Salvation is a Past, Present and Future reality for every true believer

Salvation is a promise received by faith being lived out in the present to be fully acquired in the future. Been (position) saved – justified and adopted, being (process) saved – sanctification and perseverance, become (permanent) saved – kingdom and glory.

The promise of salvation (our eternal glory) is what stirs the heart of the new believer, and it should continue to encourage Christians until the time they are called home.

Salvation is a promise, a reality and a hope (a living hope), That is because our salvation is a past, present and future reality for every true believer. Along with Paul, this is my prayer for you, Ephesians 1:16-18; May God give you the Spirit of wisdom and a powerful and encouraging revelation of the knowledge of Him. So that you would have the eyes of your heart opened and you would be able to fully understand this amazing hope that He has called you so that you could fully comprehend the riches of His glorious inheritance (all the spiritual blessing in the heavenly places) we have in Jesus Christ. “The Gospel of your salvation!”

Past

Those who are in Christ have already been saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 reads “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.” As Christians we have assurance that we have already been saved.

Salvation in the past refers to two great acts of God – our justification and subsequent adoption into His family (Titus 3:5-7). We have been justified by His grace (past, the moment of initial belief where one is declared righteous before God and forgiven of sin due to Jesus' death on the cross. In justifying us, God declares that the requirements of holiness required by the law have been satisfied on our behalf (Romans 8:3-4). The righteousness of Jesus is imputed to us so that God declares we are innocent. In this way we are saved from the damnation we deserve. Romans 3:23-24 

Adoption is the declaration of God whereby those who have been justified are declared to be His children. (Galatians 4:6-7) They are adopted in His family by the Spirit and become heirs to the riches Christ gained for us (Romans 8:15-17) In Christ we obtain an inheritance (all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places) as His adopted children. While this is a past and present reality, it looks to the future for its fulfillment when we are partakers of His divine nature, being fully clothed in His likeness and immortality and enter His eternal kingdom.

So how does this apply to the lives of Christians today? Salvation as a past reality frees us from the penalty of guilt for sin (Romans 3:23, 6:23) and the power of sin which so often seeks to enslave us. We have assurance that the act of salvation is in our past, and when we were saved the guilt for our sin was transferred to Christ’s account.

Present

This impacts on our life in the present because it empowers us to live lives which are unburdened by guilt, freeing us to look to the present and the future. Romans 6:13, 22 – We present ourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life living lives of righteousness as we look forward to our future glory. We live in light of our salvation in the present.

This means in the present we are children of God who are redeemed and have become heirs (present position) according to the hope of eternal life – future glory. Those who are in Christ continue to experience salvation. In 1 Corinthians 1:18 we read “For us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The process of salvation is ongoing so that it is a present reality as much as it is a past reality.

Salvation in the present refers to two more great promises of God – sanctification and perseverance. Sanctification is a process that is ongoing in the lives of believers. The Holy Spirit indwells us at the moment of salvation and begins to affect change in our lives so that we become more and more conformed to the image of holiness modeled in Christ. As we allow the Spirit to lead and guide us, we grow in grace.

Philippians 2:12-13 – God empowers believers to both desire and act according to His will, not solely through human effort. We are to live out our faith with diligence and humility recognizing that God is the source of our ability to do so. For it is God who works in us, because God is actively involved in the lives of believers so that we can persevere. God gives us the will to do what is pleasing to the Lord and also the ability to carry it out. We are not alone in this faith journey because God is working within us to accomplish His purpose for our lives.

The present reality of salvation also promises perseverance so we can have full confidence that we will continue as believers to the end. We do not need to worry about losing the salvation which God granted to us, for He continues to grant it to us on a continual basis. 2 Peter 1:3-4 through His divine power (the Holy Spirit in us) He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, giving us the ability to persevere. Therefore, we look forward to these great and precious promises that in the future we will be partakers of the divine nature fully clothed in His likeness.

Salvation, then, in its present reality, allows us to slowly but continually be freed from the power of sin. Having been once-for-all declared right in God’s eyes, we have been freed from our guilt and now can begin to be freed from sin’s power. Titus 2:11-13 live a self-controlled life as we look forward to our future glory.

Future

Believers in Christ will experience salvation in the future. Romans 5:1, 9 being justified by faith and through His blood we have peace with God, because we are free from the wrath (penalty) of the future judgment that is to come to those whose sins are not forgiven (Acts 17:31). The future reality of salvation is that we can look forward to being freed from sin’s presence. We have been delivered from the guilt of our sin (penalty), and we are gradually being delivered from sin’s power, so that we can look forward with great anticipation to the termination of sin’s presence in our lives.

Salvation points forward to the future of a glorious hope because in Christ we have received such a great inheritance – Ephesians 1:13-14 – you received this inheritance when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. We have a guarantee (or a down payment) from God (sealing us with the PROMISED Holy Spirit) until the day of redemption when we will receive (acquire possession of it) this inheritance which is reserved in heaven for us.

What is this inheritance? This inheritance is our eternal salvation when we receive our new bodies (divine nature) that are imperishable (never die) and incorruptible (without sin) and it will never go away (eternal). We will also enter into the kingdom of glory, receiving all the spiritual blessings in heavenly places.

1 Peter 1:3-5 we were born again when we received the Spirit. The Spirit is the down payment/guarantee of this inheritance. We know this hope is real and valid because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. It is reserved in heaven for us and is being guarded by the power of God until we receive our future salvation in the last times.

Salvation’s future reality points forward to our upcoming glorification. Glorification is a future work of God in which the dead will be raised and in new bodies will be ushered finally into the kingdom of heaven. Our bodies will be freed from all of sin’s corruption. In Romans 8:23 Paul calls this the “redemption of the body.” When we will receive full possession of the divine nature being clothed in the likeness of Jesus’ glorious, resurrected body.

Paul tells the believers to not get discouraged or to lose focus – 2 Corinthians 4:16-17; this light affliction – suffering, pain and hardship of this world and in life is just for a moment because God is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. This eternal weight of glory represents the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places and the reward of eternal glory that believers will experience which far surpasses the temporary, light afflictions of this life.

Therefore, let us not lose heart even though our outward man is perishing moving closer to death – the body we acquired from Adam – because our inward man is being renewed day by day by the Spirit of life that lives in us renewing us each day so that our (born again) inward man is being transformed into the same image of Christ from one degree of glory to another. 2 Corinthians 3:18. This is all from the Lord who is preparing us for this eternal glory – 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 – who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. Until some day we receive full glory of the heavenly body and bear the image of Christ possessing the kingdom of glory.

1 Corinthians 15:49 – Our sinful corrupt bodies we acquired from Adam needs to be put to death so we can put on Christ’s glorious body and bear His image. What we sow does not come to life (our heavenly body) unless it dies (our earthly body) 1 Corinthians 15:35-36, what we sow (put to death) is not the body that is to be because what is sown is perishable and what will be raised is imperishable (our spiritual body) 42-44. It is sown in dishonor and raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. For it is sown a natural body (a living being) and it will be raised a spiritual body, through the life-giving Spirit (that raised Christ from the dead) putting on our heavenly body (dwelling).

This sinful body is put to death, and we are raised incorruptible. 1 Corinthians 15:53 This perishable body must put on the imperishable and this mortal body must put on immortality.   because corruption cannot inherit heaven v.50. when Christ returns, we will be transformed into His glorious perfect body v.54 this is when death is swallowed up and we are clothed in the likeness of Christ, our heavenly body. (Philippians 3:20-21). This is what we are waiting for to receive this glorious body and entrance into the kingdom of glory. 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 while we are in this body we are burdened until this mortal body is swallowed up by life. And it is God who is preparing us for this eternal hope and entrance into the kingdom of glory.

In the meantime, we should live in anticipation of this future to come - 2 Corinthians 4:18. We are to look toward our heavenly home because the things we see right now are transient (temporary) but the things that are unseen are eternal our eternal glory. For what we will be in the future has not yet appeared - 1 John 3:1-3 

We will be like Christ, possessing His heavenly eternal body (divine nature) and see Him how he is and be with Him forever and ever in the Kingdom of glory away from the presence of sin and death.

Breakdown:

• Past (Justification & Adoption):

The moment of initial belief where one is declared righteous before God and forgiven of sin due to Jesus' death on the cross. 

• Present (Sanctification & Perseverance):

The ongoing process of being transformed by the Holy Spirit, growing in character and likeness to Christ throughout one's life. 

• Future (Glorification):

The final state of complete freedom from sin and full union with God in heaven upon death or the second coming of Christ. 

Conclusion

Praise God for the act of salvation he has accomplished in the life of every believer, the act which has delivered us from the power of guilt, and which has erased our guilt in His eyes. Praise God for his ongoing salvation, whereby He gives us His authority so we can overcome the power of sin.

Praise God for the promise of salvation which allows us to look forward with eager anticipation to the time when we will finally be freed from sin’s presence.

Praise God for salvation!