Overview
Welcome to Lifecycles Revealed, Part 7, an artistic perspective on the Doctrine of Salvation based on the thematic album, Lifecycles. At this point in your discovery of salvation, you should be familiar with the five main concepts within the Doctrine of Salvation: Election, Reconciliation, Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification. You should also comprehend the progressive, evolutionary nature of this doctrine, and understand the order of each concept within the doctrine.
Overview
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In this final lesson, you'll further explore the progressive and evolutionary aspects of the Doctrine of Salvation in context with the creative work entitled Lifecycles. This exploration is intended to be a complement to--not a substitute for--the truths and explanations of salvation discussed in Parts 1-6.
Overview
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As such, the Lifecycles perspective of salvation is the basis for the key elements of your discovery experience in Part 7:
† Lifecycle 1 is associated with the concept of Election.
† Lifecycle 2 is associated with the concept of Reconciliation.
† Lifecycle 3 is associated with the concept of Justification.
† Lifecycle 4 is associated with the concept of Sanctification.
† Lifecycle 5 is associated with the concept of Glorification.
Mind Prep
† Consider this perspective on "lifecycles":
"You know, I believe we have two lives...the life we learn with, and the life we live with after that." (From the movie "The Natural", 1984, Barry Levinson, Director)
† Which "lifecycle" are you living now?
Lifecycle 1
The Lifecycles album opens with meditative reflection of our omniscient God who knew the end as He was forming the beginning. Instantaneously, He allowed His consummate love to overcome His foreknown grief, jealousy, wrath, and justice in effecting His plan to live eternally with His loved ones. That plan is called salvation.
Accordingly, Lifecycles illustrates Election as God's foreknowledge of perpetual sinful humanity from the beginning to end of time, and His sovereign decision to selectively elect sinners as His chosen ones.
Lifecycle 1, then, is the "lifecycle" of sinful humanity from which God selectively rescues mankind.
Lifecycle 1
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† Lifecycles, track 1, "Overture": God's omniscient contemplation of sinful humanity throughout time and His plan to contend with it.
† Lifecycles, track 2, "How Far Am I (From You)?": Sin would keep God separated from His elect without His marvelous plan of salvation.
Lifecycle 1
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† Lifecycles, track 3, "You Picked Me": Ultimately, God's elect would be saved by the mercy and grace of His love.
Lifecycle 1
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Given this perspective, Lifecycle 1 is intended to coincide with the doctrinal plan of salvation outlined in Part 1 and definition of Election--God's selective preservation from the beginning of time of those He chose to live with until the end of time--derived in Part 2.
Lifecycle 2
As previously stated, God instantaneously overcame His wrath and justice with His love in effecting His plan of salvation. His love would inevitably lead to manifesting Himself as the One who would eliminate the barrier of sin and serve as mankind's Savior.
Lifecycles illustrates this in Lifecycle 2, which is God's "lifecycle" as Jesus Christ, the means to restore His relationship with humanity.
Lifecycle 2
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† Lifecycles, track 4, "He Can Bring It": His wrath for sin could be devastating, but He intervened with mercy and love to propitiate it.
Lifecycle 2
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† Lifecycles, track 5, "One Way Out": His penalty for sin could not be paid by us, but He intervened with mercy and love to redeem us.
Lifecycle 2
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† Lifecycles, track 6, "Nailed": The Cross was a Man--the substitutionary sacrifice--that would reconcile all mankind to the Father.
Lifecycle 2
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Given this perspective, Lifecycle 2 is intended to coincide with the doctrinal definition of Reconciliation derived in Part 3: the whole work of God in restoring His relationship with humanity.
Lifecycle 3
Without Christ, a person is enslaved to a life with sinful humanity that can only result in eternal death.
With Christ, a person is liberated to a new life in the family of God and given new hope in living with God for eternity.
Lifecycle 3
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To be "with Christ" means acknowledging Jesus Christ as the Son of God and one's personal Savior.
This one single act of acknowledgement immediately justifies a person despite their sinful heritage and irrevocably secures eternal life "with Christ".
Lifecycles illustrates this in Lifecycle 3, which is a believer's "lifecycle" as a slave to sin, ended upon their profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
Lifecycle 3
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† Lifecycles, track 7, "The Covenant": God's promise of eternal life--His Covenant--is "sealed with the Cross and faith it's Heaven-sent".
Lifecycle 3
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† Lifecycles, track 8, "In My Life": Your Holy Spirit come; Your promised Will be done.
Lifecycle 3
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Given this perspective, Lifecycle 3 is intended to coincide with the doctrinal definition of Justification derived in Part 4: God's declaration of righteousness upon a believers' profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
Lifecycle 4
God's full plan of salvation extends beyond the single event of Justification by using the Holy Spirit to gradually make a believer "holy".
The first step for a believer during Sanctification is to truly "know themselves in Christ"; that is, a believer should truly know that there is nothing in and of himself "holy".
Therefore, a believer can only be sanctified and made holy to the extent they surrender their lives to the Holy Spirit.
Lifecycles illustrates this in Lifecycle 4, which is a believer's "lifecycle" as one in the Holy Spirit.
Lifecycle 4
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† Lifecycles, track 9, "One Of The Undeserved": Knowing yourself in Christ means knowing how undeserved you are of His sanctifying sacrifice.
Lifecycle 4
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† Lifecycles, track 10, "Inside Out": Living in the Spirit means dying in the old man.
Lifecycle 4
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Given this perspective, Lifecycle 4 is intended to coincide with the doctrinal definition of Sanctification derived in Part 5: God's process of making a believer holy.
Lifecycle 5
As much as we try to surrender to the Holy Spirit and act with the motivation to glorify God in our daily lives, believers will inevitably face societal struggles and dilemmas that fall short of His plans and expectations for us.
These scenarios prove that we can only glorify God by allowing Him, His Son, and His Spirit to act and be our motivation to fulfill His will for us during Sanctification.
Lifecycle 5
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No matter what happens after Justification or during Sanctification, though, God will be glorified when Christ returns, at which time we will receive our new bodies and enter into His Kingdom.
Ultimately, believers must realize that we are not glorified, but that God is glorified in and through us.
Lifecycles illustrates this in Lifecycle 5, which is a believer's ultimate "lifecycle" in His Eternal Kingdom.
Lifecycle 5
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† Lifecycles, track 11, "Gonna Be Heaven": Ready to die to self, and live in Glory.
Lifecycle 5
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† Lifecycles, track 12, "Burn": The "burn" of non-believers' judgment, of raptured believers' purification, and of the Eternal Light in His Kingdom.
Lifecycle 5
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Given this perspective, Lifecycle 5 is intended to coincide with the doctrinal definition of Glorification derived in Part 6: a believer's ultimate state, fully reflective of God's glory.
Wrap Up & Review
Congratulations! You've completed your exploration through the Lifecycles Revealed discovery unit. If you still have some stamina, take time for the Unit Review by clicking on the button below.
Lifecycles is a humble attempt to creatively demystify the complex topics within the Doctrine of Salvation and elevate the fundamental tenet of salvation: anyone can have an assured, eternal "lifecycle" simply by receiving Jesus Christ in faith alone. I encourage you to carry the message of salvation forward, using the biblical truths, theological insights, and personal discoveries uncovered through Lifecycles Revealed. Godspeed and God's blessings to you!
