The Completeness of Salvation

We believe that everyone who repents and trusts in Jesus Christ immediately passes from spiritual death into spiritual life. The believer is forgiven, justified before God, made a new creation, adopted into God’s family, and united with Christ.

These blessings do not come gradually as rewards for spiritual progress. From the moment of salvation, the believer is fully accepted by God because of Christ. God has given every believer every spiritual blessing needed for life with Him. Nothing needs to be added to Christ’s finished work, and no later religious experience can give the believer a more complete standing before God.

The Christian life nevertheless includes continuing growth. Throughout the Christian life, believers grow in their understanding of what God has given them. As God works within them, they learn to submit to Him, turn from sin, and grow in faith, obedience, and spiritual maturity.

Spiritual growth does not make salvation more complete. It is the continuing result of the complete salvation God has already given in Christ.

Supporting Scriptures

From Death to Life

John 5:24; II Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:13-14; I John 5:11-12

Justified and Accepted in Christ

Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:1, 30-34; Ephesians 1:6-7

United with Christ and Adopted by God

Romans 8:14-17; I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 2:4-6

Complete in Christ

Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 2:9-10; II Peter 1:3

Continuing Spiritual Growth

Philippians 1:6; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-12; II Peter 3:18

Layman's Terms

When God saves us, He does not give us a partial salvation that must be completed later. We do not begin as lesser members of God’s family and eventually earn full acceptance.

From the moment we trust in Christ, we belong to Him. God forgives us, accepts us in Christ, gives us spiritual life, and makes us His children.

We still have much to learn, and our lives should continue to change. That growth is not an attempt to finish our salvation. It is learning to live as people who have already been forgiven, accepted, and made new in Christ.

Further Study

Our Standing and Our Growth

Our standing describes what God has declared and accomplished for us in Christ. Our growth describes the continuing work of learning, obeying, and becoming more Christlike.

Our standing rests entirely on Christ and is complete. Our growth continues throughout our earthly lives and remains imperfect.

Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ

God does not withhold part of salvation until a believer reaches a higher level of spiritual experience. Everyone who belongs to Christ has been forgiven, justified, adopted, united with Christ, and given the Holy Spirit.

Believers may understand and experience these blessings more deeply as they mature, but spiritual growth does not create blessings that were previously absent.

What About a “Second Blessing”?

Christians sometimes use the terms “second blessing” or “second work of grace” for a distinct spiritual experience following salvation. Different Christian traditions understand the nature and significance of such experiences differently.

We believe that God may bring significant moments of repentance, renewal, surrender, or spiritual growth into a believer’s life. Such experiences can be deeply important, but they do not complete an incomplete salvation or give someone a greater standing before God. Every believer is already complete in Christ.

Memory Passage

Colossians 2:10