Salvation is not a product, but a daily relationship with God in Christ. It is not finished when one trusts Christ; it has only begun (a gate and then a road, cf. Matt. 7:13-14)! It is not a fire insurance policy, nor a ticket to heaven, but a life of growing Christlikeness (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4; 4:13; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3,7; 5:23; 1 Pet. 1:15). We have a proverbial saying in America that says the longer a couple lives together, the more they begin to look alike. This is the goal of salvation!
SALVATION AS A COMPLETED ACTION (aorist)
• Acts 15:11
• Romans 8:24
• 2 Timothy 1:9
• Titus 3:5
• Romans 13:11 (combines the aorist with a future orientation)
SALVATION AS A STATE OF BEING (perfect)
• Ephesians 2:5,8
SALVATION AS A CONTINUING PROCESS (present)
• 1 Corinthians 1:18; 15:2
• 2 Corinthians 2:15
• 1 Peter 3:21
SALVATION AS A FUTURE CONSUMMATION (future in verb tense or context)
• Romans 5:9,10; 10:9,13
• 1 Corinthians 3:15; 5:5
• Philippians 1:28
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9
• Hebrews 1:14; 9:28
• 1 Peter 1:5
Therefore, salvation begins with an initial faith decision (cf. John 1:12; 3:16; Rom. 10:9-13), but this must issue in lifestyle faith (cf. Rom. 8:29; Gal. 2:19-20; Eph. 1:4; 2:10), which will one day be consummated in sight (cf. 1 John 3:2). This final state is called glorification (cf. Rom. 8:28-30). This can be illustrated as
1. initial salvation – justification (saved from the penalty of sin)
2. progressive salvation – sanctification (saved from the power of sin)
3. final salvation – glorification (saved from the presence of sin)