Soteriology

The doctrine of salvation can be broken into four individual parts: regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. This process of salvation will end with the eternal state where believers will reside with Christ forever. There is no other name under heaven whereby a person may be born again (Acts 4:12) – it is Jesus and Jesus alone (Jn. 14:6). The understanding of the gospel message is enlightened by the Holy Spirit, who also enables man’s heart to respond in child-like faith, as one must be “born from above” in order to have eternal life (Jn. 3:3; Tit. 3:5).

Regeneration is a total act of God that is not dependent on the action of mankind, as man has placed his trust in Christ for salvation (Eph. 2:1, 8). The result of regeneration is to pursue the things that are just and holy, not attending to the things of the world. When this change occurs, the mankind has been changed into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). It is the power that raised Christ from the grave is the same power that has been made alive in those who will trust Christ alone for salvation (Eph. 1:19-20). It is the flesh that does not desire the things of God, as one must be born of the spirit to enter the kingdom (Jn. 3:3-7; 1 Jn. 3:9). The result of regeneration is to have an internal peace with a new life and family through the Father (Rom. 5:1). It is not through works but through rebirth that one comes into relationship with Christ (Rom. 3:20). We, as believers, are born again into the family of God because Christ indwells the believers through the person of the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 36:26; Tit. 3:5).

Next, justification means to be declared righteous in God’s sight. The means of justification is faith in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection. To be adopted into God’s family is to show a positive standing with God (Jn. 1:12). Therefore, faith is only the “instrument” in which justification is given to the believer. The act of justification on the believer’s account is the foundation of a covenant relationship between the believer and Christ, having legal ramifications (Acts 13:39). Justification itself does not make the person righteous, but it does pronounce the believer righteous. It is through the process of justification is to have an eternal assurance of salvation – allowing for sanctification to begin. “One who has been justified stands before God uncondemned and uncondemnable–not because of what he is in himself, but because of what Christ is in him.”[1] The process of being set apart for spiritual maturity, sanctification, is detailed within the next section. The faith of adoption is to be brought under the care that is only illuminated through the Father (Rom. 8:16-17). He provides wise provision for those “in Christ” (Lk. 11:11-13). Christ followers are to be in the world but are to be excluded from the things that are “of the world” (Jas. 1:27). The believer is to long for purity while being salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16).

Finally, glorification is removing sin from the believer in the eternal state (Rom. 8:18). The glorification of the believer will come when Jesus returns to rapture the church (1 Cor. 15:51). It is then that believers will be transformed to be just like Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). We will be like Him when He returns, as “we shall see Him as He is” (1 Jn. 3:2).[2]By justification, man now has a future hope of living eternally with Christ. Glorification is both individual and collective in nature. It witnesses an overlap of salvation and doctrine of eschatology. The future promise of blessedness is viewed in light of the glory to come (Rom. 8:18; Eph. 1:13-14). The moral and spiritual perfection of the believer may be viewed as the removal of all things that are related to sin but will instead bring the fullness of knowledge (Col. 1:22; Rev. 20:7-10).[3] Concerning 1 Corinthians 15:38-50, Paul is able to draw conclusions between the flesh and glorified bodies: perishable verses incorruptible, dishonor versus glorious, weak versus powerful, and physical versus resurrected.

[1] James R. White, God Who Justifies (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2001), 98.

[2] See John 1:12; Rom. 3:22-23; 6:23; 10:9-10; 11:6; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; Col 2:1, 9-10; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 John 1:9

[3] See the eschatology section for details on the rapture of the church.