Results 1 - 4 of 4
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Salvation: Instantaneous, progressive? | Ps 68:19 | charis | 28142 | ||
Dear Saints, Is salvation instantaneous, progressive, or both? In Jesus' name, charis |
||||||
2 | Salvation: Instantaneous, progressive? | Ps 68:19 | CDBJ | 28429 | ||
Hi Charis, my wife was studying in Mark today and ask me about a verse that triggered a thought; it is along the same lines as your question of salvation being progressive. I don't think salvation is progressive once it actually happens, but I think that maybe being born again or coming to the point of salvation might be. Paul and James speak of the word as that which can germinate a life, as it were, within us. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. The word engrafted comes to us from the Koine Greek word Emphutos, em meaning in and phutos (a form of phuo) meaning to germinate or impregnate. Thus, for one to be born again they must be impregnated by God's Word. John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Couple this with 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Now we have all heard and know these verses very well, but I wonder if anyone has ever considered that all living things have what is known as a gestation period; some are longer then others? It is the time between conception and birth. All of the functions of life are in place, but the actual birth hasn't taken place yet. There are numerous miscarriages in physical life, maybe by comparison that is what happens when someone hears the Word and gets excited for a while, then they return to their old ways: They didn't go full term to spiritual birth and received a new nature. They might show all the symptoms that a new believer has just before birth, but they turn back and are stillborn. Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Food for thought and I am sure it needs more research, CDBJ |
||||||
3 | Salvation: Instantaneous, progressive? | Ps 68:19 | charis | 28476 | ||
Dear CDBJ, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Indeed this is good food for thought! Without a lot of research on my own, I will just say that some may be upset with a ' mid-relationship salvation point.' If I get your drift, we are not truly saved until a point in time when the Word has worked in us (gestation?) for a while, then we are born again. At this point in time the work is done, with no further saving work in our lives. Is that right? I still see that the Holy Spirit would be working in our lives sanctification to the end of glorification. This sounds a lot like a separate 'conversion' experience some time after we meet the Lord. Brother, don't get me wrong! :-) I am not completely against the idea of conversion. The reason that I cannot deny it completely is because the IS empirical evidence that many DO come to a (later) point of 'knowing' God. (as compared to meeting Him) But I have to say that it could lead to a (as one brother phrased) 'dreaded two-tiered Pentecostal salvation.' Actually, my thoughts do not run in 'tiers' at all, but a sense of our whole relationship with the Lord, with many portions or aspects. Some are synchronous, some are progressive. It starts when the Holy Spirit initiates the relationship, and culminates personally when we meet Him face to face, and corporately when He finishes His glorious plan of salvation for mankind. In any case this question was brought forth as food for thought, and I have enjoyed the various opinions! Thank you! In Christ Jesus, charis |
||||||
4 | Salvation: Instantaneous, progressive? | Ps 68:19 | CDBJ | 28544 | ||
I can't accept the so-called second blessing concept, or a two-tiered aspect, whichever one would like to call it. I am just suggesting that there maybe a time span that actually takes place once an unbeliever starts to ingest or assimilates God's Word and the point of actually being born again. All this must take place through the work of the Holy Spirit because the human spirit isn't alive until regeneration or the second birth. We know that the Word says Ephes. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: I think a lot of people have faith because we tell them to have it not because God the Father reveals who Jesus is to them, but if they spend enough time in God's word they eventually find out. I think that the book of John is a good example. John 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Considering how many things Jesus did; it must take quite a few signs to convince some people and that is even with the Holy Spirit doing the work. Paul himself must have been under great convection or in a gestation period before his conversion according to Acts 26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad. Kicking against the goad was because he had heard the Word and was fighting against the working of The Spirit, but alas he came to faith in Jesus the Christ. Charis I hope you have a blessed New Year, CDBJ |
||||||