From Condemnation to Glory
Pastor Marvin Duncan


What Happens at Salvation

Something most Christians fail to recognize about their salvation is the extent to which God has gone to provide everything man needs to assure him of his place in God's eternal family. These activities take place simultaneously
at the moment of salvation. These are not REWARDS to be gained following salvation and obtained by good works but every individual who is saved has every one of these blessings given to him by God's Grace at the moment he
receives Jesus Christ as his personal LORD and SAVIOR.

FORGIVEN- Every son of Adam is a SINNER by nature as well as sinner by practice (Romans 5:12 & 3:2). The result of this Sin Nature is Spiritual Death (Separation from God) and Condemnation (Romans 1:18 & Ephesians 2:1-2). A picture of the individual who has never received God's salvation is seen in Ephesians 2:11-13.

The first thing God does when an individual receives Jesus Christ as his personal Savior is to FORGIVE that individual of his sin. God can do this because of Christ's death on Calvary's Cross which paid for all sins.

MADE ALIVE - Another aspect of salvation is that God gives us LIFE. This life is the opposite of the Spiritual Death from which all believers have been saved (Ephesians 2:1). This life that we receive at salvation is actually Christ's Eternal Life for the Christian now has Life that will never end. This Eternal Life assures us that we will forever be with Christ in heaven Romans 8:38-39).

MADE A NEW CREATION- In Second Corinthians 5:17 we read, 'THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE." This statement means that the Christian has become something different from what He was before his salvation. The natural man is a SOUL DOMINATED individual. That is, he is motivated and controlled by the desires of the body (flesh) and the things of this world. Upon salvation, that individual becomes a SPIRIT MOTIVATED individual. The SOUL is body and world conscious while the SPIRIT is God conscious. The SOUL is connected to the EMOTIONS; the SPIRIT is connected to the INTELLECT.

FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT- At the moment of Salvation God gives to each Believer the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in his BODY and witness to his SPIRIT concerning the things a Christian should do and how he is to walk
pleasingly before God and Man.

We have several Scriptures that speak of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18 we have the admonition not to be filled (controlled) with wine but to be filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit

First Corinthians 6:19 is even more explicit in speaking of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Here Paul challenges these Corinthians with this statement: "WHAT, KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS IN YOU, WHICH YE HAVE OF GOD, AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN?"

The purpose of the indwelling Holy Spirit is to CONVICT US OF SIN and to INSTRUCT US IN THE WORD OF GOD. The Holy Spirit's presence in the Believer becomes the object of our next blessing

SEALED - Seldom does the Christian consider this aspect of his salvation . Because God is a Jealous God, He does not want anything to happen to one of His redeemed. Therefore, the indwelling Holy Spirit becomes God's SEAL (Note Ephesians 1:13-14) and His EARNEST (His down payment) This SEALING is to PROVE that we belong to God and we have His SEAL within us. The Holy Spirit also becomes God's GUARANTEE that He will take us to Heaven to spend all eternity with Him there. Notice again Ephesians 1:14.

The purpose of a SEAL is to IDENTIFY something as belonging to the one whose seal is placed upon it. For example, when you place a postage stamp on a letter, that letter belongs to the Postal Service that issued the stamp and no one except the one to whom it is addressed may open it. The EARNEST is God's CLAIM that we belong to Him and that He will redeem His purchased possession when this age has run its course. This will happen when the Saints are caught up to meet our Lord in the clouds of the air (First Thessalonians 4:14-17).

ADOPTED - The word ADOPTED simply means SON PLACING. We have the doctrine of Adoption spoken of in Galatians 4:1-3.

Being a SON means being in a position of INHERITANCE. It is the SON who inherits the Father's estate. Jesus Christ is THE SON OF GOD. This means He is the One to inherit all that God the Father has - that is, all of God's
creation (Note Colossians 1:5-19)

Not only has our Lord Jesus Christ been designated as the One to inherit all that God has created. But the Redeemed of God in this dispensation are also designated as SONS OF GOD and as JOINT HEIRS OF JESUS CHRIST (ROMANS
8:16-17).

The title "FIRST BORN" means that the one so designated is above all others in line of inheritance Jesus Christ, as "THE SON," -was NEVER BORN. It was only the HUMANITY of Jesus Christ that had its beginning with the
physical birth recorded in the Gospel record (note again Luke 1:35). The DEITY of Jesus Christ always existed.

THE NAMES OF GOD

In the Old Testament we have THREE NAMES designated to the creator God. These are: ELOHIM (translated in the King James Bible as GOD), JEHOVAH (translated in the KJ as LORD), AND ADONAI (translated in the KJ as Lord).

1) ELOHIM is a UNI-PLURAL noun formed by the word EL which means THE STRONG ALL SUFFICIENT ONE and ALAH which means TO SWEAR or TO BIND ONESELF WITH AN OATH, thus implying FAITHFULNESS.

In Genesis 1:26 we find the PLURALITY of God while in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 3:22 we find the UNITY of God. Thus, the TRINITY is seen in the name ELOHIM.

ELOHIM is the One primarily associated with CREATION in the Old Testament, Genesis 1:1 is a good example of this.

2) JEHOVAH means THE SELF-EXISTING ONE but HAVAH, from which Jehovah is formed, also signifies "TO BECOME," that is to become known, thus pointing to a continuous and increasing self-revelation.

Jehovah is also the REDEMPTIVE name of God. We see this in Exodus 6:3. It was with Israel's deliverance from bondage in Egypt that we first find JEHOVAH being introduced as the ONE who would deliver His people out of
distress and trouble.

3) ADONAI means MASTER or OWNER. It is used both of God and of man. In the King James Bible it is translated "Lord" for God and "lord" when used for man. As applied to man, this word is used of two relationships: MASTER and HUSBAND. I Genesis 24:9, 10,12 "Master" may illustrate the former while Genesis 18:12, lord" the later.

B) In the NEW TESTAMENT we have three corresponding names in the Greek which equate exactly with the names in the Old Testament. These are: FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.

1) FATHER EQUATES TO ELOHIM and all the attributes of the Creator and THE STRONG ONE are given to THE FATHER.

2) SON equates to JEHOVAH for it is the Son who is the REDEEMER in the New Testament Scriptures. A close examination of the Word of God will reveal that it was JEHOVAH who became identified with man in the person of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus Christ is truly the Jehovah of the Old Testament manifest in human flesh.

3) HOLY SPIRIT equates with ADONAI

SEATED with Christ in the Heavenlies is one of the blessings we have as the Redeemed of God in this present dispensation ( See Ephesians 2:6).

The word "SIT" in this context, means to be placed on a seat of authority, that is, to REIGN with Christ in the Heavenlies.

One of the Scriptures that speaks of our REIGNING with Christ is seen in First Corinthians 6:3 . Here Paul speaks of the members of the Body of Christ sitting in judgment over Angels. When will this come to pass if not when we
are reigning with Christ in the Heavenlies?

RISEN TO NEWNESS OF LIFE. Romans chapter six speaks of our identification with Christ in His Death, Burial ad Resurrection We often think of the Resurrected Life as only that life we will experience throughout all eternity when the Soul and Spirit of the dead in Christ has been re-united with their Glorified Body. But this is not true. There is a RESURRECTED LIFE that is to be experience by God's redeemed while living this physical, earthly life.

Paul speaks of our being CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST (Romans 6:3). We know we were not literally nailed to the cross with Christ for we had not been born at that time. Yet, fro, God's perspective, He sees us as having been nailed to the Cross by our identification with Christ. We are also seen as having died with Christ, having been buried with Him, and RAISED WITH HIM. Now, God expects all of his redeemed Saints to RECKON themselves to be dead to sin (Romans 6:11) so as not to yield their members to sin to commit the acts of sin. We are also to RECKON (as God does) that we are living as resurrected Saints who have been given NEWNESS OF LIFE (Rom. 6:4) after our death with Christ on Calvary.

Continuing with the subject of what happens at salvation, we find that we are COMMISSIONED TO BE AMBASSADORS. Second Corinthians 5:20 tells us that "WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST." This exalted position is for the purpose that we might speak in Christ's stead (with His authority), beseeching the unsaved to
be reconciled to God.

1) RECONCILE means CHANGE, RECONCILIATION means to change from enmity to friendship.

Reconciliation is an act that God accomplishes in exercising His Grace toward sinful man on the grounds of the death of Christ. Men, in their sinful condition and alienation from God are invited to be reconciled to Him; that is to say, to change their attitude and accept the provision God has made whereby their sins can be remitted and they themselves be justified in His sight

Romans 5:10 expresses his in another way. In this verse we read: "FOR IF, WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES, WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON...."The term , "ENEMIES" not only expresses man's hostile attitude to God but signifies that until this change of attitude takes place, men are under
condemnation, exposed to God's wrath.

We must always remember that the enmity is on our part, not God's. Never will we find that God is reconciled to man; rather, it is man who needs to be reconciled to God. That is, man is the one who needs to have his enmity
removed and change his attitude so that friendship can be restored between him and his Creator.

As Ambassadors for Christ, or ministry is to encourage others to receive God's forgiveness and salvation so that their natural enmity toward God can be changed to one of friendship and worship.

Let us keep in mind that God has not asked us to be SUCCESSFUL in our ministry for Him. He has only asked us TO BE FAITHFUL. We see this in First Corinthians 4:2.

BLESSED WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS (Ephesians 1:3). One of the distinctive elements between this present dispensation and the former one is that of the blessings promised for each one. In the former dispensation all the blessings were physical and material. Israel was to be blessed in the Millennium by having abundant crops and an increase in the productivity of their hands, as well as extended life and no sickness (Isaiah 5:20-25;
Ezekiel 36:29-30). All of Israel's blessings will be experienced on the earth and in a physical or material way.

The members of the Body of Christ live in a SPIRITUAL DISPENSATION. That is, everything about this dispensation is in the Spiritual realm. We have a SPIRITUAL SALVATION, A SPIRITUAL BAPTISM, and we walk by THE SPIRIT.
We have no promises of any physical or material blessings in this earthly life for our hope for all eternity is to dwell in the heavenlies, reigning with Christ and being blessed with all the SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS that God can bestow upon one of His creatures.

BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED, WE ARE

1). ACCEPTED ( Ephesians 1:6)

Because of our inherited SIN NATURE, we are, at birth, separated from God and outside His favor. Because of our position of being IN CHRIST, we have become ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED (One). This means we have been made as close to the Father as the Son is.

Nothing has changed as to our physical or moral condition from what we were before we accepted Christ as our Savior. The only thing that has happened is that now we are IN CHRIST and from God's point of view, we have
been made as RIGHTEOUS, as MORAL, as KIND and as LOVING as Christ is. It is because of what we have been made IN CHRIST that we have become ACCEPTABLE by the Father.

Being ACCEPTABLE means we have ACCESS to the Throne of God at any time without being personally invited to approach God. Being ACCEPT- ED means we will be HEARD when we speak to God. Being ACCEPTED means we will receive God's attention when we have any need or make any request of Him. Notice His promise to us in Ephesians 3:20. He will do EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK .

2). BELOVED (Colossians 3:1).

Because we have been accepted in the BELOVED ONE, we also become BELOVED by being IN HIM. Notice that everything we have as the Saints of God is because of our being in Christ, not because of anything good in ourselves.

Being BELOVED means we are the "APPLE OF HIS EYE" and when He looks upon us, He is moved by His compassion and love to give us the BEST heaven contains.

The LOVE with which God loves us is a love that is motivated to GIVE to the object of that love the best that can be given for the beloved one's good. The kind of love we know as human beings is a selfish love that wants to GET from the one that is loved

3). CALLED (Romans 8:28).

To be CALLED means to be selected by name. God has selected us INDIVIDUALLY and has CALLED us ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.

In this Romans eight passage, we find there are FOUR THINGS involved in God's PURPOSE.

A. PREDESTINED.
B. CALLED.
C. JUSTIFICATION.
D. GLORIFICATION.

A) From the standpoint of PREDESTINATION, we find this word used twice in Paul's epistles. The first time is in Romans 8:29. Here we find the Holy Spirit tells us exactly what has been pre-determinded by God. That which was
pre-determined was that the Saints would be CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF GOD'S SON. This promise was made to the members of THE BODY OF CHRIST (God's Church of this dispensation of His Grace). Everyone who is saved in this dispensation are members of the Body of Christ and as such have been conformed to the image of God's Son ( Jesus Christ).

The second time this word is found is in Ephesians 1:5 where Paul speaks of the Saints of this dispensation being PREDESTINED unto the ADOPTION OF SONS.

This activity make each believer an HEIR in God's family and causes him to INHERIT all that God has created. By becoming a Son in God's family, we become JOINT - HEIRS with Christ (Romans 8:17).

b) The word JUSTIFIED means to be DECLARED RIGHTEOUS. The picture this word portrays is that of a Sinner who has been before the Throne of God, expecting to hear God's Judgment being poured out, but instead we hear God say, I declare this one to be RIGHTEOUS- just as righteous as My Son.

Some individuals would have us believe we can find the meaning of the word justified by saying it means being in the place I'd be in JUST AS IF'D I NEVER SINNED. This isn't true. To be in the position I'd be in IF I'D NEVER SINNED, leaves me INNOCENT but not RIGHTEOUS. Justification does more than leaving me innocent, it makes me

c) GLORIFICATION means to be made into the image of Christ in His PERFECTION. We will have the same glory that Christ will have as the Head of the Body of Christ. We will be LIKE CHRIST in His Resurrected Perfection.

CHANGED (Second Corinthians 5:17).

To be CHANGED means to become something completely different from what we were before the change took place. Several things are changed at the moment a son of Adam receives the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.

1. The son of Adam who receives God's salvation becomes a Son of God.

2. The son of Adam who receives the salvation that is in Christ Jesus is CHANGED into a NEW CREATION. That is, he is no longer a SINNER, but has become a SAINT.