Being saved process

[Joanna]

I was baptised/christened as a baby in the Church of England/Anglican church. I see baptism of children as a parallel with a service of dedication of infants in other churches. I have always since I was a child believed I'm a Christian.   At aged 16, I was told by a Baptist that I wasn't a Christian and that I need to be saved or else I would go to hell. I was told to pray a prayer to ask Jesus into my life to be saved and then I was told I'd become a Christian and would be able to go to heaven. I did not feel the joy they said I should have felt on becoming a Christian. It wasn't a happy experience for me. I did it as I didn't want to go to hell. Since then I've always objected to the idea of hell. It wasn't a fiery hell but it was still hell.

[Tom]

I was told that I was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church when I was a baby. I think they do that to try to keep you from going to their imaginary "hell" before you even know what it is or what you're supposed to do to keep from going to their imaginary "hell." Later, when I decided to check out the Protestant Church for awhile, I got baptized in some water in the mountains which kind of upset my die hard Catholic dad when he found out about it. Now I don't even think it's necessary for believers to go through the ritual of water baptism that John the Baptist was doing for the Jews because scripture says there's one baptism despite what Pentecostals may say even though I played their game for a while too. I don't believe you get saved by the "sinners prayer." I think you were a Christian when that Baptist said you weren't just because you hadn't performed their ritual just like I now believe I was already baptized in the spirit like the Pentecostals told me I wasn't until I performed their ritual. All these crazy denominations are just like private clubs that put you through rituals to join them, and none of it is according to scripture, just their distorted doctrine. 

"For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting." (Ephesians 2:8,9)

"We, then, were entombed together with Him through baptism into death, that, even as Christ was roused from among the dead through the glory of the Father, thus we also should be walking in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)

"For in one spirit also we all are baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and all are made to imbibe one spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13)

"one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5)

"Being entombed together with Him in baptism, in Whom you were roused together also through faith in the operation of God" (Colossians 2:12)

[micah7:9]

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. :HeartThrob:

[joeteekay]

Hi Joanna,

I posted this some time ago. It fits with the subject you mention. My contribution to this subject is:

Salvation is a process.  How does it begin?  God has a plan.  That plan consists of three main events - Christ, the first of the first fruits,  then those who are His at His return and finally the rest of mankind in the white throne judgment.

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

And the salvation of an individual in this eon is a step by step process.  So how does it begin?

Although the concept of predestination is a controversial one, it is mentioned in scripture.  Strong's G4309, defines predestination:  "to determine beforehand, to predetermine, pre-ordain".  So, did God determine beforehand who would be the Elect, those written in the book of Life?  These two verses in Ephesians would indicate this is the case.

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

If so, when did God decide this?  It may well have started eons ago, before the foundations of the cosmos.

Eph_1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Rev_13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

God knows the end from the beginning.  He has a plan for all of humanity and works that plan precisely and perfectly.  So, if God knew before the foundations of the cosmos, who would be the Elect,  how are they, the chosen generation, the royal priesthood recruited?  Many are called (recruited) but few are chosen.  Just a few chosen to be Saints, the Elect.  To be in the first resurrection.

So no one should conclude that if you are called, then you are also chosen.  Yes many are called but out of the many only a few are chosen.  Why aren't the called and chosen the same?  Is God fair in calling many to Christ, but only choosing a few of the many who are called?

Rom_8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

From Rom. 8:30 we see how this occurs.  In order for a person to be chosen and justified, that person must of course first be called.  Many are called. Paul explained this in Philippians.

Php_1:18  What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

Php 1:15  Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Php 1:16  The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
Php 1:17  But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
Php 1:18  What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

Paul rejoiced in Christ being preached, even if He was preached by others for untoward reasons.  It is a good thing that Christ is preached, even by TV evangelists, because it is a process by which people can recognize their need for a Saviour.  If they believe in Christ and that it is only through Him that salvation is attainable, it provides an incentive for them to live moral lives and to live peacefully in society.  Thus the majority of Christians are the ones who are the "called".

There is only one way to enter through the narrow gate and become one of the Elect.  But it is not by man's will.  Only by and through God can someone become one of the chosen - the Elect.  People responding to an altar call at an hyped up evangelical campaign is often just an emotional response in an electrifying atmosphere.  Not a true conversion process in almost all cases IMO.

No one can truly come to Christ by self will or desire.  Nor by a preacher's strong and moving sermons.  It only comes from God the Father.

Rom_9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

As for the ones chosen, they become the Elect of God.  They are the ones who receive grace from God.  The Elect have been shown the mercy of God and have the faith of Christ in them.

Eph_2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph. 2:8 is a very oft quoted verse and it has so much meaning.  "Not of yourselves". Again it is all of God.  The word grace is over simplified in Christian circles IMO, to the point that it has almost become trite.  Grace (G5485) is God's loving favour towards us. That is what grace is.  But is so much more because it accomplishes things in the Elect ( good works for example).  There is so much to understand about grace.

And of course grace and justification are related.

Rom_3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

One simple definition of justification is being made right with God.

I will stop here because this is getting too long and there is so much more to this big topic.

Col_3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

[jabcat]

 A lot of good information shared so far, addressing various aspects.  I'll quote the verse already shared;

"Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:"


then add  Acts 16:30,31   he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved"     

and Romans 10:9   that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

[Seth]

Just to add a bit more info to these great posts.

Matt. 1:22
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS (meaning Jehovah saves): for he shall save his people from their sins.

I don't see anything in there about hell  :Chinscratch:
But I do see support for salvation as a process.

[Tom]

"He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world." (Ephesians 1:4)

"Much rather, then, being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation, through Him." (Romans 5:9)

"If ever you should be avowing with your mouth the declaration that Jesus is Lord, and should be believing in your heart that God rouses Him from among the dead, you shall be saved." (Romans 10:9)

"For everyone, whoever should be invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

"If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:15)

"Now I am making known to you, brethren, the evangel which I bring to you, which also you accepted, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved, if you are retaining what I said in bringing the evangel to you, outside and except you believe feignedly." (1 Corinthians 15:1,2)

"For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting." (Ephesians 2:8,9)

"our Saviour, God, Who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3,4)

"We rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers." (1 Timothy 4:10)

[Tom]

"Then Jesus said to His disciples: "If anyone is wanting to come after Me, let him renounce himself and pick up his cross and follow Me. For whosoever may be wanting to save his soul shall be destroying it. Yet whoever should be destroying his soul on My account shall be finding it." (Matthew 16:24,25)

"And, calling the throng to Him, together with His disciples, He said to them, "If anyone is wanting to come after Me, let him renounce himself and pick up his cross and follow Me. For whosoever may be wanting to save his soul will be destroying it, yet whoever shall be destroying his soul on account of Me and of the evangel will be saving it." (Mark 8:34,35)

"Now He said to all, "If anyone is wanting to come after Me, let him disown himself and pick up his cross daily and follow Me. For whosoever may be wanting to save his soul, shall be destroying it, yet whoever should be destroying his soul on My account, he shall be saving it." (Luke 9:23,24)

"For the Son of Mankind came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)

"For since, in fact, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom knew not God, God delights, through the stupidity of the heralding, to save those who are believing." (1 Corinthians 1:21)

"Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom am I." (1 Timothy 1:15)

"Attend to yourself and to the teaching. Be persisting in them, for in doing this you will save yourself as well as those hearing you." (1 Timothy 4:16)

"All flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:6)

"This is the Stone that is being scorned by you builders, which is becoming the head of the corner. And there is no salvation in any other one, for neither is there any other name, given under heaven among men, in which we must be saved." (Acts 4:11,12)

"Being bold, both Paul and Barnabas, say, 'To you first was it necessary that the word of God be spoken. Yet, since, in fact, you are thrusting it away, and are judging yourselves not worthy of eonian life, lo! we are turning to the nations. For thus the Lord has directed us: I have appointed Thee for a light of the nations; for Thee to be for salvation as far as the limits of the earth.'" (Acts 13:46,47)

"Let it be known to you, then, that to the nations was dispatched this salvation of God, and they will hear." (Acts 28:28)

"For not ashamed am I of the evangel, for it is God's power for salvation to everyone who is believing--to the Jew first, and to the Greek as well." (Romans 1:16)

"For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, yet with the mouth it is avowed for salvation." (Romans 10:10)

"I am saying, then, Do they not trip that they should be falling? May it not be coming to that! But in their offense is salvation to the nations, to provoke them to jealousy." (Romans 11:11)

"Love is not working evil to an associate. The complement, then, of law, is love. This, also, do, being aware of the era, that it is already the hour for us to be roused out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believe." (Romans 13:10,11)

"For He is saying, 'In a season acceptable I reply to you, And in a day of salvation I help you.' Lo! Now is a most acceptable era! Lo! Now is a day of salvation!'" (2 Corinthians 6:2)

"For sorrow according to God is producing repentance for unregretted salvation, yet the sorrow of the world is producing death." (2 Corinthians 7:10)

"In Whom you also--on hearing the word of truth, the evangel of your salvation--in Whom on believing also, you are sealed with the holy spirit of promise." (Ephesians 1:13)

"And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is a declaration of God." (Ephesians 6:17)

"Only be citizens walking worthily of the evangel of Christ, that, whether coming and making your acquaintance, or being absent, I should be hearing of your concerns, that you are standing firm in one spirit, one soul, competing together in the faith of the evangel, and not being startled by those who are opposing in anything, which is to them a proof of destruction, yet of your salvation, and this from God." (Philippians 1:27,28)

"So that, my beloved, according as you always obey, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, with fear and trembling, be carrying your own salvation into effect, for it is God Who is operating in you to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight." (Philippians 2:12)

"Yet we, being of the day, may be sober, putting on the cuirass of faith and love, and the helmet, the expectation of salvation, for God did not appoint us to indignation, but to the procuring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for our sakes, that, whether we may be watching or drowsing, we should be living at the same time together with Him." (1 Thessalonians 5:8-10)

"Now we ought to be thanking God always concerning you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, seeing that God prefers you from the beginning for salvation, in holiness of the spirit and faith in the truth, into which He also calls us through our evangel, for the procuring of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2:13,14)

"Therefore I am enduring all because of those who are chosen, that they also may be happening upon the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with glory eonian." (2 Timothy 2:10)

"Now you be remaining in what you learned and verified, being aware from whom you learned it, and that from a babe you are acquainted with the sacred scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:14,15)