Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ’s death for sins, burial, and resurrection three days later according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 1:29; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Acts 16:31).

God the Father’s Involvement in Salvation

God the Father is the one that forgives the trespasses and sins of the believers on the basis of Christ’s cross work (Colossians 2:12-13; 1 John 1:9).

He imputes Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection to the believers; thus, He imputes the believers to be righteous (Romans 4:6, 24), counting the believers to have died and to have been raised with Christ (Romans 6:3-5).

God the Father seals the believers in Christ by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

The Son’s Involvement in Salvation

God the Son, in his humanity, was separated both spiritually from God for three hours on the cross and physically from His human body. His deaths, burial, and resurrection are imputed to believers; therefore, making the believer righteous before God the Father (Romans 4:23; Romans 5:2; Isaiah 53:6 [deaths in Hebrew]) and giving them access to Him (Romans 5:2).

His physical death

His physical death provided reconciliation for mankind and spirit beings to God the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Romans 5:11[in the Greek]; Colossians 1:20) and provides redemption for all humans (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Romans 3:24; 2 Peter 2:1).

His spiritual death

His spiritual death dealt with the sin nature of humans (Romans 6:10). The sin nature was a result of Adam’s trespass and was passed on to all humans (Romans 5:17).

His work on the Cross

His work provided a position, for the believers, in a new creation by God, which is the Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Salvation is solely based upon the work of Christ that is imputed to the believers (Galatians 2:16).

Christ is the propitiation (satisfaction) for the entire world to God the Father (1 John 2:2).

The Holy Spirit’s Involvement in Salvation

The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to believers. The baptizing work of the Holy Spirit is how believers are placed into the body of the Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).

He regenerates believers (Titus 3:5).

He indwells believers (Romans 8:9).

He is the down payment to believers as a guarantee of the full salvation that they will receive (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5).

He convinces (convicts) unbelievers regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11).

Humans’ Involvement in Salvation

To gain salvation in the Dispensation of Grace humans must take the God-given faith and direct it at Christ through the gospel for salvation, which is, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures (Ephesians 2:8,9; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 1:29;1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Salvation cannot be lost (Romans 8:38-39). Salvation is neither gained by the work or self-righteousness of humans nor, kept by the work or self-righteousness of humans (Titus 3:5; Romans 3:28).

Application of Salvation

When someone believes the Gospel for salvation, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) that person is placed into the Body of the Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). Christ’s death, burial and resurrection are imputed to the believer (Romans 6:2-4). He or she becomes a legitimate child of God and is placed as a mature son (1 John 3:9; Ephesians 1:5). Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer making that believer righteous before God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:22). God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all indwell the believer (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 John 4:15, 16; Colossians 1:27; Romans 8:11). The believer become part of a new creation and therefore are able to live a life unto God (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10; 2 Peter 1:4).

A Christian’s Present Condition

When salvation is applied to a person, that person is saved in his or her spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). The body and soul are not yet saved at this time (1 Peter 1:9; 1 Corinthians 15:52-53). The Holy Spirit is given as a down payment of this full salvation that will come at the appearance of our Lord Christ Jesus (1 John 3:2; Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 5:5). Christians have all they needed to live out a God-quality of life (2 Peter 1:3).

The Tenses (Different Time Elements) of Salvation

Relating to time there are three tenses of salvation. A believer was saved at the time of believing the Gospel for salvation, lives out that salvation in present time and will receive the full redemption of the body and soul at the time of Christ’s return for the Church.

Past Salvation:

A believer is saved by directing God given faith at the Gospel for salvation (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:5, 8). The believer is placed into the body of Christ at this time and is therefore guaranteed full salvation. The Spirit is the only part of a human that is saved at this time. The believer awaits the full redemption of their body and soul at the rapture.

Present Salvation:

This involves the living out of salvation in the believer’s life. The believer actively lives out the Christian life. This is not a continuation of salvation but a result from past tense salvation with the believer is living from his or her position in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 2:15). During this time, the Christian may pass into the presence of the Lord and await the completion of his or her salvation.

Future Salvation:

This is the completion of the redemption of the body and soul, which was guaranteed at the time the believer directed faith at Christ through the Gospel for salvation. This is not a continuation of salvation but the completion of the salvation that was given in past tense salvation. At this time, the believer received full redemption. The believer receives a resurrected body and a redeemed soul. This, along with the saved spirit that the believer already possesses, constitutes the believer’s full salvation. This takes place at the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:40-49; 1 Peter 1:9).