The 3 Stages of Salvation

References:

(1) The TERMS used to describe these important stages are justification, sanctification, and glorification. They describe the Christian journey from new birth to resurrection.

(2) Paul calls the first stage of salvation, justification. Justification is “an ACT of God whereby He declares a sinner to be in right standing before Him because of the sinner’s FAITH in Christ. In the present time, believers in Christ have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2 ).

(3) The second stage of salvation is sanctification. Besides regeneration and justification there is sanctification. Besides righteousness IMPUTED, there is holiness IMPARTED. Besides being “BORN of the Spirit” there is being “FILLED with the Spirit.” Besides “forgiveness of sins (plural)” there is deliverance from innate sin (singular).

(4) Despite the relative disuse of the words holy, holiness, and sanctification you probably you have heard the word “holy” before, sang it in a church song, seen it on the cover of a Bible, or heard a sermon referring to the Holy Spirit. But the general populace in the church is not pointed onward to “the fullness of the blessing” discussed in Rom. 15:29. We no longer hear the clarion call, “Pursue peace with all people, and HOLINESS without which NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD” (Heb. 12:14).

(5) What is the meaning of holy and sanctification? The words holy or saint (hagios) is an important part of the NT vocabulary. R. C. Trench defines hagios as follows: “Its fundamental idea is separation, and so to speak, consecration and devotion to the service of Deity” (That is found in Synonyms of the New Testament, by Trench pp. 309, 310).

(6) God is holy by His very nature. Exodus 15:11 inquires: “Who is like unto You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like unto You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”God is holy, righteous/just, and perfect, and we are not. We are sinful, and sin is being unholy, unrighteous, and morally imperfect.

(7) Sometimes the word hagios is used as a noun, and then it is translated “saint.” In NT times, all Christians were called saints.

(8) According to W. E Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words sanctification is used of (a) separation to God and (b) the course of life befitting those so separated. Sanctification is also used in the NT of the separation of the believer in Christ from evil things and ways.

(9) Hagiasmos can also be translated “holiness.” The Greek Lexicon of the New Testament by Arendt, Gingrich, and Danker says hagiasmos stresses the PROCESS whereby a believer in Christ is MADE HOLY.

(10) To be sanctified is to be “set apart” from a PROFANE, SECULAR, and CARNAL use to a SACRED, RELIGIOUS, and SPIRITUAL use, to be consecrated WHOLLY to God and to His service. Synonyms for sanctified are holy, consecrated, and hallowed. We are sanctified as we grow in holiness through the work of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:11-22; Gal. 5:16-24).

(11) The Holy Spirit is the agent in sanctification.

(12) The third stage of salvation is called GLORIFICATION. We will someday be glorified when we are resurrected to eternal life.

(13) Unlike justification (which saved us from the PAST PENALTY of sin) and sanctification (which is saving us from the PRESENT POWER of sin), glorification is the FUTURE act that will save us from the very PRESENCE of sin. It is God’s FINAL REMOVAL of sin from the life of God’s people, His saints, namely, the people who are saved.

This is episode 188.