Christ the Saviour¶
Jesus is called Saviour because he saved the world from the idea that God punishes us for our sins. This idea was a serious theological problem of the Old Testament. His fight against this idea is beautifully illustrated in the story where he heals a man born blind John 9:1-18. Paul later confirms it: “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) and “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1).
This idea is one of the explanations why Christians worship the cross (see About the cross).
A hypertrophy of this idea is the question Did Jesus die for my sins?.
Some Bible verses about this:
“Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood” (Romans 3:25)
“For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)
“Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2)
“But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26)
“Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:12)
“Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 2:2)
“In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)