Grace and Faith: Part 2

This is the second in a 2-part series on salvation. Here's Tuesday's post that complements this one. 

Paul tells us in Ephesians that believers are "saved by grace through faith.” In the book of Romans, Paul discusses the nature of salvation. Being "saved" means to be "rescued" or "delivered." He explains that we are saved from something to something. Theologically speaking, we are saved from sin and its consequences to a condition of righteousness with its coordinate blessings.

In Romans, Paul identifies salvation's multiple dimensions. Upon receiving Jesus Christ by faith, we are saved immediately from the penalty of our sin (Romans 10:13-14). We are saved progressively from the power of sin (Romans 5:9-10). And we will be saved ultimately from the presence of sin    (Romans 13:11). In theological terms, these are respectively categorized as Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification.

The moment a person is saved, in the sense of Justification, a number of changes happen instantaneously. Consider this list of biblically identified changes. The moment we are "Saved":

1. Our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life--the roll book of Heaven (Luke 10:20, Revelation 20:12,15).

2. We are secured by God into His family (John 10:27-28).

3. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside (indwell) us and thereby gives us access to the Father (John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 6:19, and Ephesians 2:13,18).

4. We are made servants of God--no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:22).

5. We become heirs of God--and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17, Galatians 3:24).

6. We are placed into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).

7. We immediately become a new creation ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).

8. We are adopted into God's family (Galatians 4:5).

9. We are made citizens of Heaven (Ephesians 2:19, Philippians 3:20).

10. Our sin debt is totally and forever cancelled (1 Peter 1:18, Colossians 2:14).

11. We are made priests before God--we represent people before God--an awesome responsibility ( 1 Peter 3:5,9).

So the process looks like this. Salvation  starts with God and His grace, requires our faith response and has multiple dimensions. Nonetheless, the moment we are saved our eternal destiny is altered forever. And all of this is driven by God's great love which is why He established grace in the first place! He wants us (all of us) to be saved.