SALVATION---instant, or process?

[Ben johnson]

There are those who say, "you can be saved in an instant, but maturity is growth, a process".

There are those who say, "salvation is a process, there is not a single point where one suddenly possesses eternal life. Which do you believe?

If it is INSTANT, then why is that? How can one go from "sinful rebellion" to "saved" in a moment?

If it is PROCESS, then when can one KNOW he/she has achieved it? CAN one know for certain?

What distinguishes one who is "SAVED", from one who may be "churched", but not "saved"?

 

[Blindfaith]

Well, in the book of Romans it explains that;

Justification is when you accept Christ, you're sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Sanctification is the process throughout our lives on Earth to become more Christlike

Glorification is what happens when we're in Heaven and we are made....well....glorified.  Like Christ.

Salvation is instant, but the process of our lives is sanctification.

~Peace in Christ,

Terri

 

[isshinwhat]

I would say my particular view would be eternal life is our inheritance which will be received "in the age to come" (Mark 10:30, Luke 18:30). The process involves holding firmly to that inheritance that is ours through Christ. I believe we can be reasonably assured that we will see Heaven upon our death if we walk firmly in Christ, but since rejection of the grace we have been given is always possible, we cannot be certain of future actions/dispositions of ours.

God Bless,

Neal

 

[Michie]

Hi Ben!
I was wondering where you went!



Michie

 

[* kittie *]

Originally posted by Ben johnson
There are those who say, "you can be saved in an instant, but maturity is growth, a process".
There are those who say, "salvation is a process, there is not a single point where one suddenly possesses eternal life. Which do you believe?

both are true.  i've known people who have changed instantly.  a complete 180º turnaround, the minute they were saved.  then there are those that change gradually.  it depends.

If it is INSTANT, then why is that? How can one go from "sinful rebellion" to "saved" in a moment?

power of God.  i don't know, cuz for me, it's a slow process.

If it is PROCESS, then when can one KNOW he/she has achieved it? CAN one know for certain?

noone has ever achieved it.  until we die, and we are with the LORD, we are never there. 

What distinguishes one who is "SAVED", from one who may be "churched", but not "saved"? 

eternity.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

It is a process, and you can't know for certain until you die and are judged by the Lord. However, you can have a pretty good assurance, but you can't ever assume you are righteous enough.

 

[ZiSunka]

Salvation is an event--a gift from God for faith. Sanctification is a process. People get those two things mised up. Salvation literally means "rescue" and as you know, rescue that is slow and progressive would be of little use. Suppose you were drowning, and you called out to be rescued, and the life guard said, "Hold on, it's a process. We'll save you over time." You'd be dead maybe before the process was over! But sanctification is the process by which we become holy. It is a process that does last a whole lifetime.

So when someone tells you, "I was saved, I am being saved, I will be saved," what they really mean is "I was saved, I am being sanctified and I will be holy in the end."

 

[DaveKerwin]

I believe salvation is instant. God "downloads" forgiveness to us at the point that we believe. If you have the son, then you have life. Believe and you will be saved, etc. I see no reason why it would not be an immediate imputation of forgiveness.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by DaveKerwin
I believe salvation is instant. God "downloads" forgiveness to us at the point that we believe. If you have the son, then you have life. Believe and you will be saved, etc. I see no reason why it would not be an immediate imputation of forgiveness.

What if someone later doesnt believe?  There are lots of atheists at this forum that were former Christians.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by lambslove
Salvation is an event--a gift from God for faith. Sanctification is a process. People get those two things mised up. Salvation literally means "rescue" and as you know, rescue that is slow and progressive would be of little use. Suppose you were drowning, and you called out to be rescued, and the life guard said, "Hold on, it's a process. We'll save you over time." You'd be dead maybe before the process was over! But sanctification is the process by which we become holy. It is a process that does last a whole lifetime.

So when someone tells you, "I was saved, I am being saved, I will be saved," what they really mean is "I was saved, I am being sanctified and I will be holy in the end."

That analogy doesnt make any sense.  Your not in danger of Hell until you die.  You are not judged until you die.  You are saved, ie, escape Hell, after you die.

 

[eldermike]

1CO 15:55 "Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

1CO 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[DaveKerwin]

Originally posted by s0uljah
What if someone later doesnt believe?  There are lots of atheists at this forum that were former Christians.

One of two things is happening with them.

1. They never believed.
2. They are lying to themselves.

I remember a friend of mine once said he no longer believed. What a joke, I didn't believe him for a second. He came around much like most of them will. People cannot deny what they know to be true for very long. And if they proclaim it is no longer true, then they make themselves out to be liars. But its better for them to be cold than it is to be lukewarm, which is at least mildly respectable. If you are a "former christian" reading this, you know the truth, stop your rebellion and submit to the Lord Jesus.

 

[Ben johnson]

@ Michie!

Excellent posts here! Most think that "salvation is INSTANT", but "maturity or sanctification is a process"...

(I LOVE Dave's comment, "God DOWNLOADS forgiveness"... Tell me, Dave? Whaddya think the BAUD RATE on that is???)

We have ONE "BOTH, noone has ever achieved it. "

One, "It is a process, and you can't know for certain until you die and are judged by the Lord. However, you can have a pretty good assurance, but you can't ever assume you are righteous enough."

And one, "I believe we can be reasonably assured that we will see Heaven upon our death if we walk firmly in Christ, holding firmly to that inheritance that is ours through Christ. but since rejection of the grace we have been given is always possible, we cannot be certain of future actions/dispositions of ours. "

Anyone else? Salvation INSTANT, or PROCESS? If INSTANT, why? If PROCESS, how will you know when (or if) you've made it?

 

[eldermike]

We are born with a body - some build it up, work on it, eat right, exercise, and such.
Others born with a body, sit on the couch and hit the up and down arrows on the remote.

At what point do they lose the body?

When Paul told us to "work out" our salvation, He was speaking about this same type deal, God gave us a new Spiritual Body, that is the "work in us", that is God's gift.

We can easily become just like all the body builders and "health types", it's our nature. "you must eat carrots or you will die". "you overweight people are headed for trouble"
"if you don't get your body moving you will lose it"

We need to look at our nature, see if it's not man's message that what God has done in us we can reject.

The Bible is clear that we were saved for a purpose, it's not clear at all that if we reject that purpose that God made some mistake in us, choosing the wrong ones, or something like that. Perhaps God needs some lazy Christians to make the lost ones feel welcome, who knows.

The Bible supports that what God has begun in us He will finish. Perhaps it's our own perception of our level of perfection that causes us to see the lazy sinners that call themselves Christian, "lost again". "un-born again" - somehow gone back into their mothers womb? I thought Jesus cleared all that up.

Blessings

 

[reeann]

I was taught that salvation has three parts:
Justification: Christ died for our sins, imputes Christ's Righteousneous onto us. OR, in a nutshell FREEDOM from the PENALTY of sin
Santication: Christ is working on us, changing us everyday, remaking us into His image. OR, in a nutshell, FREEDOM from the POWER of sin
Glorification: our goal, to live with God in Heavn. This wil happen in the future. OR, in a nutshell, FREEDOM from the PRESENCE of sin.

 

[eldermike]

reeann,

Amen!

 

[Miss Shelby]

Anyone else? Salvation INSTANT, or PROCESS? If INSTANT, why? If PROCESS, how will you know when (or if) you've made it?

Good topic, Ben. I think it's both.

Michelle

 

[new2calvin]

salvation is instant once you have it you cant lose it. ONce God has chosen you, you can't turn away. Those "christians" that turn atheists are not true christians. The true christians are his elect, which cannot turn away. Those whom God actually grants salvation will be saved, no ifs ands or buts about it. The elect have been chosen before time by God. So therefore salvation is an instant in which God choses us. The process is us in our lives becoming Christ like.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by new2calvin
salvation is instant once you have it you cant lose it. ONce God has chosen you, you can't turn away. Those "christians" that turn atheists are not true christians. The true christians are his elect, which cannot turn away. Those whom God actually grants salvation will be saved, no ifs ands or buts about it. The elect have been chosen before time by God. So therefore salvation is an instant in which God choses us. The process is us in our lives becoming Christ like.

Hmmm, so God creates most people just to burn them in Hell for all time, in His infinite love and mercy?

 

[cthoma11]

Originally posted by reeann
I was taught that salvation has three parts:
Justification: Christ died for our sins, imputes Christ's Righteousneous onto us. OR, in a nutshell FREEDOM from the PENALTY of sin
Santication: Christ is working on us, changing us everyday, remaking us into His image. OR, in a nutshell, FREEDOM from the POWER of sin
Glorification: our goal, to live with God in Heavn. This wil happen in the future. OR, in a nutshell, FREEDOM from the PRESENCE of sin.

Ditto to Mike's Amen.

As to the process of sanctification, the following was a blessing to me so I thought I'd pass it on.

In Galations 5:24 where it talks about our sin nature being crucified: "Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." I did a study where the example given with this verse is that when someone was crucified, they were positionally dead, BUT they didn't die right away. They hung on for days, gasping for breath and fighting for life. Likewise, our sin nature is crucified and positionally dead but will fighting for life when we die. This helped explain a lot to me.