|
"Salvation
Process"
...where did this phrase originate?
printer-friendly
MP3
I am sometimes asked, "Where did you get the
term you frequently use, "salvation process"? Here is how I
replied to a recent e-mail and the individual asking this question.
Dear Sir,
Thanks for the e-mail.
I found the term in our doctrine and began
using it. The term originates in our doctrine in more than one place.
My entire ministry is about the Salvation Process.
Below are
some quotes from our doctrine and statement of beliefs where “process”
and “salvation process” are used.
Clearly everything about God is process. Except for miracles,
everything is process. We see this in nature [Romans
1:20] and in spiritual matters.
There is a sin process:
But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived,
it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth
death. James 1:14-15
See the process involved? Sin begins with a thought in the mind. If it
is a lustful thought one next is drawn away of his or her lust. Lust
conceives a plan…a sinful plan. One then turns the plan into action and
sins the sin. If the person does not invoke the repentance process,
which involves a thought, then acknowledgement of sin, then repenting
before God and then coming up with a plan to overcome that sin using yet
another process known as the “overcoming” process, one begins a
backsliding process that could result in a falling away process.
Everything is process over time.
The salvation process begins with Godly Calling to repentance, baptism
and the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit. At this moment,
the person enters the Body of Christ and the salvation process.
The salvation process only takes place in the Body of Christ. Remember
where the Bible refers to some who are “babes in Christ” [Romans
2:20; 1 Corinthians. 3:1 and 1 Peter 2:2]?
This is denoting people new to the process.
I liken the salvation process to a room. You enter at the back of the
room and travel over a lifetime toward perfection. Perfection comes when
you become a spirit being at the return of Christ. Time = process. God
does not just change us to perfection; we must be tried by fire,
tribulation and testing.
Notice Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving
the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of
faith toward God.
See where it says, “let us go on unto
perfection.”? This denotes process in
the salvation process.
2 Corinthians 3:18 is a perfect verse to show the salvation process and
I give a two-part sermon on this single verse. At the beginning of the
second sermon I say…
----begin quote----
In part one of this sermon, “Glory to Glory”, we discussed what I
consider to be a key definition verse of the salvation process and just
how we develop the character of Christ.
I want to begin today by reading that verse and restating, in my words
what we concluded from that discussion and study of it.
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a
glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory
to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
And now in paraphrase from our discussion.
All true Christians with the Holy Spirit see and know Jesus Christ
directly and openly. We see Him reflected in Spirit and through the
Word of God. We see His glory in everything He does and says.
We are changed to His image as we persevere in the process of
salvation---overcoming sin, invoking Godly principles and putting on
Christ in every aspect of our lives…”from glory to glory” by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
We do this by our full immersion into the Word of God. This full
immersion permeates our reading, study, contemplation, prayer and
meditation. These things all work together to change us into the
character or image of Jesus Christ.
---end quote---
Part one of sermon: "Glory
to Glory."
Part two of sermon: "Glory
to Glory."
My sermons on Full Immersion [mentioned in quote above] are here:
Part one of sermon: "Full
Immersion."
Part two of sermon: "Full
Immersion."
The definition of the salvation process is located at the
Church site in
Bible
Class and
Specific Bible Studies: click
here
The primary elements of the process are:
1) keeping the Law and commandments.
2) invoking the Principles of God which the Law points to (Galatians
5:22-23).
3) overcoming sin....making progress...stopping the sin process before
it begins....controlling the mind…being repentant.
4) becoming more like Jesus Christ.
5) going on to perfection (Hebrews 6).
6) responding to your specific Godly Calling.
7) maintaining this process at the return of Jesus Christ.
8) having absolute trust in God and Jesus Christ.
Each one of these elements take time. Time is process. Process takes
time. This is why God gives us an appointed number of days in our
lifetime. He worked with Moses for 80 years to prepare him to bring
Israel out of Egypt. Could God have given him all he needed in one hour
or one day? Clearly He could have. However, he used process. He seems
to use process in all things.
Do a study on works. We have a
booklet
on this. Works [most of the elements above]
take time. Here is another scripture denoting time = process.
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and
exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much
tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. – Acts 14:22
Continue = process. Much tribulation denotes time and process. The
confirming the souls of the disciples denotes time and process.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Chris Cumming
minister
PROCESS
MENTIONED IN OUR DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS
Our
Doctrine Statements
Our Statement of Beliefs
Items in red are my emphasis.
In Bible Doctrine:
It [the Bible]
holds out the answers to the riddles of life, yet hides enough of God's
nature and the universe to tantalize us and draw us further along in a
profound growth process.
The Bible not only shows the common heritage of human nature, but
enables us to understand the process
whereby we may overcome the destructive elements within us and attain
our God-given potential.
In the Angelic
Realm Doctrine:
God is in supreme command and is only temporarily allowing Satan
to influence man within certain confines (Job 1).
This process actually enables man to build greater character by
resisting Satan and by learning how to rely more on God.
In the Salvation Doctrine:
This process includes one's
calling, repentance, baptism, justification, receiving of the Holy
Spirit, a life of faith and obedience and final birth into God's kingdom
as a spirit being.
The goal of every Christian is to be saved from the death penalty of sin
through the sacrifice of Christ and to receive the gift of eternal life
in God's family and kingdom. This goal and
the process by which it is
attained is called salvation.
It is the ultimate purpose of life and the explicit reason why mankind
was created.
God created man in His image and after His likeness. But the
creation process will not be complete
until mankind is perfected spiritually—has perfect godly character
created in him—and actually enters the God family.
God initiates this process by
"calling" a person—opening his mind to understand, grasp and be
convicted by the truth of the Bible.
God's Spirit is an absolute necessity for the
spiritual creation process of salvation
as it serves many functions.
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is clearly the
focal point of the salvation process.
This whole salvation process
is by "grace" (Greek "favor"—Eph. 2:8)—It
is unmerited and freely given by God and cannot in any way be earned.
This salvation process
is thus one which entails our continuance in God's way and necessitates
our endurance to the end (Matthew. 10:22; 24:13). Only when that
process
is complete and we have been born as spirit beings into the
family of God shall salvation have been completely and totally achieved.
In our Statement of Beliefs we read:
7. SALVATION
The penalty for sin is death, but salvation is
the means by which God saves mankind from the penalty of sin so that he
may be given eternal life. Working through His Son, Jesus Christ,
the salvation process
includes one's calling, repentance, baptism, justification, receiving of
the Holy Spirit, then living a life of faith and obedience, and finally,
birth into God's Kingdom as a spirit being. Salvation is a gift freely
given through grace by God, with our ultimate reward given according to
our works.
Matthew 16:27; John 3:16-17; Romans 6:23;
Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 6:1-2
---end of excerpts----
Clearly you can see where we got [where
I got] the phrase. It came from
our very own doctrine in many statements that are absolutely clear. |