Justification-Sanctification-Glorification
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Kinship Theology emphasizes that salvation—the rescue from sin and the sin condition enslaving humanity, and the entry into love relationship with God—encompasses justification, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation begins with God’s revelation of himself as Truth, Goodness, and Beauty (TGB), and his desire for love relationship with his image bearers. Humans, unable to merit salvation, respond in faith and repentance to God’s revelation, prompted by the soul’s innate longing for TGB. Through this response, God applies salvation, forgiving guilt and redeeming the cursed condition. Jesus, as the Word, did not die as a substitute for human guilt but conquered death by putting his cursed body to death and redeeming it through resurrection. This atoning rescue delivers believers from annihilation and secures restoration for their souls and all physical creation.
Forgiveness results in a renewed soul (rebirth or conversion) through relationship with God. Redemption results from Jesus’s atoning rescue. Though his resurrected body is currently the only part of physical creation redeemed (and, thus, referred to as firstfruits), Jesus will return to redeem all physical creation based on the work of his first advent.
Justification is the pronouncement of being righteous. Through forgiveness for sin’s guilt and the eventual redemption of the body, believers are free from sin and declared righteous. Yet, in this age, bodily redemption awaits Christ’s return. Believers, however, are justified by faith, as their forgiven souls are united with Christ’s resurrected, curse-free body (Romans 6:11; 8:10; 12:5). The Father (*Enactor*) initiates this process, proving and pronouncing the believer justified.
Sanctification is the Spirit’s (*Breath’s*) work in empowering believers to live according to God’s essence. While believers still contend with their cursed flesh, sanctification enables them to develop dominion over it. This process aligns the believer’s life with TGB, reflecting God’s relational essence. Scriptures describe this struggle as denial, crucifixion, and surrender to God’s Spirit (Matthew 16:24; Romans 6:6; Galatians 5:24). Through the Spirit’s empowerment, believers live in faithful anticipation of everlasting life.
Glorification is the culmination of salvation, when Christ returns to redeem all creation. The Son (*Word*) completes this process by reuniting the forgiven spirit with a redeemed, curse-free body, fully restoring the image bearer. This fulfillment brings freedom from the curse, securing everlasting life for believers.
In summary, salvation is initiated by the Father (*Enactor*), sustained by the Spirit (*Breath*), and completed by the Son (*Word*). We are justified by faith in God, sanctified through the Spirit’s empowerment in this life, and glorified through Christ’s atoning work—all rooted in God’s revelation and the believer’s faith response. Christians live now in hope of the secured redemption and promise of everlasting life.