Salvation is not a one-time thing but a life-time process or journey. It is a process that starts with redemption when we first believe and ends in perfection when we reach the end of our faith. It covers all our life-time on earth beginning from the time we believe. It is a process through which the human soul is redeemed, saved, made perfect and the person is recreated into a new humankind in order to inherit God’s perfect kingdom of heaven where only perfect people shall live perfect life for eternity.
“For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time……… 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:10,14.
Though the end goal of salvation is to save our soul and make us perfect, but that does not happen immediately we accept or go into the process. We follow the process from the day and time we first believed by going through the redemption of our soul, to the adoption of our soul as the children of God and finally to the saving of our soul and the perfecting of our whole being as a new kind of man (image of the Christ) that will inherit the kingdom of God.
Each stage of salvation is also called salvation which is the reason some are dismayed to learn that salvation is a process which the final goal is realized only when we endure or persevere to the end. The process begins with freedom which is the redemption of our soul. Our soul is first set free from the bondage and captivity of the sinful nature and from slavery to sin. After redemption comes the time of adoption and battle to remain free from bondage to the sinful nature and slavery to sin.
Adoption is that we become the children of God by receiving the Spirit of sonship which is the Spirit of Christ. Adoption signals the beginning of the battle period. Battle period is the entire time of our life after we believed and become adopted into the household of God. It is the time we are expected to make progress in faith (grow in faith), face temptations and go through the trial of our faith. We progress in faith by increasing in knowledge of the truth & doing good work by the grace we received. The scripture says that Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and prove he is the Son of God. The same happens to us immediately we believe and are adopted as sons by God.
“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Revelation 3:10-11.
The sonship and battle period will continue till we reach the end. After the battle period comes the end when the soul of those that persevered in faith to the end is saved and made perfect. The ultimate goal of salvation is realized at the end when the soul is saved. After that the saved soul recreated through resurrection into a perfect new mankind in the likeness of Christ will be given the crown of life by being brought into the perfect world of God’s kingdom.
Human Need for Salvation:
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.
Human soul is held under the bondage and captivity of the fleshly spirit known also as the spirit of sin (referred to as the sinful nature) which dwells and operates in our body. Unless the soul is redeemed from this captivity and be given the chance to show desire to obey God, that soul shall end up in the world of hellfire outside the kingdom of God.
Sin is the actual root of all the problems facing humans on earth. Removing sin from man is the only solution to all the problems which creations have been facing in the world.
Sin bites, sin brings suffering, sin causes pain and sin leads to death. All human beings abhor suffering, pain and death irrespective of color, nationality or religion and have demonstrated strong willingness to take any drastic measures to overcome these.
Considering the enormous effort and resources being committed to tackle and solve the problem of suffering, pain and death, giving up sin will be a highly welcome idea to all humans. The real problem here is that humans are unable to give up sin no matter how much they desire to do that and no matter the amount of law they make to that effect.
We do not sin because we love to sin. We still sin anyways even though we know sin causes suffering, pain and death. Sin has become the nature of the current Adamic mankind. We sin because of the spirit of sin which is enslaving our soul. We all sin unwillingly due to the soul being a captive to the sinful nature. God who is our maker and Father knows this and do not want our present situation to be a permanent thing for which death was introduced followed after by salvation so that we should be made perfect after death and be restored to a perfect life in God’s kingdom of heaven.
Humans became imperfect through sin and the world also became an imperfect world as a result of the imperfection of human beings who has the dominion over the world. Without sin in the world, the world will be a perfect place as humans shall be perfect without sin.
Death as A Remedy:
Sin dwells in human flesh. You will remove sin from the world by removing sin from humans. You will remove sin from humans by removing the flesh from humans because sin dwells in the flesh of humans.
Humans die physically if you remove flesh from them. This is what physical death is all about. It is removing the flesh from a soul which will make the soul to cease to exist as a human being.
So, death is the means through which soul is momentarily detached from the sinful flesh. But physical death does not make the soul perfect (free from sin). It provides to the soul a temporary relief from slavery to sin. A soul which does not exist physically is inactive and not dead. The condition of an inactive soul cannot be considered a freedom from sin.
Soul was made to exist physically and not spiritually. A soul without flesh is a ghost and not a human being. A soul which is not physically in existence as a human being does not function even though he is not dead. A soul must have a flesh to be a human being and must exist in the physical realm as a human being for one to determine if the soul is free from sin or not.
A soul is free from sin if he is redeemed or ransomed from the captivity of the flesh before physical death i.e., while still alive physically as a human being. A soul which is not redeemed before the physical death still bears the slavery mark to sin. Such soul will automatically go on to sin once a new flesh is given to him.
To become a perfect human being, the redeemed soul must exist physically with flesh. All souls will receive a new flesh to exist again as human beings through resurrection which will occur after physical death. Any soul which is not redeemed before the physical death will still become an imperfect human being when given a new flesh on resurrection while those souls made perfect through salvation will become perfect human beings on resurrection.
What Will Be Made Perfect?
The soul is what will be made perfect and not the flesh. Salvation is all about the soul. Soul is the real man given a spirit and clothed with flesh. salvation is for the soul and has nothing to do with the flesh or the human spirit. Make the soul perfect and mankind will be perfect.
We need salvation for the soul because human soul is held in bondage and captivity by the sinful nature and is subjected to slavery to sin. The soul is imperfect presently due to captivity to the sinful nature and slavery to sin. The soul as a captive and a slave is unwillingly obeying the will of his master the sinful nature. The soul commits sin which he does not desire and do not obey God which he desires.
Unless a soul is first redeemed from his captivity, he will not be able to obey God and unless a soul is finally made perfect through obedience to God, mankind can never be perfect. You can drink all the drugs you like, do all the surgeries, all the exercises and consume all the best diets that exist, human body can never be made perfect and mankind can never become perfect free from sufferings, pains and death.
Salvation – God’s Solution:
God did not only expressed displeasure over our predicament under the control of the sinful nature. He provided a remedy so that nobody should perish along with the sinful nature. God’s remedy is to save the world which includes human beings, the earth, the entire universe and all that is in them. He began the process to save mankind by first introducing death which will temporally detach the soul from the flesh and after that followed by salvation through which the soul redeemed from the condemned flesh shall be saved, made perfect and be clothed with a glorious immortal body to live eternal perfect life in a perfect world.
God will create new heavens and a new earth which shall be under the authority of His perfect kingdom and He will bring perfect human beings to live in the new perfect earth where they shall enjoy perfect life for all eternity. This is good news for all mankind and all creation. This is God’s plan for all mankind. He does not want anyone to perish with the sinful nature.
The universe will be destroyed with all other creations and God will create new heavens and a new earth. The human soul is immortal and shall not be destroyed like the other creation. Though God will make new heavens and a new earth, He will not make new human beings.
Human souls are immortal as it was made in the image and likeness of God. God will salvage the human soul through salvation. Human souls saved through salvation shall be made into a perfect new mankind in the image of Christ different from the Adamic mankind. The saved soul shall receive a new spirit (the Spirit of Christ) and be clothed with a new glorious body that cannot experience death just like that of the angels.
Souls of imperfect humans shall be taken from this imperfect world stripped of their current flesh and through salvation be made perfect by being given the Spirit of Christ and a new glorious perfect body in order to inherit the perfect world.
The process through which souls are freed from slavery to sin under the bondage of the sinful nature and is preserved by grace to be saved and be made perfect at the end is what is called salvation.
Salvation Simplified:
Salvation is – “now when God has shown us a different way to be made right with Him and receive grace to obey Him walking in faith to the end where our soul shall be saved and be made perfect. This is not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but a new way which the Scriptures spoke about long ago. God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God (accepted and acquitted by God—declared “not guilty”) when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life by shedding his blood and trust Christ Jesus to take away their sins.
We all need to be made right with God first before we can hope to be saved at the end. Salvation which is a process or a journey that culminates in saving our soul begins with us being made right with God when we come to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. The truth is that everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard no matter how much effort we make to do good. Guilty people can only be set free and be readmitted into the society without any criminal record if they are acquitted of their crime. To acquit us from our guilt is to redeem our battered image of sin by being ransomed from bondage and captivity of the sinful nature which makes us to sin always.
God sent Christ Jesus who laid down his life as sacrifice to take the punishment for our sins and end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath. So, now God in His grace freely makes us right in his sight and declares us not guilty of offending him.
Our soul is set free from the bondage of the sinful nature and from slavery to sin and is made right with God when we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and believe in the freedom and salvation obtained through it. Our soul shall be saved and we will be made a perfect new human being of the kind of Christ and be given the kingdom if we should hold on to this faith to the end walking in obedience to God.
This demonstrated that God was being entirely fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past. Adam and Eve were not condemned when they sinned and no one has been sent to hellfire because God has the desire to set everyone free. He was looking forward to this time when Christ would come and take away those sins. Now in these days also God can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away their sins so that anyone who has faith shall escape damnation in hellfire.
But isn’t this unfair for God to let sinners go free after all they have done and say that they are innocent? No, God is rather fair and just for He does not want anyone to perish. He established salvation through which sinners are set free from their sin on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins. So, God makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus and He gives them grace to make them be able to obey Him in order for their soul to be saved at the end.
Do we need to do anything to be accepted by God – to earn our salvation? Not at all. The reason is because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds (like obeying the law); it is based on what Christ has done and on our faith in him. So, it is clear humans are made right with God (justified) by faith in Christ and not by just doing good things. Our good deeds will be justified only after we have been made right with God and not before that.
And does God justify only Christians, Jews or any particular religious group in this way? No, for there is only one God and He justifies everyone in this same manner irrespective of racial, religious or social background. So, we all are justified based on our faith in Christ. God treats us all the same; he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are blacks, whites or people of color and whether their religion is Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, etc. People are acquitted if they have faith in God’s salvation plan perfected through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Faith is all that is required for one to be made right with God. If we are saved by faith, does this mean that obeying God’s laws does not count any longer? Do we still need to obey God’s laws? You should not forget that God’s purpose of making us right with Him is to enable us obey Him. In fact, only when we have faith in God by believing in Christ Jesus can we truly obey God’s laws.” We are given grace that will enable us to obey God’s laws if we are made right with God because it is from Christ we can know exactly what God wants us to do and how He wants us to do things.
Salvation is not an end itself. It is a process or a journey that consists of the beginning which is the time we are made right with God, going through the time we should be obeying God’s laws using the grace which God gives to them who have been made right with Him and ends at the time when our soul is saved and we are made perfect to come into the perfect world of God’s kingdom.
DAMNATION:
The opposite of salvation generally is damnation. Damnation is declaring someone unfit to be made perfect and unfit to come into the perfect world of God’s kingdom. Salvation is to make one fit while damnation is to declare one unfit. Damnation is when a soul is declared unfit or unable to be salvaged and the soul is sent into a world of hellfire where everlasting condition of life will unimaginably be harsh and evil.
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28-29.
Damnation is the everlasting condition to be inherited by souls that will not be made perfect either because they refused the salvation of God or that they failed to endure the salvation process to the end.
Salvation process does not always end on the positive note for the soul. Anyone who going into the process does not persevere in faith to the end shall not be saved. Salvation process can produce two ends either positive end where the soul is saved or the negative end where the soul is condemned. The negative end of salvation process is also the damnation of the soul involved.
Damnation is an outright sentence for those who will reject and will not believe in the name of Christ the Messiah Son of God who is the captain of salvation and the author of salvation faith. So, there are two ways people can receive damnation rather than salvation.
Damnation: through Unbelieve or Rejection:
Anyone who refused salvation of God by rejecting the Messiah (Christ) Son of God and refusing to believe in his name will definitely receive damnation. Salvation is not received through good works but only by faith in God through the Messiah Son of God who is Jesus. No one shall be saved without first demonstrating faith in God by accepting the Messiah Son of God and believing in his name. Good works only proves our salvation and does not give salvation.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18.
“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.” John 5:31-34.
Anyone who does not believe that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ) Son of God in whom mankind is restored back to God and does not believe Jesus is Christ and Lord shall not be saved. Anyone who is not saved at the end shall not come into the kingdom of God and anyone who would not come into the world of God’s kingdom shall be sent to the world of hellfire.
“Then he said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am the Messiah, the Son of God, you will die in your sins.” John 8:23-24 TLB.
“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30-31.
Damnation: through Failure to Endure to The End:
The first reward of salvation process is the freedom or the redemption of the soul from captivity and after that will be followed by battle period when the redeemed soul in his bid to obey God will constantly battle against the demands of the sinful nature. This battle will continue by the enemy employing different tactics and strategies to recapture the freed soul back into captivity and slavery to sin. The battle will culminate in victory for all those who would endure the trials and temptation and keep the faith to the end.
9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14.
Anyone who received the salvation of God, began the process but would not follow in obedience to the end will receive damnation. Salvation is a process and does not produce outright victory once it began. Salvation guarantees victory to those who will reach to the end remaining in the faith. It is likened unto a race in which there is a guaranteed prize which will be given to only those who will reach the end.
Failure to endure the process by living in faith and walking in spirit through the battle period to get to the end will reward damnation.
Once we begin the salvation process, we are expected to hold on to the faith we received and work with the grace made available through salvation to endure the process and persevere in faith and in sprit to the end. We should not fall away and we should not shrink (turn) back (Hebrews 10:38-39). We have to take up our cross which is our faith obligations and follow Jesus the captain of salvation till we get to the end which is our own Calvary.
Many have been taught to believe they are automatically saved once they believe and become a child of God. The same error teaches that once saved they will remain saved no matter what they do or how they live afterwards. This is an error which is not scripturally true. The scripture clearly warns about shrinking back and Jesus said: “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62.
The wife of Lot was the scriptural symbolism of how people will become useless and unfit for the kingdom if they should look back after escaping from an impending judgment of God. Looking back is not turning your head to look back. It is going back into the worldly life and ungodliness for which the world will be destroyed like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Starting the process or journey of salvation does not mean we have reached the end. Victory is accorded only at the end. That we become the children of God’s kingdom right at the time when we first believe should not confuse us to think that as children we have been completely saved. The children of the kingdom are the chosen people who through salvation has become the children of God here on earth, people of the household of God. Jesus said that the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness.
“When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:10-12.
Though we are children now but unless we hold on to the faith to the end, some may not make it through judgment. Judgment actually will start in the house of God. Children of God are the first to be judged and if they will be judged, then it means they can be condemned in judgment. (1 John 3:1-3).
“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4:17-19.
Any soul that is not made perfect at the end will receive damnation. They shall not come into the perfect world. They shall be sent to a world outside the kingdom of God. This is a world of hellfire which will have a terrible condition for life worst and incomparable to whatever evil we have seen or imagined at present.
Salvation is for all mankind. It demonstrates the love of God for mankind who wants to restore us to His original purpose on earth – which is perfect life in a perfect world. The desire of God is that all shall be saved and come to the knowledge of truth about His plan and purpose already established for all in Christ Jesus.
THE DAY OF SALVATION:
Days of Mankind:
Human existence on earth is divided into days known also as periods or time. We have the time of creation which is the beginning of the earthly existence. Then came the time of enmity and death which was the time when as humans became enemy of God, death came into the world. After the day of enmity and death came the present day which is the time of salvation when God is reconciling humans to Himself so that they may live eternal perfect life in a perfect world. After the day of salvation shall come the day of the Lord when God will take over all the realms of the world and bring everlasting order through His kingdom.
Day of Enmity & Death:
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.” Romans 5:12-14 NLT.
“Then Jesus said… All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them… The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:8-10.
The day of enmity and death is over because death has been demystified. The meaning of death and the secret of death has become a declassified information as Jesus explained. It was believed in the day of death that this present life is all we have and that death is the end to life. The believe was that all will be over once we die and based on this lie humans consider death as the best solution to all issues. They were given to killing themselves and anything they don’t like because they believed death is an end.
“Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell.[a] Yes, he’s the one to fear.” Luke 12:4-5 NLT.
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 NLT.
Death was exaggerated by Satan who used it as a weapon to subject humans under the captivity of the sinful nature (spirit of the world or the spirit of sin) to be slaves to sin through disobedience to God. Humans are no longer supposed to be threatened by death to submit to Satan in disobedience to God.
“Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had[g] the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” Hebrews 2:14-15.
The fear of death involves the fear of what to eat, what to drink, what to wear and what to have. Salvation first exposed Satan’s lies behind death and then revealed to us God’s plan of eternal life in Christ Jesus which countered Satan’s lies against God in Genesis 3:4-5. The actual plan of God is for us to be made perfect like Him and not to become independent of Him according to Satan’s lie.
The time of humans on earth before the day of salvation was completely different. It was the time when God was dealing with all humans as His enemies. It was the time when God allowed for His accusers to expose themselves by their actions against the earth, humans and other creation. It was symbolized in the scripture by the time when the children of Israel were salves in Egypt before God came to deliver them.
The focus of humans in those days was on religion, race and territory. The kingdom of God was not an issue even to the people of Israel. The focus of the people of Israel was on possessing the Promised Land, preserving their race and protecting their territory. Their hope and desire for the Promised Land as the solution to their slavery symbolized how the kingdom of God is the hope of humans for eternal peace and freedom from evil of slavery.
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” Matthew 25:34.
What men were concerned with in those days was their little kingdoms and nations which they organized with the expectation to build a perfect society on their own. People in those days were not aware of God’s plan and promise to bring us into His kingdom. No one was aware there is a kingdom which God prepared for humans from the beginning. We were busy creating our own kingdoms based on race, language, geographical location or available resources without any clue that God has a plan to bring us into His perfect kingdom.
“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. 32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” Luke 12:29-32.
This time of death ended with the birth of the Christ of God. The birth of Christ heralded the beginning of the day of salvation. Humans became aware of God’s plan and purpose to restore humans to eternal perfect life under the authority of His kingdom. This awareness was meant to change human focus.
“……… Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:25-32.
After the time of enmity and death came the day of salvation when God decided to reconcile human beings back to Himself through salvation in Christ. “And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19.
Day of Salvation:
The day of salvation is the same thing as the era or period of salvation. It is a period of time in human history when God has chosen to save mankind prior to destroying the world. It is a period of thousands of years which is allowed for humans to accept salvation and be among those to be made perfect at the end who shall inherit the perfect world under the perfect kingdom of God.
“For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV.
“Hear what God says: “When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you.” Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favor; today is the day to be saved!” 2 Corinthians 6:2 GNT.
The day of salvation began from the day Jesus was born into the world and will continue to the day of Jesus’ first return to the earth. The birth of Jesus the Christ of God heralded the beginning of salvation era which will last till the end of the current world system.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
We are in the day of salvation right now. Salvation is possible only in the day of salvation. Salvation will no longer be possible when the door of salvation is closed. There will be no salvation for anyone once the door is shut no matter how much one may desire salvation or the intercession of other people.
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Matthew 25:10-12.
Indeed, the right time to be saved is now. Salvation requires us to believe with the heart and make confession with the mouth. Salvation is impossible when one is unable to believe in the heart and confess with the mouth.
The reason God works miracles for us in this life is to provide us with the opportunity to accept His plan, believe in the name of Jesus and receive salvation. God does not perform miracles as solution to our problems. For example, anyone who receive miraculous healing shall still die one day. Lazarus who Jesus raised from dead still died later. Miracles does not confer salvation on anyone. No type or amount of miracle can give us a perfect world and a perfect life.
‘You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.” John 5:33-34.
The Promised kingdom of God is God’s solution for all the human problems. Human problems cannot be solved unless the kingdom of God comes. We will rather see increase and multiplication of evil and wickedness in the present than turn it into a perfect world. The perfect life desired by the entire creation can only be possible under the kingdom of God. Whoever that desire good and perfect life should make effort to enter the kingdom of God.
Salvation is the only process through which human beings can attain perfection to enter into the kingdom of God where they will enjoy perfect life for all eternity.
The Day of The LORD.
The day after the day of salvation is scripturally known as the day of the Lord. It is the time of humans on earth when the gate of salvation will be shut and the Lord God will judge the world and mankind. The day of salvation is not going to last forever, it will come to an end on Christ’s first return when Christ will come to destroy the nations of the world, all their systems and the spiritual authorities and powers that are backing them. After judging the nations of the world and the spiritual forces backing them, Christ will come back to judge human beings.
“Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand: A day of darkness and gloominess………… For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?” Joel 2:1-11.
The time after the day of salvation is what Jesus described in the book of Matthew 24. It shall be the day of great tribulation when Christ will put an end to all rule and all authority and power. (1 Corinthians 15:24). The entire universe and their inhabitants shall be subjected to a period of great pain and fear as nations of human and spiritual rule and authority are judged and destroyed.
Human’s ability to rule themselves by forming nations and governments will come to an end. All of human creations such as cities, traditions, religions and our worldly systems (of defense, education, health, communication, transportation, etc.) will be destroyed.
Peter described the day after the day of salvation saying: “They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment when ungodly people will be destroyed” (NLT).……… 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” (NJKV) 2 Peter 3:5-7, 10.
The time after the day of salvation will be a shorter period than the other times for the sake of human beings who God would not want to experience such great pain and fear for a long period of time.
During this time nobody shall be saved no matter how much the person would desire salvation because the gate of salvation should be shut at this time. What will be the condition of those who shall reject the birthright offered to human beings by God is symbolized in the scripture by Esau.
“Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.” Hebrews 12:16-17 NLT.
It will be too late for anyone who rejected salvation in the day of salvation to repent in the day of the Lord. Jesus came in the day of salvation to call sinners and show mercy to them but in the day of the Lord he shall come to receive those made perfect through salvation. The day of salvation as mentioned above is the day God is calling sinners to repentance. We are right now in the day of salvation.
“When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 NLT.
He will judge sinners on the day of the Lord. He first came to establish salvation for mankind whereby he said he did not come to condemn the world but the world might through him be saved. When he comes in the day of the Lord, it shall be to condemn sinners and receive those who accepted the salvation which God provided for humans through him.
“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28 NLT.
Day of SALVATION versus The Other Days
How does the day of salvation differ from the other days of mankind? As mentioned earlier, the day of salvation is a period or a duration of time when the gate of salvation is open for mankind. It is the period of the time of man on earth when the focus is on the coming of the kingdom of God – when God through salvation is gathering people in Christ Jesus who shall be made perfect to inherit God’s kingdom of Heaven. When saving people for eternal life in a perfect world under God’s kingdom is God’s focus.
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” Matthew 11:12-13.
“In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. 8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.” Galatians 3:6-9NLT.
The day of salvation is the time which is a duration when God will make humans right with Him so as to bring them into His kingdom.
The day of salvation differs from the other days of mankind on earth because it is the only opportunity humans have to make peace with God and reserve a place for themselves in the coming perfect world. Before this day of salvation no one could be saved and after this day no one can be saved. Perfect life in a perfect world is the core desire of all human beings. All our struggles and effort in this present world is basically how to achieve a perfect life and a perfect world.
There are only two choices for everyone. Salvation or damnation? There is no middle ground or neutrality. Follow salvation to the end and come into perfect life in a perfect world under the kingdom of God. Reject salvation of God and receive damnation that will bring you into the terrible world of hellfire outside the kingdom of God.
To be continued …………………