God is the Sovereign Creator and Majestic Redeemer.
According to apostolic theology, salvation starts with God in eternity past, passes through space-time history, then ends with God in eternity future for the praise of God’s glory and grace. God alone is the source, the means, and the goal of all things — including salvation. “For from God and through God and to God are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36)
ETERNITY PAST
+ Election: God chose (elected) a people for himself from all the nations, tribes, languages, and peoples of the world to the praise of his glorious grace. And God called his chosen people to himself through thr preaching of his word. God’s church is an eclectic people—a community called out of the world by grace. (Rom. 9:11, 16; Eph. 1:4; 2 Ths. 2:13,14; Titus 1:1-3; 2 Pet. 1:10)
+ Predestination: God determined allotted periods and the boundaries of our dwelling place that we should seek and find God. In love, God planned to adopt his chosen people as sons and daughters, and he purposed to conform them to the image of his one true son Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:28; 13:48; Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:4-5, 11)
SPACE-TIME HISTORY
+ Creation (generation): God created the heavens and the earth. God made man in his image. (Acts 17:24-27; Rom. 1:18-20)
+ Degeneration: The first Adam sinned and the entire human race was plunged into sin and death. (Rom. 5:12-14; Eph. 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:4)
+ Redemption: God sent the last Adam (Jesus) into the world to save his people from their sins. At the cross God presented Jesus as the substitionary atoning sacrifice for the sins of his people. By the redemptive work of Christ God’s sons and daughters are rescued from sin and death and reconciled to God. (1 Tim. 1:15; Gal. 3:13; Rom. 3:23-25; Titus 2:14; Col. 1:20-21)
+ Regeneration: God causes his called and chosen ones to experience new birth—to be born anew—by the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. In this way God gives them a new heart and spirit in order that they may trust and obey him. Regeneration is monergistic. (Acts 13:48; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Titus 3:4-8; Gal. 4:29)
+ Justification: God declares his children to be righteous, innocent, and not guilty by grace through faith in the blood-sacrifice of Jesus. Justification is a once-for-all declaration of righteousness. (Rom. 3:24; 5:1-2; Gal. 2:16; Titus 3:7)
+ Adoption: God adopts redeemed and justified orphans as his sons and daughters into his family. (Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:15)
+ Sanctification: God the Father and his born anew children work together for ongoing spiritual maturity and moral purity. Sanctification is synergistic — “we work out what God works in.” (Rom. 12:1-2; Phil. 2:12-13; 1 Ths. 4:3; Titus 2:11-14; Heb. 12:14)
+ Consummation: God will send Jesus and the angels to judge the living and the dead. The end of history, and the beginning of eternity in the new heavens and earth. (1 Ths. 4:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:10; 2 Ths. 1:5-10)
ETERNITY FUTURE
+ Glorification: God’s children will be raised from the dead and transformed in the twinkling of an eye. Their bodies will be glorified and fitted for eternal life in the new heavens and new earth, the home of righteousness. (Rom. 8:18-22; 1 Cor. 15:42-44)
