σωτήρ — soter
A term applied to God and to the Messiah with respect to the human race, and sin and its consequences: Saviour, rescuer, preserver.
Satan, fallen as he was, tried to bring mankind crashing down with him, marring God’s good creation. For a time, it looked like he had succeeded. Then God came into the world to reconcile man to himself but man took him and killed him and it looked like the serpent had won after all.
In a twist no one could have predicted, he rose again, crushing the serpent’s head as he did so. By living a perfect, sinless life and dying in our place, he took the wrath of God that we deserve for our sin. By rising, he defeated death and proved that his sacrifice was acceptable in God’s sight.
Our hero was victorious, he made the way open for us to be reconciled to God if we will only repent and believe and follow him. God kept his promise, salvation has come!
But that’s not even the end. There’s more.
