Salvation is more than merely an escape from suffering—Chief Apostle Schneider calls upon readers to actively prepare for the return of Christ and warns against withdrawal, self-deception, and spiritual minimalism.
In Special Edition 03/2021 of the Divine Service Guide, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider writes to all the ministers of the New Apostolic Church. The subject of this text is “Our understanding of salvation and redemption”.
Jesus Christ has established the church “in order to make full salvation accessible to mankind.” Here the term “salvation” is multifaceted. It can mean deliverance, liberation, forgiveness, or even redemption. The Bible uses the word in various capacities, depending on the context.
This broad understanding of the concept is also evident in the church: “Depending on the time and place in which they lived, [people] would emphasise that aspect of salvation that best suited their expectations.” For Chief Apostle Schneider, it is crucial that any discussion of salvation always be oriented to the gospel and focused on “the will and the activity of Jesus Christ.”
Salvation as protection from suffering
In New Apostolic theology, salvation is often viewed in the context of the return of Christ. This perspective is understandable, writes the Chief Apostle, especially in view of suffering, sickness, and fear. “The Lord is coming again in order to deliver us from suffering. He will preserve and protect us from the great tribulation.”
However, this interpretation is not complete if it is viewed in isolation from Christ’s overall mission. If salvation is understood exclusively as liberation from this world, such a view could lead to withdrawal and passive behaviour. “Life on earth might be portrayed negatively—the earth is nothing but a place of suffering, from which one must escape as quickly as possible.” Such an attitude fails to take into account that following Jesus also incorporates taking responsibility in the here and now.
Eternal life as a goal
According to Chief Apostle Schneider, the goal of salvation is not merely deliverance from adversity and need, but rather participation in the life of God. “Eternal life is much more than immortality.” It signifies fellowship with the triune God—a fellowship that not only begins in the beyond, but is already being prepared in the here and now.
Essential prerequisites include faith, the rebirth out of water and the Spirit, as well as the worthy receiving of Holy Communion, however, even these on their own will not suffice. “Receiving the sacraments gives us the possibility of entering into eternal fellowship with God, but it does not automatically guarantee us ultimate access.” The prerequisite is sanctification, that is, a continual inner transformation through the activity of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will “cleanse us, give us the strength to resist sin, and teach us to renounce all things that separate us from God.”
Love for God and for others
Salvation always also implies relationship. For Chief Apostle Schneider, divine life is inseparably connected with love: “The essence of divine life is love.” Those who desire to receive and share this love must interact with both God and their fellow human beings.
“Jesus attaches just as much importance to the love we bear our neighbour as to the love we have for God.“ This is why Christian fellowship is already part of our preparation for salvation. It helps us to bear with weaknesses, seek reconciliation, and strengthen trust. This preparation “only makes sense within the community of those who are striving for eternal fellowship with God.“
Divine service as a training ground
The divine service plays a central role in this preparation effort. It is there that fellowship with God and with one another is experienced and practised. “Participating in the divine service also prepares the believer to live in the community of the saints in the kingdom of God.”
In this context, the prayers, the sermon, the absolution, and Holy Communion are not merely ritualised acts, but rather spiritual training grounds. The Lord’s Supper in particular makes it clear that God loves and accepts everyone in equal measure: “The Lord welcomes everyone else in the same manner, […] and gives them exactly the same thing He gives us.”
It is also by helping along in the congregation that this togetherness in fellowship is strengthened. “This collaboration is also an excellent way to learn how to live together.”
Conclusions
In the final part of the Special Edition, Chief Apostle Schneider warns against the idea of reducing our understanding of salvation to virtual participation in our life of faith. Online divine services can make many things possible, but they cannot replace everything.
“Participating in the divine services is an essential component of our preparation for the return of Jesus.“ Those who permanently withdraw from congregational life without a compelling reason risk losing their connection to this fellowship of faith—and thus also their preparation for salvation.
The Chief Apostle is critical of the idea that Holy Communion is equally effective even when celebrated outside of the divine service context. Such a practice could not possibly “have the same salvation-bringing effect” as receiving the sacrament in the congregation from a minister authorised to dispense it.