It is interesting that Scripture rarely uses the name “Saviour” of Jesus, especially in view of the fact that “Saviour” is fundamental to all Jesus is and did. At His birth the angel announced, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Early in His ministry, a group of Samaritans concluded the same truth and told the woman who met Jesus at Sychar's well, “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42). But these are the only two instances in the Gospels of this title being applied to Jesus. He is seldom called “Saviour” in the Epistles although both Peter (Acts 5:3 1) and Paul (Acts 13:23) used this title of Christ in their preaching. Men have wondered why this name that embodies the very essence of the work of Christ should be almost neglected by the apostles. Two reasons suggest themselves. First, the apostles may have been trying to avoid a major confrontation with Roman authorities. One of the titles of Caesar was “Saviour of the World.” A second reason for its infrequent use may have been that all Christ is and does in His saving work led the New Testament writers to take the title for granted. Both Peter and Paul used this title in an evangelistic appeal where they were trying to explain the fundamentals of the gospel. If this were characteristic of the evangelical preaching of the early church, we would not expect a special emphasis in epistles, which were written largely to correct problems in the church. The emphasis on Jesus as Saviour may be absent because early believers widely understood and accepted it. The Greek word soter means “a saviour,” “deliverer” or “preserver.” It is a title used of the Father as well as the Son. It shares a common root with the verb sozo, which is the most commonly used expression of conversion in the Scriptures. This verb is used in three tenses in the New Testament to describe complete and full salvation. First, the believer has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin. Secondly, he is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin. Thirdly, he will be saved at the return of Christ from all the bodily infirmities and curse that result from sin.