An Outline to Study and Share
Salvation: past, present and future
1. Past Tense: Believers in Jesus have been saved!
The Lord Jesus Christ promised: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).
a. Believers have been saved from the penalty of sin.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
b. The believer’s spirit has been saved.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5, 6).
c. Salvation is though the Cross–Christ’s death for us.
“…Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Pet 2:24,25).
d. Salvation is assured through Christ’s resurrection
“[righteousness] shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Rom 4:24,25).
e. Salvation is by God’s grace.
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins … For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:1,8, 9).
f. Salvation is through faith.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
g. Faith takes God at His Word.
“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:9-13).
This salvation is declared in the hymn, The Solid Rock:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.[1]
Have you come into this saving relationship with God? Do you celebrate your deliverance?
[1] by Edward Mote, 1834
In Scripture quotations, bracketed words are added.
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Copyright 2011 by John Woodward. Permission is granted to reprint for non-commercial use. Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version, Copyright by Thomas Nelson. (Italics added for emphasis by JBW)