In The Master's Service

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CONCEPTS OF ETERNAL SALVATION

Eternal Salvation Is Immediate Salvation

Elder J.W. Patterson

"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46).

When the Lord Jesus Christ suffered death, the testament immediately went into force.

Immediacy is found connected to the cross of Christ. Justification is connected to the blood of Jesus Christ, and the blood of Jesus Christ is connected to Calvary; "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Romans 5:9). Whether it be the immediacy of the Lord's death, or the sudden acceptance of His offering, or the brief moment of time God used to remove the iniquity of his elect, or a combination of all three, the scriptures reveal that the events connected to justification were immediate. Thus far immediate salvation has held true for "whom he did foreknow," "whom he did predestinate," "whom he called," and "whom he justified." What about "them he also glorified"?"

Them He Also Glorified - Immediate

The immediacy of glorification is abundantly proven by one crystal clear proof text:
"Behold, I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (I Corinthians 15:51-52).

All of God's elect will be changed "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." Therefore the glorification of God's elect is immediate. The concept of immediate salvation held true of each of the five things that work together for eternal salvation to God's elect. God's love and foreknowledge of His people were everlasting and immediate; predestination was immediate - "God said...and there was;" the calling or new birth is immediate - one moment dead in sins, the next moment alive in Christ; justification is immediate - it did not take long for the Lord to die; and glorification is immediate - "in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye."

Does the concept of immediate salvation hold true for gospel salvation? Is gospel salvation instantaneous? Does it happen "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye"?"

Gospel Salvation - Is A Process or Progression

Gospel salvation involves preaching the gospel, hearing the gospel, believing the gospel, remembering the gospel, being baptized, taking communion, contending for the faith, giving as the Lord has prospered, for giving, praying, persevering and a number of other things mentioned throughout the scriptures. Gospel salvation is best described as a process or progression. Gospel salvation is most always little by little and bit by bit.

A process is something that is marked by gradual changes through a series of states. A progression is the ongoing act of moving forward toward a goal. The scriptures are complete with abundant examples showing the growing, sowing, reaping, watching, abounding, pressing, persevering process and progression of gospel salvation.

There is a process of sowing, reaping and persevering in gospel salvation.

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalms 126:5-6).

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9).

Gospel salvation involves the process of planting and watering.

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." (I Corinthians 3:6).

Countless hours of progressive reading and study are required for gospel salvation.

"Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." (I Timothy 4:13) "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15).

Gospel salvation involves the progression of an ongoing work of adding, abounding and pressing.

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1:5-8).

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14).

Jesus taught His disciples little by little, bit by bit.

"Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know here after." (John 13:6-7).

Gospel salvation involves training up children in the way of the Lord.

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4).

Reading and making known the scriptures to the children require time and perseverance.

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (II Timothy 3:15).

Even though some would like to shorten the worship service, time and diligence are necessary to properly sing, pray and preach during public worship. Not forsaking the assembly is required for gospel salvation.

One should readily see that gospel salvation IS NOT immediate salvation. Gospel salvation is an ongoing process of continuous labor of reaping and sowing, planting and watering, reading and meditating, praying and persevering, and training and instructing. There is very little that is immediate about gospel salvation.

Conclusion

All four concepts, (identical,once only, by one, and immediate) held true for eternal salvation. The scriptures teach that eternal salvation is identical salvation - what happens to one of God's elect happens to each and every other elect; that eternal salvation is once only salvation - the things that work together for eternal salvation happen once and only once, they never repeat themselves; that eternal salvation is by one salvation - God (by Himself) did, does, and will do the things that work together for eternal salvation to God's elect; and that eternal salvation is immediate salvation - the things that comprise eternal salvation happen in a moment, immediately.

Gospel salvation cannot wear any of the four concepts tested thus far. Since the concepts tested have been proven true for eternal salvation and untrue for gospel salvation, there is more" than one salvation taught in the Bible. That being the case, eternal salvation is to be rightly divided and kept very distinct from gospel salvation. Those that fail to rightly divide eternal salvation from gospel salvation will eventually divide Primitive Baptist churches.