01/24/24 OVERVIEW OF SALVATION

01/24/24 OVERVIEW OF SALVATION

What God provides and what we should expect in our salvation (in a very abbreviated form).

"Salvation," refers to both a specific reality and a general reality. The word, "salvation" is used in reference to the specific event or initial time of a sinners reconciliation with God (conversion, regeneration, justification, forgiveness), but it is also used in reference to God's entire work of reconciliation (life of faith, growth in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, walking in light, conforming to the will of God, producing the Fruit of the Spirit, developing spiritual graces, final victory, resurrection and eternal glorification).

Salvation, like other actions or works of God, takes place in phases, as seen in human life. Here are some highlights of the Christian experience. This is not an exhaustive outline.

Conviction for sin and call to repentance.
Faith, repentance, confession of sins, confession of Christ as Savior.
Conversion, which includes regeneration, justification, sanctification (separation from sins committed, a sinning life and separation to a life of faith and faithfulness to God), denying self and following Jesus.
Daily love, faith, obedience, submission, resulting in growth in grace and knowledge, bearing the Fruit of the Spirit and developing the graces of God.
Realization that there remains a nature (an attitude) that rebels against the will of God, and understanding that this evil nature cannot be controlled or subjected to either man or the law of God, but must be removed by the purifying work of the Holy Spirit, though total surrender.

This sinful nature, Old Man, Carnal Mind, Double Mindedness was not the result of personal sinning, and therefore could not be forgiven through conversion. This "Body of Death," this "Evil Heart of Unbelief," this "Law of Sin and Death," can only be conquered by surrendering to the fullness of the Holy Spirit, trusting the Blood of Christ and walking in the Word of God. The Bible calls this, "Entire Sanctification." It is dying self, it is putting the Old Man to death, it is trusting only in the full salvation of Christ.

Sanctification begins at conversion and becomes thorough at total surrender and continues to influence and impact every area of our Christian development as we faithfully follow Christ throughout life. The difference is an internal cleansing from the inherited sinful disposition, which makes our overall Christian experience more fulfilled and fulfilling.

Trials, temptations, testings continue throughout our walk with Christ, but we are more than conquerors and we are over-comers as we keep our eyes upon Jesus.