Salvation is not a clean / dirty issue.
Salvation is a life / death issue.
Salvation has nothing to do with getting forgiven. Salvation has everything to do with being raised to life from your current death by the Holy Spirit.
1 John 2
2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
The entire world is already reconciled. Nobody is in need of being cleaned up so that they can approach God. However, not all of the world is alive. Not everyone has real life in them.
Romans 11:15
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
Contrary to popular opinion, the death of Jesus has only a preparitory roll in salvation. Salvation is not by His death, but by His life!
Romans 5:10
For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
We just need to get the word out that no matter what you have done, you are reconciled! You can approach God based on the finished work of Christ and receive salvation through new birth. All that any of us lack when we enter the world is the moment in time when we reluctantly or enthusiastically come to God and ask Him to make us new, to come inside and give us new life!
2 Corinthians 5:19
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
"NOT COUNTING MEN'S SINS AGAINST THEM."
All that is missing is salvation by the second birth - infusion of the Spirit / Being of God within man.
John 3
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. ... 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'John 5
24"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 25I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself"John 6:53
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."
Drink and eat the substance of the One that has Life, and it will become the spiritual substance of your innermost being, just as the physical food becomes the substance of your physical body.
Hey, Trent. I think I see your point and purpose here. What do you think about this:
I think salvation is the forgiveness of sins. It's being raised from sin and death. It's also being plunged into Christ, and having Christ begin to dwell within you. Salvation is the moment when one who was fallen becomes a new creature, a spiritual creature, a member of the new race of men-in-Christ.
Salvation means being saved.
AND I think salvation is just the onramp after the detour.
The Highway is Life.
Most church-goers seem to think that salvation is getting forgiven, and that is the extent of it.
"God forgives people so that they get to go to heaven even though He would otherwise be really mad that they sinned."
I would estimate that at least 8 out of 10 church-goers would say something similar, wouldn't you?
Who the Lord has cleansed is worthy of His purpose. Call him not defiled or unworthy. What the Lord has cleansed, in the blood of the Lamb, is a new creation...virgin. ~ God [Letters from God and His Christ - Volume 2 - All Have Been Purchased, Few are Chosen]