The Process of Salvation

          For the Christian, salvation is a process that begins before he is born.
     In fact, it began before the creation of the world.

          1. God the Father chose us in Him (Jesus) from the beginning for salva-
     tion.  He chose us before we chose Him.

                                    " ... from the beginning God chose you to be saved
                                      through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and
                                      through belief in the truth."
                                                                                  2 Thessalonians 2:13b

          He chose us in Him before the creation of the world.

                                   "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the
                                    world to be holy and blameless in His sight."
                                                                                  Ephesians 1:4


          God the Father gives us to Jesus and Jesus accepts us as a love gift from
     Him.

                                  "All that the Father gives me will come to me,
                                   and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
                                                                                  John 6:37


          2. God calls us to Himself.

                                  " ... in all things God works for the good of those who
                                    love Him, who have been called according to His
                                    purpose."
                                                                                  Romans 8:28

          God draws us to Jesus through hearing the gospel.

                                 (Jesus said), "No one can come to me unless the Father
                                                      who sent me draws him, and I will raise
                                                      him up at the last day."
                                                                                  John 6:44

                                 (Jesus said), " ... whoever hears my word and believes Him
                                                       who sent me has eternal life and will not be
                                                       condemned."
                                                                                 John 5:24


          3. Because we are dead in our sins before conversion, God changes our heart
     of stone into a heart of flesh so that we will be receptive to Him.  We are born
     again to new life in Christ.

                                " ... you were dead in your transgressions and sins."
                                                                                 Ephesians 2:1a


                               "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
                                I will remove from you your heart of stone and give
                                you a heart of flesh."
                                                                                  Ezekiel 36:26 


                               "According to his great mercy, He has caused us to be
                                born again to a living hope, throught the resurrection
                                of Jesus Christ from the dead."
                                                                                  1 Peter 1:3


          4. We are converted.
              God makes us willing and able to understand how to know Him.

                                "And we know that the Son of God has come and
                                  has given us understanding, so that we may know
                                  Him who is true."
                                                                                  1 John 5:20a


               God grants us repentance and faith.

                               " ... in the hope that God will grant them repentance
                                 leading them to a knowledge of the truth."
                                                                                  2 Timothy 2:25b

                           
                               " ... For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ
                                 not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him."
                                                                                   Philippians 1:29


                               " ... by grace you have been saved through faith ...
                                 it is the gift of God."
                                                                                   Ephesians 2:8

          We repent and trust in Jesus.

                               "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation..."
                                                                                   2 Corinthians 7:10a


          We receive Him as Lord and Savior.

                               "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in
                                 His name, He gave the right to become children of God --
                                 children born not of natural descent, nor of human de-
                                 cision, or a husband's will, but born of God."
                                                                                    John 1:12-13


                               " That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,'
                                 and believe in your heart that God raised Him from
                                 the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart
                                 that you believe and are justified, and it is with your
                                 mouth that you confess and are saved."
                                                                                    John 10:9-10