Jesus as Moral Example: Six Models of Salvation Explored
This paper examines six models of salvation as outlined by Peters (2006), with particular attention to the model of Jesus as moral example and influence. The author argues that this model's emphasis on love and action—rather than intellectual argument—makes it especially compelling for Christian living. The paper also maps each salvation model to the Gospel text that most closely reflects its themes, connecting Jesus as teacher to Matthew, Jesus as moral example to Luke, Jesus as victorious champion to Mark, and so on. Together, these connections illustrate how the four Gospels complement and reinforce diverse theological understandings of salvation.
- The Appeal of Jesus as Moral Example and Influence: Why Jesus as loving moral model resonates most
- Love Over Logic: Why Action Matters More Than Reason: Faith and love surpass reason in Christian practice
- Mapping the Six Models of Salvation to the Gospels: Each salvation model paired with a specific Gospel
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What makes this paper effective
- The author grounds personal theological reflection in an academic source (Peters, 2006), balancing subjective preference with scholarly framing.
- The paper demonstrates close reading of multiple Gospel texts, citing specific chapters and verses to support each model-to-Gospel pairing.
- The contrast drawn between intellectual reasoning and emotional/active love gives the central argument a clear and memorable structure.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper exemplifies theological application: taking an established academic framework (Peters's six models of salvation) and applying it systematically to canonical scripture. By pairing each model with a specific Gospel and supporting verse, the author demonstrates how abstract doctrine can be grounded in textual evidence—a foundational skill in theological and religious studies writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by identifying and justifying the author's preferred salvation model. It then develops the rationale for that preference by contrasting reason with love as motivating forces in Christian life. The final section performs a structured comparative analysis, matching all six salvation models to corresponding Gospels. A single reference anchors the framework throughout. The paper is concise and well-organized for a short theological reflection.
The Appeal of Jesus as Moral Example and Influence
The model of salvation that most appeals to me is the model of Jesus as Moral Example and Influence. This model shows how Jesus teaches us to love one another. It is similar to the first model in that Jesus is a teacher, but instead of focusing on the wisdom of Our Lord's doctrine, this second model focuses on the greatness of the love that Jesus has for us and that He inspires in us through His moral example and goodly influence. Jesus is the model of what it means to love. As Peters (2006) notes, "Jesus models for us the life of unselfish love. He models the life of self-sacrificial love or agape" (p. 226).
This model gives us the blueprint for how to "copy Jesus." While the teachings of Jesus can be enlightening and uplifting, it is really His example in action that seals the deal, so to speak: His healing of the sick, listening to and eating with sinners, showing great mercy to those who seek it in faith, and even showing love toward His enemies on the cross. All of this is the model of love that Jesus expects us to follow. Our intelligence may not be great enough to win debates with those who have no faith — but we can, through our actions and through our love, win hearts for Christ. That is what this model teaches.
Love Over Logic: Why Action Matters More Than Reason
What I appreciate about this model is that it appeals not so much to the intellectual side of what makes Jesus such a powerful source of inspiration, but rather to the emotional side. Logic and reason certainly have their place in the way we conduct ourselves, but at some point we realize that logic and reason only take us so far. There are still unanswered questions that haunt us, and we must rely on faith in Christ to overcome the obstacles that stand in our way. We cannot always reason our way out of difficulty — and to some extent our reliance on reason can actually get in the way.
We often use reason to justify our own actions, but when we look at Jesus as a model of love, the example of how we should behave toward others becomes quite clear. There is no need to seek justifications or excuses for why we cannot help others, or why we should ignore people's requests for mercy. Our Lord shows us exactly what to do and even tells us directly: "Love your neighbor" (Matthew 22:36–40). The call is simple, direct, and demands action rather than argument.
References
Peters, T. (2006). Six ways of salvation: How does Jesus save? Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 45(3), 223–235.
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