Greetings Arial~
I'm going to run these two together. The sense you put on this is positionally~but it is much more than that. Let us consider first Ephesians 1:4.
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"
The “in Christ” relationship on which all spiritual blessings depend is our election in Him, as can be clearly seen by the connection of this verse to the preceding verse.
All spiritual blessings of the previous verse are in Christ. How do sinners get into Christ? The Roman Catholic Church would say we must be baptized into it in order to be in Him. Alexander Campbell’s so-called Church of Christ would say the same thing (
Gal 3:27). But the true gospel of Jesus Christ declares right here that it is based on election in Christ. Salvation is by God’s purpose and grace given in Christ before the world (
2nd Timothy 1:9 ). God chose Paul and the Ephesian saints and us in Jesus Christ ~ this is election defined.
Here is where good men good wrong~Salvation in the scriptures is divided into five phases. The “in Christ” relationship must be divided and defined by the five phases of salvation, or, else, we will end up teaching error.
Briefly: When were you saved? This question tries to pinpoint eternal life to some act, point, or time. So unbiblical~the apostles never asked question like that. How would they answer such a question? Let us ask Paul.
Paul said he was saved before the world began (
II Tim 1:9), when Jesus came into the world (
I Tim 1:15), when the Spirit regenerated him (
Titus 3:5), when he took heed to himself and the doctrine (
I Tim 4:16), and would be saved sometime in the future (
Rom 13:11).
Can you believe it? Paul clearly mentions five different stages or phases of salvation. And this is the key to understanding our wonderful salvation in Jesus Christ.
Since God saves sinners in stages, or phases, we must not limit salvation to just one idea or one event at one time. Paul saw his own salvation occurring in five phases.
It used to be called the Ordo Salutis of salvation, which means the order of salvation; but it is not studied or preached much any more. We live in the perilous times of the last days, when men no longer want sound doctrine preached to them (
II Tim 3:1 – 4:4). They prefer fables over truth, so the true doctrine of salvation has been almost lost from the earth.
Everyone talks about “getting saved,” but no one can explain it from the Bible. There are “invitations” and “decisions” and “methods” for salvation, but none of these words or ideas are from the Bible.
Paul clearly taught five phases of salvation. Let us learn the five phases briefly, then study two charts with the Bible proof and explanation. If you love understanding, you will love the charts.
The
ETERNAL PHASE is God’s plan and choice from eternity to allow sin into the world and to save His elect from it. Since He is eternal and sovereign, God planned in eternity all that He does in time. There are no surprises to God. He planned to allow sin, so that He could display His glorious grace in saving His elect from it and displaying His power and wrath on the rest.
The
LEGAL PHASE is God’s work to satisfy His holy nature and perfect justice for the salvation of His elect. Because every sin must be punished, He sent a Substitute to die for their sins. His perfect holiness and justice cannot overlook sins and acquit wicked men. He must punish their sins in Another, even Jesus Christ. And this He did at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.
The
VITAL PHASE is God’s application of these benefits to us personally and individually. Though He planned to save us from eternity and legally did so with Christ’s death on the cross, we still have a depraved and wicked nature at enmity with Him. So He regenerates us into a new life by His Spirit and gives us a new heart that loves Him and righteousness. This is being born again, and it is done entirely by the power of God sometime during our lives.
The
PRACTICAL PHASE is our response to His salvation. He sends His Spirit into our hearts, and we cry “Abba, Father.” With new hearts from regeneration, we seek the truth and love it when we hear it. We hear the gospel, and we believe it. We want to be baptized to show Him our love. We want to know more of what we can do to please Him, and we gratefully cherish all His promises, which give us comfort and peace now.
The
FINAL PHASE is that great day in the future when we shall be declared the sons of God to the whole universe and enter heaven for eternity. Our bodies will be raised from graves and glorified into new spiritual bodies, and we will be thoroughly purged from all sin to be perfectly holy in His presence forever. This great conclusion to the plan of salvation is yet in the future.
The great determining factor in salvation and the spiritual riches of Christ is God’s choice. According as: Consistently as, exactly or just as, in a manner corresponding to the way in which …” If you choose God or not has only practical benefits or consequences, not eternal life.
It is the sovereign will of the great God that determines salvation (
Romans 9:10-24). He did not choose by foreknowledge those who had chosen to be in Christ, for (a) this contradicts
Psalm 14:1-3 and
Romans 3:9-18 and (b) it would make your choice supreme. God’s eternal choice was to place and view the elect in Jesus Christ
legally and covenantly. The choice was made before the foundation of the world – before the act of creation. Here are cross-references for this ancient decree in the mind of God (
Matt 25:34;
Acts 15:18;
Eph 3:11;
II Tim 1:9;
Titus 1:2;
I Pet 1:20;
Rev 13:8;
17:8).
In THIS ETERNAL SENSE, they were already viewed as adopted, justified, reconciled, etc., etc. This is the proper basis for blessing God – He chose us to all spiritual blessings long ago.
John Gill, John Brine, and Samuel Richardson taught eternal justification based on this eternal choice. Chosen in Jesus Christ, God views His elect as holy, without blame, and objects of His love. God has
never view us outside of Christ, NEVER~impossible. He is the Head, we are the members of his elect body! Read Isaiah 40-45
By foreknowledge and fact God knew we were rebellious sinners and children of wrath even as the reprobates (
Ps 14:1-3;
53:1-3;
Rom 9:21;
Eph 2:1-3;
Titus 3:3).
But by grace and election, we are seen as sanctified and spotless children that He fully loves from everlasting~Jeremiah 31:3
This is not election so that we should live practical lives of holiness and love to God (though this is true), but He rather chose us in order to view us as holy objects of love.
The issue here is our legal position and standing in Jesus Christ – clothed in His holiness!
Consider" God cannot love sin or sinners, so He chose us in Christ where He could love us (1:6)!
Romans 5:8 exalts God’s love for us by Christ dying for sinners: but He did not love us as sinners: He loved us as chosen in Christ, Who died for us when still sinners!
To be continue~RB
