Overview of the Stages
John Wesley’s Ordo Salutis
John Wesley was an Anglican priest in England in the 1700’s. He is most widely known for starting the Methodist denomination. He believed there was an “order of salvation” that every Christian was being invited into.
Augustine’s Four Stages of Christian Life
Augustine was an African bishop who lived in the 4th/5th century. In his writing, The Enchridion, he suggested there are four states the Christian travels through: pre-fall, post-fall, reborn, and glorified.
John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress
In the 17th century, there lived an English writer and Puritan preacher named John Bunyan. Bunyan is most known for his allegorical work, Pilgrim’s Progress, which follows a young man through the various stages and experiences of Christian life.
Reformed Order of Salvation
John Calvin, Zwingli, and other European reformers were immensely influential during the 1500’s. Their order included: predestination, election, calling, regeneration, faith, repentance, justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance and glorification.
Martin Luther’s Ordo Salutis
Martin Luther was a 16th century German monk responsible for starting the Reformation. He, too, had ideas as to what stages the Christian ought to expect in this life: calling, illumination, repentance, regeneration, justification, mystical union, sanctification, and conversation.
Early Church Mothers/Fathers on “Deification”
Most early church theologians in the 2nd and 3rd centuries (Irenaeus, Maximus, Cyril and Athanasius, desert mothers and fathers) believed in a process called “deification.” They believed that by participating in the Christian life, the believer will reach new levels and become more like the divine.
Some Background
Did you know the Bible and Church tradition suggests there are levels and stages to the Christian faith?
After reviewing both scripture and historical teachers of the faith, we believe there are 9 levels of spiritual growth.
1 Divine Pursuit
“Grace works ahead of us to draw us toward faith, to begin its work in us.” Thomas Oden
2 Awareness
“Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.” J.I. Packer
3 Conversion
“To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them.” Thomas Aquinas
4 Orientation
“Let all our employment be to know God: the more one knows Him, the more one desires to know Him.” Brother Lawrence
5 Sanctification
“If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward." Charles Spurgeon
6 Second Conversion
“Every story of conversion is the story of a blessed defeat.” CS Lewis
7 Friendship
“Obey God in the things he shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. God will never reveal more truth about himself until you have obeyed what you know already…this chapter brings out the delight of real friendship with God.” Oswald Chambers
8 Kenosis
“A sacrifice to be real must hurt, and must empty ourselves. Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your weakness.” Mother Teresa
9 Consecration
“The man or woman who is wholly or joyously surrendered to Christ can't make a wrong choice - any choice will be the right one.” AW Tozer