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| Philippians 1:6 |
Salvation cuts the strings of sin. Salvation means to "rescue" or "deliver" someone. The Bible is the story of how God rescues us. He delivers us from sin. Philippians 1:6 says,
 Philippians 1:6 |
"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." |
This verse teaches three things about salvation. Something past: "He who has begun a good work in you." Something present: "He . . . has begun a good work in you and will continue to complete it." And something future: "He . . . will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Salvation has three main parts. Let's look at each one carefully.
1. JUSTIFICATION: I HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN.
Romans 5:1 |
"Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." |
What does it mean to be justified? Justification is a legal act of God, at the instant we believe in Christ, in which He 1) forgives our sins, 2) imputes Christ's righteousness to us, and 3) declares us to be righteous in His sight, thereby 4) delivering us forever from all condemnation, guaranteeing for us a title to heaven. There is a lot there, but its not all that complicated.
First, Justification is a legal act of God. Now, a doctor operates on you to fix you, and make you better. A judge doesn't change a person but he declares (or tells) what you are. When God justifies you He does not make you righteous but He declares that you are righteous.
The word justify is often used this way in the Bible. For example, Luke 7:29 says "when they heard this all the people . . . justified God . . ." It says that the people justified God. Now did they make God righteous? No, it means that they declared God to be righteous.
The opposite of justification is condemnation. Condemnation does not mean to make wicked, but to declare that one is wicked. Romans 8:33, 34 says "It is God who justifies, who is it who condemns?" Now condemnation does not make a person wicked, but declares them to be wicked. And justification does not mean to make righteous, but to declare righteous.
Second, Justification happens at the instant we believe in Christ. Justification is not a process that happens over time, but happens instantly. In the Scripture, justification is referred to in the past tense (Romans 5:1, 9; 8:1, 32). Romans 5:1 and 9 says that we have been justified. Romans 8:1 says
Romans 8:1 |
"there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." |
Third, justification involves the forgiveness of our sins. This means that God stops holding our sins against us and declares us "not guilty." Speaking of justification, David says "blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account" (Romans 4:7-8).
Fourth, God imputes Christ's righteousness to us. How can God declare us, who are all sinners and break God's laws every day, righteous? Not because of our good works. The answer is that God gives us the righteousness of someone else--Jesus Christ. You did not perfectly obey God. But Christ did. So God gives you credit for Christ's obedience.
Fifth, God declares us to be righteous in His sight It's not enough just to have our sins forgiven. That would only make us neutral in God's sight, whereas God requires us to have a positive righteousness--the righteousness of having perfectly obeyed His law. For example, I am not guilty of breaking the law in China--I am innocent of their laws. I am "not guilty." But I am not looked upon as having obeyed any of their laws, either. I am neutral to their laws. God requires that His laws be obeyed. Therefore, God must not only declare me to be "not guilty," but also must declare me to have perfectly fulfilled His law. That is, God must declare me to be righteous in order to be in a right relationship with Him. He does this in justification.
Sixth, God delivers us forever from all condemnation, guaranteeing for us a title to heaven. Because justification involves forgiveness, being given Christ's righteousness, and being declared righteous, we are thereby delivered from all condemnation because there is no reason left for us to be condemned. If we are justified we can never be sent to hell (Romans 8:1). Justification therefore secures for us a title for heaven (Romans 8:31-32).
2. SANCTIFICATION: I AM BEING SAVED FROM THE PRACTICE OF SIN.
3. GLORIFICATION: I WILL BE SAVED FROM THE PRESENCE OF SIN.
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by Steve Nicholes
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