Grace be with all them which love our Lord Jesus Christ, to their immortality, Amen.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph.6.24&version=GNV
As you may hav noticed, this study title is not scriptural on purpose, but many of us has seen this happen in several assemblies.
We have heard people speak of an instant salvation and how to receive it. But always look to the scripture for proper guidance.
Those accepting Christ Yeshuah as Lord should come with a testimony first. Why? Because he has (spiritual) laws governing his kingdom as all kingdoms do.
To be clear: There are various types of testimonies. The legal foundation of testimony is rooted in evidence law, which governs its admissibility and use in legal proceedings.
https://legalclarity.org/what-is-the-legal-definition-of-testimony-in-law/
For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all [Jew and Gentile alike].
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom.11.32&version=AMP
Salvation is fundamentally receiving the inheritance of eternal life from Christ alone. It’s for those who believe in God by faith only and there is nothing we can do on our own to have it. It is a gift from God, an inheritance which is in Christ.
Then my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps.35.9&version=GNV
Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law. Do this, knowing that this is a critical time. It is already the hour for you to awaken from your sleep [of spiritual complacency]; for our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed [in Christ].
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom.13.10,Rom.13.11&version=AMP
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom.6.23&version=AMP
All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos.9.10&version=KJV
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he, too, is a [spiritual] son of Abraham;
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke.19.9&version=AMP
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John.3.36&version=NLT
1 Thessalonians 5:9
” For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,”
http://olivetree.com/b2/1Thess.5.9.KJV
..yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Cor.7.9,2Cor.7.10&version=NIV
For He says,“At the acceptable time (the time of grace) I listened to you, And I helped you on the day of salvation.”Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— we put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but we commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: in great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses,
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Cor.6.2,2Cor.6.3,2Cor.6.4&version=AMP
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rev.12.10,Rev.12.11,Rev.12.12&version=KJV
Thou turnest man to destruction: again thou sayest, Return ye sons of Adam. For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps.90.3,Ps.90.4&version=GNV
Here, Paul expresses his belief and encourages the like minded to follow his views of understanding the race (journey) with Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 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. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Phil.3.8,Phil.3.9,Phil.3.10,Phil.3.11,Phil.3.12,Phil.3.13,Phil.3.14,Phil.3.15&version=KJV
Salvation is an individual working process received by accepting Christ and is maintained within the 5 fold ministry. To understand it, try seeing your salvation like working on your own puzzle. In basic simplicity, salvation is an ordinance established by the Kingdom of God for his people, the believers in Jesus Christ which are not of this world, but are currently in this world. The salvation puzzle is actually already completed by the Kingdom of Christ and has also been assembled by him for you individually. Therefore your own salvation may not look exactly like another’s. One person salvation puzzle may have included a prison ministry while another’s included a megachurch.
But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb.1.13,Heb.1.14&version=KJV
Your salvation is individual and among the work of ministry as a design from the gospels, our own salvation is to be distributed/interpreted as puzzle pieces for us to work towards seeing it through to completion to receive an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. All of Christ’s people are in continual work to assemble the pieces of his kingdom. Once there is enough time invested, believers began to see how pieces are to be interlocked together. Depending on the amount of time invested in believing in Christ’s completed work, believer’s pieces comes together and their picture comes into view moving faster towards completion. Suddenly its revealed which piece fits where for the assembly and completion is becoming much clearer.
Lets recall that John for the baptism of repentance spoke: 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
It can be somewhat uncomfortable to many biblical teachers when hearing salvation is complete within someone other than Christ instead of continual when it is assigned to someone who has just “Come” to Christ but not yet working out their salvation. By stating this passage from Romans 10: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” This is the starting point of “confessing” salvation.
Clergy can introduce salvation to anyone, but should give understanding to salvation as a mental framework to believe in Christ for the completion of what he has already established. Remember the passage that “Abraham believed God, and it was [b]accounted to him for righteousness.”
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
Lets explore further. Romans 13: 11
Put on Christ11 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. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Paul explains more in Phillipians 2:
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [b]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Light Bearers
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; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without [d]complaining and disputing,[e] 15 that you may become blameless and [f]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
We can understand biblically that salvation is “working” out your part mentally in spirit as in Romans 2: 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your [a]impenitent heart you are [b]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the [c]Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
Light Dwellers
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Sidebar: Curious post below Maybe the cause for man being placed in the garden in light after creation and reduced to darkness after his fall. What are your thoughts?
Paul’s conversion came from the experience he had when the Lord appeared to him from the light.
Paul’s Conversion
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts.22.6,Acts.22.7,Acts.22.8,Acts.22.9,Acts.22.10,Acts.22.11&version=KJV