Salvation can be described in the past, present, and future tense
Salvation can be described in the past, present, and future tense
Salvation can be described for example in the past tense, but also in the present tense and the future tense.
There are different tenses to describe salvation in the Bible, here are some examples:
Past tense
The AORIST (indicative) can be used as a tense (in the Greek manuscripts) to describe salvation as a past reality. For example:
Romans 8:
Paul wrote: "WE-WERE-SAVED in hope" (Romans 8:24).
Titus 3:
Paul wrote: "HE-SAVED us — not out-of works which we did in (our) righteousness, but according-to His mercy" (Titus 3:5).
Ephesians 2:
The PERFECT tense can be used (in the Greek manuscripts) to describe salvation as a past reality. For example:
Paul wrote that someone can be "SAVED through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).
Present tense
The PRESENT can be used as a tense (in the Greek manuscripts) to describe salvation as a present reality. For example:
Luke 13:
It was asked to Jesus: "“Master, (are) the (ones) BEING-SAVED few?” And the (One) said to them, “BE-AGONIZING to-enter through the narrow door, because many, I-say to you, WILL-SEEK to-enter, and WILL not BE-ABLE" (Luke 13:23-24).
Here the same present tense is used to describe those who are presently "BEING-SAVED" (Luke 13:23) and those who are commanded to presently "BE-AGONIZING" (Luke 13:24). This is in contrast to those in the future tense who "WILL-SEEK to-enter, and WILL not BE-ABLE" (Luke 13:24).
1 Corinthians 1:
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "the speech (of) the cross is foolishness (to) the (ones) PERISHING, but is (the) power (of) God (to) us BEING-SAVED" (1 Corinthians 1:18).
There is a distinction between those presently "BEING-SAVED" (1 Corinthians 1:18) and those presently "PERISHING" (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Both verbs are in the present tense in the Greek manuscripts. These are two categories of people existing in the present tense.
1 Corinthians 15:
Paul wrote: "you also ARE-BEING-SAVED — if YOU-ARE-HOLDING-ON (in) that message I-announced-as-good-news (to) you, unless YOU-BELIEVED in-vain" (1 Corinthians 15:2).
Salvation in the present tense here can be set in contrast with past things. Paul wrote that you "ARE-BEING-SAVED" (1 Corinthians 15:2) in the present tense in contrast to when "YOU-BELIEVED" (1 Corinthians 15:2) which is in the aorist tense (indicative), indicating something that happened in the past.
Paul indicated that "you also ARE-BEING-SAVED — if YOU-ARE-HOLDING-ON (in) that message" (1 Corinthians 15:2). Both the Greek words for "ARE-BEING-SAVED" (1 Corinthians 15:2) and "YOU-ARE-HOLDING-ON" (1 Corinthians 15:2) are in the present tense.
The same Greek word that Paul used to describe "YOU-ARE-HOLDING-ON [katechо́ 2722 in Greek]" (1 Corinthians 15:2) was used elsewhere by Jesus to say: "the (seed) in the good soil — these (people) are (ones) who, having-heard the word in (a) good and fertile heart, ARE-HOLDING-ON [katechо́ 2722 in Greek] (to it) and bearing-fruit WITH ENDURANCE" (Luke 8:15).
Jesus said that those people "ARE-HOLDING-ON" (Luke 8:15) specifically "WITH ENDURANCE" (Luke 8:15), suggesting an ONGOING PRESENT HOLDING-ON. If the "HOLDING-ON" can be ONGOING in the present, it could be inferred that the Greek verb for you "ARE-BEING-SAVED" (1 Corinthians 15:2) could also be ONGOING in the present.
2 Corinthians 2:
Paul also wrote again later to the Corinthians: "we-are (the) fragrance (of) Christ (for) God among the (ones) BEING-SAVED, and among the (ones) PERISHING" (2 Corinthians 2:15).
There is a distinction between those presently "BEING-SAVED" (2 Corinthians 2:15) and those presently "PERISHING" (2 Corinthians 2:15).
Both verbs are in the present tense in the Greek manuscripts. These are two categories of people existing in the present tense.
1 Peter 4:
It is written in 1 Peter: "if the righteous (one) IS-BEING-SAVED with-difficulty, where WILL the non-worshipping (ones) and sinning (ones) APPEAR?" (1 Peter 4:18).
Here the righteous presently "IS-BEING-SAVED with-difficulty " (1 Peter 4:18), and is set in contrast with the "sinning (ones)" (1 Peter 4:18) asking where they WILL APPEAR in the future tense.
Future tense
The FUTURE can be used as a tense (in the Greek manuscripts) to describe salvation as a future reality. For example:
2 Timothy 4:
Paul wrote near the end of his life: "the Lord will-deliver me from every evil work and WILL-SAVE (me) INTO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM" (2 Timothy 4:18).
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