Salvation is Nearer

Romans 13:9b-11 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

I read an article is week that addressed an aspect of salvation that I had heard about, where salvation begins at the moment that we first believe but does  not end a that moment. The article stated that we fulfill the law of God through our love of Him and our neighbor, but Paul is clear that our own fulfillment of the law is not what grants us salvation. The only reason why we can even begin to fulfill the law lies in the fact that Christ was born under the law and fulfilled it for us. Through faith alone, this obedience is imputes to us and we are justified, or declared righteous in the sight of God. However, the Apostle does not use the term salvation only for the past event of our once-for-all justification. Paul’s varied usage of the term salvation reflected the Bible’s insistence that redemption is a past, present, and future reality. We are saved; we are being saved; and we are will be saved.  

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

The article goes on to say that if we look at salvation as an overarching concept that encompasses past, present and future, it becomes clear that Scripture views salvation as a work that begins with regeneration and justification by faith, continues on in sanctification ( a lifetime of growing into the likeness of Christ), and then is finally brought to completion in our glorification (going to be with the Lord upon our passing). In the ultimate sense, we do not experience salvation the moment we are born again; that is just one aspect of salvation. The fullness of our salvation will not take place until our glorification when we enter into heaven. Salvation is a process. If we have been justified, we will certainly be glorified, and if someone falls away, it is because they never had “saving” faith. In any case, the future aspect of our salvation that we will enjoy in our glorification is nearer now than when we first believed. Unless we go home to be with the Lord before, every day, we get closer to the appointed time at which our Savior will return, remove all sin from creation, and bring us into glory.

Psalm 51:10-12 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”

In Christ, Brian