Vol.

Three tenses of salvation

Justification, Sanctification, and glorification.

Key verse of discussions: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is

gain” (Philippians 1:21).

We are going to rightly divide the words of truth, “Be diligent to present
yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, RIGHTLY
DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH”(2 Timothy 2:15). Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ, is instructing Timothy to be diligent so that he can divide the word of
truth. It is very important to every Christian to be diligent in everything so that
he/she cannot be ashamed. We need to present ourselves to be approved to
God. And God cannot approve us if we are not studying His words. We must
stand before God and not men. Grace brings growth to God people. It is by
grace that we must be diligent. We are worker of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, God
don’t want us to be ashamed before men. We must be equip with spiritual food
so that we can work effectively in the field. The word of God is so nice and is a
medicine for our soul. And it is not the truth can make us free, but the
knowledge of the truth. And it is why rightly dividing the word of truth is needed.
All scriptures is written for us but not everything is to us. God is saying,
“…Rightly divide the word of truth.” We need to divide the word of truth. We
are going to illustrate Philippians 1:21 as our key verse. We are going to look at
three tenses of salvation, and we are going to place them in the same verse. It
can easily help us to understand and help us to interpret scriptures. Allow the
Holy Spirit to illuminate to you His words and see Jesus.
 Past tense salvation

1. Justification — saved from the penalty of sin

(I am been saved)

“For to me”

I am a sinner. I deserve to go to hell, and nothing good dwelleth in me. Even

though I will try hard to change my behavior to be good, I can’t please God,
because my own righteousness is like as filthy rags. I am in darkness and I can’t
hear the voice of God, because these a barrier between me and God. I don’t
have life, I am dead spiritual. I cannot save myself. What can I do? The word
“justification” must come in.
The word “justification” literary means to declare righteous to a sinner who
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. When an individual placed faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ immediately God will count that person as righteous. And this
process is called orients tense meaning happens once for all. It is by grace
through faith one can be saved. You need to hear the gospel and understand
what Jesus has done on the cross. Jesus paid the sins of the world in full, His
blood is the evidence that all our sins are forgiven, which is past, present, and
future sins. These nothing you have to do apart from faith to be saved. Its only
faith in Him and plus nothing. Jesus did everything for you and me. Faith in Him
is enough to save us from our sins. For God to begin with your life, firstly, you
need to have His righteousness, and this righteousness comes through faith in
Jesus. That’s justification! The gospel brings the righteousness of God to you if
only you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. God love you and His love
demonstrated in His Son, Jesus Christ who died on the cross, was buried, and
then He rose from dead. Today He is alive. Have you had the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you have the righteousness of God
which comes through faith in Jesus Christ? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you
shall be saved!

Present tense salvation

Sanctification — saved from the power of sins

(I am being saved)

“to live is Christ”

We discussed that Justification is to declare righteous to a sinner who believed in

the Lord Jesus Christ. When one believed in Jesus Christ that person is saved
forever and he/she will never go to hell. Justification also mean saved from the
penalty of sins and once for all.
Dear readers, justification is first tense salvation, and now we are going to look at
the second tense of salvation, that is, sanctification. Sanctification is a process of
making a believer to live a holy life. And this process it happens day by day via
the power of the Holy Spirit. Take note, justification is not a process it happens
only once, but sanctification is a process and happens every day when yielding
through the Holy Spirit. Through the process of sanctification is where a believer
need to live for Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ (at justification); it is no
longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”
(Sanctification) (Galatians 2:20).
Through sanctification it is no longer a believer living, but Christ is living in a
believer, and the life of a believer is a life of faith in Jesus. And that is what it
means to live for Christ. A believer need to being saved from the power of sins.
All the focus and the concentration must go to Jesus and Him alone. At this
process of sanctification a believer must obey the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit
duties is to make a believer to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Here, is the Holy
Spirit Who is in control; the Holy Spirit is the one leading a believer in everything.
A believer part is to be willing to the Holy Spirit.

Future tense salvation

Glorification — saved from the presence of sins

(I will be saved in the future)

“and to die is gain”

A believer will be saved from the presence of sins at the rapture or the day of
Christ, and this events is called glorification. A Christian is going to have a new
body; immortal body. A Christian is living in the world where sins is everywhere.
You hear everyday people are killing each other; nation against nation; war and
conflicts in the countries; and so on. And a Christian is experiencing what is
happening in this age. A believer is in the presence of sins, though the sins
power can be destroyed by grace, but its presence is there.
Glorification is a big word in the Christian life, and the life of a Christian is going
to end with glorification. It’s only God deserves the glory, but as Christian share
the glory of God. Salvation leads to the glory of God. A Christian is now waiting
for a new body. And this mortal body it’s going to remain here on earth, but
spirit and soul will be in heaven. Glorification also means that a believer is going
to be saved completely. But in the eyes of God it is something which already
happens and it is just a matter of time. God save a person completely and not
half. A believer one day is going to see Jesus, our Master! Justification is been
saved from the penalty of sins, sanctification is being saved from the power of
sins, and glorification is will be saved from the presence of sins. Study those
three different and it’s very important for a Christian to know.
Nakare Damian