Three Aspects of Salvation: Beginning, Process, and Completion
DAY 1
Three Parts of One Event
Read Philippians 1:3-11.
Perhaps when you took Christ as your Lord and Savior, you thought your simple prayer of surrender would give you all Christ had to offer. Well, you were right!
In that moment you became a forgiven, freed, Christ-indwelled child of God. That happened in the past. In that same moment, however, you also received from God certain rights, and you were given an inheritance. Those rights are yours to claim in the present. You’ll receive the inheritance in the future.
Salvation, therefore, comes to you in three stages: past, present, and future. The apostle Paul knew this truth and explained it to his Christian friends in Philippi. You just read what he wrote to them in Philippians 1:3-11.
What did Paul do every time he remembered his Christian friends in Philippi (see verse 3)?
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When Paul thanked God for the Philippian Christians, what emotion did he always feel when he prayed (see verse 4)?
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As Paul prayed with joy, what was it about these Christian friends that he thanked God for (see verse 5)?
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Because the Philippians had been Paul’s partners (helpers or fellow workers) in spreading the gospel, where did he say he held them (see verse 7)?
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Paul’s feelings of love and affection in his heart were so strong that he compared his emotions to whose love and affection (see verse 8)?
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Because Paul felt an affection for the Philippian Christians like the love of Christ Jesus, he wanted to be sure they understood the three aspects of salvation. No other verse in the Scriptures summarizes them more completely than Philippians 1:6.
Philippians 1:6 is your Scripture-memory assignment for this week. Find this verse in your Scripture-memory cards and begin memorizing.
The following chart shows another way of looking at what Philippians 1:6 means. The middle column stands for a process of time. Each of the side columns stands for an event. The words in the chart are quoted from the Christian Standard Bible.
Use your own translation to fill in the second line of each column, recording words from Philippians 1:6 that match the three aspects of salvation—past, present, and future.
The Beginning PointA Process of TimeThe Final Event
Ann remarked to Tom, who had been a Christian for many years, “Conversion is the end of salvation.” Tom didn’t understand that Ann was using the word end to mean the aim, result, or object of salvation. Strongly disagreeing, he snorted, “The end? Then it must be the front end!”
The chart you completed shows what Tom meant. When you received Christ as your Savior, you were at the beginning end of your salvation. There was much more to come, and there still is!
You know you’re a child of God. But you don’t know all Christ still has in store for you.
You already possess your salvation, but knowing what you possess allows you to enjoy it.
Let’s review what you’ve learned in Survival Kit by completing the hand drawing. See if you can supply all the missing information. See the hand drawing in the introduction if you need help.
The central truth or principle that makes all the others work should be written on the palm. “The Indwelling Christ, Controlling All” placed you in a new relationship when you became a Christian. You should have written this principle on the palm.
The thumb should remind you that you’re a part of “One Body in Christ.” However, being in the body doesn’t mean your life as a Christian will be free of struggles with temptation. So last week you studied the principle of “Two Natures.” You should have written that principle on the index finger. Now write the theme for this week on the middle finger.
What has your salvation provided for your daily life since you became a Christian? Even if you’ve been a Christian for only a few days, you should be able to compose a list. The longer you’ve been a Christian, the longer your list should be. List some of the results that come to your mind.
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Now use the steps you learned to meditate on Philippians 1:9-11. Identify at least one teaching or example you should follow. Promise God you’ll follow it in your life today.
Three Parts of One Event
Read Philippians 1:3-11.
Perhaps when you took Christ as your Lord and Savior, you thought your simple prayer of surrender would give you all Christ had to offer. Well, you were right!
In that moment you became a forgiven, freed, Christ-indwelled child of God. That happened in the past. In that same moment, however, you also received from God certain rights, and you were given an inheritance. Those rights are yours to claim in the present. You’ll receive the inheritance in the future.
Salvation, therefore, comes to you in three stages: past, present, and future. The apostle Paul knew this truth and explained it to his Christian friends in Philippi. You just read what he wrote to them in Philippians 1:3-11.
What did Paul do every time he remembered his Christian friends in Philippi (see verse 3)?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
When Paul thanked God for the Philippian Christians, what emotion did he always feel when he prayed (see verse 4)?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
As Paul prayed with joy, what was it about these Christian friends that he thanked God for (see verse 5)?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Because the Philippians had been Paul’s partners (helpers or fellow workers) in spreading the gospel, where did he say he held them (see verse 7)?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paul’s feelings of love and affection in his heart were so strong that he compared his emotions to whose love and affection (see verse 8)?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Because Paul felt an affection for the Philippian Christians like the love of Christ Jesus, he wanted to be sure they understood the three aspects of salvation. No other verse in the Scriptures summarizes them more completely than Philippians 1:6.
Philippians 1:6 is your Scripture-memory assignment for this week. Find this verse in your Scripture-memory cards and begin memorizing.
The following chart shows another way of looking at what Philippians 1:6 means. The middle column stands for a process of time. Each of the side columns stands for an event. The words in the chart are quoted from the Christian Standard Bible.
Use your own translation to fill in the second line of each column, recording words from Philippians 1:6 that match the three aspects of salvation—past, present, and future.
The Beginning PointA Process of TimeThe Final Event
| “He who started a good work in you …” | “will carry it on to completion …” | “until the day of Christ Jesus.” |
| “__________” | “__________” | “__________” |
| Freed from the penalty of sin | Freed from the power of sin | Freed from the presence of sin |
| Cleansed by Christ’s blood | Liberated by Christ’s indwelling life | Given your inheritance by Christ’s second coming |
Ann remarked to Tom, who had been a Christian for many years, “Conversion is the end of salvation.” Tom didn’t understand that Ann was using the word end to mean the aim, result, or object of salvation. Strongly disagreeing, he snorted, “The end? Then it must be the front end!”
The chart you completed shows what Tom meant. When you received Christ as your Savior, you were at the beginning end of your salvation. There was much more to come, and there still is!
You know you’re a child of God. But you don’t know all Christ still has in store for you.
You already possess your salvation, but knowing what you possess allows you to enjoy it.
Let’s review what you’ve learned in Survival Kit by completing the hand drawing. See if you can supply all the missing information. See the hand drawing in the introduction if you need help.
The central truth or principle that makes all the others work should be written on the palm. “The Indwelling Christ, Controlling All” placed you in a new relationship when you became a Christian. You should have written this principle on the palm.
The thumb should remind you that you’re a part of “One Body in Christ.” However, being in the body doesn’t mean your life as a Christian will be free of struggles with temptation. So last week you studied the principle of “Two Natures.” You should have written that principle on the index finger. Now write the theme for this week on the middle finger.
What has your salvation provided for your daily life since you became a Christian? Even if you’ve been a Christian for only a few days, you should be able to compose a list. The longer you’ve been a Christian, the longer your list should be. List some of the results that come to your mind.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now use the steps you learned to meditate on Philippians 1:9-11. Identify at least one teaching or example you should follow. Promise God you’ll follow it in your life today.