Salvation

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
IS SALVATION IMMEDIATE OR FUTURE? The thief on the cross, like many now-a-days, begged for a future salvation— “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom” — but “today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise,” was the gracious word of Christ, assuring him of a present salvation. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgment); but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)). Mark the threefold link, Heareth, Believeth, Hath. My reader, have you heard Christ’s gracious words? (John 3:16,16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) and similar portions.) Do you believe on God, who gave Jesus, and hath raised Him up from the dead? If so, eternal life is yours; “hath everlasting life” is His own word—not “will have it,” or “may have it.” No, “HATH” is the word assuring thee of the present possession of eternal life. Salvation is now—it is immediate—not future.1
 
1. Salvation, in its fullest extent, is undoubtedly future, embracing the resurrection of the body, as also bearing the moral likeness of Christ (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)), and physical likeness also (Phil. 3:2121Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)). What a salvation! That, however, is truth taught to the saint, not that preached to the sinner.