The Order of Salvation
And we know that God works together all things for good to those loving God, to those being called according to His purpose, because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined, these also He called; and whom He called, these also He justified; and whom He justified, these also He glorified.
To be clear, “the order of salvation” is not explicitly defined in the Scriptures. It is a child of academia; a thing coined by, and argued among, academics. Indeed, not even Romans 8 is sufficient to assert an order of salvation, for it is difficult to assert from this text alone that these things have already come to pass. Or does not the passage start off with, “God works together all things for good to those loving God”? This is ambiguous as to whether He is still working or has finished working for any or all believers. Yes, even granting that all of the verbs are in the imperfect tense (i.e. all suggesting a continuation) it remains ambiguous, for it allows for both.
Nevertheless, from the Scriptures we can discern some level of order.
Summary
- Call to faith (and repentance).
- Faith (and repentance).
- Regeneration (i.e. baptism of the Holy Spirit).
- Sanctification (i.e. washing away of sin).
- Justification (i.e. affirmation of God’s approval).
- Glorification (ambiguous).
Even though faith is meaningless without repentance, no one will repent apart from faith. Therefore, it is safe to assert that faith comes before repentance. And since no one can be justified apart from sanctification, it is safe to assert that sanctification comes before justification. Since any level of glorification is not possible without the rest, it is safe to place it last (though its understanding may fall in the realm of mystery).
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Since justification comes through faith, so also must regeneration and, therefore, sanctification come through faith (since justification depends on sanctification, and sanctification on regeneration). This is important to recognize and understand. Without faith, none of these things can be applied to you. And without all of these things you can only remain in your sins.
Regeneration is of the Holy Spirit
He saved us, not by works in righteousness that we did, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Now you are not in flesh but in Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
In so saying, “through the washing of regeneration,” he makes clear that regeneration necessarily brings with it sanctification. Therefore, they occur at the same time, even though the list above gives the impression that sanctification occurs after regeneration. Indeed, the Holy Spirit brings with Himself newness of life to the one who receives Him.
Faith precedes regeneration
I wish only to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by hearing of faith?
But when they believed Philip, proclaiming the gospel concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. And Simon himself also believed, and having been baptized, was steadfastly continuing with Philip. And beholding the signs and great miracles being performed, he was amazed. Now the apostles in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John, who having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He was not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying the hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Now it came to pass, while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper parts to come to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples, he also said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit, having believed?” And they said to him, “But not even did we hear that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into the baptism of John.” Then Paul said, “John baptized a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” And having heard, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. And of Paul having laid the hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they were speaking in tongues and prophesying. And there were in all about twelve men.
Now He said this concerning the Spirit, whom those having believed in Him were about to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Repentance precedes regeneration
John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. And all the region of Judea and all of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.
Does being dead in our trespasses, therefore, mean that we are incapable of repentance? For the verses above do not make such a suggestion.
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which once you walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all also once lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the things willed of the flesh and of its thoughts; and we were by nature children of wrath even as the rest.
If the notion can be found in the Scriptures that being dead in sin means being unable to repent, it is not in this chapter. For simply “doing the things willed of the flesh” is insufficient to assert a limitation on repentance. For no where in the text does it assume that the will of the flesh governs everything we do. Rather, it simply affirms that many of the things we had done were willed by the flesh. Indeed, even if it were a will of the flesh, that would imply our freedom to choose. For simply the flesh willing in no way necessitates obedience to such a will. And if the Spirit wills contrary to the flesh (as it always does), what reason do we have to assume that the flesh is greater than the Spirit?
Neither can it be said that being “children of wrath” is sufficient to assert a limitation on repentance. After all, isn’t wrath imparted by God onto people? Why would He contradict Himself regarding wrath if the same wrath were to stand as evidence of an inability to repent? Is it not, rather, evidence of His desire to have mercy?
And those being in the flesh are not able to please God.
Nor can it be said that stating the obvious is evidence of a limitation on repentance. For this can be said for both the regenerate and unregenerate. And if this verse applies to both the regenerate and unregenerate, then it is impossible to use this verse to support your own agendas and doctrines. Indeed, this verse is not exclusive to any, one theology.
Slaves to sin?
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you that everyone practicing the sin is a slave of the sin.”
Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
But a man is tempted, being drawn away and being enticed by the own desire.
So, it would appear that you are a slave because you choose to be, and not because of some greater, enslaving, outside force. Indeed, many appear to have the logic backwards.
Sanctification is instantaneous
Saying above, “Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offerings for sin, You have not desired, nor have You delighted in” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first that He might establish the second. By that will, we are having been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And indeed every priest stands every day, ministering and offering the same sacrifices repeatedly, which never are able to take away sins. But this One, having offered one sacrifice for sins in perpetuity, sat down at the right hand of God, the henceforth awaiting until His enemies should be placed as a footstool for His feet. For by one offering, He has perfected for all time those being sanctified.
In so saying “once and for all time,” he makes clear that sanctification is instantaneous, and not something that we gradually progress in. In mentioning sacrifices, he necessarily ties sanctification to the pouring of the blood of Jesus. And we know that the blood of Christ does not fail to cleanse. Indeed, there is no such thing as becoming “more holy;” you’re either holy or you’re not.
Justification: a product of sanctification
Far be it from You to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?
And some of you were such. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
God does not number the righteous with the wicked, nor does He number the wicked with the righteous, for that would be a corruption of justice. Therefore, since God does not corrupt justice, in order to be justified you need to be washed clean, that is, sanctified. Justification is made possible by sanctification. For it is impossible for a sinner to be numbered among the righteous, just as it is impossible for the righteous to be numbered among the wicked. And sanctification made possible by the work of the cross (Hebrews 1:3), which itself satisfies justice. (Deuteronomy 19:21)
in whom you also, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance to the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory.
In so declaring the Holy Spirit to be our down-payment of the promised eternal life, he reveals that justification is instantaneous.
As a result, through the sanctification brought by regeneration, you become approved of by God Himself. And this notion of approval is regarded as justification. And through this very approval we gain the right to be called children of God.
But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to be children of God—to those believing in His name.