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Salvation as a Process: 75 NT Passages

Salvation as a Process: 75 NT Passages

Last updated on: December 19, 2025 at 1:10 pm by Dave Armstrong

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Salvation as a Process: 75 NT Passages 2025-12-19T13:10:17-04:00 Dave Armstrong

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Photo credit: Jesse Owens running in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin [public domain / Pickpik]

[from RSV]

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:18, 20-21 A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. . . . [20] Thus you will know them by their fruits. [21] Not every one who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 10:22 . . . he who endures to the end will be saved. (cf. Mk 13:13)

Matthew 19:17 . . . If you would enter life, keep the commandments.

Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’

Luke 21:19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

John 8:51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.

John 15:4-5, 8 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. [5] I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. . . . [8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.

Acts 6:7 . . . obedient to the faith.

Acts 11:23 . . . he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose;

Acts 15:11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus . . .

Romans 1:5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith . . .

Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Romans 5:2 Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

Romans 6:17 . . . you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart . . .

Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Romans 8:16-17 it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, [17] and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:23, 25 . . . we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. . . . [25] . . . if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 11:22 Note then the kindness . . . of God: . . . God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; . . .

Romans 13:11 . . . salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed;

Romans 16:26 . . . the obedience of faith

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1 Corinthians 1:18 . . . us who are being saved . . .

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.

2 Corinthians 1:24 . . . you stand firm in your faith.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. . . .

Galatians 5:1 . . . stand fast . . .

Galatians 5:5-6 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:18 . . . keep alert with all perseverance, . . .

Philippians 2:12-13 . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; [13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Philippians 3:11-17 that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. [12] Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. [13] Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. [15] Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. [16] Only let us hold true to what we have attained. [17] Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us.

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Colossians 1:22-23 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, [23] provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, . . .

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, [24] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:5-6, 8 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. [6] So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. . . . [8] . . . since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-23 but test everything; hold fast what is good, [22] abstain from every form of evil. [23] May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 . . . we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power,

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 . . . God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. [14] To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. [15] So then, brethren, stand firm

1 Timothy 4:12-16 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. [13] Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. [14] Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. [15] Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. [16] Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1 Timothy 6:11-12, 14, 18-19 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called . . . [14] I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; . . . [18] They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous, [19] thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed.

2 Timothy 1:14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

2 Timothy 2:12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him; . . .

2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, . . .

Titus 1:1-2 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness, [2] in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago

Titus 3:7 . . . heirs in hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 3:6 And we are his house if we hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope.

Hebrews 3:14 For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end,

Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, . . .

Hebrews 4:14 . . . let us hold fast our confession.

Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, [12] so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:15 And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise.

Hebrews 10:23-24 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; [24] and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.

Hebrews 10:38-39 “but my righteous one shall live by faith, . . .” [39] . . . we are . . . of those who have faith and keep their souls.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed . . .

Hebrews 12:1 . . . let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres [KJV: “continueth therein”], being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.

James 2:14, 17-18, 20, 22, 24, 26 What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? . . . [17] So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. [18] . . . I by my works will show you my faith. . . . [20] . . . faith apart from works is barren? . . . [22] . . . faith was completed by works, . . . [24] . . . a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. . . . [26] . . . faith apart from works is dead.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation;

1 Peter 5:9 . . . firm in your faith, . . .

2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; [11] so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. [11] Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, [12] waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! [13] But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. [14] Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward.

Jude 20-21 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; [21] keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Revelation 2:10-11 . . . Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. [11] . . . He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death.

Revelation 2:25-26 only hold fast what you have, until I come. [26] He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations,. . .

Revelation 3:3, 5 Remember then what you received and heard; keep that, . . . . [5] He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, . . .

Revelation 3:10-12 . . . you have kept my word of patient endurance . . . [11]. . . hold fast what you have, . . . [12] He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God . . .

Revelation 13:10 . . . Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Revelation 14:12-13 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. [13] And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

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Photo credit: Jesse Owens running in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin [public domain / Pickpik]

Summary: I compile 75 passages from the New Testament having to do with the concept of salvation as an ongoing process, as opposed to an instant proclamation for all time.

Salvation & Justification

Catholic soteriology

imputed justification

instant salvation

ongoing salvation

salvation as a process

sanctification & salvation

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