Healed and Saved

Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world,

but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:17

In the sermon today at St. Mark's Lenten luncheon, Monty said that the word for 'saved' in this passage could be translated two different ways.  It can be translated as "saved" as we usually do, and that is a good translation for it.  It can also be translated as "healed."

I like it when words have more than one translation, because I like when layers of complexity are added to the Word.  It shouldn't be simple or easy, and we should be able to explore layers, gaining understanding from each one.

Saved is good.  Saved when we are lost, saved for another purpose, saved because we are loved and precious.  We are saved.

We are healed.  Healed from sin, healed from what is broken.  Our relationship with God is healed.  Our relationship with others is healed.  We are healed.

So, what does it mean in our lives to be saved?  What does it mean that we are healed?  Should it make a difference?  And shouldn't our salvation and our healing effect other people and our relationships with them so that we do not cause people to lost, or cause people to be hurt?

And isn't it true that God saves us each day?  That he heals us each day?  So that each day, we are re-created, made new?