Salvation, 5

~ I Have Been Saved…  I’m Being Saved…  I will Be Saved! ~

Salvation is not a Reward for the Righteous.

It is an available Gift for those who understand their Guilt!

There is salvation from any other than Jesus Christ—The Messiah.  In the last three ALN posts in this series we looked individually at the three tenses of Salvation.  In this post we look at the three tenses collectively. 

Justification (past salvation)  ~  The germ of salvation.

My position is in Christ.

Saved from the penalty of sin.  

Salvation already in possession...  a free gift as a result of trusting Christ.

Event:  From natural birth/life to born again/new life.

Transition:  From sinner to being viewed as a saint in God’s eyes.

Key Characteristic:  Physical life.

The offer is for whoever.

The basis is by faith alone in Christ.

The description is a free gift.

The timeline is a onetime event.

References:  John 3:16; Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 15:2; 2 Timothy 2:10; Revelation 22:17.

Sanctification (present/progressive salvation)  ~  The growth of salvation.

My condition is becoming like Christ.

Saved from the power of sin.

Salvation in progress… a process of abundant growth and maturing.

Event:  Spiritual life on earth. 

Transition:  From natural living to spiritual living.

Key Characteristic:  God’s love.

The offer is for Christ’s disciples.

The basis is faith resulting in obedience.

The description includes works, deeds, degrees.

The timeline is a lifetime of progress.

References:  John 10:10; Romans 5:10; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:5-9.

Glorification (future salvation)  ~  The completion of salvation.

My expectation is to be like Christ.

Saved from the presence of sin. 

Salvation in prospect…  initially a time of evaluation to determine rewards.

Event:  The rapture—from spiritual life on earth to eternity with Christ. 

Transition:  From life on earth to life in heaven.

Key Characteristic:  Christ’s light (dwelling in His light in heaven).

The offer is for all believers.

The basis is faithful obedience.

The description varies.

The timeline is a onetime event (the Judgment Seat of Christ).

References:  Matthew 16:24-27; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Colossians 3:23-25; 2 Thessalonians 1:12; Revelation 3:21; 22:12.

Closing Thoughts  ~  The first (salvation past—justification) is immediate secured by Christ’s death!  The second (salvation-present) is continuous through Christ’s life in me.  The third (salvation—future) is prospective and will be realized at Christ’s Second Coming.

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.  For if the Word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2:1-4). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Salvation, 4

~ Salvation Is Future Tense ~

Salvation is not a Reward for the Righteous.

It is an available Gift for those who understand their Guilt!

Important Note  ~  Salvation is not only a past reality but also an ongoing experience as we saw in two prior posts and it also has a future consummation (as we will see in this post). 

Salvation (future tense)  ~  “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation [the future consummation of our salvation] is nearer than when we first believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand.  Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:11-14). 

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation [ultimate salvation—glorification]” (Hebrew 9:27-28).

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will [future] transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body [glorification], according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). 

“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.  For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.  Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:8-11). 

Summary  ~  The future tense aspect of salvation is in regard to sin’s presence.  I will be glorified because of the blood of His Son.  My expectation is that I will become like Christ.   

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

7 New Things

~ A Christian Is New—Not Modified! ~

When a person becomes a Christian, all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Seven closely related factors which each Christian possesses are listed below.

A new mind about God / repentance ~ To become a Christian requires repenting of one’s sins. Repentance involves an abrupt change in thinking about sin and about God (Acts 20:21).

A new attitude toward God / conversion ~ Closely related to repentance, conversion is actually the result of genuine repentance (Matthew 18:3). The individual literally becomes new as he is born spiritually (John 3:3). Previously he was born physically—now born again this time spiritually—literally “born from above.”

A new status before God / justification ~ A Christian is justified. This means that justice has been accomplished—their sins have been paid for in full on the Cross (Romans 4:25). God has not dismissed their sins, rather the full price of their sins has been paid by Jesus Christ. Because of the Cross it is “just as if they had never sinned” in God’s eyes.

A new relationship before God / a son of God ~ The believer is now is part of the family of God (1 John 3:1). All creatures belong to God as a result of creation—those who have acknowledged God for who He is and what He says have been adopted into the family of God. As part of God’s family they are entitled to full rights and have a full inheritance (Galatians 4:7).

A new life from God / regeneration ~ A Christian has been regenerated (Titus 3:5). This is not a fixed-up old life but a new spiritual life which coexists with the natural life. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:12-13) A key word in this verse is “know.” There is no uncertainty about the future for the Christian who understands the Word of God!

A new position before God / sanctification ~ The Christian has been sanctified, literally set apart, by God for a new and glorious life, ministry, and future home in heaven (Jude 1). The God who created the universe has set you apart for His glory!

A new place with God / glorification ~ While there is a sense of glory from the time of conversion (Romans 8:30), the ultimate glorification of the believer occurs in the future at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. At that time we shall be changed and shall be with God for eternity future.