I just read a discussion about Ephesians 2:8, one of my favourite verses:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.”

The verb here εστε σεσωσμενοι is called a periphrastic verb and means not only that we have been saved, but that we are also being saved.

That makes sense to me because we are already saved from death in that we will resurrect, but we are still being saved from sin because it still causes a variety of breakdowns in relationships, it results in disease and abuse here on earth. Salvation is a process and we are still being saved from sin’s affects.

On top of that, this is a passive verb which means that you cannot save yourself, but rather that God is the one responsible for and powerful enough to save you.

As a Universalist-Christian this verse is really exciting because it shows us that God is the one who has initiated salvation and will bring it to completion. So my concern for friends who don’t yet experientially know Jesus, is something I have confidence that He will remedy. Just as He has saved and is saving me, He has saved and is saving the whole of creation

❤ ❤ ❤