THE FIRST STAGE OF SALVATION

 Like we said last Sunday, when you look at the life of many people in the church today, you wonder whether they are really saved.Many believe they are saved but they are not. Many appear to be spiritually strong on the outside while inside they are empty.

 

The difference between the saved and the lost is not church attendance or religious language, it is surrender. It is genuine repentance. It is denying oneself.

 

What is salvation? Salvation is the saving of human beings from sin and its (spiritual) consequences.

 

Salvation is in three stages: 1) The Past, 2) The Present, and 3) The Future. Today, we shall be looking at “THE FIRST STAGE OF SALVATION - JUSTIFICATION!”

 

1. Salvation is what has happened. It is called Justification (Rom. 5:1).

 

2. Salvation is not only what has happened: It is also what is happening right now. This is Sanctification, the ongoing Spirit-empowered process of becoming like Christ. Here, God will get rid of everything in your life that contradicts His Word. He will remove anger, pride, lust etc. (Gal. 5:19-21) from your life.

 

This is what Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 15:2 when he said, “By this Gospel, you are being saved if you hold firmly to the Word I preach to you.”

 

3. Then there is the future aspect of salvation – Glorification (Rom. 8:29-30). You see, salvation is also about what is coming. At glorification every struggle will come to an end. The flesh will finally be silenced, temptation removed, and we are raised with Christ in glory. This is the promise of eternal life, not just escape from judgment, but union with God forever. And it is secure for those who endure. 

 

Let’s take some time now to understand these stages one by one:

 

What is justification? Justification is the way in which God brings sinners into a new relationship with Him. This covenant with God is made possible through the forgiveness of sins.

 

What happens in justification? In Justification, the court of Heaven declares you righteous just as if you never ever sinned, the moment you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. You are justified the moment you are declared righteous before God by faith in Jesus Christ.

 

Why do we need justification? Christ died so that His blood could justify us before God the Father.

 

Who can be justified? All the wicked and ungodly persons (Rom. 4:5; 3:9-24) who come in faith, accepting Christ’s sacrifice, will be justified before God.

 

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).

 

How are we justified? We are justified through believing and accepting that Jesus’ death has completely atoned for our sins. That trust (faith) in Christ's atoning work at the Cross brings us salvation. 

 

We are justified by faith. “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1, KJV).

 

“The word and work of Christ should remind us that righteousness or justification is a gift of God through the blood of Jesus Christ” (Heb. 13:20).

 

When can one be justified? Whenever you are ready to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

 

How do you accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour? Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (KJV).

 

What happens immediately you obey Romans 10:9-10? You become the righteousness of God because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Once you have put your faith in Christ, you are legally "justified" in God's sight. 

 

God no longer sees you as a sinner. Rather He sees you as the righteous of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).  Sin is dealt with directly in the death of the sinless one (Christ), who became sin for us so that we might be made the righteousness of God.  

 

You are no longer condemned (Rom. 8:1).

 

Justification is by God's grace alone. It is made available through the work of Christ, God's gift. “Being justified freely by His gracethrough the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).

 

We receive this grace through faith alone. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Rom. 3:22; 5:1).

 

Thus, we can confess that Christ died "for us" (Rom. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:10). “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

 

We are justified by His blood. “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom. 5:9).

 

Christ died "for our sins." “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3).

 

Conclusion: The basic understanding of the justified person is that his right relationship with the living God has nothing to do with good works. It is from beginning to end a gift of God's infinite love. “Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28).

 

Watch out for the next edition of the Good News from the Pulpit.

 

·      Your friend, I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor).