Understanding salvation
By Patrick Enilama [pastorpatrick@sunnewsonline.com]
Sunday, August 29, 2004

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house". Acts 16:31
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved". Matt. 10:22

From the above scripture, it is very clear that salvation is two fold: instant salvation and ultimate salvation.
Instant salvation

When you have heard a sermon preached; or a brother/sister witnesses the good news to you, you may then surrender your life willingly to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is instant salvation. No one can forcibly draw you to our Lord Jesus Christ except God Himself.
"No man can come to me, except the father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day" John 6:44.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved and thy house." Act 16:31.
Instant salvation is a gift of the Lord. No one can forcibly draw you to Christ except God himself. "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8-9.

Ultimate salvation
The journey to ultimate salvation begins after you are born again. The devil begins to trail you and harass you because he knows you are now a child of God. He would not want you to make heaven. Instant salvation may or may not guarantee you a berth in heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ had cautioned in Matt 10:22 "that it is he who endured to the end that shall be saved."

This is calling on born again children of God to watch their salvation with fear and trembling. The Christian walk is fraught with temptation. It is stormy, full of mockery, persecution, trials of faith, tribulations, etcetra. That is why Apostle Paul requires the believer in Phil 2:12 to work out his or her salvation with fear and trembling. Instant salvation is a gift. Not of work least any man should boast. But ultimate salvation requires your efforts. You will have to work. You will have to jealously watch over all you do as a Christian. There are those who are watching/or plotting to see you fall by the way side. "After all he calls himself a child of God. Look at him now? He is worse than unbeliever" your enemies will say.
He who endures to the very end is guaranteed a place in heaven. This is calling on the believer to be steadfast and to endure tribulations and trials of life to the very end.

I know of an old woman who while on her sick bed rejected proposals to seek radical help from Satan’s camp. She refused. She held on steadfastly to the very end preferring to die in the Lord. And she slept in the Lord to the glory of God.
Between instant salvation and ultimate salvation there are many rivers to cross. Many a Christian fell by the way side; for the race is tough, tedious and unpredictable.

The devil is ever on the way with subtle devices and tactics to thwart the believers’ efforts. There are those who will mock you, persecute you, blackmail you, label you, despitefully use and strewn your path with obstacle so that you will fall.
In your hour of trials and tribulation you will be asked to join them in their ignoble ocultic acts to prosper. But he who endures to the end wins the Christian race.
There will be those who will say to you like Job’s wife: Do you still believe in your Lord Jesus Christ? Why not discard him, curse Him and seek power from else where? Ultimate salvation is a titanic battle. It is not a ludo game; for you must contend with the devil every inch on the way to heaven. That is why you are required to work your salvation with fear and trembling. That is why you should mind the company you keep.