PERSEVERANCE AND GLORIFICATION: COMPLETION OF SALVATION, PART 3.

As for glorification, according to Erickson , “glorification is the point at which the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of the last things overlap, for it looks beyond this life to the world to come.”3 Glorification involves the perfecting of the spiritual nature of the believer, which takes place at death, when he goes into the presence of the Lord, who Himself has been glorified due to His Resurrection and Ascension and now sitting at the right hand of the Father. It also involves the perfecting of the bodies of all believers, where there is resurrection in connection with the Second coming. This final stage in the process of salvation, is an inheritance guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, as is seen in Ephesians 1: 13-14. So what entails the glorification of the believer? It will be a full and final vindication of the believer. The Lord’s act of proclaiming him ‘not guilty;’ will be made obvious in the future. The individual will also be perfected morally and spiritually (Colossians 1:22). And future glorification will also bring fullness of knowledge ( 1 Corinthians 13: 12).

So in this life believers sometimes groan and suffer, because they sense their incompleteness. But if they continually are yielding to the will of God and even when they falter, they should not fear about losing the salvation they possess.. And glorification promises that something better lies ahead. Most believers look to that day when they are present before the Lord and when their bodies will be resurrected at His Second Coming!

NOTES

3Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology,(Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006),1008.