The Narrow Way

[Hats Off]

Yet the Bible speaks in no such terms about salvation,

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

So what is so appealing to the expression that we are "being saved"? Is it out of some kind of fear of laziness in duty and lack of growth in holiness? Whatever it is, I think it's important to stick to the way Bible speaks about salvation.. you don't sing "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that is saving a wretch like me.." do you?

Another example:

Ephesians 2:5-6 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

The Bible most often talks about salvation as a present reality, not something that needs to be worked out, but as something that we have received when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now there are of course exhortations to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, but those exhortations - though they are much needed in the life of faith - to persevere in the faith do not contradict the present reality of our salvation if we have believed in the Lord Jesus.

If it were this simple most of the New Testament would be redundant.

[Bootstrap]

So what is so appealing to the expression that we are "being saved"? Is it out of some kind of fear of laziness in duty and lack of growth in holiness? Whatever it is, I think it's important to stick to the way Bible speaks about salvation.. you don't sing "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that is saving a wretch like me.." do you?

I think the Bible says we have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved.

Here are some of the "being saved" passages:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved (τοῖς δὲ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν) it is the power of God.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

[Hats Off]

I find it so interesting that the gospels were written primarily to/for the Jews although they continue to apply to all believers. However, the epistles were written to the believers - to people like you and I, to encourage us on to better live the Way of Jesus.

[Paul]

I think this is broader than just Anabaptism, but all three are relevant.

I have been saved, I am being saved, I hope to be saved. The Bible clearly uses the word in all three senses. That's one of the things that led to the traditional distinction between justification, sanctification, and glorification. Glorification happens only in the future. They go together, they cannot be separated.

Similarly, we cannot separate our personal relationship with God from our fellowship with God and each other. God speaks to all of us together largely by speaking to each of us individually and giving us discernment together. That's why the prototype for a prayer service in 1 Corinthians includes both individual inspiration and group discernment.

And we cannot separate God's love for us from the need to love and serve others, inside and outside our fellowship. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world today. If we aren't loving and serving others, are we really holy?

I agree that there are multiple senses for salvation as the verses you mentioned describe. I would say the first of those, justification, is the sole foundation for our salvation. And justification, being justified in God's sight, is by faith in the Lord Jesus according to the Scriptures.

1 Peter 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

There are so many verses that back this truth up, that I am almost surprised that so many here would not agree and seem to think I am quoting Scripture too one-sided only to support my own doctrine.

And even though sanctification and glorification are part of salvation, I would say they are never the cause or foundation of it which is also visible in this text in 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

So as this text mentions, the foundation is Jesus Christ, and whatever we build on top of the foundation is not what will save us, even though it will be cause for reward or shame, the salvation is because of the foundation.

Now you might say, but what about James 2:24 where it says that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone?

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

In the context of the verse in James, he was actually not contradicting what the apostle Paul said in Romans:

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

The meaning of "justified" in James is different from the meaning of "justified" in the book of Romans. In the book of Romans it is clearly speaking about 'being declared righteous in God's sight', but in the book of James it means as much as 'being demonstrated and proved.' In the NIV it is translated: "You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone." Which is true ofcourse, and James is speaking against hypocrisy saying that faith has to be demonstrated and proved by good works or else it is useless (even the devil's believe and they tremble), but he is not talking about justification in God's sight nor is he speaking against salvation by grace through faith.

It has also been mentioned that anabaptists do not take the “Thief on the cross” as normative for Christian living, but I suppose the Lord had a reason to put this account in the Scriptures right? So even though this account might not be instructive for Christian living as in sanctification and holiness, it surely is instructive on salvation by grace through faith and entering God's Kingdom on the basis of justification which I considered to be the topic at hand ("Entering God's Kingdom").