A common salvific misunderstanding is related to the progression of salvation. Was it a one-time event, or is it a daily occurrence? Well, the answer is both. Salvation was once-for-all, but it is also presently progressive.
First of all, let me say that there is more to the Christian life than being born again. This may come as a shock to some, but did you realize that if we preach "the new birth" Sunday after Sunday, our churches will become spiritually stagnant? Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, admonished his readers to progress out of their spiritual diapers (Heb 5:11-14; 6:1-3). He wanted them to GROW and to BUILD upon the foundation of the new birth, not simply re-emphasize it over and over. Salvation was once-and-for-all (the new birth), but it's also to be progressive: "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection..." (Heb 6:1). We of course don't forsake any aspect of truth, rather, we build upon it as a solid foundation.
Friends, Scripture is clear that salvation is initially a complete deliverance. Scripture tells us that the spirits of justified men have been made perfect (Heb 12:23). It is also clear that we, upon justification, have been joined to the Lord.. we are now "one spirit" with Him (1 Cor 6:17). When we were saved, our spirit was raised from the dead (Eph 2:6), and was passed from death to life. We have judicially died with Him on that bloody tree, and been raised to newness of life (Rom 6:4)! The salvation of our spirit is the reason why we are made able to have fellowship with God (Eph 2:18). But we aren't to stop there: the overly-efficacious atonement of our precious Lord has made complete deliverance for every facet of our salvation: spirit, soul, and body - justification (spirit), sanctification (soul), and glorification (body). All we must do is progress and enter in. The salvation and perfection of our spirit is past tense - it's the foundation of our progression.
Progression? Yes, you read that right. Paul told the Corinthians the SCOPE that this salvation possesses: "Who delivered us from so great a death [past tense], and doth deliver [present tense]: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us [future tense]" (2 Cor 1:10). Peter too spoke of "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1 Pet 1:9). Paul told the Romans that our initial salvation was simply preparatory for our continuing salvation: "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Rom 5:9-10). Simply said, our spirits have been saved, our souls are being saved, and our bodies shall yet be saved: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thess 5:23-24; Heb 4:12). We're to "grow up into Him in ALL things" (Eph 4:15). Yet today, we see millions of Christians relaxed on their lees, just passively waiting for the skies to part! Friend, you are still being saved! Your perfect spirit is to be spilling over into your sinful soul, from chamber to chamber (Prov 24:4); you are to be being transfigured from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18; Rom 12:1-2), taking hold of what God has provided: you're to enter within the last veil (Heb 6:19-20)!
Did you realize that God is progressively building a mansion for Himself? It's true! He's slowly building a place to lay His headship (Matt 8:20). Will you let Him build His MIND in you? He's building a people who shall be the habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph 2:19-22; Rev 21:9-10; Matt 5:14). Paul said that this great spiritual edifice now "groweth [present tense] unto an holy temple in the Lord" (Eph 2:21). But how can we ever grow and progress into this habitation if we are spiritually and ignorantly stagnant?
Do we realize that our salvation is a daily progression? And if so, do we have Paul's testimony?
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press [run after, pursue, PROGRESS] toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13-14).
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