In the new testament canon, salvation is presented to us using different tenses: past, present and future. The tenses denote the different phases.
The opening text made it clear that we (believers) were saved (past tense) by grace through faith not by works. We didn't do anything to merit our salvation.
In Titus3:5 Paul said, "HE SAVED US, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit".
The moment you gave your life to Christ the day you said the sinners prayer, you were saved. Hallelujah!!!. I can walk tall and tell the devil to his face that Christ saved me. I don't have any reason to feel condemned and guilty for my past. This first phase of salvation is presented to us as a state we've attained already when we came to Christ.
The next phase of salvation is presented to us using the present continuous tense: (1Cor 15:2) “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are BEING SAVED (present continuous tense), if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain” (ESV, Emphasis mine).
There's a striking clause in that text about retaining this salvation: "IF YOU HOLD FAST TO THE WORD(OF GOD) I PREACHED". It is at this point salvation has to be guarded jealously because the condition for retention is given- holding fast.
We see the same expression in 1Cor 1:18: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are BEING SAVED it is the power of God”(ESV). Now, "being saved" is a process that requires you to play your part continually.
In the first phase of salvation, you did nothing but in this phase, responsibility is laid on you to do something: "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you"(James 1:21 NIV).
"Save" in the text as rendered in the Greek is in the present active tense. In essence, what the writer is saying is that your salvation remains intact if you get rid of filth and evil deeds.
Holy living remains non negotiable for the believer. After coming to Christ at the cross, you don't sit doing nothing, a life of purity is expected of you. Those who say we need do nothing or those who regard righteous living as 'works' are not speaking consistently with scripture.
The works of righteousness that God expects of a believer is not the same as "works" ( of the law) that Paul condemned for the Jews.
If righteous works isn't important to the believer, Jesus wouldn't have acknowledged righteous works when speaking to the church in Ephesus(Rev2:2) saying: "I know thy works".
The last phase of salvation presented in scriptures is futuristic. We are yet to attain it: "This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, FOR OUR SALVATION IS NEARER NOW THAN WHEN WE FIRST BELIEVED" ( Rom13:11).
This is the completeness of our salvation at the appearing of Christ. We are not there yet. Anyone who messes up the second phase without repentance will not experience this third phase of salvation.
Temptations, trials and persecution shall come on our journey to heaven so that we won't experience this final salvation from this world of sin and evil but Jesus said, "And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end WILL BE SAVED."(Mt 10:22 NLT).
This is the salvation message the apostles preached and the type the early believers died for.
