‘ordo salutis’ Order Of Salvation

Theologians describe the process by which God brings redemption subjectively to the sinner in ‘ordo salutis’. This is perhaps the least understood element of soteriology. This determines whether one is monergistic or synergistic, God alone works in saving saving sinners or there is a cooperation of the sinner with the saving work of God. This determines if atonement is substitutionary (once for all) or an ongoing work of salvation. It also determines when justification is given to the sinner.

My JW friend believes that all this was a hastily devised plan after the fact of the fall of Adam in the garden. The “interim ethic” and “passover plot” are also hasty views of Christ’s death. The view that Christ resigned himself to the death of the cross after a disappointing attempt to set up a political Jewish kingdom is the result of a faulty order of salvation.

Between these faulty views and the correct biblical view is a wide space of theological manipulation attempting to reconcile what one wants God to do and what God actually does.

Paul in Romans 8:28-34 gives us his order of salvation. The Protestant Reformation was constructed around this in difference to the Roman Catholic belief in faith repentance and good works.