Some deal with this by proposing that the past refers to our justification, the present to sanctification, and the future to glorification. In some passages, that seems to work. In others it doesn't. Let's look at a way to read those other passages and see if it clears things up.
Salvation is something the believer experienced in the past, right? "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" (Eph 2:8). Saved, past tense. Once, your faith is placed in Christ. Once, you are justified, declared righteous in Christ before God. "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:5-6). How much more past tense can we make our salvation? It's a done deal.
And yet. Paul also talks about our salvation as a future event:
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. (Phil 1:27-28)
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Rom 5:9)
It's not just Paul:
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Heb 1:14)
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1Pet 1:3-5)
And occasionally the scriptures speak of salvation in the present tense. For example, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1Cor 1:18).
Is this some kind of Doctor Who timey-wimey thing? No. It's just not done yet.
The cross of Christ paid for our sins, past tense. We have the imputed righteousness of Christ. We have been "washed in the blood". It's settled.
Yet we still sin. Every day we do things we shouldn't. Every day, we still need the cross of Christ. As I write this, I've been up 45 minutes. I've already grumbled and coveted (specifically, the shoulder I used to have). We need to be forgiven every day. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ... My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1John 1:9, 2:1). We already have Jesus. And every day we need Jesus. My sins were washed away. And every day I need that again. Therefore, it's a wonderful thing that God's mercy is "new every morning" (Lam 3:22-23).
And that will continue for the rest of our lives. Then, if the Lord tarries, we get a break. My spirit will be separated from my fallen flesh, and I will no longer sin. And yet I will still wait, because it's not over until it's over. I still have to have my day in court.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:11-15)
On that day, everyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life will be found guilty. And everyone whose name is written there will be declared not guilty. On that day, our salvation will finally be complete. Only then will we live in resurrected bodies on a renewed earth with the Lord. Only then will God's plan of salvation be fully realized.
The scriptures speak of our salvation as past, present, and future, not because we have to earn our salvation or because we have to hope that God will choose to forgive us but to remind us that we will still need to be covered by the blood of Christ all our days. And to remind us that the blood of Christ will cover us all our days.
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