The world is in turmoil. Countries are in chaos from Asiatic sea to the Pacific. Venzulea is on verge of revolution, Syria is in a civil war, Russia is embroiled on many fronts, The United States is divided over sanctuary cities and social issues, North Korea is threatening another Cold War, and Europe is overrun with the refugee crisis. In these times when we can get Apocalyptic blues and collapse from anxiety attacks, we must remind ourselves Iesus est Salvator Mundi, Jesus is Savior of the World. Salvator Mundi is the Latin word for Savior of the World. Generally most paintings of Jesus Salvator Mundi featuring Christ giving the benedictum (blessing) with His right hand, and holding the Globus Crusiger (Globe/world with cross upon it) in his left hand (see post picture). This Globus is suppose to signify that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16) and that He rules the whole world with an iron rod/scepter(Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 2:27). To this day sovereign European countries when they anoint their kings and queens, particularly in England, place Globus Crusiger in the hand of the monarch. The word savior and salvation has two connotations, one is literal (physical) and the other is spiritual. The literal word salvation means rescue and to be saved from the calamity, while spiritual definition of salvation is eternal as in a person is saved from hell (eternal damnation) and their soul is saved and so they go to heaven. For us Christians Jesus accomplishes both the literal and spiritual salvation, he saved us eternally, "For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day,"(John 6:40), and He is coming again to save us (rescue us), "so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28). Both spiritual and literal is fulfilled in Jesus Christ when it comes to salvation. This gives us hope, as the Apostle Paul says, "But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." (1 Thessalonians 5:8). The salvation we await is to be rescued and avenged (Revelation 19:11-16), for the spiritual salvation and final destination of our souls (and spirits) is solved the moment we confess and believe in Jesus, "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10). The hope of salvation the Apostles are talking about if the literal messianic savior or Return of Christ (Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 1:7, Revelation 20:4-9), for the Suffering Servant spiritual Savior has already happened when Jesus died on cross and rose from dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-5).
In this world of tribulation we are confronted with many fears. While our resolve is to remain unmoved and firm, the threats of this life assail us and demand a response. We can respond with anxiety, fear, and trepidation, or we take another path, and instead of looking at current situation across the Earth, we looked to Salvator Mundi. Jesus Christ came to bring us salvation, not only for our souls, but for every sphere and facet of our being. This is why the Apostle tells us, "Cast all your anxiety and cares on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7). Take the cares and crises that claw at you, those fears and distresses caused by world stage, work, and perhaps your wife, and place them in hands of Salvator Mundi. Let Him hold the globe, let Him who bore the cross now carry your cares and concerns, for He has already felt weight of world on his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6) and now He holds the world in his hand and will smite the nations with an iron scepter/rod (Revelation 2:27). Jesus Christ is in control, and while the world spins and the rumors of war wage war on the nerves of all people, let us remember the LORD and that He has made Earth his footstool. Why do you fear what anyone can do to you, "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:23). Jesus is the Salvator Mundi, and he is the Iudex Ad Iudices, Judge of Judges, "In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge," (John 5:22), "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me," (Matthew 28:18), and "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11). Christ has control of the world, despite what the leaders of the nations and all saber rattling, it is Salvator Mundi, the Alpha and Omega who will determine course of the future.
If we truly trust in Christ, we should not be moved by the waves of fear that beset us from all sides and shoals. Jesus Salvator Mundi walked upon the waves of stormy Galilee, the Apostle Peter joined him, "So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” (Matthew 14:29-31). Those waves are the threats of North Korea, the terror of ISIS, and the worries of this life. Fear and doubt are kissing cousins, and if the Salvator Mundi is on our side, why do we sink beneath the waves? If we keep our eyes fixed upon Savior (Hebrews 12:2), we would not sink in first place, but Christ knowing our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), does fish us out of our fears, albeit with a rebuke. The Apostle Paul taught we must master fear with Spirit of God, "For the Spirit of God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but oa Spirit of power, love, and self-discipline," (2 Timothy 1:7), "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!," (Romans 8:15). Fear as we saw with Peter on Sea of Galilee sinks a saint, but should we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and trust Him, and move in His ways of power (2 Peter 1:16), love (1 John 4:8), and sound mind (Galatians 5:22-23). To fight fear and dreads of this world, and devils, we must employ the arsenal of God's fruit and power (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Galatians 5:22-23) instead of giving any quarter to fear and anxiety, we must fight fear with peace of God, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid," (John 14:27), we must crush terror with the love of God, "Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments," (Matthew 22:36-40), and we must conquer the doubting thoughts with the mind of God, "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5). The battlefield is in our very souls, and we must let Jesus the Salvator Mundi come in and save us from fear, we must let Him radiate that peace that surpasses all understanding, fill us with His love that keeps terror from making our love go cold (Matthew 24:10-13), and to disciple our minds from thinking in earthly ways (Matthew 16:23). In addition we should be armed with His power in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) so that we may wrestle in every sphere and proclaim our Savior in all spectrums of our being.
Jesus is the Salvator Mundi, Savior of World, but He did not promise that this world would be full of peace and ease, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials, tribulation, and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). Christ allows thee sorrows and tribulations to act as molding fires (), but more than that they draw us closer to Him. If there is tribulation, we must seek His peace, if there is sorrow we must wrap ourselves in His comfort (2 Corinthians 1:1-18), and if we are to face trials it is so Christ may more manifest in our lives. If everything in this world went smoothly, we could become as men so often do, content in our self sufficiency and forget our God, but instead the very circumstances and trials of this life press us further into Divine Trinity, teaching us He holds power over World (John 16:33) and that He is the Salvator Mundi, "He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins--and not only our sins but the sins of all the world." (1 John 2:2), "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world," (1 John 4:14), "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him," (John 3:17), "and "They said to the woman, "We now believe not only because of your words; we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man truly is the Savior of the world," (John 4:42), "so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him," (Hebrews 9:28), and "as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ," (Titus 2:13). Amen.
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