We run our website the way we wished the whole internet worked: we provide high quality original content with no ads. We are funded solely by your direct support. Please consider supporting this project.

LateWhen

When does salvation happen?

Question: I grew up in a strict, fundamentalist community and our whole goal in life was to get people to pray “the sinners prayer.” Once they prayed this prayer, we believed, they were “saved.” But the vast majority of these people went on living like nothing happened. I’m now questioning if this is the right way to lead people to Christ. So, can you tell me your view of when salvation happens, and how it happens?

Answer: The New Testament describes salvation both as a past act, a present process, and a future arrival point. Also, the biblical concept of salvation isn’t a “rescue (from hell)” thing. It’s a “Kingdom wholeness” thing. It’s about entering into a life giving, Kingdom building relationship with Christ.

It’s best not to put the question of “when salvation happens” into a legal framework (like a court of law). It’s better to rather frame it in a covenant framework. “Getting saved” isn’t like signing up for an insurance policy (the legal framework). It’s like getting married (the covenant framework).

Salvation (= kingdom wholeness) begins with a covenant pledge and it grows as one lives out that pledge day by day.

We are the “bride” of Christ, betrothed to Jesus. This begins with our “I do.” We grow as we live this pledge out every day — the bride “making herself ready.” And someday our groom will come back for his bride and we’ll “consummate” the marriage eternally.
When I have an opportunity to “lead people to Christ,” I explain to them what I just told you. If they are ready, I simply lead them in a short prayer in which they confess their sin, ask for forgiveness, and pledge their life to Christ. It’s no different than a pastor leading two people as they enter into marriage vows. But I explain to them, very carefully, that this is not a magical “rescue prayer.” It is a marriage vow. Their pledge only has as much meaning as they give it every subsequent moment of their life.

Given how prevalent the “magical rescue” understanding of the sinner’s prayer is, I now consider it irresponsible to have people pray it unless I have time to clearly explain to them what they’re being asked to do, and what the cost is. They’re surrendering their life! This shouldn’t be entered into frivolously. I worry that many today give lost people a false assurance that they’re “saved” because they prayed a “magical,” meaningless, prayer.

Category:
Tags: , ,
Topics: ,

Related Reading

Do you believe God is pure actuality?

The basis of the classical view of God as pure actuality (actus purus) is the Aristotelian notion that potentiality is always potential for change and that something changes only because is lacks something else. So, a perfect being who lacks nothing must be devoid of potentiality, which means it must be pure actuality. I think…

What is the significance of 1 Samuel 13:13–14?

Because of Saul’s rebellion, Samuel tells him, “The Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever but now your kingdom will not continue.” The biblical narrative depicting God’s dealings with Saul up to this point is predicated on the assumption that God intended to establish Saul’s descendants as the permanent heir to the throne…

Topics:

God Does Not Always Get What He Wants

One of the ways the Bible makes it clear that humans have free will and that God doesn’t predetermine human decisions is found in the responses God has toward human choices. Scripture consistently depicts God as being frustrated by the way his people obstinately resist his plans and Scripture often depicts God’s heart as breaking…

How do you respond to Acts 4:27–28?

“[B]oth Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” This passage is very close in content to Acts 2:23 (see How do you respond to Acts 2:23?). While…

Topics:

How do you respond to Romans 9:18?

“[God] has mercy on whomsoever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomsoever he chooses.” This is one of the most frequently cited texts in support of Calvinism. If the text implied that whether or not people were believers was a result of whether God had mercy on them or hardened them, they would…

What is the significance of Jeremiah 18:7–11?

The Lord states that “if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it.” But if a nation which he has declared he will bless “does evil in my sight…I will change my mind about the good that…

Topics: