón, with delicate, crisped skin. I looked at the pig’s face, then at the people ambling around the dingy, linoleum floors, and immediately felt love. 

This was nearly 10 years ago, back during a time when I went to Church every Sunday and consistently prayed to God. I don’t consider myself a particularly religious person anymore. I’m not an atheist per se, but trying to find an equilibrium with faith has undoubtedly become a game of mental Tetris. Sure, Jesus seemed like a pretty cool guy — to me, his message has always unequivocally been "love,” in a broader sense. I’m on board with that. 

But I still remain immensely put off by how Catholicism’s sordid underbelly has blended into sociopolitical life, underpinning the dismantling of women’s reproductive rights and enabling sexual abusers. I find myself still clinging to it largely because it’s woven tightly into many people I love. It’s a perturbing relationship; I feel as though my continued shunning of organized religion has in a sense estranged me from the memory of some very important people. 

And yet, Easter and springtime always bring me back to church. I find myself craving, not exactly the scriptures and the teachings embedded in them, but how the space evokes the memories of people I love — chiefly my maternal grandmother and my mom — and an inclusive sense of community. 

A deeply spiritual person, my grandma — born in a small Bolivian jungle village called Riberalta — spent her teenage years living in a convent with a U.S.-based congregation of nuns performing foreign missionary work. She was readying to enter the sisterhood when she met my grandfather, a Sicilian and civil engineer volunteering with a Catholic mission group to help build new infrastructure in Riberalta. They returned to America together and settled in Bayonne, New Jersey, joined in a union forged out of a shared devotion to God and each other.

Though my mom didn’t pray a daily rosary or make pilgrimages to Lourdes like my grandma, she was deeply affected by her religious upbringing, a heritage she inculcated her five children with through weekly mass, and offering up nightly intentions along with prayers before dinner: family and friends who were sick or had died, poverty and homelessness, wartime conflict, our cat Sweet Pea’s hypothyroidism. 

In my grandmother’s house and my own, the iconography of Jesus and other religious figures was everywhere, peppering walls and mantelpieces alongside family photos and wedding albums. Each time one of my more than 25 cousins or I received a sacrament — Baptism, First Holy Eucharist, Confirmation — a sprawling, family-wide party followed, usually at an Italian restaurant with a generically benevolent, pot-bellied owner who would toddle around and ask, “How yous all likin’ the food?” And of course, there was always a large white sheet cake, piped in bubbled fonts: “God Bless ____!” 

Seeing as my mom’s eight siblings were spread out across central New Jersey, I essentially ran the gauntlet of various Catholic parishes in our area for different holidays and events. I had my favorite churches. St. James retained the top position. Then came St. Michael’s, a red-bricked church that was famous for its live-animal manger display during the Christmas season. Holy Cross — located in one of the more affluent towns in my county — had a stunning interior, but its reputation had always been somewhat sullied in my mind from a 2006 embezzlement incident . 

While I was able to evade formal liturgical participation, my three younger sisters were all urged to be altar servers, helping St. James’ priests — mostly middle-aged men from the Phillippines and India — prepare and proceed with weekly Sunday mass. One sister recalled a time when she and another altar server accidentally spilled open a bag of already-consecrated Eucharist wafers as they were preparing for mass in the wood-paneled sacristy. 

“Oh! Uh, don’t worry girls — I’ll consume these later,” the priest said when he walked in and saw them scooping the body of Christ off the floor and into Ziploc bags. 

Another time several years ago, my family was running late for Easter Sunday mass, half of us with our hair still wet. “Overflow,” an usher posted outside the church doors said as we approached, jerking his thumb toward the rear parking lot where the grammar school was located. Given that creasters (Catholics who only attend church on Christmas and Easter) come out of the woodwork every winter and spring, tardy worshippers are forced to attend the secondary service, held in the gymnasium or auditorium. 

From my seat in a metal folding chair, nostalgia washed over me as the priest carried a gold crucifix across the same floor where I’d once played dodgeball, toward the makeshift altar where I’d watched classmates act out a rendition of “The Little Mermaid.”

I feel as though my continued shunning of organized religion has in a sense estranged me from the memory of some very important people.

I spent last Easter in Newport, Rhode Island with my family for a short holiday vacation. The weekend was oceanic cliffs and Gilded Age mansions and a kaleidoscopic assortment of saltwater taffy. On Easter Sunday, we walked from our quaint bed and breakfast to St. Mary’s, Our Lady of the Isle, where JFK and Jackie O wed in September of 1953. We took turns waiting outside with our two Great Pyrenees, who had reaped the benefits of Newport’s reputation for being dog-friendly.

Ahead of the homily, the part of the service when the priest explains the Gospel reading in further detail, I elected to relieve my mom of dog duty, knowing she wouldn’t want to miss the crux of the mass. 

As I turned toward the door to trade off with her, the sharp New England morning air — and an emotional pang — made me bristle. I didn’t want to leave. Mashed tightly in hard-backed pews alongside other Catholics, loyalists and creasters alike, I felt a distinct sense of calm. The very same that came to me years ago as I gazed at a pig’s snout.

This Easter, we’ll be going back to St. James. Father Ariel is no longer at the parish — I don’t know many of the priests there anymore, my connection to the parish steadily eroded by distance, time and sheer obstinance on my part. It’s an elegiac relationship, compounded by the recent passing of my grandmother, who embodied holiness and unadulterated love in every sense. 

And while I may not take the time to philosophize about my salvation on Sunday, I’m certain I’ll think of her and what my being there would mean to her. For me, that’s enough to return every spring. 

about this topic

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Gabriella Ferrigine is a staff writer at Salon. Originally from the Jersey Shore, she moved to New York City in 2016 to attend Columbia University, where she received her B.A. in English and M.A. in American Studies. Formerly a staff writer at NowThis News, she has an M.A. in Magazine Journalism from NYU and was previously a news fellow at Salon.

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• The Case for Marrying an Older Man

A woman’s life is all work and little rest. An age gap relationship can help.

In the summer, in the south of France, my husband and I like to play, rather badly, the lottery. We take long, scorching walks to the village — gratuitous beauty, gratuitous heat — kicking up dust and languid debates over how we’d spend such an influx. I purchase scratch-offs, jackpot tickets, scraping the former with euro coins in restaurants too fine for that. I never cash them in, nor do I check the winning numbers. For I already won something like the lotto, with its gifts and its curses, when he married me.

He is ten years older than I am. I chose him on purpose, not by chance. As far as life decisions go, on balance, I recommend it.

When I was 20 and a junior at Harvard College, a series of great ironies began to mock me. I could study all I wanted, prove myself as exceptional as I liked, and still my fiercest advantage remained so universal it deflated my other plans. My youth. The newness of my face and body. Compellingly effortless; cruelly fleeting. I shared it with the average, idle young woman shrugging down the street. The thought, when it descended on me, jolted my perspective, the way a falling leaf can make you look up: I could diligently craft an ideal existence, over years and years of sleepless nights and industry. Or I could just marry it early.

So naturally I began to lug a heavy suitcase of books each Saturday to the Harvard Business School to work on my Nabokov paper. In one cavernous, well-appointed room sat approximately 50 of the planet’s most suitable bachelors. I had high breasts, most of my eggs, plausible deniability when it came to purity, a flush ponytail, a pep in my step that had yet to run out. Apologies to Progress, but older men still desired those things.

I could not understand why my female classmates did not join me, given their intelligence. Each time I reconsidered the project, it struck me as more reasonable. Why ignore our youth when it amounted to a superpower? Why assume the burdens of womanhood, its too-quick-to-vanish upper hand, but not its brief benefits at least? Perhaps it came easier to avoid the topic wholesale than to accept that women really do have a tragically short window of power, and reason enough to take advantage of that fact while they can. As for me, I liked history, Victorian novels, knew of imminent female pitfalls from all the books I’d read: vampiric boyfriends; labor, at the office and in the hospital, expected simultaneously; a decline in status as we aged, like a looming eclipse. I’d have disliked being called calculating, but I had, like all women, a calculator in my head. I thought it silly to ignore its answers when they pointed to an unfairness for which we really ought to have been preparing.

I was competitive by nature, an English-literature student with all the corresponding major ambitions and minor prospects (Great American novel; email job). A little Bovarist , frantic for new places and ideas; to travel here, to travel there, to be in the room where things happened. I resented the callow boys in my class, who lusted after a particular, socially sanctioned type on campus: thin and sexless, emotionally detached and socially connected, the opposite of me. Restless one Saturday night, I slipped on a red dress and snuck into a graduate-school event, coiling an HDMI cord around my wrist as proof of some technical duty. I danced. I drank for free, until one of the organizers asked me to leave. I called and climbed into an Uber. Then I promptly climbed out of it. For there he was, emerging from the revolving doors. Brown eyes, curved lips, immaculate jacket. I went to him, asked him for a cigarette. A date, days later. A second one, where I discovered he was a person, potentially my favorite kind: funny, clear-eyed, brilliant, on intimate terms with the universe.

I used to love men like men love women — that is, not very well, and with a hunger driven only by my own inadequacies. Not him. In those early days, I spoke fondly of my family, stocked the fridge with his favorite pasta, folded his clothes more neatly than I ever have since. I wrote his mother a thank-you note for hosting me in his native France, something befitting a daughter-in-law. It worked; I meant it. After graduation and my fellowship at Oxford, I stayed in Europe for his career and married him at 23.

Of course I just fell in love. Romances have a setting; I had only intervened to place myself well. Mainly, I spotted the precise trouble of being a woman ahead of time, tried to surf it instead of letting it drown me on principle. I had grown bored of discussions of fair and unfair, equal or unequal , and preferred instead to consider a thing called ease.

The reception of a particular age-gap relationship depends on its obviousness. The greater and more visible the difference in years and status between a man and a woman, the more it strikes others as transactional. Transactional thinking in relationships is both as American as it gets and the least kosher subject in the American romantic lexicon. When a 50-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman walk down the street, the questions form themselves inside of you; they make you feel cynical and obscene: How good of a deal is that? Which party is getting the better one? Would I take it? He is older. Income rises with age, so we assume he has money, at least relative to her; at minimum, more connections and experience. She has supple skin. Energy. Sex. Maybe she gets a Birkin. Maybe he gets a baby long after his prime. The sight of their entwined hands throws a lucid light on the calculations each of us makes, in love, to varying degrees of denial. You could get married in the most romantic place in the world, like I did, and you would still have to sign a contract.

Twenty and 30 is not like 30 and 40; some freshness to my features back then, some clumsiness in my bearing, warped our decade, in the eyes of others, to an uncrossable gulf. Perhaps this explains the anger we felt directed at us at the start of our relationship. People seemed to take us very, very personally. I recall a hellish car ride with a friend of his who began to castigate me in the backseat, in tones so low that only I could hear him. He told me, You wanted a rich boyfriend. You chased and snuck into parties . He spared me the insult of gold digger, but he drew, with other words, the outline for it. Most offended were the single older women, my husband’s classmates. They discussed me in the bathroom at parties when I was in the stall. What does he see in her? What do they talk about? They were concerned about me. They wielded their concern like a bludgeon. They paraphrased without meaning to my favorite line from Nabokov’s Lolita : “You took advantage of my disadvantage,” suspecting me of some weakness he in turn mined. It did not disturb them, so much, to consider that all relationships were trades. The trouble was the trade I’d made struck them as a bad one.

The truth is you can fall in love with someone for all sorts of reasons, tiny transactions, pluses and minuses, whose sum is your affection for each other, your loyalty, your commitment. The way someone picks up your favorite croissant. Their habit of listening hard. What they do for you on your anniversary and your reciprocal gesture, wrapped thoughtfully. The serenity they inspire; your happiness, enlivening it. When someone says they feel unappreciated, what they really mean is you’re in debt to them.

When I think of same-age, same-stage relationships, what I tend to picture is a woman who is doing too much for too little.

I’m 27 now, and most women my age have “partners.” These days, girls become partners quite young. A partner is supposed to be a modern answer to the oppression of marriage, the terrible feeling of someone looming over you, head of a household to which you can only ever be the neck. Necks are vulnerable. The problem with a partner, however, is if you’re equal in all things, you compromise in all things. And men are too skilled at taking .

There is a boy out there who knows how to floss because my friend taught him. Now he kisses college girls with fresh breath. A boy married to my friend who doesn’t know how to pack his own suitcase. She “likes to do it for him.” A million boys who know how to touch a woman, who go to therapy because they were pushed, who learned fidelity, boundaries, decency, manners, to use a top sheet and act humanely beneath it, to call their mothers, match colors, bring flowers to a funeral and inhale, exhale in the face of rage, because some girl, some girl we know, some girl they probably don’t speak to and will never, ever credit, took the time to teach him. All while she was working, raising herself, clawing up the cliff-face of adulthood. Hauling him at her own expense.

I find a post on Reddit where five thousand men try to define “ a woman’s touch .” They describe raised flower beds, blankets, photographs of their loved ones, not hers, sprouting on the mantel overnight. Candles, coasters, side tables. Someone remembering to take lint out of the dryer. To give compliments. I wonder what these women are getting back. I imagine them like Cinderella’s mice, scurrying around, their sole proof of life their contributions to a more central character. On occasion I meet a nice couple, who grew up together. They know each other with a fraternalism tender and alien to me.  But I think of all my friends who failed at this, were failed at this, and I think, No, absolutely not, too risky . Riskier, sometimes, than an age gap.

My younger brother is in his early 20s, handsome, successful, but in many ways: an endearing disaster. By his age, I had long since wisened up. He leaves his clothes in the dryer, takes out a single shirt, steams it for three minutes. His towel on the floor, for someone else to retrieve. His lovely, same-age girlfriend is aching to fix these tendencies, among others. She is capable beyond words. Statistically, they will not end up together. He moved into his first place recently, and she, the girlfriend, supplied him with a long, detailed list of things he needed for his apartment: sheets, towels, hangers, a colander, which made me laugh. She picked out his couch. I will bet you anything she will fix his laundry habits, and if so, they will impress the next girl. If they break up, she will never see that couch again, and he will forget its story. I tell her when I visit because I like her, though I get in trouble for it: You shouldn’t do so much for him, not for someone who is not stuck with you, not for any boy, not even for my wonderful brother.

Too much work had left my husband, by 30, jaded and uninspired. He’d burned out — but I could reenchant things. I danced at restaurants when they played a song I liked. I turned grocery shopping into an adventure, pleased by what I provided. Ambitious, hungry, he needed someone smart enough to sustain his interest, but flexible enough in her habits to build them around his hours. I could. I do: read myself occupied, make myself free, materialize beside him when he calls for me. In exchange, I left a lucrative but deadening spreadsheet job to write full-time, without having to live like a writer. I learned to cook, a little, and decorate, somewhat poorly. Mostly I get to read, to walk central London and Miami and think in delicious circles, to work hard, when necessary, for free, and write stories for far less than minimum wage when I tally all the hours I take to write them.

At 20, I had felt daunted by the project of becoming my ideal self, couldn’t imagine doing it in tandem with someone, two raw lumps of clay trying to mold one another and only sullying things worse. I’d go on dates with boys my age and leave with the impression they were telling me not about themselves but some person who didn’t exist yet and on whom I was meant to bet regardless. My husband struck me instead as so finished, formed. Analyzable for compatibility. He bore the traces of other women who’d improved him, small but crucial basics like use a coaster ; listen, don’t give advice. Young egos mellow into patience and generosity.

My husband isn’t my partner. He’s my mentor, my lover, and, only in certain contexts, my friend. I’ll never forget it, how he showed me around our first place like he was introducing me to myself: This is the wine you’ll drink, where you’ll keep your clothes, we vacation here, this is the other language we’ll speak, you’ll learn it, and I did. Adulthood seemed a series of exhausting obligations. But his logistics ran so smoothly that he simply tacked mine on. I moved into his flat, onto his level, drag and drop, cleaner thrice a week, bills automatic. By opting out of partnership in my 20s, I granted myself a kind of compartmentalized, liberating selfishness none of my friends have managed. I am the work in progress, the party we worry about, a surprising dominance. When I searched for my first job, at 21, we combined our efforts, for my sake. He had wisdom to impart, contacts with whom he arranged coffees; we spent an afternoon, laughing, drawing up earnest lists of my pros and cons (highly sociable; sloppy math). Meanwhile, I took calls from a dear friend who had a boyfriend her age. Both savagely ambitious, hyperclose and entwined in each other’s projects. If each was a start-up , the other was the first hire, an intense dedication I found riveting. Yet every time she called me, I hung up with the distinct feeling that too much was happening at the same time: both learning to please a boss; to forge more adult relationships with their families; to pay bills and taxes and hang prints on the wall. Neither had any advice to give and certainly no stability. I pictured a three-legged race, two people tied together and hobbling toward every milestone.

I don’t fool myself. My marriage has its cons. There are only so many times one can say “thank you” — for splendid scenes, fine dinners — before the phrase starts to grate. I live in an apartment whose rent he pays and that shapes the freedom with which I can ever be angry with him. He doesn’t have to hold it over my head. It just floats there, complicating usual shorthands to explain dissatisfaction like, You aren’t being supportive lately . It’s a Frenchism to say, “Take a decision,” and from time to time I joke: from whom? Occasionally I find myself in some fabulous country at some fabulous party and I think what a long way I have traveled, like a lucky cloud, and it is frightening to think of oneself as vapor.

Mostly I worry that if he ever betrayed me and I had to move on, I would survive, but would find in my humor, preferences, the way I make coffee or the bed nothing that he did not teach, change, mold, recompose, stamp with his initials, the way Renaissance painters hid in their paintings their faces among a crowd. I wonder if when they looked at their paintings, they saw their own faces first. But this is the wrong question, if our aim is happiness. Like the other question on which I’m expected to dwell: Who is in charge, the man who drives or the woman who put him there so she could enjoy herself? I sit in the car, in the painting it would have taken me a corporate job and 20 years to paint alone, and my concern over who has the upper hand becomes as distant as the horizon, the one he and I made so wide for me.

To be a woman is to race against the clock, in several ways, until there is nothing left to be but run ragged.

We try to put it off, but it will hit us at some point: that we live in a world in which our power has a different shape from that of men, a different distribution of advantage, ours a funnel and theirs an expanding cone. A woman at 20 rarely has to earn her welcome; a boy at 20 will be turned away at the door. A woman at 30 may find a younger woman has taken her seat; a man at 30 will have invited her. I think back to the women in the bathroom, my husband’s classmates. What was my relationship if not an inconvertible sign of this unfairness? What was I doing, in marrying older, if not endorsing it? I had taken advantage of their disadvantage. I had preempted my own. After all, principled women are meant to defy unfairness, to show some integrity or denial, not plan around it, like I had. These were driven women, successful, beautiful, capable. I merely possessed the one thing they had already lost. In getting ahead of the problem, had I pushed them down? If I hadn’t, would it really have made any difference?

When we decided we wanted to be equal to men, we got on men’s time. We worked when they worked, retired when they retired, had to squeeze pregnancy, children, menopause somewhere impossibly in the margins. I have a friend, in her late 20s, who wears a mood ring; these days it is often red, flickering in the air like a siren when she explains her predicament to me. She has raised her fair share of same-age boyfriends. She has put her head down, worked laboriously alongside them, too. At last she is beginning to reap the dividends, earning the income to finally enjoy herself. But it is now, exactly at this precipice of freedom and pleasure, that a time problem comes closing in. If she would like to have children before 35, she must begin her next profession, motherhood, rather soon, compromising inevitably her original one. The same-age partner, equally unsettled in his career, will take only the minimum time off, she guesses, or else pay some cost which will come back to bite her. Everything unfailingly does. If she freezes her eggs to buy time, the decision and its logistics will burden her singly — and perhaps it will not work. Overlay the years a woman is supposed to establish herself in her career and her fertility window and it’s a perfect, miserable circle. By midlife women report feeling invisible, undervalued; it is a telling cliché, that after all this, some husbands leave for a younger girl. So when is her time, exactly? For leisure, ease, liberty? There is no brand of feminism which achieved female rest. If women’s problem in the ’50s was a paralyzing malaise, now it is that they are too active, too capable, never permitted a vacation they didn’t plan. It’s not that our efforts to have it all were fated for failure. They simply weren’t imaginative enough.

For me, my relationship, with its age gap, has alleviated this rush , permitted me to massage the clock, shift its hands to my benefit. Very soon, we will decide to have children, and I don’t panic over last gasps of fun, because I took so many big breaths of it early: on the holidays of someone who had worked a decade longer than I had, in beautiful places when I was young and beautiful, a symmetry I recommend. If such a thing as maternal energy exists, mine was never depleted. I spent the last nearly seven years supported more than I support and I am still not as old as my husband was when he met me. When I have a child, I will expect more help from him than I would if he were younger, for what does professional tenure earn you if not the right to set more limits on work demands — or, if not, to secure some child care, at the very least? When I return to work after maternal upheaval, he will aid me, as he’s always had, with his ability to put himself aside, as younger men are rarely able.

Above all, the great gift of my marriage is flexibility. A chance to live my life before I become responsible for someone else’s — a lover’s, or a child’s. A chance to write. A chance at a destiny that doesn’t adhere rigidly to the routines and timelines of men, but lends itself instead to roomy accommodation, to the very fluidity Betty Friedan dreamed of in 1963 in The Feminine Mystique , but we’ve largely forgotten: some career or style of life that “permits year-to-year variation — a full-time paid job in one community, part-time in another, exercise of the professional skill in serious volunteer work or a period of study during pregnancy or early motherhood when a full-time job is not feasible.” Some things are just not feasible in our current structures. Somewhere along the way we stopped admitting that, and all we did was make women feel like personal failures. I dream of new structures, a world in which women have entry-level jobs in their 30s; alternate avenues for promotion; corporate ladders with balconies on which they can stand still, have a smoke, take a break, make a baby, enjoy themselves, before they keep climbing. Perhaps men long for this in their own way. Actually I am sure of that.

Once, when we first fell in love, I put my head in his lap on a long car ride; I remember his hands on my face, the sun, the twisting turns of a mountain road, surprising and not surprising us like our romance, and his voice, telling me that it was his biggest regret that I was so young, he feared he would lose me. Last week, we looked back at old photos and agreed we’d given each other our respective best years. Sometimes real equality is not so obvious, sometimes it takes turns, sometimes it takes almost a decade to reveal itself.

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Days After U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution, Has Anything Changed in Gaza?

The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Monday that demands an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. Here’s a closer look at where the situation stands.

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By Matthew Mpoke Bigg

• March 29, 2024

Although the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Monday that demands an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, it remains to be seen whether ​i​t ​w​ill have a concrete effect on the war or prove merely to be a political statement.

The measure, Resolution 2728, followed three previous attempts that ​t​he United States ​had blocked. It passed by 14 votes, after the United States abstained from voting and did not employ its veto.

The resolution also calls for the unconditional release of all hostages and the end to barriers to humanitarian aid.

Israel’s government condemned the vote, and early indications are that the U.N.’s action has changed little on the ground or spurred diplomatic progress.

Days after the vote, here’s a look at what has changed and what might happen next:

Has the resolution affected fighting?

Senior Israeli officials said that they would ignore the call for a cease-fire, arguing that it was imperative to pursue the war until it has dismantled the military wing of Hamas, the militant group that led the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Since Monday, there has been no apparent shift in the military campaign . Israel’s air force continues to pound Gaza with strikes, and Hamas is still launching attacks.

Israel’s military is pressing on with a raid at Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, the territory’s biggest medical facility, as well as its offensive in Khan Younis, the largest city in the south, where fighting has been fierce.

If Israel doesn’t heed the resolution, what can the U.N. do?

The Security Council has few means to enforce its resolutions. The Council can take punitive measures, imposing sanctions against violators. In the past, such measures have included travel bans, economic restrictions and arms embargoes.

In this case, however, legal experts said that any additional measure would require a new resolution and that passing it would require consent from the council’s five veto-holding members, including the United States, Israel’s staunchest ally.

There may be legal challenges as well. While the United Nations says that Security Council resolutions are considered to be international law, legal experts debate whether all resolutions are binding on member states, or only those adopted under chapter VII of the U.N. charter , which deals with threats to peace. The resolution passed on Monday did not explicitly mention Chapter VII.

U.N. officials said it was still binding on Israel, but some countries disagreed. South Korea said on Monday that the resolution was not “ explicitly coercive under Chapter VII,” but that it reflected a consensus of the international community.

Crucially, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, maintained that the resolution was nonbinding . The United States, which holds significant power on the Security Council because of its permanent seat, likely views the passage of the resolution as more a valuable political instrument than a binding order, experts said.

The U.S. abstention sends a powerful signal of its policy priorities even if, in the short term, the Security Council is unlikely to take further steps, according to Ivo H. Daalder, a former American ambassador to NATO.

“Neither Israel or Hamas is going to be swayed by a U.N. resolution,” Mr. Daalder said.

What about aid?

Israel controls the flow of aid into Gaza, and after five months of war, Gazans are facing a severe hunger crisis bordering on famine, especially in the north, according to the United Nations and residents of the territory.

Aid groups have blamed Israel, which announced a siege of the territory after Oct. 7. They say officials have impeded aid deliveries through inspections and tight restrictions.

Israel argues that it works to prevent aid reaching Hamas and says that its officials can process more aid than aid groups can distribute within the territory. Growing lawlessness in Gaza has also made the distribution of aid difficult, with some convoys ending in deadly violence.

Little has changed this week. The number of aid trucks entering Gaza on Tuesday from the two border crossings open for aid roughly matched the average daily number crossing this month, according to U.N. data. That figure, about 150 trucks per day, is nearly 70 percent less than the number before Oct. 7.

How has the resolution affected diplomacy?

Israel and Hamas appear to still be far apart on negotiations aimed at brokering a halt in fighting and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

Mediators have been in Qatar to try to narrow the gaps. But late Monday, Hamas rejected Israel’s most recent counterproposal and its political leader, on a visit to Tehran this week, said the resolution showed that Israel was isolated diplomatically.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has argued that the resolution set back negotiations, emboldening Hamas to hold out for better terms.

The biggest sticking point in the cease-fire talks had recently been the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, in particular those serving extended sentences for violence against Israelis, U.S. and Israeli officials have said.

Matthew Mpoke Bigg is a correspondent covering international news. He previously worked as a reporter, editor and bureau chief for Reuters and did postings in Nairobi, Abidjan, Atlanta, Jakarta and Accra. More about Matthew Mpoke Bigg

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to call for early elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . Many of them believe he has put his political survival  ahead of the broader interests of the Israeli people.

Israeli soldiers withdrew from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City  after a two-week raid in which they killed around 200 Palestinians and arrested hundreds of others, the Israeli military said.

Netanyahu’s cabinet is divided about whether ultra-Orthodox Jews should retain their longstanding exemption from military service .

Internal Roil at TikTok: TikTok has been dogged for months by accusations that its app has shown a disproportionate amount of pro-Palestinian and antisemitic content to users. Some of the same tensions  have also played out inside the company.

Palestinian Detainees: Israel has imprisoned more than 9,000 Palestinians suspected of militant activity . Rights groups say that some have been abused or held without charges.

A Hostage’s Account: Amit Soussana, an Israeli lawyer, is the first former hostage to speak publicly about being sexually assaulted  during captivity in Gaza.

A Power Vacuum: Since the start of the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has done little to address the power vacuum that would appear after Israeli forces leave Gaza. The risks of inaction are already apparent in Gaza City .