Was saved, am being saved, will be saved

There are, as it were, three phases to our amazing salvation, past, present and future. Past: “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (past tense - Ephesians 2:8). This is justification the forgiveness of our sins. You were justified..." (1Corinthians 6:11; Acts 22:16). Present: Paul told the Corinthians that we are “the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved” (present tense - 2 Corinthians 2:15). Future: “Our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed” (future tense - Romans 13:11). A little overly simplistically we were saved from the penalty of sin (justification), we are being saved from the power and the pollution of sin (sanctification), and we will be saved from the presence of sin (glorification).

I am saying that this classification is a little overly simplistic, because there are also past present and future aspects of sanctification (i.e. 1 Corinthians 6:11). Now I want to say very clearly that we are intended to have assurance, we are intended to know that we have been saved (1 John 5:12,13). But I also want to say that the Scripture knows nothing of a salvation apart from an ongoing transformation (Romans 12:1,2). We are told to “Work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), and “without holiness, no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Sanctification (salvation) though, is much more than becoming holy. It is also about becoming whole in body, soul and spirit, it is about having our hearts healed, it is about becoming truly free, it is about with His help dealing with the issues of life, it is about progressively moving into the promised abundant life.

As already mentioned, Paul tells us to work out our own salvation (progressive sanctification) with fear and trembling. And he tells us why. It is because God is at work in us in both our desires and in the wherewithal to to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13). I understand this to mean that if we are to be progressively free and moving into the abundant live, then we need to do that hard work of fully cooperating with Him in our sanctification. Salvation (justification) is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8), becoming free will cost us everything we have. In particular we will need to die, we need to reckon yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God (Romans 6:11). Unless we take up our cross daily and follow Him, we cannot be His disciples (Luke 9:23). However “whoever loses their life for me will save it” (verse 24).

Father, I am not satisfied to have anything less than all that You have for me. But I need Your help to keep on doing the hard work of sanctification. I know that You will not do for me anything that I can do for myself, but You will certainly make up for what I cannot do (the Lord help them what helps themselves Hesitations 3:21 :) ). I thank You for this, this morning Lord, and also for the fact that You who began a good work in me will keep right on doing it until the day I meet You face to face. On that day I will know You because I will be like You. Hallelujah Amen