Are We In the Process of Being Saved?

Thank you for answering the poll for it was set towards justification which is salvation.

As for the ongoing process of the sanctification of the Holy Spirit: would you care to post scriptures?

Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Was that one of them? I read that as past tense in order for that offering up of the Gentiles to take place. I do not see the Holy Spirit doing a poor job in making them acceptable. The "might be acceptable" should be on the Gentile believers.

2 Timothy 2: 18Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

But I do point out that irregardless of falling away from the faith or doing works of iniquity, they are His, but as vessels unto dishonour unless they purge themselves of the iniquity with the help of Christ Jesus, of course. We do not sanctify ourselves as God does that, but the purging of the iniquity with His help is what the believers are to do in putting away the old man with his deeds... as well as works that deny Him so as to be vessels unto honour.

I do not want to sound like I am opposing what you are saying, but the sanctification process is done as we are called to be holy as He is holy by the renewing of our minds, but all being done by faith in the Son of God.

Romans 12: 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

The ongoing process of sanctification of the Holy Spirit is an automatic thing whenever one purge themselves of iniquity through the help of Christ, but I want to be careful in making sure this truth be known: that we have received the sanctification in Christ Jesus along with righteousness and redemption.

1 Corinthians 1: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. :jesus:

 

Okay. I find myself stating terms that are not clear and by itself can be taken to imply something else with all the myriads of false teachings out there.

I believe that. We are called to live by faith in the Son of God in living that reconciled relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

This is where clarity is needed. Faith without works as applied in James was referring to the abuse being done towards the poor when the church was issuing faith in God's Providence for the poor to be warm and to be filled as if by issuing the verbal faith in God's Providence to the poor, that God will do it. The problem was, there were others signs of disrespecting the poor that one cannot help but see this as another form of abuse, especillay when the church had just received the bounty and were unwilling to depart from the bounty of what the church did not need immediately to meet the immediate needs of the poor: thus in the eyes of the poor such verbal issuance of faith will not profit them being how they are starving and exposed to the elements, and hearing that faith coming from the issuers of that church in God's Providence, that faith is dead in the eyes of the poor. This is the application as to what was meant in can that faith in God's Providence save them (the poor) when the issuers of that faith are unwilling to show that faith towards God's Providence toward themselves, seeing how they do not have an immediate need of the bounty collected as much as the poor does.

To clarify more:

Romans 4: 1What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Those that do not confess Him before men will answer for hiding the talent, but those that are new in Christ should not fear if they should happen to be saved just before His appearing as the same can be said for those that return to the faith in departing from iniquity.

Matthew 20:1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.:godisgood::jesus:

 

If one places the emphasis and the hope on the believer, that is called labouring in unbelief. May God be willing to remind us as to why Jesus Christ is the Good News to man:

Colossians 1: 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

So let us heed the high calling of Christ, looking to the author and finisher of our faith in running that race for the eternal glory of being a vessel unto honour in God's House as we lean on Him as Our Good Shepherd to help us keep the faith and lead us away from temptations to be the chaste bride for the Bridegroom whe He appears. This is why we shall cast our crowns at His feet because it is His workmanship in us that got us Home as the elect and all that is required from us is to believe in the One whom He has sent. A child can do that.

Trust is the basis for all relationships as we trust Him to be Our Good Shepherd in living this christian life as we do so by faith in the Son of God in helping us live as His as we do towards Him as Our Saviour for eternal life thus the just shall live by faith.

That is why no flesh shall glory in His presence because His name is above every other name as all thanksgiving and praises goes to the Son, and thereby to the Father as well.:jesus::godisgood::applause: