What is Wholeness?
Are you whole yet? What is wholeness? Is it achievable in this life?
In Matthew 1:21 we find the first place the Greek word sozo is used in the New Testament. Matthew 1:21 tells us what Jesus’ purpose for coming to the earth and becoming a man was. Later, we’ll look at what Jesus said when he announced the launch of his earthly ministry in Luke 4:18.
Here is the Stongs’ Concordance NT #G4982 σώζω sōzō (sode'-zo)
From a primary word σῶς sōs̄ (contraction for the obsolete σάος saos, “safe”); to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole. Total KJV occurrences: 110
Sozo is an all-encompassing, dynamic package.
Sozo is one of many words in the languages of the Bible (New Testament Greek and Old Testament Hebrew and Aramaic) that cannot be translated into one English word without losing much of the meaning. As you read the definition above, you get the sense of something progressively happening --saved or rescued, delivered, protected, healed, preserved, made well or whole. It applies to the whole human being, spirit, soul and body. Re-read Matthew 1:21 with all those words and you find our thoughts about “being saved” are somewhat limited to the idea of getting a ‘ticket to heaven’. Perhaps we should be thinking more along the lines of what completed sozo means, wholeness of being. What I mean is this. Instead of asking people, “When were you saved?” maybe we should be asking, “Are you whole in Christ yet?”
Graced to Believe and Trust in Jesus
In the book of Romans, we discover this. When God’s grace touches your heart, in a moment, you believe (have faith) that Jesus is the Messiah and Lord. It’s not the result of anything you do. In that moment, something happens inside you that you are not able to explain. You may be still trying to figure it out or maybe more accurately, walk it out in a journey with Jesus. If you have not experienced that moment of believing in Jesus yet, please continue reading. The Bible explains it here.
Romans 10:8 But what does it (the Bible) say? "The message is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart." This is the message about faith that we are proclaiming:
9 If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (sozo -saved, delivered, protected, healed, preserved and made whole).
10 For one believes with his heart and is justified, and declares with his mouth and is saved.
11 The Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will never be ashamed."
Jesus is the same today, yesterday and forever. He’s still sozoing those who believe in him. How does he do that? By his Holy Spirit and his Living Word, the Bible. Jesus said that without him, we could do nothing (John 15:5b) and that he would not leave us as orphans. He kept his promise and sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in, with and among those who believe. The Holy Spirit is our helper, comforter, teacher, trainer and always points us to what Jesus taught and who Jesus is.
Have you believed in your heart and declared with your mouth that Jesus is Lord? If you have, then you have entered the journey with Jesus that will not end, on the earth or in eternity. You shall be sozo’d, brought to wholeness in Christ.
If you have not yet believed that Jesus is the promised Savior, the Messiah sent to sozo his people from their sins, then keep reading. We hope to provide the information that might help you experience God’s grace and believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. It is God’s desire that all humans would be saved (sozo -saved, delivered, protected, healed, preserved and made whole). God himself has provided the Way, the Truth and the Life by which this is accomplished. It’s by grace through trusting in Jesus. (John 14:6)
1 Timothy 2:3–4: "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved (sozo) and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
Here the apostle Peter introduces a new word --repentance. This word simply means to change the way you think. God’s desire is that we all stop thinking with the old nature we were born with and begin thinking with the new Christ nature he puts in us when we come to faith in Jesus and express our faith saying, “Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) and he is Lord.” From that moment on, we are being trained and transformed by the Holy Spirit to think with the Mind of Christ and not the mind of our old, fallen nature. It’s part of the journey with Jesus.
Graced to become whole in Christ
1Thessalonians 5:23 May the God of peace himself make you holy in every way. And may your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—remain blameless when our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, appears.
“Jesus isn’t just an historical figure or someone we talk about on Sunday mornings. Knowing Him in a daily, two-way conversational relationship is the key to the meaningful life we all desire. Developing the most important relationship in your life is a lifelong journey. Jesus Freedom Journey is here to help you start the journey and end it well .”
Pastor Bill Kline, founder and senior leader of JFJM.org
If you are not whole yet, what do you need Jesus to rescue or save you from? Consider booking a sozo session to learn more about Jesus and experience his love for you.
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