Author	Thread: What is the "Ordo Salutis"?
Admin	What is the "Ordo Salutis"? Posted : 2 Jan, 2012 05:41 PM Latin, "the order of salvation." The ordo salutis is the theological doctrine that deals with the logical sequencing of the benefits of redemption as we are united to Christ which are applied to us by the Holy Spirit. This first thing to remember is that we must never separate the benefits (regeneration, justification, sanctification) from the Benefactor (Jesus Christ). The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration, etc.) is the work of God in Christ and is by grace alone. Election is the superstructure of our ordo salutis, but not itself the application of redemption. Regeneration, the work of the Holy Spirit which brings us into a living union with Christ, has a causal priority over the other aspects of the process of salvation. God opens our eyes, we see. God circumcises/ unplugs our ears, we hear. Jesus calls a dead and buried Lazarus out of the grave, he comes; In the same way, the Holy Spirit applies regeneration, (opening our spiritual eyes and renewing our affections), infallibly resulting in faith. All the benefits of redemption such as conversion (faith & repentance), justification, sanctification and perseverance presuppose the existence of spiritual life. The work of applying God's grace is a unitary process given to the elect simultaneously. This is instantaneous, but there is definitely a causal order (regeneration giving rise to all the rest). Though these benefits cannot be separated, it is helpful to distinguish them. Therefore, instead of imposing a chronological order we should view these as a unitary work of God to bring us into union with Christ. We must always keep in mind that the orders expressed in the following articles occur together or happen simultaneously like heat and fire. All aspects of the work of God continue together throughout the life of a Christian. Historically in the Church there has been disagreement about the order of salvation, especially between those in the Reformed and Arminian camps. The following two perspectives of God's order in carrying out His redemptive work reveals the stark contrast between these two main historic views. Keep in mind that both viewpoints are based on the redemptive work which Christ accomplished for His people in history: In the Reformed camp, the ordo salutis is 1) election, 2) predestination, 3) gospel call 4) inward call 5) regeneration, 6) conversion (faith & repentance), 7) justification, 8) sanctification, and 9) glorification. (Rom 8:29-30) In the Arminian camp, the ordo salutis is 1) outward call 2) faith/election, 3) repentance, 4) regeneration, 5) justification, 6) perseverance, 7) glorification. Notice the crucial difference in the orders of regeneration and faith. While the Reformed position believes spiritual life is a prerequisite for the existence of the other aspects of salvation, the Arminians believe that fallen, natural man retains the moral capacity to receive or reject the gospel of his own power. Even with the help of grace he still must find it within himself to believe or reject Christ. This has broad implications and raises questions like why does one man believe and not another? You might also notice that, according to Arminians, election is dependent on faith, not the other way around. This is no small matter ...understanding the biblical order, while keeping in mind its unitary process, is crucial and has a profound impact on how one views God, the gospel, and the Bible as a whole. Post Reply
View Profile History	What is the "Ordo Salutis"? Posted : 2 Jan, 2012 05:56 PM Ordo Salutis, WOW! James, I thought Ordo was the name of the new guy on the forum... oooops!... sorry:ROFL::ROFL: Happy New Year James, have you spoken to anyone this year?... or have you, and I just haven't seen it?:waving::party: Post Reply
View Profile History	What is the "Ordo Salutis"? Posted : 2 Jan, 2012 06:47 PM Well, Happy New Year to you too. I have been posting some on this group. Mostly just replying to other threads. In Christ, James Post Reply
View Profile History	What is the "Ordo Salutis"? Posted : 2 Jan, 2012 07:01 PM Hey:waving: Glad to see you this year! God bless! So far everyone has checked in, so this lets us know WE ALL MADE IT TO SEE A NEW YEAR... PRAISE THE LORD! And I pray we all will live to see this new year 2012 come and go, and prosper in all things, be in good health, and we all will continue to prosper in the knowledge of our Lord.:angel::hearts: Post Reply