March 03, 2011 (ongoing process)

ongoing process

“The Bible teaches clearly
that the evidence of God’s work in a life
is the inevitable fruit of
transformed behavior (1 John 3:10).
Faith that does not result in righteous living
is dead and cannot save (James 2:14-17).
Professing Christians utterly lacking
the fruit of true righteousness
will find no biblical basis
for assurance they are saved (1 John 2:4).
Real salvation is not only justification.
It cannot be isolated from regeneration,
sanctification, and ultimately glorification.
Salvation is an ongoing process
as much as it is a past event.
It is the work of God through which
we are “conformed to the image of His Son”
(Romans 8:29, cf. Romans 13:11).
Genuine assurance comes from seeing
the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in one’s life,
not from clinging to the memory of some experience.”
- John MacArthur