Three Salvations

 

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

 

1 Peter 1: 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

How is it possible that Paul can at one time say we have already been saved, at another that we are presently in the process of being saved, and then also that we look forward to a time when we will be saved? Protestants are particularly confused. If we are saved by grace through faith, salvation should always be past tense for believers. How could Paul talk about being saved or will be saved when we are saved once and for all at the moment we receive Christ? Paul seems to be contradicting his teaching. But there is no contradiction if the word saved is referring to something different in each of these verses. The first clue is that in Ephesians saved is in the past tense, in 1 Corinthians it describes present on-going salvation, and in 1 Peter it is future saving. The different tenses should alert us that these verses refer to three different parts of our full salvation: justification (past tense salvation), sanctification (present continuing tense salvation), and glorification (future tense salvation).

 

Justification (salvation past tense):

Romans 10:10 For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

We become justified when we believe and as a gift God declares us to be just or not guilty. This salvation takes place at a point in time, is then fully accomplished and nothing more is required. The salvation of justification is the beginning of our life in Christ and forever is past tense to us.

 

Sanctification (Salvation Present Continuous)

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

Romans 6:19 For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.

 

This kind of salvation is a life of cooperation between a believer and God. It happens gradually and slowly throughout our life on earth. It is only possible if Justification has already occurred and it is the inevitable result of Justification. If Sanctification is not occurring, it’s a sign that you are not Justified. Numerous Scripture verses explain how we engage in the process of Sanctification:

Ephesians 4:22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. … 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

 

Glorification (Salvation Future)

Hebrews 9:28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Romans 8:6 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

 

This salvation happens at the end of the age. We are saved from God’s wrath (the second death, the lake of fire; Rev 20:11-15) to the new heaven and earth where we live with God forever. We put off the mortal, perishable body of flesh and blood and put on the imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:50-53). This kind of salvation is done by God without any effort on our part. It happens instantly and completely when we are changed by God from one state to another. Only those who have already been Justified and consequently confirmed their call and election (2 Peter 1:10) by cooperating with the Spirit in the process of Sanctification will receive this future salvation.

 

Conclusion

When we understand the three facets of salvation we can avoid confusion when reading Scripture. It can also help us avoid accusing of legalism those who exhort us to holy living since this properly belongs to Sanctification, not Justification. Finally, it can help us avoid the pitfall of Cheap Grace when we understand that justification with sanctification is a package deal and it’s impossible to have the former without the latter.

It's Not About Us

 A critical key to our redemption is realizing that it's about God and not about us. The church in the west struggles to appeal to people who are supremely self-absorbed. In our radically individualistic culture, people are not interested in something unless they are shown, "what's in it for me". So, we try to draw people to the church by showing the benefits of acknowledging God and participating in the church community. The danger is that some will be content with this. They may profess to be believers, but for them, it's still primarily about themselves. God brings added value to their lives and gives them a greater sense of peace. God and the church are a resource to tap into when they feel a need for something religion can supply. Others get beyond this level and become concerned for their eternal destiny. They may seem more earnest about the faith, but it is still mostly centered on themselves and their effort to avoid hell. Heaven for them becomes the hope of perfect, eternal self-indulgence: the heavenly golf course where they play endlessly in a twosome with Jesus. It was not for this kind of faith that Christ suffered unspeakable agonies on the cross. Christ came so we would put off our infantile obsession with ourselves and learn that when we become devoted to him in fervent love, we discover in His presence fullness of joy and at His right-hand pleasures forevermore. Only those who love God and live for him will know the joy and satisfaction of fulfilling the purpose for which we were made.