About Salvation
Soteriology and God’s Spirit
Some denominations and scholars have variations in how they view the process of salvation, including the “events” leading to glorification and the role of practices such as water baptism and works in relation to faith. Ecumenically, the Church at large generally agrees that the Holy Spirit is the divine agent who applies and ensures the work of Christ.
Use the + buttons to see a simplified overview of salvation and see the corresponding passages.
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God the Father sent Jesus, His Son, to save humanity from sin. Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and rose from the dead, defeating sin and death. Through faith in Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, believers are forgiven and reconciled to God. Holy Spirit takes the accomplished work of Christ and applies it to a person, making those who believe in Christ His children. In conversion, believers are no longer controlled by sin and receive the Spirit within. Holy Spirit brings about their adoption into God's Kingdom, making them sons and daughters of God as they begin following Christ.
Galatians 4:4–6; Romans 8:13; 10:9; Acts 16:30–31
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In justification, a person is declared righteous before God. Justification is a legal declaration based on Christ's work, and regeneration through the Holy Spirit makes that declaration a reality in the believer's heart. Sinner turned saint. Holy Spirit acts as the agent of regeneration, making them spiritually alive. Jesus spoke of being "born of the Spirit", where the Spirit imparts new life, renewing the individual and enabling faith in Christ. Holy Spirit dwells in believers as a guarantee or "seal" of their future inheritance giving them an eschatological (end time) hope.
John 3:5–6; John 16:7–13; Romans 8:11; 10:10
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Sanctification is the ongoing process of being set apart for God and His purposes. Christians should view themselves as “holy” not because they have attained moral perfection, but because—in Christ—they are declared holy. Holy Spirit is instrumental in sanctifying believers, helping them grow in Christlikeness. He empowers believers to resist sin, live in righteousness, and bear spiritual fruit. As they walk by the Spirit, He transforms their desires and leads them into God's will and ways. Through this transformation, Christians are empowered to strengthen the Church as the Holy Spirit ministers in and through them with the spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Galatians 5:16; 5:22–23
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Glorification is where believers are fully conformed to the image of Christ and united with Him. Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus and declares His glory to others. Believers' bodies will be raised from the dead in the final resurrection. In the ends comes the ultimate redemption and the glorification of their bodies, making them completely and eternally holy. In glorification, believers will be completely free from sin and able to fully enjoy the presence of the triune God forever.
John 16:14, 1 Corinthians 15:42–58, Ephesians 1:13–14; Romans 8:11, Philippians 2:9-10; 3:20–21, Revelation 21:1–4
Did you know?
As the Holy Spirit applies salvation to individuals, lives are transformed. As Research Professor Gerald Bray notes, “The power of renewed lives speaks volumes. Tertullian (about AD 200) said that ‘the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church,’ meaning by this that people were more likely to be persuaded of the truth of the Christian message when they saw how believers were prepared to sacrifice everything, including their lives, in order to bear witness to it.”*
While martyrdom is less common in the Western world today, the call to sacrificial faith remains urgent. In a culture often indifferent to spiritual matters, living out our convictions with courage and integrity is key! By living boldly for our beliefs, we embody the truth of the Gospel and inspire others to seek the same transformative life-changing message of Christ.
*Source: Gerald Bray, “The Spirit’s Application of Salvation,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).
God’s Spirit guides people from their initial salvation to their ultimate transformation in glory, where they will dwell eternally with the Triune God. This is what it means to be a follower of Christ.
The role of the Holy Spirit is to point people to Christ and to bring about the establishment of His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
- See John 16:13-14
