Five Phases of Salvation
7 July 2011
1. THE ETERNAL PHASE: This phase of salvation comprises God’s will, purpose and plan to save His people from their sins and the wrath to come. It occurred in eternity past by the sovereignty of a triune God. It is clearest seen in the doctrines of foreknowledge, election and predestination.
A. Foreknowledge: The act of God in foreknowing in a certain people in love based upon God’s will and sovereignty, not based on foreseen merit (Romans 8:29).
B. Election: The act of God in the choosing of a people to salvation based upon His knowing them in love and not influenced by any foreseen works on man’s part (Romans 9:11).
C. Predestination: The act of God in predetermining the eternal destiny of those He foreknew and loved to live with Him in heaven one day (Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 8:29-30).
- THE LEGAL PHASE OF SALVATION: This phase of salvation comprises God’s reconciliation of sin for His elect by satisfying the righteous demands of the law of God by the death and blood shedding of Jesus Christ. It took place at the crucifixion of Christ about 33 A.D. The legal phase of salvation is clearest seen in the doctrines of justification, redemption, substitution, propitiation and the atonement.
A. Justification: The divine act of a Holy God who judicially declares a sinner to be righteous because Christ has borne their sins on the cross (Romans 3:24-26; 5:9; 8:30).
B. Redemption: (Particular Redemption or Limited Atonement or Specific Atonement) Christ died for a chosen and specific people described in scripture by terms like my people, elect, chosen and called. His death redeemed all for whom He died (Matthew 1:21; Ephesians 1:7-20; 1 Peter 1:18).
C. Substitution: by the death of Christ, He took the place of His elect(Galatians 3:13;2 Cor. 5:21).
D. Propitiation: The appeasement of God by the death of Jesus Christ when He alone, upon His cross, satisfied God’s wrath forever (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10).
E. Atonement: The canceling of the eternal effects of sin for the elect thus reconciling the enmity between God the Father and His chosen people by the suffering and death of Jesus Christ(Romans 5:11).
3. THE VITAL PHASE: This phase of salvation involves the changing the nature from death in trespasses and sin to life in Christ Jesus. It takes place in the life of God’s elect when they are regenerated by the sovereign work of the Holy Ghost. This is when Christ takes up His abode in the heart. It is truly a new creation. It is expressed in synonymous terms such as: regenerated, new birth, born again, quickened, born from above and made alive in Christ. It is observed in the life of Paul on the Damascus road and the thief on the cross. It is clearest seen in the doctrine of regeneration (Titus 3:5/ Ephesians 2:1/John 3:8; 5:25
Regeneration: The act of God in giving life to the child of God by the effectual call of His Spirit. This is totally the act of God in quickening or creating new life in those dead in sin, causing them to be born of God. It takes place between conception and death, John the Baptist leaping for joy in his mother’s womb. It is accomplished solely and entirely by God.
4. THE PRACTICAL PHASE: While the vital phase of salvation involves a change of the nature, this phase involves a change in thinking when a person who is already regenerated hears and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also referred to as time salvation or gospel salvation. It is best described by the word conversion and is clearly demonstrated in the life of Cornelius and the Ethiopian Eunuch. This also involves the progressive work of the Spirit in the child of God, conforming the life practically to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ through repentance and good works. While it is based on God’s mercy, it is the only phase of salvation based upon man’s obedience. It is also demonstrated by the doctrine of practical sanctification. Other phrases and words that are used to express this phase of salvation include: repentance, the Christian walk, the fight of faith and growing in grace. Some Christians refer to this as being saved.
Conversion: The changing of the mind concerning Christ and His person affected by the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and continues throughout the experience of the Christians as they are continually changing and growing (Psalm 51:13, Matthew 13:15, 18:3, Luke 22:32.
5. THE FINAL PHASE: This is the act of God in the resurrection and glorification of the bodies of the elect when Christ returns with the life giving voice that raises the dead. By this act, the earthly body is changed and made completely holy and kept in the presence of Christ forever. The exact same people enjoy this phase of salvation as those in the first phase. The Lord saves those He foreknew in love. This phase of salvation is best expressed in the doctrine of glorification.
Glorification: The act of God at the end of time in the glorifying of His people, body, soul and spirit to be made like Christ. God’s children shall then be incorruptible, immortal and forever changed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:30/ 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
