Sozo – To Be Made Whole

 

 

Sozo… Sounds Greek to Me!

Everywhere I minister I begin my teaching or preaching session with a quick lesson on Sozo. It’s a small word with HUGE implications! It’s the very foundation by which my ministry of healing was established. In fact, I feel so strongly about the teaching message of Sozo, that I wanted it to be my ministry’s name. Hence, Sozo Ministries International was born!

[***NOTE: There are other ministries throughout the United States and around the world that use the same “Sozo” name, but I am in no way affiliated or connected with them! Some have received negative publicity for “questionable” healing practices that I, as a bible-based Christian, unequivocally do not agree with. My ministry is based on and fashioned 100% around the healing ministry of Jesus Christ as recorded in the holy scriptures.]

I’m amazed that in most churches 99.9% of the congregants have no idea what Sozo is, and have never even heard of the word. After my medical miracle three decades ago, Sozo was one of the very first scriptural truths that the Holy Spirit taught me. I’ve been preaching this important biblical principle ever since. The results have been incredible, both within the church and the unchurched community!

Hebrew and Greek: The Original Language of the Bible

I love to study the bible in its original language of Greek and Hebrew. We’ve become so accustomed to reading the Word of God in our native languages, whether that’s English, Spanish, German, French, or whatever your native language is, that we often forget the bible was not penned in those. The very first versions of the bible were written in the language of those who authored it, Hebrew for the Old Testament, and Greek for the New Testament. I would encourage you today that if you’ve never studied the bible in these original languages, to begin incorporating some Hebrew and Greek word studies into your biblical studies.

If you’ve ever been somewhat confused about a certain scripture, or perhaps thought something in the bible seemed contradictory, that’s when it’s especially helpful to go to the Hebrew and Greek text. It has always helped me gain clarity and a deeper understanding of God’s Word. I can assure you, the Word of God never contradicts itself! With a little more in-depth study, as we are admonished to do in 2 Timothy 2:15, everything becomes crystal clear.

I’m not a Greek scholar, by any means, but there are those in the body of Christ who are. One of my favorite teachers of Greek is Pastor Rick Renner at Renner Ministries. I’ve been doing his Greek bible studies for decades. His anointed ministry is one of the best and most comprehensive Greek studies that you will find. I highly recommend you check out his website as a supplement to your own studies. You can even sign up for a free daily devotional (that’s how I start my day!). He’s authored many books but one of my favorites is Sparkling Gems from the Greek. Pastor Renner truly walks in the five-fold ministry gift of “teacher.” I do believe his teachings and resources will help you.

What is the Meaning of Sozo?

According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word Sozo is defined as follows: To save, deliver, protect, to heal, preserve, do well, be (make) whole. Here’s why that’s so important for you to know and get into your spirit…

Sozo in the Bible

Many Christians ask, “Where is Sozo in the bible?” That’s a great question. But remember, Sozo is a Greek word, so you will not find it in the English bible translations. You can only read it in a Greek bible.

So where is Sozo found in the Greek bibles? Well, you’re likely familiar with those wonderful and familiar “salvation” verses in the bible, right? You know, the ones we love and frequently quote when leading someone to salvation. I’m referring to scriptures like Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, and 1 Timothy 2:4.

But there’s so much more than meets the eye to those verses. According to my bible concordance, the word “saved” appears 57 times in the [English] New Testament. The original bible manuscripts however, written in the Greek language, used the word Sozo. Here’s a little bible exercise for you…

Get out your bible, and read the four salvation scriptures mentioned above. Now re-read them with the full meaning of the word Sozo. Afterall, that’s the word the writers of the New Testament used. Remember, Sozo means to save, heal, deliver, to be made whole. In my mind, the word Sozo supercharges those scriptures! It kicks up the meaning about a gazillion times. Sozo is kinda like the word “saved” on steroids! The original Greek manuscript uses a word that is so much more complete to describe God’s will for humanity than our English translations convey.

---

In English, 1 Timothy 2:4 reads, “God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.”

In the original bible language (Greek), when the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote 1 Timothy 2:4, here how it reads, “God desires all men to be sozo [saved, healed, delivered, to be whole] and come to the knowledge of the truth.”

---

That’s a powerful bible truth! I don’t know about you, but this teaching was a game-changer for me. It should totally change the way you minister to people. In other words, God doesn’t just want His creation saved, He desires them to be saved, healed, delivered, and whole!

Think about this: Why would God want you to be saved, but riddled with sickness and disease in your body? That’s not the character of a loving God. Why would God want you saved, but under the influence of demonic oppression and mentally unstable? No, He wants you delivered from that junk. He wants you whole in your body, soul, and spirit! Wholeness glorifies God. Anything less than that needs work.

A Biblical Lesson in Sozo

Let’s take our Sozo study a step further. We’ve already seen that every time the word “saved” (or its derivatives like “save” or “saving”) is used in the New Testament, it’s the Greek word Sozo. But there’s more…

When you see the words “healed,” “made well,” and “made whole,” in the New Testament, those words or phrases are also translated from the Greek word Sozo. They’re used at least 120 times, and in every case, the original Greek manuscript uses the word Sozo. Do you see the connection here? In other words, regardless of whether our English translators used the word saved, healed, or made whole, it was always the word Sozo in the original language of the bible.

See for Yourself

Don’t take my word for it. I encourage you to do your own biblical word study. Grab your bible and whatever bible concordance you use (I use Strong’s Concordance). Look up the following verses and make a notation or underline the word or phrase given beside each scripture.

• Mark 5:23     healed
• Mark 16:16   saved
• Luke 8:36     healed
• Acts 2:21     saved
• Acts 14:9     healed
• Luke 18:42   saved
• James 5:15   save
• Mark 5:34   made well (whole)
• Mark 5:28   made well (whole)
• Luke 17:19   well (whole)
• Acts 4:9      made well (whole)
• Acts 4:12     saved
• Mark 6:56   made well (whole)

Time and time again, we can confirm that whenever we see the words saved, healed, or made whole in the bible, it was derived from the Greek word Sozo. Whether those words were spoken by Jesus Himself, the Apostle Paul, or any other New Testament author, in every case it was the word Sozo.

Sozo… to be made whole!

The conclusion is that God, speaking through the New Testament authors, did not separate salvation and healing. He could have easily used two different words, one to convey healing and another to convey salvation. But He always used the same word — Sozo! Don’t ever doubt whether healing is God’s will for you.

God’s will is that mankind be totally whole… Sozo (saved, healed, delivered, made whole). Salvation is available for all. Healing is available for all. Deliverance is available for all. Isn’t that what Jesus went to the Cross for? Calvary was as much for our healing and physical well being as it was for our salvation. The best known prophecy of the crucifixion is in Isaiah 53:4-5.

---

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

---

Clearly, Calvary provided for our 3-part being — spirit, soul, and body! The sacrifice of Jesus secured salvation for our spirit, healing for our physical bodies, and peace for our soul (a sound mind). Isaiah prophesied it, Jesus accomplished it, and the New Testament authors wrote about it. Oh, that the modern-day Church would proclaim the entirety of the salvation message. Jesus wants us whole… body, soul, and spirit!

QUESTION: Have you been settling for something less than Sozo in your life? Perhaps you’re saved, but struggling with sickness in your body. Perhaps Jesus has healed you, but you’ve never asked Him to be your Saviour. Perhaps your spirit is saved, your body is well, but you’re suffering emotional turmoil and agony in your mind. God desires that you be whole! How can I pray for you? Simply respond in the comment box below or send a private message through the “contact” page.