Acts 16:31
"Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,"
Salvation is like an umbrella under which are a large range of elements that makeup the Doctrine of Grace, which is Christ: "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by Grace ye are saved;)" (Ephesians 2:5)
Election fits under this umbrella. Reconciliation. Redemption. Regeneration. Justification. Glorification. Sanctification. These are all under the umbrella of salvation by Grace. "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption:" (1 Corinthians 1:30) "Being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" (Romans 3:24)
The elect shall be saved, as God decreed in eternity, but, you see, there had to be an outworking of that salvation. So, as far as the time and place when we were declared just and holy before God, the time and place when that legal condemnation which we were born under from Adam was removed, it was there at the cross of Christ at Calvary, at the moment of Christ's death. That is what the Scriptures teach. Because of His obedient shedding of His precious blood unto death, even death on the cross, those for whom Christ died, are saved. Period. "...we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son," (Romans 5:10)
So, you may say, "Don't we have to believe first in Christ to be saved?" No, dear friends, belief is not a condition of salvation! Christ fulfilled ALL the conditions, paid ALL the debt accrued. No, belief on Christ is given by the Holy Spirit, in time, as an evidence of salvation: "...and as many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed." (Acts 13:48) As many as God gave to Christ, would believe on Christ, not the other way around.
When God causes one of His own to realize their lost estate, and to believe on His Son, and submit to Him as the Only Hope, as the Only Righteousness, then that belief makes it clear that they were chosen in Christ before time began and saved by His finished work, in time, on this earth, at the cross, for God's Glory:
"I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do." (John 17:4)
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