Thus, salvation may signify any or all of the blessings outlined in the chart. While the subjective experience of being saved may have degrees and look very different from person to person, the objective state of being saved is categorical and absolute. From God's perspective there is a definite point in time when those who have trusted in Christ pass from death into life (1 John 3:14). This, however, is not where salvation starts. From God's vantage point salvation begins with hiselection of individuals, which is his determination beforehand that his saving purpose will be accomplished in them (John 6:37-39, 44, 64-66; 8:47; 10:26; 15:16; Acts 13:48; 16:14; Romans 9:1-33; 1 John 4:19; 5:1). God then in due course bringspeople to himself by calling them to faith in Christ (Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 2:9).
The Blessings of Salvation
| Justification | has been saved | from the guilt of sin | Ephesians 2:8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanctification | is being saved | from the power of sin | 1 Corinthians 1:18 |
| Glorification | will be saved | from the presence of sin | Acts 15:11 |
God's calling produces regeneration, which is the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in which a spiritually dead person is made alive in Christ (Ezekiel 11:19–20; Matthew 19:28; John 3:3, 5, 7; Titus 3:5). The revived heart repents and trusts Christ insaving faith as the only source of justification. To be a Christian means one has traded in his “polluted garment” of self-righteousness for the perfect righteousness of Christ (Philippians 3:8–9; cf. Isaiah 64:6). He has ceased striving and now rests in the finished work of Christ—no longer depending on personal accomplishments, religious pedigree, or good works for God's approval, but only on what Christ has accomplished on his behalf (Philippians 2:8–9). A Christian understands with Paul that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). As regards Jesus paying the penalty for our sins, the Christian believes that when Jesus said, “it is finished” (John 19:30), it really was. Because of this, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1), and they have been “saved to the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25). A miraculous transformation has taken place in which the believer has “passed from death to life” (John 5:24). The Holy Spirit empowers the transformation from rebellious sinner to humble worshiper, leading to “confidence for the day of judgment” (1 John 4:17).
Much of Protestantism in the last two centuries has been influenced by revivalism, which puts a great emphasis on “making a decision for Christ” in a public and definitive way. These “moments of decision” often come to be treated as the crucial evidence that one is truly saved. Other Protestant traditions, less influenced by revivalism, are often content to leave the conversion experience less clearly identified, and put the focus rather on Christian experience, identification with the church, or reliance upon the sacraments. Both of these traditions have benefits and strengths, as well as potential problems. The “decision” approach rightly emphasizes the need for personal commitment to Christ Jesus and the idea that regeneration takes place at a specific time. The potential downside is that this view can lead to a simplistic, human-centered understanding of being saved where one depends too heavily on the initial, specific act of trusting Christ as the primary evidence of conversion. As a result, one can doubt that the “decision” was real, leading to numerous journeys down the aisle (just in case), or else to total dependence on the onetime walk down the aisle, even in the absence of the necessary fruit of salvation. Other traditions appreciate the sovereignty of God and role of the church in the salvation process but can leave conversion so vague that the need for personal trust in Christ and the resulting evidence of a changed life can be neglected.
God uses vastly different circumstances and experiences to bring people to himself. As C. H. Spurgeon said, “God's Spirit calls men to Jesus in diverse ways. Some are drawn so gently that they scarce know when the drawing began, and others are so suddenly affected that their conversion stands out with noonday clearness.” The best evidence of true salvation is not having raised a hand or prayed a prayer, or having been baptized or christened. Instead, the true test of an authentic work of God in one's life is sanctification as God continues the moral transformation he began in regeneration. This transformation will continue until the redeemed person is resurrected and made completely holy in heaven (glorification; cf. Romans 8:28–30; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 3:2).
God's sanctifying work is seen in growing Christlike character, increasing love for God and people, and the fruit of the Spirit (John 14:2; 15:1–16:33; Galatians 5:22–25; James 2:18). Of course, a memorable conversion experience may serve as an important reference point for a saving work of God in one's life, but it is only the obvious, ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in making one more and more like Jesus that gives sufficiently clear indication that a person has been made a new creation in Christ. While a Christian should never be satisfied with his current state of holiness, he should be confident that through God's sovereign, sanctifying grace he will one day have totally won the victory over sin once and for all. This will be the moment of entering by death into a larger life in which our sinful heart is finally purified. Meanwhile, living with this hope as one battles sin daily is true Christian perseverance (1 Corinthians 1:8–9; Ephesians 1:13–14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; 1 Peter 1:4–5; 1 John 2:19; Jude 1, 24–25), which is itself a sign that one has been born again.
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