The Sequence of Salvation Compared with the Sequence of Damnation
In this article, words of comparison will be used in order for the reader to see the difference between one who is saved by God and one who is not saved by Him. In some cases, there are completely different words for the comparison, but in other cases “not” is employed. Both salvation and damnation are categories in God’s predetermined plan and foreknowledge. It is His eternal will that some are saved, while most people are damned.
First, before the foundation of the world, God predestined some to election, that is, He intended to adopt a remnant of humanity to become His children. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God is elect and all whom God the Father predestined for salvation were given to the Son, to whom they belong. Their names were written in the Lamb’s book of life before creation. These would represent people from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Rev 5:9).
Humanity far outnumbers the number of the elect. The name given to those predestined to damnation is “reprobate.” Throughout history this second group has accumulated other names, including wicked, unrighteous, unjust, ungodly, sinners, unbelievers, etc. Even as God is glorified in the salvation of the elect, He is also glorified in the damnation of the reprobate. As criminal sinners, these become the object of God’s perfect justice.
Second, in the fall of man into sin, it is important to note that both the elect and reprobate are sons of Adam. All people inherit the sin of Adam, and therefore, in Adam all die. It is appointed once for a man to die, and then comes the judgment of God. All people must appear before the judgment seat at God’s great white throne. Without a Savior, the sentence for sinners is eternal punishment in the fiery hell of the lake of fire. This is the eternity all people deserve for our lawless rebellion against God our Maker, Lawgiver, and Judge.
Third, God sends preachers who herald the message of truth, which is the Word of God, the Bible. Empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, these men of God preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God was enfleshed as a man, yet He was conceived, born, lived, and died without any sin of His own. For this reason, Jesus was the acceptable substitute sacrifice for His people (the elect), who He came to save from the just wrath of God against sinners. God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, as demonstrated by Him raising Jesus from the dead on the third day following crucifixion and burial (Acts 17:31).
Fourth, the Gospel message proclaimed in all the world and to all creation reveals that God saves His elect, redeemed people by His own work of grace toward them, evidenced by the faith they possess following the Spirit’s baptism, which causes them to be born again of God, that is, to be made alive, spiritually, where before they were dead, spiritually, in their trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1).
Fifth, through the preached Gospel message all people everywhere are called to repentance which is their turning from sin and darkness and unto Christ, the Light of the world. In the effectual call of God, it is the elect, redeemed who hear and respond to the call of God for them to flee to Christ, who delivers them from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10).
The reprobate who are not redeemed by Christ, do not hear His voice nor do they heed His call to come to Him and follow Him. The reason they do not and will not believe in Christ is that they do not belong to Christ. They are not His people, the sheep of His pasture. The Father did not give the reprobate to the Son, nor did He write their names in His book of life before creation (Rev 13:8; 17:8).
Sixth, it is the Spirit of Christ, the third Person of the Trinitarian Godhead, who is sent to each elect soul, by the eternal will of God and according to His good pleasure. The Spirit, as noted, is the life-giver to the elect, redeemed. When the life of God enters the soul of man, it is a permanent indwelling. The Spirit of adoption executes what was predestined by God the Father before creation (Rom 8:15, 23; Eph 1:4–5).
The work of the Holy Spirit on behalf and for the benefit of the elect, redeemed, regenerate, believer is called, “grace.” Christians are saved by grace. Where there is no grace, there is no faith, and where there is no faith, there is no Spirit. The Spirit of God sent from the Father and the Son is not sent to the reprobate, unredeemed. This is why the reprobate is unregenerate. Without the Spirit’s regeneration, there is no faith evidenced (2 Thess 3:2).
Without faith brought by the Spirit, there is no justification of the reprobate before the judgment throne of God. With no indwelling Spirit there is also no sanctification. The reprobate remains unholy, ungodly.
Death of the human body comes to all people. This is the result of sin, as was the death of the soul from conception. Whereas the soul of the elect was resurrected to new life at regeneration by the Spirit, the resurrection of the body for the elect will be to eternal life, in glorified bodies on the day of Christ’s return, on the last day of human history and before God destroys the heavens and the earth with fire (2 Pet 3:10–12).
The reprobate, having dead souls that were never made alive, will also experience the resurrection of the body following death because of sin. This will be a resurrection to judgment on the last day. The second death for the reprobate, unredeemed, unregenerate, unbeliever will be their home in the eternal lake of fire, outer darkness, where the worm does not die, and the torment is real, forever, for both the body and soul of the reprobate (Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:41, 46; Mk 9:44; Jude 7; Rev 20:14–15).
Elect
Reprobate
1
Predestined to adoption
Predestined to damnation
2
Names written in Lamb’s book
Names not written in Lamb’s book
3
Given by the Father to the Son
Not given
4
Conceived with inherited sin
Conceived with inherited sin
5
Sin nature
Sin nature
6
Sinner in practice
Sinner in practice
7
Called by the Gospel to repent and believe
Called by the Gospel to repent and believe
8
Regenerated by the Holy Spirit
Unregenerate
9
Effectually called with an obedient response
Not called/no response
10
Evidenced repentance/faith
No repentance and faith
11
Justification by faith
Unrighteous
12
Sanctified by the Spirit
Unholy
13
Death of the body
Death of the body
14
Soul to Christ
Soul to hell
15
Resurrection to life
Resurrection to judgment
16
Glorified body and soul
Imperishable body and soul
17
Caught up together with Christ
Sent to the lake of fire
18
New heavens and new earth
Fiery hell
19
Eternity
Eternity
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David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
August 15, 2021
