Across the New Testament, we find statement after statement concerning different aspects of our salvation in Christ Jesus. What we do not find, however, is any clear and definitive passage which establishes a complete order of salvation. Let’s consider a sampling of relevant texts.
In Romans 5:1-2 faith precedes justification and reconciliation. Paul draws a conclusion from the discussion in the previous chapter in which he proved that we can only be justified by faith and never by works. Here says that we are justified by faith alone, and that being justified in this way we are also reconciled with God, so that we are now at peace with him. All of this is due to the work of Jesus Christ and is bestowed on us by grace, that is, it is a gift of God and not in any part by human effort.
In Galatians 3:24-26 faith brings about justification and adoption.Here Paul says that we come to Christ in faith that we might be justified, and that it is by faith that we become sons and daughters of God. Todd Wilson helpfully observes: “A person becomes a son or daughter of God–incorporated into Christ–through faith. Faith is what unites us to Christ and all of his saving benefits for us.”1
In Ephesians 1:4-14 predestination leads to adoption, reconciliation, redemption, the seal of the Holy Spirit, and glorification, all received by faith.This sweeping passage speaks of God having chosen us in Christ before he even founded the world. He predestined us to be adopted as sons and daughters of God and made us accepted in Christ. Thus both our adoption and reconciliation are dependent on God’s eternal election. He planned it, and he brought it to pass by means of the redeeming blood of Christ. And it was by this same all-wise counsel of his will that God determined we should be glorified, “who first trusted in Christ.” It is again faith which precedes these salvation blessings that God has chosen to bring about, and this faith is in response to the word of truth which we heard. Finally, Paul says that when we believed the word which was preached, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit and guaranteed the full inheritance of glory.
In Ephesians 2:4-7 regeneration results in glorification.Here Paul does mention the aspect of being born again, when he says that the richness of God’s mercy has made us alive though we were dead in trespasses. Our being born again is a factor of our being with Christ, a work of divine grace, and we have not only been made alive but have been exalted with the Lord Jesus to experience his abundant riches throughout all of eternity. This is the promise of glorification.
In Colossians 2:11-14 faith brings about regeneration and reconciliation. Paul speaks first of the necessity of circumcision, but of a spiritual rather than a physical sort. We need what Moses said the OT Israelites needed, a circumcised heart in order to obey and follow God. How can this be done? Paul says that we are buried with Jesus in baptism and raised with him through faith. In other words, when we believe in the power of God who raised up Jesus from the dead, we ourselves are made alive together with the Lord and forgiven all our sins. J. B. Lightfoot states it plainly: “Only by a belief in the resurrection are the benefits of the resurrection [here, regeneration and reconciliation] obtained, because only so [by faith] are its moral effects produced.”
In James 1:18 the word of God is the means by which new birth is accomplished. In this context the word of God is likely the gospel message of Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. God chose to use his word to cause us to be born according to his sovereign will, which suggests that James has divine predestination or election in view here. Of course, the gospel must be believed on, although that is assumed rather than stated here in this text.
In 1 Peter 1:23-25 the word of God is said to be the seed from which we are born again. The thought here is very similar to that of James 1:18. Peter calls God’s word “living” and “enduring,” and it is this same word, the life-giving gospel, which was preached to us. Again, the priority is that God’s word preached brings about regeneration. Although there is no mention of faith in this passage either, it is assumed that the word preached is believed by those who are born again.
What conclusions may we draw from this brief survey of texts? Well, again we are struck by the observation that faith is primary, when salvation is viewed from the perspective of man. On the other hand, when the Scripture pictures salvation from God’s perspective, it seems that predestination or election is the initiating step. These do not need to be reconciled, since they are not at odds. It is clear that salvation would be impossible apart from God’s plan and purpose even before creation, which resulted in the Son of God offering his blood as the propitiation for our sins and dying to redeem us from bondage. The means by which this saving work is brought to us is the gospel message, which is preached to us and must be received in faith. When this happens, the sinner is regenerated, justified, reconciled to God, and adopted. This explains the meaning of our own article of faith: “We believe that salvation is wholly of grace, but conditional solely on repentance to God and acceptance of Christ by faith (Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Acts 4:12, 16:31). When the sinner has met these requirements, God regenerates and justifies him. Regeneration makes the believer a new creation in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17).”
1 Galatians: Gospel-Rooted Living by Todd Wilson. (Preaching the Word) 2013. Emphasis original.