We were saved in the past,
We are saved in the present,
We shall be saved in the future.
#1 of 2 parts... SALVATION IN TENSES
(be sure to see #2, I WAS, I AM, I SHALL BE)
PAST
Luke 7:50
(50) And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
2 Timothy 1:9
(9) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Titus 3:5
(5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
PRESENT
Luke 13:23
(23) Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
1 Corinthians 1:18
(18) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 15:2
(2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
2 Corinthians 2:15
(15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
Ephesians 2:5
(5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians 2:8
(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
FUTURE
Matthew 10:22
(22) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13
(13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mark 13:13
(13) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Luke 8:12
(12) Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
John 3:17
(17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 10:9
(9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
1 Corinthians 3:15
(15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1 Corinthians 5:5
(5) To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
(be sure to see #2 below, I WAS, I AM, I SHALL BE).
#2 of 2 parts... SALVATION IN TENSES
I WAS, I AM, I SHALL BE
I share this because people sometimes focus on one aspect of personal salvation, rather than seeing the panorama of salvation.
There are people who recoil when they hear a person say that they have been saved, or that they know they have been saved, as a previous and completed event. Contrary to the Holy Bible, these people hold to a predestination that says God has predetermined who will be saved, therefore we cannot claim to either having been saved or being saved at the present. Our salvation is future.
On the other hand there are people who say that once a person has been saved in the past then they cannot be "unsaved" or "unborn of God." While this may seem to be reasonable and clever the idea that a person is saved either by a unilateral, unconditional decree of God or saved by a one time act of faith, is not Biblical.
Salvation is the work of God's grace, saving us from sin and eternal separation from God, received by a person through faith, saving faith, present and ongoing faith. When faith is present (as in the past or in the now) then that person is saved at that point and shall be saved throughout eternity if they die in a state of saving faith. There is no personal salvation for anyone, aside from active faith. We are children of God by faith.
This makes it possible for people to say, "I was saved," referring to a time in the past when they trusted Christ for salvation from sin and judgment. However, if people turn from faith then they are no longer saved. Salvation is dependent on God's grace, which He provides to those who trust Him for salvation.
A past event, becoming a present reality and continuing in our lives will eventuate in our salvation. I have eternal life now, as long as I have Jesus, because Jesus is my life, He is eternal life. A person cannot have eternal life without a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Some folks assume that a past faith implies and insures a future salvation. They also err by thinking that the verse, in which God is quoted as saying, "I never knew you," proves that the person was never saved. However, the same thought, in reverse, is found in the fact that God does not "remember" the sins of those who are saved. It is not that the saved person never sinned, but rather that those sins are atoned for, by the blood of Christ, and are not remembered against the redeemed person. LIkewise, the person who was saved, but eventually turned from faith, from Jesus, from God, from salvation is told by God, "I never knew you." The same Divine selective memory, "forgets" our former sins of the past as well as our former faith of the past.
Therefore I can rightfully say...
I was saved as a child and I knew that I had a right relationship with God, and if I died, I would go to heaven.
I am saved at the present time, by faith and I know that if I die I will go to heaven.
I will be saved in the future, through faith in Jesus Christ, which will take me to heaven.
I also know that I can turn from God, deny Him, disobey Him, grieve Him, quench HIm, resist Him, forsake Him, betray Him.
Therefore I am grateful that I WAS SAVED BY FAITH, but I know that I must LIVE BY FAITH now, and I also know that God is a very present help in trouble and as long as I do not deny Him, He will not deny me.
I received eternal life when I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, by faith.
I have eternal life now as I trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior by faith.
I will have eternal life forever, by denying myself, taking up the cross, following Him and enduring to the end.
