Salvation is the first step of sanctification, or holiness. There are three steps. Each must be done in order.
Salvation is an experience of the heart. It cannot be an intellectual decision based on reason. Ask a newly married or engaged couple how they were drawn together. Ask how they began to be connected to one another and how they were drawn together in love and how they decided to become fully joined to one another in a wedding ceremony. Their love was no intellectual decision. It was one of the heart. If you ask them how they fell in love, they will have no reasonable answer because it was an experience. It is difficult to be explained in words.
This is exactly how salvation works and is not an accident that these two experiences are so similar. Our God made it that way. He made everyone to love and be loved. This is how God is. He wants to love and be loved. This love experience happens in every culture system the world over, whether people believe in God or not. Some people never marry and many marriages don’t work out. But people still want to love and be loved. We all want to share love with others.
God wants to share love back and forth with each of us individually as well. The method God uses to join with us in a love relationship is the same method we use to join with others in this life.
Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24 WEB)
This is the description of how two people who love each other are joined together as one.
This is also how we each are joined with Jesus. We leave our past life behind. We become connected with our Lord and experience a new life together with him. This is called salvation.
Just as there are three steps in two people falling in love and joining with one another, there are also the same three steps in the salvation process. Any love connection is about communication, participation and trust. This is what any relationship is. This is why it is called the saving relationship. It will not happen without both partners working together. Neither partner can do it alone. It must be a back-and-forth relationship.
STEP ONE: This is Jesus’s step.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
( Revelation 3:20 WEB)
God is constantly revealing himself to every person on this earth. He is revealing that he is the God of love, mercy, patience, goodness and fairness. He reveals that he wants each of us to be a partner with him. He reveals that he wants us to come to him. He draws each of us to him.
STEP TWO: This is our step.
If any man hears my voice and opens the door (Revelation 3:20 WEB)
If we hear his revelation in our heart. If we hear his invitation. If we feel drawn to him. It is our opportunity to respond by opening the door. If we open the door we are showing him that we believe what he has said. We are demonstrating to him that we want him in our hearts and lives. We are coming to him out of the darkness and into the light.
I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
STEP THREE: This is Jesus’s last step.
Then I will come into him. (Revelation 3:20 WEB)
This is the third and final step. This is for Jesus to do. He covers us with the white robe of righteousness. At this time our sins are covered, forgiven and forgotten. We are now one with him. We are connected to him as a branch is connected to the vine. There is nothing else to do, we have salvation.
After the branch is connected to the vine, it begins to grow. We now have the opportunity to participate in the abiding relationship. This will help us to grow more closely united with him. No longer two but one flesh. This will be covered in the next post.
