Salvation is not a single event but a complete work of God in Christ that stretches from before creation to the new creation. Each part is essential, and together they form the unbreakable story of redemption. From an open theist perspective, this plan is not a rigid script where God pre-determined every detail. Instead, it is God’s covenantal purpose in Christ, carried forward in real time with genuine freedom and love.
Let’s walk through the finished work of Christ step by step — and see how it empowers us to live with confidence and authority in Him.
1) Foreordination in Christ (Before Creation)
Before the foundation of the world, God foreordained Christ as the chosen Redeemer (1 Pet 1:20; Eph 1:4; Rev 13:8). He was the covenantal placeholder, the Elect One. The plan was set: if humanity sinned — a real possibility given free will — Christ would be the way of salvation.
We were not yet in Him then, but when we believe, we are united to the One who was chosen from eternity.
2) The Call of God (In Real Time)
God calls people through the gospel and the Spirit’s drawing (Rom 10:14–17; John 16:8). In open theism, this call is sincere and relational — God really desires all to be saved (1 Tim 2:4).
3) Faith and Union With Christ
When we respond in faith, we are joined to Christ by the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13). Water baptism symbolizes this reality, but it is not the act of baptism that unites us — it is faith in Christ.
From that moment, all of Christ’s benefits flow to us because we are in Him (Gal 3:26–27; Rom 6:3–5).
4) Redemption (The Cross)
Through His death, Jesus paid the ransom price, breaking sin’s power and liberating us from slavery (Eph 1:7; Mark 10:45). Redemption is objective and complete: “It is finished” (John 19:30).
5) Forgiveness of Sins
At the cross, God canceled our debt once and for all (Col 2:13–14). Because of Christ’s blood, all our sins — past, present, and future — are forgiven (Acts 10:43).
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).
6) Justification (Through the Resurrection)
Christ was “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Rom 4:25). The resurrection is God’s declaration that the verdict stands: we are righteous in Christ (Rom 5:1).
7) Regeneration / New Birth
The Spirit gives us a new heart and new life (John 3:5–8; Titus 3:5; 2 Cor 5:17). We are no longer spiritually dead but alive in Christ.
8) Adoption
Salvation is not just pardon — it’s family. God adopts us as His children and gives us the Spirit of sonship: “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:4–7).
9) The Spirit’s Indwelling and Seal
The Spirit dwells within us, sealing us as God’s own and guaranteeing our inheritance (Eph 1:13–14; Rom 8:11, 23). He is the down payment of the glory to come.
10) Dying With Christ
We were united with Christ in His death (Rom 6:6–7). This means:
- We are freed from sin’s dominion (Rom 6:14).
- We are dead to the Law as a system of condemnation (Rom 7:4).
If you had not died with Christ, you would still be enslaved under sin and under judgment.
11) Rising With Christ
Just as we died with Him, we were also raised with Him (Rom 6:4; Col 3:1–3). This resurrection life is not just future — it begins now. We walk in newness of life, empowered by the Spirit.
12) Reconciliation and Peace
The wall of hostility is gone. We have peace with God and are reconciled to Him and to one another (Rom 5:1; Col 1:20–22; Eph 2:14–18).
13) Sanctification: Already Complete, Being Expressed
Here’s where we must be clear.
- Sanctification is complete: “He who has died has been freed from sin” (Rom 6:7). We are set apart, holy in Christ.
- Sanctification is being worked out: we are aligning our external behavior with the truth of who we already are (2 Cor 7:1).
So sanctification is both positional (complete in Christ) and practical (applied in daily life).
14) Seated With Christ in Authority
God has seated us with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6). This means:
- We share His authority over the powers of darkness (Luke 10:19).
- We are ambassadors of His kingdom (2 Cor 5:20).
- We carry the mission: “On earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10).
15) Perseverance in Faith
Salvation is relational, not mechanical. We abide in Christ (John 15:4–6). Warnings in Scripture are real — they call us to continue in faith (Col 1:23; Heb 3:14).
16) Glorification
At the end, we will be fully conformed to Christ — immortal, incorruptible, glorious (Rom 8:30; 1 Cor 15:42–44; Phil 3:21).
If this were missing, salvation would stall; death would still have the final word.
17) New Creation
The story ends not just with individuals saved but with a renewed cosmos: “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21:1–4). God’s dwelling will be with His people, and every tear will be wiped away.
Why the Open Theist Lens Matters
From an open theist perspective:
- None of this is scripted determinism.
- God genuinely works with us in real time. His promises and warnings are sincere, His griefs and joys authentic.
- Election is covenantal in Christ, not a hidden decree of exclusion.
- Our authority in Christ is real, because God has entrusted His people with responsibility to resist evil, heal the sick, proclaim the gospel, and carry out His will on earth.
Walking in Authority
The finished work of Christ doesn’t just save us from something; it saves us for something.
- We are forgiven — so we don’t live in condemnation.
- We are sanctified — so we don’t live as slaves to sin.
- We are seated with Christ — so we don’t live as victims of the enemy.
- We are called — so we join God’s mission of blessing the nations.
As Paul puts it:
“Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” (2 Cor 2:14)
Conclusion
The finished work of Christ is complete, secure, and glorious. From foreordination in Christ to glorification in the new creation, God has covered every angle of our salvation. And yet, in His love, He has given us freedom to respond, to walk in that reality, and to exercise authority as His children.
Salvation is not a partial patchwork. Leave out the cross, and there is no forgiveness , Leave out the resurrection, and there is no justification, Leave out dying with Christ, and there is no freedom from sin, Leave out the Spirit, and there is no power. Leave out glorification, and there is no hope.
But with every step in place, we can say: “It is finished” — and we walk in that finished work, with authority, until Christ makes all things new.
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