Seven Steps In God

SEVEN STEPS IN GOD’S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION ( A bird’s eye view) FIRST: ELECTION- This initial step occur before the creation of the world. In Ephesian 1:4 and many other related scriptures the Bible declares that all true Christian has been chosen by God before the foundation of the world. They were chosen in Christ (the Lamb of God) who is ‘slain’ before the foundation of the world. That is why salvation is by grace alone. All chosen sinners who deserve nothing but the wrath of God has been by God’s grace alone spared from eternal destruction.. Salvation is not a right any human can claim, but it is a “undeserved privilege” given to a privilege ‘few’ by God who has the absolute right alone to do as He pleases and what pleases Him with His creation and the works of His hands SECOND:HUMAN BIRTH- All human beings came to existence through ‘unfinished’ physical birth. But all human beings as they came out of their mother’s womb were already dead spiritually because of the sin they inherited from their rebellious parents Adam and Eve. All humans were separated from God (dead spiritually) because they are sinners by nature because of that ‘deadly forbidden fruit’ (compared to our modern day HIV virus) that was eaten by their first parents. Our first parents became an ‘evil tree’ so to speak when they ate the fruit of that evil tree forbidden by God. THIRD: DIVINE BIRTH- That is the reason why the second birth or regeneration or ‘being born again or having a ‘new heart’ is the 3rd step of salvation.. Because without regeneration (receiving a divine nature) or God’s Holy Spirit we cannot have salvation or the gift of eternal life. All humans is dead (separated) from God because of sin. Therefore unless we are born again or have experienced the third step of salvation which is DIVINE BIRTH through God’s Holy Spirit in us we cannot see or experience God.. FOURTH: CONVERSION- This fourth step or process which I termed CONVERSION is the result or ‘fruit’ of the DIVINE BIRTH (3rd step of salvation). Conversion means faith and repentance. As a result of that DIVINE BIRTH our eyes were open to the reality that we are sinners and we need God in our life. Both faith & repentance (conversion) is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in us or that divine birth. That is why faith and repentance were also a gift from the Lord. FIFTH: JUSTIFICATION- This fifth step is the result of our God-given faith & repentance. Our faith in the blood of Christ and our acknowledgement of our sinfulness bring JUSTIFICATION or forgiveness which resulted in our reconciliation with God. SIXTH: SANCTIFICATION- This is a ‘lifetime process’. This process is growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The divine birth and physical birth occurs only once. Also our justification is ‘finished’. God will never takes away His Holy Spirit from us because without the Holy Spirit in us we cannot have faith and repent. It is THE CROSS BEFORE THE CROWN and sanctification involves the carrying of our daily cross. All true believers will undergo this difficult process of trials, tribulation and sufferings. SEVENTH: GLORIFICATION-“ And God will wipe away every tears from their eyes and death shall be no more…..” This is the final outcome and fruit of our trials and sufferings as we follow Jesus Christ. This is the final step of our salvation which we are looking forward to at the second coming of our KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORD JESUS CHRIST. Amatriano 8/9/07