Salvation (rescue and renewal) is of the Lord

ISAIAH 43:1-3

But now thus says the LORD, 

he who created you, O Jacob,    

    he who formed you, O Israel: 

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; 

   I have called you by name, 

 you are mine. 

When you pass through the 

   waters, I will be with you;    

and through the rivers, 

   they shall not overwhelm you; 

when you walk through fire 

   you shall not be burned,    

and the flame shall not 

   consume you. 

For I am the LORD your God,   

   the Holy One of Israel, your 

 Savior.

‘You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,

and the heavens are the work of your hands; 

they will perish, but you remain;    

they will all wear out like a garment, 

Like a robe you will roll them up,    

like a garment they will be changed. 

But you are the same,    

and your years will have no end.” 

And to which of the angels has he ever said, 

“Sit at my right hand    

until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? 

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,  while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Hebrews 1:10-14, 2:1-4

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matt. 7:13-14) 

While Christian was among his godly friends, their precious words offered plenty of amends for all his grief, and when they let him go he was clad with northern steel from top to toe. But it didn’t take long for Christian to be hard pressed, in this Valley of Humiliation. He had only gone a little way before he spotted a foul fiend coming across the field to meet him. The fiend’s name was Apollyon, which means “destroyer.”...

....The monster was hideous and clothed with scales like a fish. They were his pride. He also had wings like a dragon, feet like a bear, and out of his belly spewed fire and smoke, and his mouth was like the mouth of a lion. When he came up to Christian, he eyed him with disdain and began to question him. The fiend asked, “Where did you come from, and where are you going?” Christian swallowed his fear and said, “I have come from the City of Destruction, which is the place of all evil, and I am going to the city of Zion.”...

...Apollyon jabbed his pointed finger in Christian’s direction. “You have already been unfaithful in your service to Him, so how is it that you think you are going to receive wages from Him?” “Tell me, Apollyon, in what ways have I been unfaithful to Him?” “Very soon after setting out from Destruction you were quickly discouraged, when you were almost choked in the Slough of Despond.” He raised his boney finger to track just how unfaithful the pilgrim had been. “You also made several wrong attempts to be rid of your burden, when you should have waited until your Prince had taken it off.” He ticked off his point on a second finger. “Plus, you sinfully overslept, you lost your precious possession, and you almost turned back at the sight of the lions.” He ran out of fingers on which to count Christian’s missteps and dramatically threw his hand in the air with a flare to make his point of just how unfaithful Christian had been. “And when you talk about your journey, and of what you have seen and heard, inwardly you desire personal praise for all you say and do.” Christian glanced at the ground. “All this is true; in fact, there is much more that you left out.” He looked back at Apollyon. “But the Prince whom I serve and honor is merciful and ready to forgive. But besides these wrongdoings which I committed in your country where I was brought up and educated in them, I have groaned under and repented of them. As a result, I have received a full pardon from my Prince regarding these crimes.” Apollyon broke into a furious rage, saying, “I am an enemy to this Prince! I hate His person, His laws, and His people.” He spit the words as if they left a bad taste in his mouth. “I have come out here to purposely oppose you.” Christian did not back away. He said, “Apollyon, be careful of what you are doing, for I am on the King’s highway, the way of holiness. So watch yourself.”

Apollyon defiantly straddled the entire width of the way blocking Christian’s way. “I am not afraid in this,” the fiend hissed. “Prepare to die; for I swear by my infernal den that you will go no further, for here will I spill your soul.” Without warning he hurled a flaming dart at Christian’s breast, but Christian lifted the shield in his hand and deflected it and so avoided the danger. Christian drew his sword, for he saw it was time to rouse himself to action. Apollyon quickly responded by throwing darts as thick as hail, and even with all the skill he could muster Christian could not deflect them all. Apollyon inflicted wounds to his head, hand, and foot. Christian retreated a little, and Apollyon pressed more forcefully. Yet Christian took courage and resisted as fearlessly as he could. This agonizing combat lasted for more than half a day, until Christian was almost exhausted. For you should know that because of Christian’s wounds, he inevitably grew weaker and weaker. Then Apollyon spotted his opportunity. He began to press closer to Christian, wrestled with him, and threw him hard to the ground. Christian’s sword flew out of his hand. Apollyon’s teeth showed in a sneer. “I am sure of you now.” The fiend drew closer, intending to inflict a mortal wound. Christian began to despair for his life. But, as God would have it, while Apollyon prepared to make his final blow to destroy this good man, Christian nimbly reached out his hand and gripped his sword. He cried out, “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise” (Micah 7:8). With that Christian gave Apollyon a deadly thrust. The fiend drew back, like someone who had received a fatal wound. Christian recognized the opportunity and moved in on him again, saying, “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37). Apollyon spread his dragon wings and quickly took to the air and flew away, until Christian no longer saw him. (Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. – James 4:7) Now, unless you had seen and heard the intensity of this combat, like I did, you can’t imagine the yelling and hideous roaring Apollyon made throughout the fight. Along with that, he spoke like a dragon! And on the other side of the fight, sighs and groans burst from Christian’s heart. I had never seen him give so much as one pleasant look throughout the hellish fight, until he knew he had wounded Apollyon with his two-edged sword. Then a smile brightened his face and he looked up! But it was the battle itself that was the most dreadful sight I ever saw.

from Pilgrim’s Progress, Book One - Stage Four

John Bunyan