Understanding Salvation

Envision a football field. Only players are allowed on the field. To score the goal, the ball must be moved from one end of the field to the other.

(Justification) Salvation moves you from an observer into the Kingdom of God, onto the field.

(Sanctification) We spend our life moving towards the goal of knowing Christ and looking like Him. There is progress and there are setbacks, along with opposition from the other team. 

(Glorification) In the end, we are transformed completely into the image of Jesus.

Picture the Acorn

Think of the acorn, the seed of an oak tree. The seed is planted, is watered, forms a shoot, grows into a seedling, and if it reaches full maturity, it is a mighty tree providing shade, places for birds to nest, and produces acorns for other trees.

(Justification) At salvation, the seed of God’s Word is planted in you.

(Sanctification) When watered, the seed begins to grow. As the tree grows, it encounters many seasons. Its growth continues as it weathers the storms and reaches towards the Son (Jesus). In full maturity, disciples make disciples to continue God’s Kingdom on the earth long after they are gone.

3 ASPECTS OF SALVATION: Justification, Sanctification, Glorification

https://www.gotquestions.org/justification-sanctification-glorification.html

JUSTIFICATION

When you repent and believe in Christ alone for salvation, your spirit becomes alive, and God dwells in you through the Holy Spirit. At this moment, you receive every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:1-23).  The power of the resurrection lives in you. https://www.gotquestions.org/justification.html 

SANCTIFICATION

Before salvation, your body and soul were alive; your spirit was dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1-10). Now you are being transformed to think, love, and walk as Christ. You begin to live by the desires of the Spirit where you once lived only by the desires of the flesh. https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-transformation.html

GLORIFICATION

At the end of this life, the entire person of those who believe in Christ will experience

the glorification of their whole person as a result of their union with Christ in their resurrection. They will be renewed to perfection by God, without sin, in their glorified bodies. https://www.gotquestions.org/glorification.html

God is increasingly revealed in you as you cooperate with His Spirit to:

1. Know God (His mind, His heart, His will). John 17:3, 2 Peter 3:18, Philippians 3:10, Romans 12:2 https://www.gotquestions.org/know-God.html 

2. Receive ownership of every spiritual blessing. Ephesians 1:3 https://www.gotquestions.org/every-spiritual-blessing.html

3. Allow inner healing. Isaiah 61:1-7, Acts 10:38, 1 Peter 2:24 https://www.gotquestions.org/inner-healing.html 

4. Crucify the flesh and walk in the Spirit. Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:16-26 https://www.gotquestions.org/crucify-the-flesh.html 

Maturity is a process; progression follows a consistent pattern.

• A baby drinks milk every 2-3 hours. She rests a lot as she receives care from others. She also poops a lot - getting rid of waste.

• A toddler begins by sitting up, taking steps, and then walking. She babbles before she forms words and then sentences. She begins with milk and moves into soft foods, and then solid food.

• A child still needs care but learns to move about her world. She interacts with others and learns to share and respect boundaries. She receives discipline from others.

• A young adult needs less care from others as she learns self-discipline and boundaries from within. She has dreams of the future and navigates choices, including significant relationships.

• An adult has a formed foundation of belief that she uses to navigate the world. She has an established community that shares her values. She lives with her dreams activated or hindered.

Growing spiritually can look similar to physical growth. The pace of growth is unique to each individual. Stages are often repeated in one or in multiple areas of our heart on our journey to spiritual maturity.

1. We begin by consuming God’s Word. We rely on God and others to care for us and help us grow. There is a lot of waste to be removed from our old way of living.

2. We begin to take steps and walk in what we have learned. Our vocabulary changes, our thoughts change, and we see ourselves growing in the image of Christ.

3. We learn about boundaries with others while relying on God to teach us His heart. We embrace discipline from God and others to help us grow.

4. We hear God’s discipline and make shifts to walk in His desires and will. Our relationships, choices, and ideas of our future reflect a life dedicated to following Christ.

5. Our belief is firmly rooted in Christ, and we are actively engaged in leading others to know Him in how He calls us to live. We are disciples who make disciples. 

   
   

You must be born again. (John 3:1-21, Jesus teaches Nicodemus)

(v3) Unless someone is born again, they cannot see the Kingdom of God

(v5) born of water and of Spirit 

• Born from above, from God who restores, Isaiah 44:3-5, Ezekiel 37:9-10

(v14-15) Son of Man is lifted up [on the cross] and everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life in Him.

• Believes: Greek, pisteuo. NET Bible: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in the thing believed; used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith.

• Life: Greek, amen. NET Bible: 1a) the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate 2a) of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic "logos" and to Christ in whom the "logos" put on human nature 2b) life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever

(v16-17) God loves. God gave salvation.

• Free gift, Ephesians 2:8-10

(v19-21) Receive Jesus, the Light, rather than continuing in darkness.

We want to walk with you on your journey! Look at our calendar for the next Connection Conversation and join in the discussion with other women. https://www.beinterconnected.org/connection-conversations