The most fundamental question one must answer when beginning to think about subjective soteriology is the definition of the gospel. Its technical meaning is “good news,” but that knowledge doesn’t take you very far. Your stock broker can give you good news, but no matter how good it is, it won’t affect your standing with God.

Once when I asked for a definition in 50 words or less, the answer was “Jesus.” True enough, but will it be the liberal Jesus or the conservative one? Something more is required.

As a working definition, let’s try this: the good news that in the man Jesus Christ God entered human history, lived a life of perfect obedience, died as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sin, and made it possible for us to be reconciled to God and at peace with him. As a basic statement of the heart of Christian truth, that will suffice for now, but even in the definition there are terms that require explanation as well as other important ones that do not appear. Over the next several weeks we will be giving consideration to a number of such terms that apply to the salvation event of an individual sinner.

Before we launch into those words, there is one rather technical term that requires a brief explanation—ordo salutis. That is a Latin phrase meaning order of salvation. When one lists out all the terms relevant to the salvation event, what is the right way to think about them? Where does one begin and where does one end? Does one begin with faith? Is the first thing that happens that I believe and then I am regenerated, reconciled, etc.? Or does God regenerate me and then I believe? Historically the discussion has tended to divide Lutherans and Calvinists, but it is more relevant to most of us as an issue dividing Calvinists from Arminians. Does the process of salvation begin with the person being saved or with the God doing the saving? In biblical terms, how far should one press the order Paul gives in Romans 8? The argument has been interminable and most likely cannot be resolved except in terms of one’s broader theological commitments.

The progression we have chosen in presenting terms over the next few weeks does not necessarily reflect any particular school of thought or individual theologian. We have arranged them in an order that is agreeable to all of us, though any one of us might vary it somewhat if left to ourselves. As mentioned in a previous article, all of us working on these articles are broadly Calvinistic, which is reflected in the order we will follow. But we invite you to think through the biblical evidence for yourself and come to your own conclusion. We do not believe that a reordering is heretical, though it can have theological consequences. It is tempting to say that the events in salvation are simultaneous, but while some may be, most likely all cannot be. No punting allowed!

Phil Meade, Will Uminn, Dana Arledge, Kevin Farmer