• Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

ScottA

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2011
15,789
7,080
113
www.FinishingTheMystery.com
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
There is NO process. Not to salvation.

There is a process of salvation coming to all who are called; there is a process to God revealing everything about salvation; and there is even a process for those born of the spirit of God after they receive salvation. But when salvation comes--THERE IS NO PROCESS--it comes when not expected, and when it does, it comes "in the twinkling of an eye."

That is the reason for all the past tense language use in the scriptures since salvation first came at Pentecost.

The process that does occur is not of salvation occurring, but of the lead up to it coming. So, yes, there is a process to being called, chosen, drawn, of belief, of coming unto one's self--which are all rightly part of death. Not that salvation comes at death necessarily, although many die in there sins never knowing or receiving salvation until they pass from this life. But the death that I am referring to is rather the process of delivering everyone ever born unto the death God declared from the beginning, saying "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17). That is, with each person partaking and dying in their own time. Or as Paul alluded to this mostly mistaken issue, "but each one in his own order" (1 Corinthians 15:23). Just as it is common to refer to "back in the day" or refer to a persons whole life as "in their day", that is also true of God saying "in that day" ("in that day you eat of it"). That is the process of everyone (in their own "day") entering into sin and death. Wherein "many are called but few are chosen" by God. Only few, because some like "seed fall by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fall on stony places on...and some fall on good ground", etc. Which speaks of the process of some eventually coming to salvation. Still, salvation hasn't happened yet--that's just the process leading up to it. And it is on this path of believing and following Christ that one can still loose their salvation opportunity--before it happens.

Jesus explained this and gave many parables as examples, even making examples of his own disciples and apostles. When Jesus presented many "followers" and "believers" with a hard story--that of needing to eat his flesh and drink his blood--many left off from following him. "Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” Peter then alluded to the dividing line between eternal death and eternal life, saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Which was an example of the dividing line where salvation is attained or not.

But when salvation comes as Jesus explained it would come, as he said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" At which point the "process" is complete, for this is where it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us (Galatians 2:20). Which is that "day and hour no one knows" except the Father. Which may come at the hour of our physical death, or while we are seemingly still alive--as Paul alluded to, referring to "we who are alive and remain"--alive in God, but yet remaining in this world and in the flesh...to do "good works." This is the time of which Jesus spoke, saying, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand." Eternal. Salvation--actual salvation--is "eternal" (forever).

I have given some of the chapter and verse references, but not all. But please look them up, because it is like a string of fine pearls "precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little there a little."

And that is the "process"--not of salvation--but the process leading up to it, wherein we are counseled to "persevere unto the end."
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: markalan