Salvation in Triplicate
On March 17, 1962 I heard the Gospel, delivered by a woman preacher, from the platform of the First Baptist Church of Okmulgee, Oklahoma. I was barely six-years old, but the lady’s message registered in my soul and I was saved.
Had I died the next day while riding my bicycle, I would have entered heaven a new person through Christ, forgiven, and completely accepted by God. Sixty-three years later, I understand a bit more about salvation than I did as a boy.
Given the gravity of humankind’s lineage in Adam, as laid out in Romans 5:12ff, there is no justification for extending life to those dead in their sin and offense to God. Yet, God goes ahead to consider the question: If I did extend life to those dead in Adam, what would it cost?
As this passage unfolds, we see the grandeur of grace abounding, triumphing over sin and sinfulness, redeeming those dead, and transferring them from darkness into the Kingdom of Life and Light.
If you have experienced salvation, then you are a new person in Christ, wholly accepted by God, and heaven-ready this moment. This was true for me when I was saved sixty-three years ago; it will not be more true when I get to heaven than it was in 1962. Given that Christ’s work is complete and finished, with my salvation there can be nothing remaining that separates me from God’s favor.
This view of salvation is written in the past tense in passages like Romans 8:24 and Ephesians 2:5 and 8. On March 17, 1962 I was saved.
Are we saved or aren’t we?
It is this view of salvation that we hear the most about. It is this view that anchors our security and yields confidence as God’s children. It is this view that conveys the outcome of grace and enables us to celebrate our great salvation and unimpeded standing with God.
But there is a second view of salvation presented in Scripture: that of being saved, in this moment; salvation in the present tense.
For example, 1 Corinthians 1:18 states, “For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (emphasis, mine).
The obvious question is: Are we saved or aren’t we? Is salvation a done deal or is it momentary?
The answer is: Yes.
Scripture lays out both views of salvation, as well as a third—salvation in triplicate—and each biblical perspective regarding salvation offers a unique vantage point on life’s most important question.
The central question of life is the first philosophical question contemplated by humankind: Is God enough for me or can I supplement His provision with my own resourcefulness such that together I’m better off?
We tend to be pretty clear that salvation is through Christ alone, i.e., I am helpless to reconcile myself to God and be saved.
When I’m compromised, surrounded by enemies, and my life is in jeopardy, will Christ save me?
However, the equal necessity to look to Christ alone for our daily bread and viability as people isn’t as clear. We are ingenious, gifted, and clever. We contribute and make things better—including our salvation, if we’re honest about our disposition.
We also fail. Often and regularly. We are justified and forgiven in the past tense of salvation, but plagued by self-reliance. Like Emerson said, “Trust thyself: Every heart vibrates to that iron string.”
We need salvation in the moment but are often conflicted. Where will our salvation come from? Christ alone or Christ plus our wherewithal?
Theologically, we declare, “Christ alone!” But we practice Christ plus our resourcefulness.
The question of my eternal existence is answered, but when I’m compromised, surrounded by enemies, and my life is in jeopardy, will Christ save me or will I be saved by Christ plus my wits?
Salvation in the past tense secures my future. But what about salvation in the present tense? Christ alone is the correct answer, but Christ plus all that I can summon to establish myself appears to be the more reasonable course of action.
It’s an unfortunate blessing, but often times loss removes enough of life’s overhead to reveal not only compromised approaches that must be jettisoned as sunk costs, but to also isolate what is true and essential.
Through my loss due to censorship, my conviction of whether or not Christ alone is sufficient for all that concerns and affects me, came under scrutiny. In my duress, I had to revisit my conviction.
My ability to contribute is severely compromised. Reputation, marketability, name recognition, the ability to make a living as an author: Each of these is either compromised or ruined. I can identify with David: “The cords of death encompassed me, / And torrents of ungodliness terrified me. / The cords of Sheol surrounded me; / The snares of death confronted me” (Ps. 18:4-5).
My censorship problems persisted and became progressive. My losses became substantial and our wellbeing was threatened. What can I do?
When it dawned on me what I was up against, that governmental forces were silencing and censoring me, I realized: I cannot overcome or escape this. All of my technological know-how, my resourcefulness, money, time…. It’s not enough. Barring a miracle, my life is forever changed and much of my life’s work compromised beyond remedy. Quoting David again: “I am in distress; / My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.” “I have become a reproach…an object of dread.” “I am forgotten as a dead man out of his mind” (cf. Ps. 31:9-13).
Who am I?
As I digested this reality—that I am no longer permitted to participate in society’s discussion—God led me to the Psalms, the prayers of God’s people. I was captivated to discover Jesus quoted the Psalms more than any other source. I understood: Unless God saves me, I’m done. And the question surfaced: Is Christ alone enough?
In time, with no guarantee of salvation, my answer resolved: Yes. Christ alone. He is enough.
Not only have my losses set me free to write what is in my heart to say, but my losses have further stripped away the varnish of my success within society so I may candidly consider life’s most important question: Christ alone or Christ plus what I contribute?
It’s the question posed at salvation, the question posed each moment of every day, and the question posed in order to determine whether or not I matter in the grand scheme of eternity.
Communicating salvation in the past tense has been a professional specialty for me. I’ve spoken and written about this extensively, but lately there is an acute awareness that I need salvation this moment. Yes, Christ alone saved me and endowed me sixty-three years ago. But today, in my struggle for daily reassurance, Christ alone ensures that I am significant. In Him alone I have purpose.
Considering the grandeur of grace, I have standing with God through salvation. Who am I? I am a child of the King, made so by the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Grace is rational, logical, and reasoned.
But just as biblically true is the humility of possessing nothing: the humility of need, question, and salvation in the present tense.
Who am I? I am a man destitute, low in status, and humbled as I search for my daily bread. Is Christ alone enough?
Who am I? I am rejected, cast away, banished from society’s discourse. Is Christ’s acceptance enough?
Who am I? I am exiled, sanctioned by the most powerful people on the planet, and cast out of society’s discussions. Enemies surround me, taunt, and celebrate my downfall. Is Christ’s salvation today enough to establish me, uphold me, and secure me?
Who am I? I am a person who can slice-and-dice the glories of salvation and the efficacy of grace from multiple vantage points: theological, philosophical, sociological, psychological, historical, and grammatical. Yet, as one thrown away as insignificant, I am also a man reaching out with a trembling finger to touch Jesus. Am I alone? Are you enough—even in this?
Who am I? I am saved. I am being saved.
Mercy is irrational.
From a past tense perspective, I am lifted up, endowed with every blessing in the heavenly places, and seated at the table of power and presence with God. In the present tense, I am the beneficiary of Jesus and Jesus is the recipient of me. We sit at a side table, men of no reputation, but this is enough (cf. Phil. 2:5-8 KJV).
Salvation in the past tense begins its explanation of benefits to us with the word, “since.” Salvation in the present tense begins its explanation, “Let’s.” The first viewpoint is cerebral and grand. The second is relational, visceral, momentarily needy, and humble.
Salvation in the past tense was secured for me through Christ alone. Salvation in the present tense is lived, worked out, with the promise that Christ alone is plenty right this moment. It’s as though Christ is saying, “I saved you in 1962, but let me show salvation to you right now.”
I wrote earlier that as magnificent as grace is, given the problem facing God by our sinful and rebellious nature, redemption through Christ is all that makes sense. In other words, grace is rational, logical, and reasoned.
Thus, what happened when we got saved can be systematically understood. This is what Paul does in the Book of Romans. What God did on our behalf through Christ is called, grace, and given that Jesus’ work is complete, the grace of salvation is usually expressed, celebrated, and embraced in the past tense. Thus, on March 17, 1962, I got saved.
However, when we consider salvation in the present tense, we’re pondering a different question than what God did in Christ. Rather, we are contemplating why God did what He did in Christ. In Romans 5, it is clear that God is ruminating over what will be required to justify giving life to those dead in their trespasses and sins: grace. The question that is implied is why God is bothering to consider us at all. But He does, and this demonstration of God in Christ is, mercy.
What God did in grace makes sense. Why God extended mercy to us makes no sense. Grace is rational. Mercy is irrational.
The what of salvation is the grace of God completed through Christ alone. My response is gratitude.
The why of salvation is the mercy of God manifest in His great love through Christ alone. My response is humility.
It wasn’t until my loss due to censorship that I discovered a subconscious belief that through my work, expertise, and reputation my place in the Kingdom of God was elevated. Through the gift of a loss I couldn’t overcome, governmental blacklisting, I grasped in reality that which had been only a theological adherence: Unless Christ saves me, not just for eternity, but this moment, I am destitute and alone.
In my pride, before my censure from society, I was a contributor. I had worth. I belonged upon the basis of my value to others.
But then, the most powerful among us declared me a pariah. With the programming of an algorithm and the release of spyders and bots, overnight I was classified an enemy, expendable, and deserving of exile.
With this realization, my soul’s compromised disposition was laid bare and the central question became inescapable. I am cast aside and have no recourse to remedy my destitution. Will the government relent, regroup, and rescue me? They won’t, and in all probability couldn’t even if they wanted to.
God’s conclusion can only be: Christ alone.
What’s my status? I need salvation—but who would risk rescue to redeem one with nothing to contribute?
Christ alone.
In the past tense of salvation, I am justified. In the present moment, I am a liability.
God, be merciful to me.
In the past tense of salvation, I have standing with God. In the present tense of salvation, I have no place, no safe harbor, no station worthy of mention.
God, be merciful to me.
And He is—in and through Christ alone.
In the past tense of salvation, I am included in God’s family through the life of Christ. In the present tense, I call upon Christ alone. He determines whether or not I have worth.
In grace, I am made right with God. In mercy, I have significance. Thank God for His mercy.
In grace, I am included. In mercy, I am embraced. Thank God for His mercy.
Christ alone is the mercy of God. Christ alone is the steadfast love of God, and this lovingkindness is new every morning, so great is God’s faithfulness (cf. Lam. 3:22-23).
Perhaps grace was conceptualized in God’s left brain and mercy is the dream conceived in His right brain. What then, when God integrates His thoughts, and grace and mercy are combined? His conclusion can only be: Christ alone.
How convinced is He of this conclusion? Enough to act before the dawn of time, describe it in His Book, demonstrate it in our lives, offer application each moment of every day, and throughout the reign of eternity. He is engaging an eternal exposition past, present, and future.
This integration is the third view of salvation presented by Scripture: salvation in the future tense. Romans 5:9-10 says we who have been reconciled (past tense) to God, “shall be saved” (future tense) (emphasis, mine).
As Scripture states in the chapter on love, we see through an occluded glass. Our future is heaven, seeing Christ face-to-face; angels, eternity, no tears, salvation evident. But currently this view is akin to looking through a foggy window. The view is sufficient to be legitimate, but insufficient for today’s demands. One day the fog will be wiped away, but today is not that day. Today, it is foggy.
So, we live in the tension of faith requiring application. Faith that is confident, dependent, and hopeful.
Why does Scripture present salvation in three tenses? Because we live in the tension of faith that needs function, relevance, and apt suitability to every aspect of life. We are confident in what we know, dependent for each moment of every day, and hopeful for all that will be revealed. Each viewpoint of Scripture’s presentation of salvation reinforces the other so our resolution in Christ alone can be true conviction.
Am I saved? Yes. On March 17, 1962 I was saved. By what means? Christ alone.
Am I being saved? Yes. This present moment, and the next. Am I a man caught in conflict and compromised by chaos? Yes. Do I find myself falling short, with no recourse, cast into a furnace, and considering if salvation is mine? Yes. Given this, by what means do I live each moment of every day? Relying upon Christ alone.
Shall I be saved? Yes. “Some glad morning / I’ll fly away” and will then see clearly: Christ alone.
And in that day, the one saved by the life of Christ and made new, will know in real time that Christ alone is plenty, and that for all eternity I shall have the joy of seeing my salvation as He does.