10 Steps of Salvation

srdrop.gif (9304 bytes)

TEN STEPS OF SALVATION

Since man fell, God has been working to restore man back to Himself. The Scripture calls the salvation Jesus made available “so great salvation” and warns that those who neglect this salvation will no more escape judgment than others did in previous dispensations who were disobedient to the salvation plan in their day (He 2:1-3).

Salvation has been one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented terms in Christianity since the day Jesus returned to heaven. Mankind’s nature has always been to remove from themselves their responsibility for their salvation and lay it all on God and Jesus. Because of this motivation, the truth that salvation is a process and not a one-time event has been all but lost. Consequently, many of the terms describing this process are not understood or are muddled together. This error prevents man from the proper growth and progression needed for his salvation. This progression or “steps” of salvation are revealed in the following ten scriptural terms. The first three steps are a preparation and prerequisite for true salvation.

1. REPENTANCE: The intelligent acknowledgment of sins with sincere remorse and humility. The first step to salvation is to repent. A person must acknowledge that he has sinned against God, with the intent of not returning to his sin. Repentance is only the first step, and progression must be made from there. Heb 6:1, Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. Repentance was never intended for man to take for granted God’s goodness, and to continue to sin as though he can also continue to repent. Jer 15:6, Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.

2. FORGIVENESS: To pardon, overlook, forbear man’s sins (to the end of remission and exoneration of those sins). It is God’s goodness that leads to repentance (Ro 2:4), and it is His nature to forgive. If man cooperates with God’s leading to repent, forgiveness is granted. Ps 86:5,For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

3. REMISSION: The altering and absolving of punishment for sins. Once God has forgiven a person for his/her sins, God can also give remission for those sins, removing the punishment justly due. It is at this step that many fail to progress in the plan of restitution. At this step the person is entering into the presence of God and feeling His great love. Many therefore fall under the false assumption that they have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Up to this point, man has only been saved from past sins. Ro 3:25, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. This can best be illustrated in Acts 19:1-7. There were disciples who believed in Jesus but had not received or known of the Holy Spirit baptism. They only knew of John’s baptism of repentance. They had received forgiveness and remission of their sins and were leading good lives, but they had not yet entered into the salvation that Jesus made available by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, despite the fact that they were believers in Jesus.

THE NEXT SEVEN STEPS OF SALVATION ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM:

These seven steps work both simultaneously and progressively.

4. IMPUTATION: To reckon or attribute to someone righteousness of faith, Ro 4:1-8. Once a man’s sins are remitted, God no longer sees his past sins. Man now has a clean slate with God, as if he had never sinned. With the Holy Spirit baptism, you receive Jesus’ overcoming life. You now have been given Jesus’ divine nature before you have actually lived out that overcoming life. This is what is meant by being saved by grace and not of works (Ep 2:8,9). No one has ever done anything that has made himself worthy of having sins forgiven, and remitted, or to have the Holy Spirit given to them. God accounted to Abraham righteousness because he believed. However, this belief had no value if he did not then obey God, making manifest that his belief was genuine, (Ja 2:23,24).

5. ATONEMENT (RECONCILIATION): The act or state that reconciles you with God. The removal of the separation or barrier that has kept man from God. In Le 16 the atonement day requirements are given. This was provided for Israel to be reconciled back to God by having their sins, which separated them from God, removed. They were required to do this ever year because they continued to sin every year. He 10:1-9 tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice was able to remove the barrier of sin permanently. Those saved by Jesus would no longer sin and therefore would not need forgiveness annually as Israel did. God already had a plan that forgave sinners on an ongoing basis in the Mosaic law of atonement, now He wanted to save man from the act of sinning, not just from his past sins. If Jesus’ sacrifice cannot do this, it has no more value than an animal sacrifice.

6. JUSTIFICATION: Giving God a satisfactory reason for saving you by your faith in Him. An unjust person is not saved. This is another word that has been greatly misunderstood by those who do not compare Scripture with Scripture. Many read Ro 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. They then think you only have to “believe” to be saved, without any works. They ignore Ro 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. The Scripture does not contradict itself. Not being justified by the law meant that nothing in the law could truly remove the sinful nature of a man, those sacrifices made year by year could not make the comers thereunto perfect (He 10:1). Jesus’ life living in you by the baptism of the Holy Spirit not only removes and justifies you from past sins, it wrote the law on your heart and mind. This gives you power to overcome sin and obey God’s commandments. The law could not give you this power. Acts 13:39, And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Moses’ law could justify you from past sins every atonement day. It could not remove the nature to prevent future sin.

7. REDEMPTION: The payment and recovery of that which was lost. The truths of redemption come from the custom and laws allowing the original owner of something to buy it back from someone who for one reason or another became the subsequent owner of that thing or person. The Scripture says of Jesus that He purchased us with His own blood (Ac 20:28). We are rightfully His. Because of sin, Satan obtained ownership, but by His own blood Jesus redeemed or bought us back. Unfortunately, what the Bible teaches about redemption from evil has been greatly misunderstood. Jesus paid a great price by His sacrifice to redeem us. However, a great truth has gone unseen. Israel’s deliverance from Egypt is a prophetic picture of the deliverance and redemption Jesus provides from Satan. God’s payment price to Pharaoh was his destruction. Ex 6:6, Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:. Jesus’ payment price to Satan was his destruction also (1 Jo 3:8-9). It took Jesus’ death to make available the Holy Spirit baptism so that by the Holy Spirit we can be free from the bondage of sin. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin John 8:3-4.

8. SANCTIFICATION: Jesus Himself sanctified Himself in order that we might do the same by His example, through His truth and spirit. John 17:19, And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Hebrews 2:11, For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. These Scriptures indicate that those sanctified by Jesus are sanctified in the same manner and by the same means. It is not done without your choice to apply truth to your life. You must choose to apply the truth to destroy the works of the devil in your life.

9. REGENERATION: To revive and renew the body, soul and spirit through the plan of salvation. This regeneration begins at the very beginning and continues throughout the salvation process. Col 3:9-10, 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; Titus 3:5. - Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

10. GLORIFICATION: The life of God manifested in an individual because he has destroyed the works of Satan in his own life by faith in the Word of God. People generally think of Jesus’ glorification as the resurrection. This is not altogether inaccurate, but it is incomplete. Very often the most important part of glorification is left out. John 13:31-32, Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. When Jesus said (before His death and resurrection), “Now is the Son of man glorified” He was referring to entering into the most difficult trial of His life in doing the Father’s will. Satan in the persons of the rulers of Jesus’ day attempted to prevent Him from doing His Father’s will by threatening His life. Because Jesus kept God’s word, His humanity was glorified. It had nothing in it that Satan could touch. Jesus’ humanity was one with His divinity. He proved these words true: Jo 14:30, the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. Those who have been given Jesus’ life by the baptism of the Holy Spirit have been called to be glorified in the same manner, by living and doing God’s will. Ro 8:17, And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

SALVATION IS PROGRESSIVE

1	John 8:31	Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
2	John 15:9	As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
3	Acts 14:22	Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
4	Phil 2:12	Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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.
5	Rom 1:17	For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
6	2 Cor 3:18	But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
7	1 John 3:2-3	Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
8	Mat 5:21-22	Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time…But I say unto you…
9	Heb 6:1-2	Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

1. REPENTANCE

10	Job 42:6	Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
11	Ezek 20:43	And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
12	Mat 3:2	And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
13	Mat 3:8	Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
14	Mark 6:12	And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
15	Luke 5:32	I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
16	Luke 13:3	I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
17	Luke 16:30-31	…but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

2. FORGIVENESS

18	Mat 6:14	For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
19	Mat 9:6	But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,
20	Mark 3:29	But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness,
21	Acts 5:31	Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
22	Acts 13:38	Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
23	1 John 1:9	If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
24	Jer 31:31-34 He 10:1-18 Rom 11:27	Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant…for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

3. REMISSION

25	Luke 1:77	To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
26	Mark 1:4	John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
27	Mat 26:28	For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
28	Luke 24:47	And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
29	John 20:23	Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them;
30	Rom 3:25	Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
31	Acts 2:38	Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
32	Heb 10:18	Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

4. IMPUTATION

33	Lev 7:18	And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it:
34	Lev 17:4	And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man;
35		Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity,
36	Rom 4:6	Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
37	Rom 4:11	And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
38	Rom 4:22-24	…But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
39	James 2:23	And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness:

5. ATONEMENT (RECONCILIATION)

40	Exo 30:10	And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
41	Lev 16:2-30-	And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place… For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins
42	2 Chr 29:24	And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel:
43	Rom 5:11	And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
44	2 Cor 5:19	To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
45	Heb 2:17	Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
46	He 8:1- 10:18	Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come,

6. JUSTIFICATION

47	Job 25:4	How then can man be justified with God?
48	Ex 23:7	…for I will not justify the wicked.
49	Mat 12:37	For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
50	Acts 13:39	And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
51	Rom 4:2	For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
52	Rom 5:9	Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
53	Gal 3:8-24	And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed….
54	James 2:14-25	Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

7. REDEMPTION

55	Lev 25:48	After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:
56	Exo 30:12	When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD…
57	Exo 6:6	… I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
58	2 Sam 7:23	And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself…
59	Isa 35:9	No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
60	Rom 3:25	Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
61	1 Pet 1:18-19	Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
62	Rev 5:9	And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

8. SANCTIFICATION

63	Gen 2:3	And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it:
64	Exo 19:10	And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them
65	Lev 20:7	Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
66	John 17:17	Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
67	1 Cor 6:11	And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
68	Eph 5:26	That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
69	2 Th 2:13	But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
70	2 Tim 2:21	If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified,
71	Heb 9:13-14	How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

9. REGENERATION

72	Psa 51:10	Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
73	Psa 104:30	Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
74	Isa 40:31	But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;
75	Mat 19:28	And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
76	Rom 12:2	And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
77	2 Cor 4:16	For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
78	Eph 4:23-24	And be renewed in the spirit of your mind…And that ye put on the new man,
79	Col 3:10	And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
80	Titus 3:5	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;

10. GLORIFICATION

81	John 7:39	(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
82	John 12:23	And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
83	John 13:31	Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
84	John 17:1-5	These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee… And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
85	John 17:10	And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
86	Rom 8:17	And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
87	1 Cor 6:20	For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.