God’s salvific plan in summary. Part 7

“And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:30.

We have learned the Bible doctrines of predestination, calling, and Justification in the previous daily insights. The fourth chain or mountain-top phrase in Romans 8:30 is ‘glorification.’ However, I hope you remember I said in one of the previous insights of this verse that these four are mountain tops or readily visible chains. However, there are time gaps or valleys between them. For example, Predestination or God’s election of who would inherit His salvation was made in the eternity past before the creation of this world; however, calling happens in the time allotted for each person to live on this earth. The obedient response to the call could also be gradual in a person’s lifetime. Certain people respond with the first call. However, many others respond in obedience to accept Jesus as their savior after hearing the repeated presentation of the Gospel and the divine and irresistible call from God. Such people hear the Gospel calling for the first time. They felt interested. But may not make a decision immediately. Then the Holy Spirit of God softens and works in their heart, giving the conviction to come to Jesus eventually. A study showed an average person might hear 7-8 times the Gospel message before accepting the salvation and eternal life God offers.

Now, when accepting their sinful nature and profession of faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ on their behalf, the legal declaration of Justification from the heavenly court happens. The believers in Christ are justified forever. They are complete in Christ. Their names are written in the Book of Life in heaven, and their salvation and eternal life are assured. This is called positional sanctification. Positionally, they are declared righteous and adorned with Christ’s righteousness, as we studied yesterday. 

Usually, there is a time gap between the Justification and glorification, the last chain or mountain top in Romans 8:30. For the criminal of the cross who was crucified with Christ, there was no time-gap. Jesus said to him, “today you will be with me in paradise.” The reason is his death happened immediately without an opportunity to live here one more day. According to the Bible, Justification is typically followed by progressive ‘sanctification’, which is an on-going process of becoming mature in Christ before glorification. This will see in-depth in a later session. 

You see, Biblical sanctification has two senses. First is positional sanctification, as we have seen earlier. A believer in Christ is positionally declared righteous and fit to stand before God and live with Him. This is because all the past, present, and future sins are forgiven, and he or she is declared not guilty by the clothing of the garment of Christ’s righteousness. You may have noticed how the believers in Jesus Christ are addressed by New Testament Epistles (Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, etc.) and the book of Revelation. They are called saints or holy ones. When the Epistle was written to the believers in the church in Corinth, it says, “to those have sanctified (set apart) in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 1:2).

In essence, Apostle Paul says even the believers in the church in Corinth, with all their sinful propensities, clearly brought to light in the letter, are saints along with all everywhere, who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, because they have been sanctified (positionally) in Christ Jesus (vs.3(b)). The general addressing of all believers who put their sincere faith in Jesus Christ as ‘saints’ or ‘holy ones’ in the Scripture is directly linked to the Justification (God’s legal declaration) that they are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, not their righteousness from the point of belief in Christ. 

1 Corinthians 6:9 says the previous condition of believers in Christ. Some of them were sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers or men having sex with men, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers. But when they responded in obedience to Gospel presented to them and believed in it, they were washed, sanctified (set apart), ‘justified’ in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (the Holy Spirit). In short, even though they were all of the above before, now in Christ upon faith in Him, they are justified or positionally sanctified before God. 

In tomorrow’s insight, we will learn the progressive sanctification resulting from the positional sanctification. 

“Father in heaven, Thank you for presenting to me your beautiful salvation plan that originated in the eternity past. Thank you for choosing and calling me by offering salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. I accept Jesus as my savior and Lord. I believe He died, buried, and rose again for my sins. Please forgive all of my sins and save me today. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”