Salvation, Not Probation

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).

Salvation, to use the words of another, is in no sense a probation. To be saved by grace, to some, seems to mean to be placed in such a relation to God that at the end of the earthly life one enters glory, provided the one has been faithful to God and has lived according to certain moral standards. It may not be stated as definitely as this, but this is the meaning of salvation according to many today.

The doctrinal epistles of the Bible tell of a great many things that are true of the one who has been saved. These are all spoken of as being fully accomplished. There is no mention of growth or development of any one of them. They are always considered as being final. The following is only an incomplete list of these things. It is not necessary to enumerate all in order to prove that the one who has been saved is in an unalterable condition.

The saved person has been redeemed from under the law (Galatians 4:5) and the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13) by an eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). He is dead to the law (Romans 7:4) and shall not come into condemnation (John 5:24, Romans 8:1). He is reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18) and is at peace with Him (Colossians 1:20). He is justified (Romans 5:1), and all trespasses have been forgiven (Colossians 2:13). He has been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God (Colossians 1:13). He has been born again of incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23), is a son of God (John 1:12) , and has eternal life (John 5:24). He is a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). He is perfected forever (Hebrews 10:14), is complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), and has been accepted of God (Ephesians 1:6). He has been born of the Spirit (John 3:6) baptized by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13) is indwelt by the Spirit who abides forever (John 14:16,17), and sealed by the Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). He has become the object of God's love (Ephesians 2:4), of His grace (Romans 6:14), of His power (Ephesians 1:19), and of His faithfulness (1 Corinthians 1:9). He is a citizen of heaven (Ephesians 2.19, Philippians 3:20), is seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), and is already glorified (Romans 8:30).

All of the above and more too, God says of the one who has been saved. Before the one who has been saved can be lost, every one of these things must be made void. Is that possible? God's Word is absolutely silent as to any such possibility. This should be final, for it is only through His revelation that these facts are known to man.

Can one who has been redeemed by an eternal redemption be brought back into bondage? Can one who is dead to the law be made alive to it? Can one within the Kingdom of God be taken out of it? Can one being born again of incorruptible seed and having eternal life die? Can one that has been perfected forever be found imperfect? Can one that is complete in Christ become incomplete? These are eternal in their very nature, and therefore are unalterable.

--J.F. Strombeck