Understanding the Five Phases of Salvation — A Brief Overview

Much confusion abounds in today’s broader world of Christendom. Most western Christians are used to hearing the same old words and slogans used by their pastors and fellow church members. One such prevelant term is the word “salvation”. People talk about being saved and getting saved all the time, yet few can clearly articulate the how and the why of salvation. Adding to the confusion is the fact that you have various sects that teach various forms of works-based salvation. One factor contributing to such misunderstanding is a failure to rightly divide the different stages, or phases, of salvation according to Scripture. We will attempt to briefly outline and explain these various phases in this article.

The Five Phases of Salvation are as follows:

The Covenantal Phase

The covenantal phase takes place in the eternal council of the Godhead. This phase deals with the Father entrusting the salvation of the elect to the Son, giving them to Him as their Head and Surety.

The elect were chosen in Christ and made accepted in Him before the foundation of the world:

Ephesians 1:3–6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

This is when the Son was made the surety of the covenant of grace:

Hebrews 7:20–22 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (21) (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) (22) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Thus, all of the elect were saved in prospect in the eternal council of God:

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began

Romans 8:29–30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

The Legal Phase

Having chosen the elect in Christ from eternity, the Father purposed to send the Son into the world at the appointed time in order to legally save them from the guilt and punishment of their sin by satisifying the demands of God’s law and justice on their behalf.

The Son was sent specifically to save His people from their sins:

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The Father was able to forgive the Old Testament saints for their sins and take them to heaven because he trusted the blood of Christ to make the payment at the appointed time:

Romans 3:23–25 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God

The shedding of Christ’s blood resulted in the eternal remission of sins for all that He died for, thus securing their eternal salvation:

Romans 5:8–11 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (10) 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. (11) And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Hebrews 1:1–3 GOD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high

Hebrews 10:14–18 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (15) Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, (16) This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

2 Corinthians 5:19–21 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. (21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Galatians 3:13–14 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Colossians 2:13–14 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross

The elect there thus legally delivered (saved) from the guilt and condemnation of sin when the Lord Jesus Christ shed his blood for them on the cross.

The Vital Phase

The vital phase of salvation refers to the act of God the Holy Ghost imparting eternal life to a spiritually dead sinner in the work of regeneration, or the new birth.

This is a monergistic act of God which is not brought about by the will of man:

John 1:12–13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jesus ascribed this work to the Holy Ghost, who works when and where he pleases, as the wind blows where it wills. Its effects are felt, yet it is not known from whence it came or where it is going:

John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Jesus himself describes this miraculous work as the raising of the dead to life:

John 5:24–25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (25) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

This miraculous work is not on the basis of our own righteousness, but purely by the sovereign mercy of God:

Titus 3:5–7 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Thus every elect justified child of God will, at some point in their individual lives, be vitally delivered/saved from spiritual death and raised to spiritual life.

The Experiential Phase

This may also be termed the practical phase. This is the only phase of salvation which the child of God actively participates in. The experiential phase refers to the conversion of the elect child of God through the hearing and believing of the Gospel, as well as the practical walk of discipleship which includes baptism, being joined to a true church, etc.

Acts 2:37–47 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? (38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (39) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (40) And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
(41) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (42) And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (43) And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. (44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The Glorification Phase

This phase refers to the future hope of God’s people in putting off this corrupt body of flesh and receiving incorruptible bodies one day at the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:52–53 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Philippians 3:20–21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (21) Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Hopefully this brief synopsis will be of help to God’s people in discerning the proper distinctions which must be made when reading about “salvation” in the Bible. I will have more to say on this subject in the future, if God permits.