The Ways of God – The Process of Salvation (Introduction)
This article will be the first of several parts on God’s way for salvation. Those who have followed the inLight Adventures Blog for even a short time will recognize the topic. We touch on the subject at least once a year and have covered it in some way in every book we’ve published.
So, let me encourage you to search out the matter with us again. I pray you will be further encouraged by the Holy Spirit to share it with others. The Western church’s lack of understanding and teaching on this subject explains (at least in part) the decline it has suffered.
We will begin with God’s promise for our new birth in Jesus Christ.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:26-27
Biblical prophecy often speaks of multiple ages and peoples in the same passage. Here, in the middle of God’s promise to physically return Israel to their Promised Land, we discover His promise and description of the spiritual rebirth available to us through Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension:
- The removal of our old, corrupt heart, and the giving of a new, living one.
- A new spirit to replace the one that died when mankind rebelled against God in the Garden.
- The Holy Spirit living within us to counsel, instruct, encourage, and empower our new life.
Wow!! Truly, God does so much initially, it is hard to imagine there is more for Him to do. Salvation would be so much more attractive and easier for everyone if such a proposition were true. We could sit back and just let it happen.
Thank God, Scripture fails to support such a notion. Jesus and Paul make it clear: our salvation requires focused attention, continuous consideration, and effectual energy.
Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:23-24
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling… Philippians 2:12
I dare say these two passages are seldom taught, experienced, and witnessed in church today. When was the last time you heard a church leader warn their congregation that short of striving, they will not enter into the kingdom of God? “Working out your own salvation” sounds too much like work to get much airplay.
Consequently, many are loitering at the gate expecting to ease their way into the kingdom. I fear many will be surprised, confused, frustrated, and angry when they discover the truth was not shared with them.
Please note, this matter of striving to enter the kingdom of God and working out our own salvation applies to the most committed Armenian and Calvinist alike. Furthermore, these commands leave no room for compromising interpretation. Faithful obedience is the only reasonable response.
The question that comes most quickly to mind – How much striving and working out is required? – is the wrong question. The born again, believing, God loving, follower of Jesus Christ instead will ask, “How do I best participate with the One who is working in me to will and to do to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13)? How do I become all God created and saved me to be? How much working out and striving am I allowed to invest?”
Strive (agōnizomai) means “to endeavor with strenuous zeal to obtain something”. To work out (katergazomai), one must “perform, accomplish, achieve; doing that from which something results”. Clearly, salvation is something more that raising a hand, walking to the front, and saying a prayer.
If we are honest with ourselves and each other, we must admit that Christians, both individually and corporately, have become lackadaisical about salvation to the point of ignorance and/or disobedience. The problem we must face is this: Ignorance is a poor excuse, and disobedience will not be tolerated.
The Bible is clear and the Holy Spirit resides in us to enlighten our understanding. Perhaps we are simply disobedient to the faith we have been given. Woe unto us if this is true!
By Grace, Through Faith, for Good Works
This brings us to an important point: God’s way for our salvation depends on our adherence to the process of faith. The faith which lays hold of God’s grace for witnessing in the checkout line or going on mission to Africa is the same faith which lays hold of God’s grace for salvation.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Faith, grace, and the good works of God all belong to God, come from God as gifts, and operate together in exactly the same way for our salvation. In every case, faith requires hearing, obedience, and good work. In every aspect, Jesus Christ is the author and the finisher (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Consequently, what sounds like a lot of work on our part – this “working out” and “striving” – is instead a description of our effort to participate with God in His salvation work. God does the heavy lifting, but not without our active engagement and exercise. Please read that again.
This matter of God’s way for salvation is a mystery. It makes as much sense to our human reasoning as God telling Joshua that He (God) is the one who drove out the nations – that the entire nation of Israel simply participated in God’s good work. But, unless God is a liar, that is exactly what happened.
Remember, as with all kingdom mysteries, divine revelation comes when we receive God’s gift of faith for the mystery, and use that faith to lay hold of God’s grace for the renewal of our minds. Trusting God must supersede our natural desire to reason through to a logical conclusion.
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
John Henry Sammis
Process or Event?
For those of you who struggle with the notion of salvation being more than an event, we offer here a brief biblical proof. We share this more to get your carnal mind out of the way than anything else. Believe it or not (no pun intended), our carnal minds work diligently to prevent our progress in all of God’s ways, and particularly in His way for our salvation.
For by grace you have been saved (past tense) through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved (present tense) it is the power of God. 1Corinthians 1:18
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved (present tense) and among those who are perishing. 2Corinthians 2:15
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved (future tense) from wrath through Him. Romans 5:9
But he who endures to the end shall be saved (future tense). Matthew 24:13
As followers of Jesus Christ, we “have been saved”, we “are being saved” and we “shall be saved”. The implications of this are profound in many ways. For example, how do you answer the question, “When were you saved?”
It makes you think, doesn’t it? Wonderful! That’s exactly what the Lord is after – followers who will humbly consider the truth.
Regarding salvation, we should praise God that it is a process, whereby God is doing the greatest thing He has ever done for man; and not just in a moment, but in the full length and breadth of our lives!
A Pause for Consideration
This seems like a good place to pause (and I’ve already gone over the recommended length for blog articles). Next time, we will dig into the process of faith for salvation by considering the hearing, obedience, and work particularly associated with God’s way for our salvation. We will also suggest several disciplines God has given us for striving and working out His commands. In the process (again, no pun intended), we will identify several action steps to help us successfully navigate the process of salvation in these chaotic times.
In the meantime, please familiarize yourself with the process of faith (explored in our last four articles), and ask the Holy Spirit to give you personal meaning for the striving and working out God expects.
God bless you with grace, courage, and wisdom for searching out the mysteries of His kingdom.
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob
#iamjustthepen