What is complete salvation? I have been wrestling with this concept for a few months now. It is said to be justification followed by sanctification. OK that sound very intelligent, but what does that actually mean? What must happen to attain this complete salvation and what is it? I am going to lay it out as I understand it.
Justification is what is sometimes called being saved. It is the removal of my sins. It is critical to understand that I can do nothing to deserve or make this happen on my own. My sins can only be washed clean by the sacrifice of God’s perfect son Jesus in the form of an agonizing death on the cross. So how do I get this forgiveness? Just ask! It really strikes me how simple it is to attain such a great, the greatest, gift. The simplicity is less surprising when I remember nothing I can do would help to remove even my smallest sin and that God like to make things simple. Then it clicks. Believe Jesus Christ is the son of God who came to earth in human flesh and ask him for forgiveness. That’s it.
That was quick and simple, but justification is just the beginning. John Wesley calls it the porch of the house of religion. Sanctification must be much more difficult and very complex. It is a longer word, right. This is true in the sense that sanctification results in the thinking and doing things, most of which hard and seem very complicated. The truth is sanctification requires only one thing and that is love. We are called to love God and to love others. I guess that is really two things. But what is sanctification? Sanctification is the assurance of salvation. Another way of saying this is that I know my final destination is heaven and that rocks. This answer feels right to my heart when I consider loving God with all my heart requires a relationship with him. A relationship God very much desires. Were else would I go when I die, but home with him, my father, my friend? It only makes sense.
