Theology – the study of God and his truth – is only possible because God has revealed himself. Otherwise we could know very little about God. Thus the topic of God’s revelation is a good starting point for theological reflection. God has made himself known to human beings in three primary ways.

General Revelation

God has revealed himself through the creation he has made – called “general” revelation. Psalm 19:1-4 describes how “the heavens proclaim the glory of God.” Romans 1:19-20 declares that human beings should understand the existence and power of God “through everything God made.” While creation can reveal much about God, many of his attributes cannot be discerned from the created order. Creation cannot reveal God’s Triune nature or the incarnation of Jesus. Looking at the grandeur of the heavens cannot help us understand how to be right with God.

The Bible

By contrast with general revelation, the Bible is considered “special revelation.” Consider nine important truths about the Bible as the word of God.

Inspiration: Every book of the Bible has two authors: divine and human. God did not dictate the words of the Bible to its human authors, but worked through each author’s own personality, intellect and culture so that every word written by the human is also God’s own word (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21). For example, Jesus quoted the words of David in the Old Testament and attributed those words to the Holy Spirit (Mark 12:36).

Inerrancy: In its original manuscripts, the Bible does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact. It always tells the truth. The Bible does not speak on every conceivable topic, but wherever it does speak, what it says about any subject will be true. This reflects God’s character, because God cannot lie (Heb 6:18).

Authority: Because the Bible is God’s word, it is our ultimate source of truth. This makes the Bible our final authority for what we believe and how we live. To disbelieve the Bible is to disbelieve God (Luke 24:25). To disobey the Bible is to disobey God (2 Pet 3:2).

Reliability: Has the Bible been corrupted? Have important truths been removed from its pages? Even though we have no original manuscripts of the Bible, we have reason to trust the reliability of the Bibles we have. Our confidence rests on three factors. The first is the meticulous process of transmission. The scribes who copied the Bible adhered to very high standards of accuracy. Because of this, any mistakes made in copying are clearly identifiable as slips of the eye or pen, and no intentional corruption has ever been demonstrated. Second, consider the consistency of manuscripts over long periods of time. For example, when it was discovered, the Isaiah scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls predated the oldest existing manuscript of Isaiah by almost 1,000 years. Yet the two are almost identical, with only trivial differences. The third confidence-building factor is the abundance of available manuscript evidence. Thousands of manuscripts of the Bible exist, some very ancient. By comparing manuscripts, a reliable text can be established.

Clarity: Not everything in the Bible is equally clear or easy to grasp. But the Bible’s authors expected people to be able to understand and act on their words (Deut 6:6-7). All things a person needs for salvation and Christian life can be understood by anyone who will read the Bible, if they ask for God’s help and are willing to follow it.

Necessity: We need the Bible. Without it, no one can know how to be right with God, how to maintain a relationship with him, or what God commands or desires of us (Matt 4:4; Ps 119:1; 1 John 5:3). 

Sufficiency: The Bible is enough. It contains everything we need God to reveal to us for our eternal salvation (2 Tim 3:15), We need anything else in order to know and trust God or to obey him (Ps 119:9; 2 Tim 3:17). We can be fully content with the Bible. We do not need to rely on other sources of truth or guidance as equal to the Bible, for any matter on which the Bible speaks.

Efficacy: The Bible has power to accomplish God’s purposes (Isaiah 55:10-11). More than just words on a page, the Bible conveys the power of the Holy Spirit into the life of the reader (Hebrews 4:12). It transforms the mind and heart (Psalm 19:7-11) and equips people to know and live for God (2 Tim 3:16-17). 

Canonicity: Is the Bible as we have it now complete? The word “canon” means a rule or standard. Canonicity is about whether a book that claims to be scripture meets that standard. In general, a book was included in the canon based on two steps. The early church did not create the canon of Scripture. But it recognized the divine inspiration of certain books, and rejected others, based on five tests.

• • Universality. Did the writings in question reflect the unified view of the whole body of Christians?
  • Apostolic origin. Was it written by a known prophet or apostle, or by a close associate reflecting the apostle’s perspective?
  • Orthodoxy. Are the doctrines and values expressed consistent with the rest of Scripture (Deut 13:1-3)?
  • Divine efficacy. Did the message of the book have life-changing power in people’s experience?
  • Antiquity. Did it originate in biblical times, or was it composed long afterwards?

God’s Self-Revelation in Jesus Christ

The final and ultimate way that God has revealed himself to humanity is through Jesus Christ. In him, God became human and lived among us. John 1:18 explains that no one has ever seen God, but Jesus “has revealed God to us.” Jesus told his disciples, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:8-9). Hebrews 12:1-3 explains that, while God made himself known in the past through the prophets, “in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son,” because Jesus “radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God.” Thus God’s greatest way of making himself known is not the Bible, but the person of Jesus Christ. 

The study of theology begins with God’s revelation. The Bible is how we know who God is, because the Bible reveals God’s mind, heart and will. It also reveals the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the highest revelation of God. Sound theology is built on what the Bible says as the final word about what we believe and teach.

The Bible never tries to prove that God exists, but simply assumes it from the first verse (Genesis 1:1). In the Bible, God reveals himself to be a personal and relational being unique from any other. Let’s examine more fully what God is like.

Immanence and Transcendence

Isaiah 57:15 describes a God who is both immanent (near to us) and transcendent (far above and beyond us). God is distinct from his creation, but remains present and involved in it (Matthew 1:23), sustaining and directing it for his purposes. He is knowable by and interacts with human beings (Exodus 3:11-12). Yet even though God is present, he is distinct from the universe. He is beyond humanity’s full experience, perception or understanding (Romans 11:33-34). His thoughts and ways are beyond ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Incommunicable Attributes

The attributes of God can be described in two categories: communicable and incommunicable. The incommunicable attributes are those characteristics of God’s nature that are completely unique to him. They cannot be shared (or “communicated”) with human beings. As you consider some of these attributes, you will see that there can be no other gods beside this one God.

Infinitude

God is infinite, meaning that he is free from limits. God does have limits imposed by his character. For example, he cannot do evil. But he is not subject to any of the limitations found in his creation. It follows that all of God’s attributes are also infinite.

Independence

God does not depend on any other being for his existence. While we depend on God for both the beginning and the continuation of our lives, God has no origin (Revelation 4:8). As a self-existent being, he possesses the capacity for life within himself. Thus God is not answerable to anyone outside of himself.

Self-sufficiency

Since God is independent, he has no needs and therefore relies on no one or nothing. God did not need to create in order to fulfill something lacking in himself, but created simply because he chose to do so. God does not need anything from us: our worship, our money, our help, or anything else (Acts 17:24-25).

Unchangeableness

The Bible depicts God as responding to different situations differently in his interactions with human beings. But God’s being and perfections do not change (Psalm 102:25-27). He will never stop being infinite and self-sufficient. He will never become more powerful or more loving than he is. Evil will not someday start being good. His purposes and promises do not change (Psalm 33:11; Numbers 23:19). As a result, we can trust God, knowing that he will always remain the way he has revealed himself to us (Malachi 3:6).

Eternity

God is infinite with respect to time. He is, has always been, and will always be (Revelation 1:8). He has no beginning and no ending (Psalm 90:2). God is not limited or bound by the passage of time, but created time and sees all events through all of time at once (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Omnipresence 

God is infinite with respect to space (Jeremiah 23:23-24). He does not have size or spatial dimensions. He  is not limited to being in one place at a time, but is present at every point of space with his whole being (Psalm 139:7-12; 1 Kings 8:27). As a being of spirit, God does not possess a physical body. When the Bible speaks of God having physical parts (eyes, mouth, arms, etc.), it is not describing God as he is. Comparison to human traits tells us that God can perceive, communicate, act, and more.

Unity

God’s unity means that every attribute of God applies fully to all of God. God is not divided into parts. Every attribute is also fully consistent and integrated with the others. God’s attributes are never contrary to each other. For example, because God is holy, his love is a holy love. Because God is merciful, his justice is a merciful justice. 

Communicable Attributes

Communicable attributes are those aspects of God’s nature that are reflected in human beings, albeit in finite form. There are many of these, but several examples will illustrate.    

Spirituality

God is spirit (John 4:24). Human beings, while embodied, also have a spirit. God interacts with us at a spiritual level (Rom 8:16; 1 Corinthians 6:17). One function of God’s spirituality is that he is invisible to the unaided human eye (1 Timothy 6:16).

Knowledge

Humans have a limited capacity to know truth. But God is omniscient. He knows all things perfectly: past, present and future, visible and invisible, actual and possible (Job 37:16; 1 John 3:20).

Power

God is omnipotent. His power is infinite (Matthew 19:26; Jeremiah 32:17). This doesn’t mean God can do anything. He cannot act in a way that is contrary to his character (Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 2:13). But God is powerful enough to do anything that he chooses to do. 

Wisdom

God is wise (Romans 16:27) because he always chooses the best purposes and the best means to achieve those purposes (Romans 8:28).

Truthfulness

As the true God (Jeremiah 10:10), God himself epitomizes truth. His perception defines reality and is the final standard of all truth. He cannot lie or deceive. One aspect of God’s truthfulness is his faithfulness (Deuteronomy 32:4), because God is always true to his promises (2 Samuel 7:28).

Goodness

All that God is and does is worthy of approval (Genesis 1:31). He is the final standard of what is good (Luke 18:19; Psalm 106:1). God only acts toward his creation in a way that is good (James 1:17). 

Love

God is love (1 John 4:8) in that he eternally gives of himself to others (John 17:24). The love within the Trinity is the perfect example of this (John 14:31). While human love is tainted by self-interest, God loves even sinful humanity, at great cost to himself (1 John 4:10; Romans 5:8). His love takes shape in other attributes, like grace, patience, mercy, and compassion.

Holiness

God is often called holy (Psalm 71:22; Psalm 99:9; Isaiah 6:3). The root idea of “holiness” is “separation.” On one hand, God is separate from all sin or evil, and calls us to separate ourselves from sin and evil in our lives (1 Peter 1:14-16). But in a greater sense, God is holy because he is completely transcendent. That is, he is absolutely separate in his being and perfection from his creation.

Righteousness

In biblical languages, righteousness and justice are equivalent. God always does what is right (Genesis 18:25; Zephaniah 3:5), but not according to some external standard or law. God himself is the final standard of right and wrong (Deuteronomy 32:4). 

Wrath

God’s wrath is his settled animosity and opposition toward sin (Exodus 32:9-10; Romans 1:18). While human wrath is usually misapplied, to hate sin and evil is a virtue (Zechariah 8:17). While God’s wrath expresses his holiness and righteousness, it is never at odds with his love and mercy.

The Triune God

When we integrate everything God has revealed about himself in the Bible, the only possible conclusion is that God exists eternally as three persons in one being. First, God is three persons. The Bible portrays the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as distinct centers of consciousness (Matthew 28:19), who can interact with each other (Matthew 3:16-17) and who have different roles, but work in perfect unity as equals.

Second, each person is fully God. It is a given in the Bible that the Father is God. The Son is also seen as God (John 1:1-3; see Topic 4). The Holy Spirit is depicted having attributes that only God has and doing things that only God can do (Acts 5:3-4; see Topic 5). As such, all three members of the Trinity are worthy of our worship.

Third, the Bible clearly teaches that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6-8).

The distinction between “person” and “being” is important, because careful use of language helps us to avoid two fundamental errors. First, we must not confuse the persons of God. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, and neither is the Holy Spirit. Second, we must not divide the essence or being of God. The Father, Son and Spirit are not separate gods.

In the end, we don’t have to understand or articulate how God can be three persons in one being. Why would finite creatures expect to be able to grasp an infinite God (Job 11:7)? But we can explain why we hold this teaching, as the only view of God that takes into account everything the know about God from the Bible.

For more details about this important doctrine, see the series The Trinity at pursuegod.org/trinity.

God is a purposeful personal being, not a passive observer of the universe. But what does he do? Precisely how is God involved in the world? Humans can best understand God’s work by considering his relationship with everything he has made.

Creation

As seen from a human perspective, God’s work begins with creation. God created everything out of nothing (Romans 4:17), by the simple command of his word (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6-9). In fact the entire Trinity was involved in creation (John 1:3; Psalm 104:30), and everything God created was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). God did not need to create anything, but he created to show his glory (Revelation 4:11). 

Creation is distinct from God, yet dependent on him. Consider four views of God and creation that fall short of what the Bible reveals about this.

• Materialism posits a creation (nature), but no God.
• Pantheism views nature and God as one inseparable reality.
• Dualism pictures nature and God existing eternally side by side.
• Deism imagines that God created but does not rule and is not involved.

Contemporary science typically reflects materialism. This creates an apparent conflict between the Bible and science. Ultimately, when everything is known about the universe, science and scripture will coincide. Certainly, secular theories of origins that leave God completely out are incompatible with the Bible. Yet given various theories that do include God as Creator, biblical orthodoxy is defined not by any particular view of how God created, but by the fact that God created all things. 

Providence 

Creation is complete (Genesis 2:1-2). Providence is defined as the continuing relationship of God with his creation. God “rested” from his work of creation, but he is still actively involved in the world and in our lives. Providence means that God is not distant or unaware. We can face the future with confidence, knowing that the world is in his hands, and things don’t just happen by chance. Theologians have defined three aspects of God’s providence.

Preservation

God is active keeping all things that he created in existence (Nehemiah 9:6). Jesus, as God, “sustains everything by the mighty power of his command” (Hebrews 1:3) and “he holds all creation together” (Colossians 1:17). No part of creation is self-sufficient. It all depends on God’s ongoing work to sustain and preserve it. A deist thinks the world is like a self-driving car. Christians understand that God actually has his hands on the steering wheel. Because of God’s preservation, we can have confidence in the regularity of the created world. What scientists call “the laws of nature” are simply God’s regular ways of acting to sustain his creation.

Governance

Not only does God preserve what he has made, he actively governs it. God has purposes for the universe he made, and directs all things in order that they accomplish his purposes (Ephesians 1:11). “The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything” (Psalm 103;19).

God controls the forces of nature (Job 37:6-13). He guides and directs the animal creation (Psalm 104:27-29). He directs human history and the destiny of nations (Acts 17:26; Job 12:23). God works in the circumstances of individual persons (Romans 8:28). He rules even in what appear to be chance occurrences (Proverbs 16:33). All of this means that history is purposeful. It is always moving forward toward the fulfillment of God’s plans.

Finally, we affirm that God’s government is always good (Romans 8:28). It reflects his righteous, holy, loving and wise character. That’s why we can trust him no matter what circumstances befall us.

Concurrence

Closely related to God’s governance, concurrence means that God cooperates with created things in every action, directing his creatures to bring about his purposes through their choices and actions. We can talk about concurrence whenever there is more than one cause for an action or event. We can see concurrence at work in Proverbs 16:9: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” This extends to all aspects of our lives (Jeremiah 10:23). 

It’s one thing to talk about God ruling the forces of nature and the animal world. But two problems arise when we consider the concurrence of God’s rule with human actions.

Human Freedom and Responsibility

If God is truly governing the world, do humans have free will? Yes and no. Humans are not free in the sense of exercising their will completely independent of or outside of God’s will. Humans are free in the sense that they make willing choices that have real consequences. Because of this, human beings are responsible for their actions.

This makes sense when you consider that there are two causes for every event: primary and secondary. The primary cause is what God plans and initiates. The secondary cause (or causes) is the actions of his creatures. God works through means. He uses secondary causes to accomplish his will. In other words, God governs history through human actions. But because those actions contribute to God’s ultimate purpose doesn’t mean that humans are not accountable for what they choose to do.

The crucifixion of Jesus is the most prominent example of this. Acts 2:23 describes how the cross was God’s “prearranged plan”, but it was actually carried out by “lawless” men. Acts 4:27 describes the choices made by Herod, Pilate and others to oppose Jesus. They are accountable for their choices. Their actions were not coerced by God, but freely occurred based on their own individual motivations. “But everything they did was determined beforehand according to [God’s] will” (Acts 4:28). So God did not just allow the crucifixion of Jesus to happen. He willed it to happen for our salvation. If God did not cause it to happen, there was no guarantee that the event needed for the eternal redemption of humanity might actually occur. But God worked through the choices and actions of human beings to make sure his purposes were fulfilled.

This applies to prayer. If God governs everything, and it all happens according to his will, why pray? Again, God works through secondary causes. He is pleased to use our prayers, freely given, as a secondary cause to bring about his purposes.

The Problem  of Evil

If God is ruling his creation, why does evil exist? Philosophers have framed the problem like this: 

If God is able to prevent evil, but not willing to do so, he is evil himself.

If God is willing to prevent evil, but not able, he is impotent.

But consider two points. First, evil is a necessary possibility that goes with the creation of human beings. God does not create evil. But he did create the possibility of evil by making human beings with the capacity for meaningful choice. Second, God is not defined in terms of a human definition of good, but in terms of his superior wisdom. We must take this larger perspective into account including both the final results and the larger time frame.

For example, when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, they clearly committed an evil act that wronged him. But years later, Joseph was able to see the final result and the larger time frame. He recognized that “it was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives” from the regional famine (Genesis 45:5), and that “you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” to save thousands of peoples’ lives (Genesis 50:20). Did God merely allow evil things to happen to Joseph? Did he cause them to put Joseph in the right place at the right time? Or did he work through the evil actions chosen by individuals, in order to bring about the purpose he had all along?

Another example is Pharaoh of Egypt. Moses came to him announcing God’s mandate to let the Israelites go. Exodus 4:21 tells us that God purposed to harden Pharaoh’s heart. But Exodus 8:15 says that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Which is it? Both factors can be true at the same time.  

So God can righteously bring about evil events. He causes evil as judgment for sins. He causes evil to bring sinners to repentance. God uses evil to bring about good purposes. It’s all part of his ongoing involvement in his creation. He preserves and cares for what he has made. He directs it toward the plans he chooses. He works through his creatures to accomplish those plans.

When humanity rebelled against God, God’s love compelled him to act on our behalf to restore the relationship broken by sin. He did this by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to make atonement. 

Aspects of the Atonement

The word “atonement” originally meant “at-one-ment” – or being in harmony with someone. In Bible translations, the word captures a multi-faceted concept reflecting several key biblical words. At its heart is the idea that human beings can be reconciled to God through the sacrificial suffering and death of Jesus Christ.

Sacrifice 

The first problem addressed by the atonement is that we deserve to die as the penalty for sin. This is pictured vividly in the Old Testament sacrificial system, where sin required death. Whenever an offense against God’s law occurred, an animal was killed in place of the sinner to set the offense right (Leviticus 4:13-14; Leviticus 5:5-6). The book of Hebrews makes clear that these sacrifices pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. He is depicted as the high priest who enters the Holy Place of God’s temple to offer a sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 2:17). Yet the sacrifice is not a bull or goat, but his own life blood. In this picture, Jesus is both the priest and the offering (Hebrews 9:11-12).

Propitiation

The second problem the atonement deals with is that we deserve to bear God’s wrath against sin. The wrath of God is his settled animosity toward sin. Wrath is what our sin and rebellion deserve from a holy God. Propitiation means that God’s wrath is averted by offering a gift. That gift is provided by God himself (1 John 4:10) in the person of Jesus (1 John 2:2), who freely offered himself as a sacrifice of propitiation for us by shedding his blood (Romans 3:25).

Redemption 

The third need that the atonement addresses is that we are in bondage to sin and to the kingdom of Satan. Jesus purchased our freedom from the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13-14) and transferred us into his own kingdom. In his grace, God bought our freedom from sin and from the empty life common to humanity, through Jesus’ sacrifice (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

Reconciliation

The atonement also addresses the problem that we are separated from God. Sin has estranged us from God and made us his enemies. But Christ’s death ends the enmity and brings about peace. God brought us back to himself through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18) so that we become friends with God (Romans 5:10-11).

Substitution 

All of these aspects of atonement strongly suggest that the death of Christ was a substitute for our own. Jesus died on our behalf (Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 5:2) and in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:28). He bore our sins (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5-6) to set aside God’s wrath, set us free from sin, and remove the cause of enmity between us and God. 

Election 

An important and challenging question in Christian theology has to do with how and to whom God applies the atonement of Jesus. to peoples’ lives. Two perspectives dominate: Calvinist (Reformed) and Arminian. The two groups differ on whether Jesus’ atoning sacrifice was made for all human beings, or only for those chosen by God for salvation. At the center of this debate is the biblical doctrine of election. Both groups believe in God’s calling and election (Romans 8:30; Ephesians 1:4-5), but differ in what those concepts mean.

The Calvinist position begins with the premise that every human being is born spiritually dead because of sin (Ephesians 2:1). Our sinful nature is completely hostile to God (Romans 8:7). This renders humans totally unable to come to God. God must make a person spiritually alive first, before he or she can appreciate or respond to the work of Christ (Acts 13;48).

Arminians agree that humans are incapable of responding to God on their own, and require an act of God in order to receive the gospel. But they argue that God provides a form of grace (“prevenient grace”) to all humanity that overcomes our inherent human inability, so that anyone can freely choose God if they will.

Calvinists hold that, because humans cannot contribute anything to their own salvation (Ephesians 2:8), only those chosen by God can be saved. God elected people for salvation unconditionally, not based on any attribute within any person, but only on his own decision (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 9:15-16). God intervenes in a person’s life in such a way that his sovereign choice of them is ultimately reflected in their own choice to willingly follow him. Thus when God calls someone to salvation, the call is effectual. That person will be saved.

Arminians believe that God desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9), not just some pre-selected number. So God chooses those who will be saved, not on the basis of his sovereign will, but based on his foreknowledge (Romans 8:29). In other words, God has elected those whom he knew in advance would believe in him. Thus when God calls someone to salvation, it is a general call to everyone, which people can accept or reject.

These concepts relate to the atonement because Calvinists believe that Jesus died only for those who would actually be saved: the elect. Arminians believe that Jesus died for everyone, but only those who avail themselves of his atoning sacrifice will be saved. Calvinists cite passages that suggest Jesus’ work applies only narrowly (1 John 10:14-15; Ephesians 5:25), while Arminians focus on passages that speak about Jesus’ death more universally (John 1:29; Hebrews 2:9; 1 John 2:2)

In the end, the differences between Calvinists and Arminians seem great. But generally, both groups agree on the basic message of the gospel that captures the heart of Jesus’ atonement.

Defining the Gospel

The word “gospel” translates the New Testament word meaning “message of good news.” The essential content of this message is Jesus (Romans 16:25). He is both the Messiah and the Son of God, now raised from the dead and Lord of all (Romans 1:1-4; 2 Timothy 2:8). The gospel tells us how God saves sinners to make us right with him (Romans 1:16-17). It promises that those who believe in Christ are enfolded into his people and promised an eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:12-13). The gospel is the good news that God saved us into a new life, not because we deserved it, but by his grace. Jesus our Savior came to break the power of death and open the way into life and immortality (1 Timothy 1:8-11). In short, the gospel is the hopeful message that Jesus provides the remedy for our sin, both in this life and in eternity, for all who simply believe.

The Bible expands significantly on this core message to proclaim what God has done for sinners, as we will explore in Topic 8.

In our last topic, we focused on key aspects of Jesus’ work of atonement. This topic looks more specifically at the results of Jesus’ work in the believer’s life, outcomes collectively known as “salvation.” 

The Definition of Salvation

Broadly speaking, salvation is the application of the work of Christ to the life of individual persons. At its core, the word means “deliverance” – whenever a serious need or peril arises, and a person is rescued from that peril. In our relationship with God, the primary peril is sin. From this, a variety of secondary needs arise: alienation from others, social injustice, violence, guilt and shame, and many more. Thus salvation is not limited to forgiveness of sin and life after death. It involves the entire person and the full extent of God’s care and compassion, both now and in eternity. Salvation means that those far away are brought near, what is broken is repaired, the condemned are acquitted, the wounded are healed, the dying are given life, the impure become clean, and enemies become friends.

This suggests that salvation has past, present, and future aspects. Some aspects of salvation have already been applied to believers. Other elements relate to God’s ongoing, transforming work in our lives. Some have to do with the life to come after we die. So our salvation is both complete and incomplete. in one sense. We possess salvation, in Christ, and nothing can be added to it. Yet we have not yet experienced everything promised to us in our salvation.

Regeneration 

Regeneration means “new birth”. It involves restoring and re-creating a person from spiritual death to spiritual life (Ephesians 2:1-5). This new birth is completely a work of God on our behalf (John 1:13). It is a gracious gift of God (1 Peter 1:3), not accomplished by any human agency or effort, including any effort on our part. Regeneration is necessary for salvation, since no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he or she is “born again” (John 3:3-5, 7). 

Literally, regeneration is the beginning of a new life as a new creation of God (Galatians 6:15; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This new birth is instantaneous. At one moment, a person moves from spiritual death to life, as something entirely new is created that reverses his or her natural tendencies (Titus 3:3-5). The new birth gives us optimism that broken humans can be transformed and restored, through God’s supernatural power at work in us.

Regeneration is the beginning of a process of growth and development. Having been granted new life, the believer responds by putting the old life to death (Ephesians 4:21-22; Colossians 3:5-9) and choosing to live out the reality of their new nature (Romans 6:4; Ephesians 4:23-24; Colossians 3:10).

Conversion

Conversion marks the beginning of the Christian life. Conversion is the individual’s response to the gospel invitation. It can be considered as a single event with two inseparable aspects: repentance and faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). 

The best way to express the biblical word translated “faith” is “trust”. Faith is the act and attitude of entrusting oneself to the faithfulness of God, both for initial salvation and in ongoing relationship with God. Faith is a gift given by God (Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8-9) and results from hearing the message of the gospel (Romans 10:17). Faith has often been thought of in three coordinated aspects: knowledge (a grasp of the truth), assent (agreement with the truth), and trust (confidence or reliance on the truth). Yet faith is not just a response to facts, but to a person.

Repentance is the act and attitude of turning from sin and self to God, through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 12:21; Revelation 2:21-22). There is no salvation without repentance. Repentance is not merely feeling sorry for sin (2 Corinthians 7:10), but is a foundational decision that orients our hearts toward God, both for initial salvation and in an ongoing relationship with God. The validity of any person’s repentance will eventually be demonstrated by a changed life (Acts 26:20).

Actual conversion is instantaneous, but viewed from a human perspective, it may not be possible to pinpoint when it occurred. At some point, a person responds to the gospel in repentance and faith and is made alive by God. But the reality of that conversion may not be apparent until much later, as it begins to bear fruit.

Justification 

Human beings have two problems as a result of sin and the fall. First, our nature is corrupted by the effects of sin. Sin has polluted our moral character. This problem is answered by regeneration (above). Second, we come under guilt and condemnation because we have violated God’s law. This problem is answered by justification, which is “the declaration by God that we are righteous in his sight.”

In justification, God’s verdict about us changes from blame to acquittal. On one hand, our sins are pardoned. Borne by Jesus in our place, the penalty of sin is removed as an act of God’s pure grace (Romans 3:23-24). Thus forgiveness of sins is at the heart of Jesus’ mission (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:22) and of the mission he gave his disciples (Luke 24:47; John 20:23).

On the other hand, God accepts us as righteous. Forgiveness brings us to a neutral position before God. Yet for God not only to declare us “not guilty” but righteous, Christ’s own righteousness is imputed to our account (Romans 5:18-21; 2 Corinthians 5:21). In other words, God counts us as righteous based on our faith in Jesus (Romans 4:4-5; Philippians 3:7-9). Justification removes the eternal judgment that our sin deserves, yet we may still suffer for our sin in this life – in our relationships, for example.

Adoption

In Topic 7, we touched on reconciliation. Through Jesus, we have been transferred from a position of alienation and hostility to one of acceptance and favor. The most prominent metaphor in the Bible for reconciliation is the parent-child relationship. Those who trust in Christ are now viewed as children and heirs of God, by virtue of a spiritual adoption (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15).

Adoption occurs at the same time as regeneration, conversion and justification. While no personal relationship is implied by justification, adoption makes us recipients of God’s fatherly care (Matthew 7:9-11) as we are welcomed into intimacy with him (Romans 8:15-17). We now have a relationship with God that is defined not by compulsion or obligation, but by love (Galatians 4:4-7).

Eternal Life

Spiritual and physical death are consequences of human sin, so it is no surprise that salvation is often framed as “life” or “eternal life.” This is usually connected with the future resurrection of believers (John 5:21; Titus 3:7). But eternal life is not limited to a post-mortem future in heaven. It is a quality of life that begins in this world (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14), when a person comes to Jesus (John 3:15-16; John 20:31; 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 John 5:11-12), as the one who gives this life (John 5:39-40; John 8:12; John 10:10, 28). 

Union with Christ 

The Bible repeatedly refers to Christians using the phrase “in Christ” or “in the Lord” (Romans 16:9; 1 Corinthians 7:22; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 4:7; 2 Timothy 2:1). For example, anyone “in Christ” is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). God has blessed us and chosen us “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3-4). 

At the same time, the Bible speaks of Christ being in the believer. “Christ in you,” Paul says, is “the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). He declares, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). In this union, Jesus’ life flows into ours, by faith, renewing our inner nature and producing his fruit through us (John 15:5).

The work of Jesus Christ has astounding benefits in the lives of those who come to him in repentance and faith. But his saving work does not end with our initial conversion. The work of Christ has ongoing effects to transform our lives, which we will explore in Topic 9: The Christian Life.

God’s saving work in an individual does not end at conversion. Conversion is only the beginning of a life-long process of transformation as Jesus’ saving work is applied in a Christian’s practical daily behavior and character.

Sanctification

The ongoing process by which believers become increasingly free from sin and more like Christ is called sanctification. Also known as “holiness”, sanctification has a definite beginning at conversion. We contribute nothing to our salvation. This is entirely a work of God, received by faith. But God’s work to progressively transform a Christian’s life requires our cooperation with the Holy Spirit, using the means God provides, to live out the new life and new identity that are ours through conversion.

Positional Holiness

Sanctification or holiness has two aspects. Positional holiness refers to the standing of Christ-followers as being set apart to belong to God. In the Old Testament, certain objects (Leviticus 27:14-17), animals (Deuteronomy 15:19), persons (Exodus 28:41) or places (Exodus 3:5; Deuteronomy 23:14) were regarded as holy because they were set apart for God’s use alone and unavailable for common use. In the same way, followers of Christ have been set apart or consecrated to belong to God (1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 10:10). Because positional sanctification occurs at the moment of conversion, the New Testament addresses all believers as “saints” or “God’s holy people” (2 Corinthians 2:1; Ephesians 1:1), not because of their exemplary lifestyle, but as a declaration of their standing as those who belong to the Lord.

Practical Holiness

By contrast, practical holiness refers to the development of Christians to be set apart increasingly from sin in their experience, as they grow into the character and conduct appropriate to God’s people (Hebrews 10:14). In this process, we become more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:29) and more holy in our lifestyle (Romans 6:22). The New Testament offers three analogies to describe this growth. First is the growth of a plant (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). Second is the growth of a building (1 Corinthians 3:9-12; Acts 20:32). Third is the growth of a child (Ephesians 4:13-14). Growth in holiness is not an option for Christians, but a mandate that reflects the holiness of God himself (1 Peter 2:13-16). 

Sanctification is never completed in this life. A Christian never reaches a point of sinless perfection in this world. The sanctifying process is only completed when this life is over, whether at our death or when the Lord returns. At that point, the believer is glorified – the final stage of our salvation and of our sanctification (see Topic 10).

God’s Part and Our Part

Sanctification is God’s work (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Growth in holiness is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit at work within the believer. The Spirit empowers believers to put to death the deeds of the sinful nature and to perform good deeds (Romans 8:12-13; Romans 7:4). He illuminates and empowers the Word of God in the believer’s life (Ephesians 6:17; John 17:17). The Spirit produces the fruit of a changed life (Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 1:11).

Sanctification is also the believer’s work. Growth in holiness involves an exercise of our will as we choose to participate (Romans 14:17), in fact, to diligently apply ourselves (2 Peter 1:5-11; Hebrews 12:14) to holiness – always in dependence on the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:3) and in response to God’s grace (Titus 2:11-14). The choices that advance sanctification might involve:

• Allegiance to God ahead of the world (1 John 2:15-17)
• Surrender to God’s will (Romans 12:1-2)
• Obedience (John 14:21-24)
• Following the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25)
• Trusting God (Jeremiah 17:5-8)
• Dying to self (Mark 8:34-35)

The Means of Christian Growth 

While the Holy Spirit does work sanctification directly in Christ-followers, he also uses external means to transform our lives. Consider three such means:

• The church (see Topic 11). God uses the offices of the church to make us mature (Ephesians 4:11-13). He also uses the ministry of all God’s people to one another to help us resist, overcome, and recover from sin (Hebrews 3;13; Galatians 6:1-2).
• Spiritual disciplines. These are practices that place us in the pathway of God’s inner working, open us up to the influence of the Spirit, and stretch our dependence on God’s power. Such practices include prayer, Bible study, worship, serving, giving, and discipling others.
• Suffering. God uses hardships and adversity to purify our hearts and make us complete in Christ (Hebrews 12:10-11; James 1:2-4).

Purpose of the Christian Life

The goal of the Christian life is not just to develop an exemplary personal character. In fact, sanctification is not primarily inwardly focused. One purpose of the Christian life is to glorify God (Ephesians 1:13-14). Our worship, allegiance and obedience to him (Revelation 5:13; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Philippians 1:20) demonstrate his worthiness and point toward his honor and greatness. Another purpose of the Christian life is to represent God to the world (Matthew 5:14-16). Christians are witnesses and ambassadors of Jesus (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20), called to make disciples who follow him (Matthew 28:18-20).

Perseverance 

Will a Christian, once saved, persevere in faith until the end of his or her life, or can a believer fall away from faith? 

One position argues that a Christian cannot lose his or her salvation, either by conscious or unconscious decisions or actions. This perspective, called eternal security, is often rooted in the Calvinistic view of salvation. Because salvation is based on God’s unconditional choosing, those chosen will never be deselected by God. If a person can choose to reject Jesus after following him, salvation is not ultimately dependent on God but on the human will. In fact, God promises his people that they will be kept by his faithfulness until the end (John 6:37-39; John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:6). It follows that professing Christians who do fall away were never actually converted in the first place, even though they may have looked like genuine believers (see Matthew 13:18-23, Matthew 13:24-30). 

The opposite position, sometimes called conditional security, is associated with the Arminian view of salvation. This view argues that salvation can be lost through apostate actions and choices, because God gave human beings (including Christians) freedom to choose or reject him. The Bible urges believers to stay faithful (1 Corinthians 15:2; Colossians 1:23; 1 Timothy 6:20-21), and warns against falling away (Hebrews 3:12-14; Hebrews 6:4-6; 1 Corinthians 9:27). A believer can never fall away, but one who stops believing no longer has the assurance of salvation.

It is possible to embrace eternal security apart from the Calvinistic view of salvation. The Bible describes foundational changes that occur to and in a person at conversion. For example, a person becomes a child of God (1 John 3:1) and a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). The seed of God is planted within (1 John 3:19) and the Holy Spirit comes to live within (Ephesians 1:13-14). The believer receives a new nature (Ephesians 4) and is made alive from spiritual death (Ephesians 2:4-5). This means that salvation is never just a matter of a person choosing (or unchoosing) to follow Jesus. By treating these changes as reversible, the conditional security position minimizes their magnitude and force. A regenerated Christian can no more go back to being unregenerate than a butterfly can go back to being a caterpillar, because God’s work has fundamentally changed his or her nature and identity.

Regardless of what view of perseverance one holds, we can trust the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, and we should strive to grow more like Jesus for as long as we live. When this life is over, both salvation and sanctification reach their completion. The next topic explores what happens after death – both for Christians and non-Christians.