Sergey Hudiev

Assurance of salvation

SALVATION AS A PRESENT STATE

Thus, the Lord Himself and His apostles assert (and I must believe their testimony) that in Christ Jesus we are already justified before God's judgment: —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 3:18) —Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life (.John 5:24) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Rom. 5:9) See also Rom. 8:30, 33; 1 Cor. 6:11. We (in Christ) are saved: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:4-10) Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the 1 gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Tim. 1:8-9) But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:4-6) There exists the opinion that the salvation which is spoken of in these verses carries an imperfect, intermediate and preliminary character. They say that we are saved from our former licentious life and from errors, but we are not yet saved in a definitive sense. Christ has given us the possibility to be saved, but each Christian must still bring about this possibility through his own good works. However I do not see that the Apostle has spoken anything of the like here. He says: "by grace you are saved" and "He saved us." If the apostle ( or better, that the Holy Spirit by the mouth of the apostle) had wanted to say "by grace you are given the possibility to be saved", then this is exactly what he would have said. But instead of this, the apostle says that God in Christ has renewed, resurrected, seated us in the heavenly places and made us new creations in Christ for the purpose that we in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace. What kind of salvation does one still need? Of what kind of "intermediate" salvation could here be in question? Sometimes they say that the question is in regard to the salvation of "human nature." We have already spoken a bit about this earlier. In all of the quoted texts the issue at hand deals not with the salvation of "human nature", but completely with specific people believers in Christ. Those, who abide in unbelief and opposition are quite obviously not saved, although they belong to the very same "human nature" (Eph. 4:17-19). Sometimes people say that the Church is saved but not specific people. However, the Church can only exist by means of its own specific members. Thus, if specific members of the Church are not saved, then all that is saved is some kind of philosophic abstraction from the Platonic world of ideas. Plato is of course a "friend" to me, but the Apostle is more dear to me especially when the Apostle 2 proclaims to me, a poor sinner, salvation in Christ. But Hellenistic philosophy reduces this salvation to a fiction. To this, Paul clears says that "we" are saved and that God has saved "us." As to myself, I do not find any possibility stand against the clear Word of God. Of course, to learn this is extremely difficult. Fallen people such as you or I are desire that God would glorify us: our works, our piety, our merits, and our great feats. But instead of this, God glorifies His Son, Jesus: His ministry and great feat, and to us he says, "in order that no one would boast" (Eph. 2:9). He promises that we will share in the unspeakable glory of His Son and enjoy the fruits of His work but not until we relinquish the claims to our own glory and trusting in our own works. This is a mortal blow to man's pride. For man's pride, an insult which was undeserved is by far easier to bear than a good deed which was undeserved. If I undergo undeserved abuses and injuries, then I can enthusiastically admire (or be admired by???) my own meekness, patience, and gentleness. However, if I am shown undeserved mercy, then every ground for boasting is taken from me (Rom. 3:27) and it is made clear that I am not a great hero at all, but simply a miserable, pitiful, destitute, blind and naked sinner who has been saved by Christ out of pity. I think for this exact reason man is therefore inclined by such ingenuity to resist God's mercy the mercy that strikes pride at its very root. Also let us consider other promises which the Scriptures give to believers: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. (John 6:47) He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36) —Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (John 5:24) And this is the promise that He has promised us–eternal life.(1 Jn 2:25) He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he 3 who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.(1 Jn 5:10-13) See also John 6:39-40; 11:25-26; 20:31. We understand eternal life clearly as that which the believer already possesses, that it is not compatible with condemnation (John 3:18; 5:24), spiritual death (John 5:24), or abiding in the wrath of God (John 3:36). As St. Ambrose said: Therefore it is said: —That every. one that believeth in Him should not perish. Let no one, that is, of whatever condition, after whatever fall, fear that he will perish.1 (Concerning Repentance, Chapter 11) Commenting on John 3:36, the saint says: When, then, any one believes, the wrath of God departs and life comes. To believe, then, in Christ is to gain life, for —he that believeth in Him is not judged.2 (Concerning Repentance, Chapter 12) It is also said in regard to the believer that he is adopted by God in Christ, is an heir of the heavenly blessings, and is a co-heir with Christ: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (Jn 1:12-13) Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 Jn 3:1-2) 1P. Schaff, The Post-Nicene Fathers, electronic ed., electronic ed. (Garland, TX: Galaxie Software, 2000). 2P. Schaff, The Post-Nicene Fathers, electronic ed., electronic ed. (Garland, TX: Galaxie Software, 2000). 4 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, —Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (Ro 8:14-17) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ・nd if you are Christ‘s, then you are Abraham‘s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Ga 3:26-27, 29) Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,Eph 2:19 An heir of heavenly blessings: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (Jn 14:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pe 1:3-5) In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, (Eph 1:11) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Tim. 4:8) Born from above, regenerated to new life in Christ: Jesus answered, —Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the 5 Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 悩ou must be born again.‘ (Jn 3:5-7) Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (Jas 1:18) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Pe 1:3) Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. (1 Jn 5:1) All of the believer's sins are forgiven -- this issue we will study in detail in the next chapter. 6