Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem,
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ,

SALVA┼ION IN CHRIS┼IANI┼Y
Salvation, in order to discuss what this is, we must first build a concept about it, to do so we must first understand the definition of salvation:

“deliverance by redemption from the power of sin and from the penalties ensuing from it” [1]

The Bible confirms this by stating:

“and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” [2]

We round up the definition of the word salvation, by what it means to be saved, a derivative of salvation or of being salvaged:

“saved – rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin; “a saved soul” [3]

From this we conclude, to be saved, is to have salvation and vice versa.

Now that we know what it is to be saved and have salvation, in Christianity how does one attain this?

Mark 16:15-17
“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is whelmed (βαπτίζω) will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;”

Acts 2:21-22
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”

Acts 15:10-11
“Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our master (κύριος) Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Acts 16:30-31
“He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the master (κύριος) Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

One has to either call on God’s name (interestingly, what is it?), believe in his heart that God perished for his sins or simply believe in Jesus.

What did Jesus do, to give us salvation and what is the punishment for not believing in him?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” [4]

Protestant exegetical writer, Adam Clarke says concerning this statement in his exegesis:

“That those who believe receive a double benefit: 1. They are exempted from eternal perdition-that they may not perish. 2. They are brought to eternal glory-that they may have everlasting life. These two benefits point out tacitly the state of man: he is guilty, and therefore exposed to punishment: he is impure, and therefore unfit for glory.” [5]

Note that it says believe, it does not say to believe in (condition), it simply says “believe in him (Jesus)”. The condition most Christians would demand we believe in to be saved, is not mentioned as a condition in the Bible by Jesus or by any of his 12 disciples! Yet Christians falsely make it a prerequisite to be saved, to believe in a death of a pseudo demi-God, whereas the latter part of John 3:16 simply asks for belief in Jesus the Christ, which is what Acts 16:30-31 says.

The Greek for the word believe is:

“πιστεύω” pronounced, pist-yoo’-o.

According to Strong’s Greek Lexicon [6] number G4100, this means:

“From G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit, – believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.”

Nothing in the Bible ever states, unequivocally that one needs to believe in Jesus’ death or resurrection to have salvation or to be saved, but just to simply believe (in him).

Now the reason Jesus, “died”, is so that we may be free from sin (as mentioned in the definition and explanation of salvation).

Sin means:
“Theology
a. Deliberate disobedience to the known will of God.
b. A condition of estrangement from God resulting from such disobedience.” [7]

So Jesus died for all of our sins. Our past, present and future sins.

This is confirmed by the Bible as it says:

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,” [8]

This clearly states that Jesus died for the sins (as a righteous person) for the unrighteous (ἄδικος – heathen, disbeliver). So from Biblical hermeneutics, we deduce the Christian theological fact that Jesus died for the sins of the disbelievers, infidels, heathens [9].

Thus for once and for all proving, that although you can disbelieve in him, you will be punished, but seeing as he clearly died for your sins, surely his death would not be a waste, and since he died for the heathens sins, then the heathen is also sinless, as he clearly states he died for them. Since the heathen is sinless, he cannot obtain eternal perdition, as he earns a grace of being sinless through the death of the Christian God as the Bible unequivocally states so that you will be brought to God.

Simple flow chart of sinless state of disbelievers who will be sent to God:

Jesus died, for the world.
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V
Unbelievers, disbelieve, ergo, by disbelief they are sinning.
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Yet, Jesus clearly states that he died specifically for their sins in 1 Peter 3:18.
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Since Jesus died for their sins, they are sinless.
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Being sinless means one cannot be punished, thus one has salvation.
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Heaven.

The only time that it is mentioned one has to believe that Jesus died is by Paul, in Romans 10:8-10, referencing Devarim 30:14, which is an incorrect understanding of the verses, see verses 10-14 for context.

It is also mentioned again 325 years after Jesus by the Nicene Creed:

“We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.” [11]

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[1] – Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
[2] – 1 Thessalonians 1:10
[3] – Saved, Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
[4] – John 3:16 (NIV).
[5] – Adam Clarke Commentary, John Chapter 3, Verse 16, part 6.
[6] Strong’s Lexicon references:

G907 – Mark 16:15-17
βαπτίζω
baptizō
bap-tid’-zo
From a derivative of G911; to make whelmed.

G2962 – Acts 16:30-31 and Acts 15:10-11
κύριος
kurios
by implication Mr. (as a respectful title): – lord, master, sir.

G94 – 1 Peter 3:18
ἄδικος
adikos
ad’-ee-kos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1349; unjust; by extension wicked; by implication treacherous; specifically heathen: – unjust, unrighteous.

[7] – The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
[8] – 1 Peter 3:18 (NIV).
[9] –  Heathen

1. pagan, infidel, godless, irreligious, idolatrous, heathenish a heathen temple

2. uncivilized, savage, primitive, barbaric, brutish, unenlightened, uncultured to disappear     into the cold heathen north
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
[11] – The Nicene Creed.