"All salvation—past, present, and future—has one base. That base is not our faith. If we are confused here, then we are confused completely. A man can never be justified on the basis of his own faith. Through all of salvation the only base is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross in history. Faith is the empty hand, the instrument by which we accept God’s (John 14:16-18). We are not “orphaned”; Christ comes to us through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit. And, in verse 23, connected with this, Jesus says: “And we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (emphasis added). In this context the thrust is that the Holy Spirit indwelling the individual Christian is not only the agent of Christ, but he is also the agent of the Father. Consequently, when I accept Christ as my Savior, my guilt is gone, I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and I am in communication with the Father and the Son, as well as the Holy Spirit—the entire Trinity. Thus now, in the present life, if I am justified, I am in a personal relationship with each of the members of the Trinity. God the Father is my Father; I am in union with the Son; and I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This is not just meant to be doctrinal; it is what I have now. Let me stress it again: salvation is all one piece. All salvation—past, present, and future—has one base. That base is not our faith. If we are confused here, then we are confused completely. A man can never be justified on the basis of his own faith. Through all of salvation the only base is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross in history. Faith is the empty hand, the instrument by which we accept God’s free gift. Faith is simply believing God. It is not a leap in the dark. It is ceasing to call God a liar, and believing him. Justification is only on the basis of the finished work of Christ. Faith is the instrument by which we accept that finished work. This is the how, but this “how” extends through all salvation."

Schaeffer, Francis A. (2001-09-01). True Spirituality (p. 69). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.


"It is exactly the same with sanctification. The basis is the finished work of Christ; the instrument to lay hold of that which God means us to have at this moment is faith. As a child of God, sanctification from the time of justification on, in the present life, is moment-by-moment. Justification is once for all, at that moment when, by God’s grace, I accept Christ as my Savior; but sanctification is moment-by-moment, a moment-by-moment life of faith. At this particular place the existentialist is right when he points out the moment-by-moment character of man’s life."

Schaeffer, Francis A. (2001-09-01). True Spirituality (pp. 69-70). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

 "Sanctification and assurance are comparable. A man may be saved and not know he is saved because he does not raise the empty hands of faith at this particular moment and believe God’s promises. And a man may lack in sanctification all that God means him to have in the present life because even though Christ has purchased it for him upon the cross he fails to believe God at this place and raise the empty hands of faith moment by moment. Now let me repeat, to be absolutely clear about it, the basis is not your faith; it is the finished work of Christ. Faith is the instrument to receive this thing from God that Christ has purchased for us. So this is the third unity, the unity of what salvation is: a single piece, and yet a flowing stream. I became a Christian once for all upon the basis of the finished work of Christ through faith; that is justification. The Christian life, sanctification, operates on the same basis, but moment-by-moment. There is the same base (Christ’s work) and the same instrument (faith); the only difference is that one is once-for-all and the other is moment-by-moment. The whole unity of biblical teaching stands solid at this place. If we try to live the Christian life in our own strength we will have sorrow, but if we live in this way, we will not only serve the Lord, but in place of sorrow, he will be our song. That is the difference. The how of the Christian life is the power of the crucified and risen Lord, through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit, by faith, moment by moment."

Schaeffer, Francis A. (2001-09-01). True Spirituality (pp. 70-71). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

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