Salvation: Past, Present, Future - I Peter 1:5

I Peter 1:5

And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. (NLT)

...who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (NIV)

Meanwhile, as we await our eternal destination, our Heavenly Father, who is all powerful, will watch over us and protect us. As we trust Him, He will see us through the storms of life. There is coming a day when the storms will cease and all will be peace forevermore. (CDC)

Is salvation a done deal, or is it something we strive toward throughout our whole life? Well, I suppose the answers for that question is why we have so many denominations and creeds of belief. I don't think God meant for it to be so difficult to understand.

The Beacon Bible Expositions points out three salvations:

1. We are saved when we receive Jesus into our hearts. This is an accomplished fact. Ephesians 2:8 says: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
2. However, salvation is an on-going process. You don't stop growing spiritually once you surrender your life to Jesus. You've really just begun to truly live a life of Godly purpose. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (I Cor 1:18)
3. Salvation is also yet to come into it's grand finale when we are glorified.(Rom 13:11) 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.

Another way of stating these three salvations is to say that salvation is:

• past – when a person first believes
• present – through the on-going process of sanctification
• future – when our sanctification is completed through glorification...at the time of the return of Christ.

While we await our glorification, God is protecting us. He has a shield around us...the shield of faith. The power of God is able to keep us until the end if we keep our faith placed in Him. God already knows when His appointed time will be...when all earthly things will end, and His kingdom will reign forever and ever. We do not know, but with our choice to trust Him, not going by feelings, but by faith, we can rest assured there is coming a day when our pain and sorrow will be over. God will wipe away all of our tears, and we will be safe forevermore. Jim Hill penned the such an appropriate song for this passage: “What A Day That Will Be”:

“There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come

No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye.

All is peace forevermore on that happy, golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,

No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;

And forever I will be with the One who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be!