Time Salvation Diagram

Visual aids are always helpful.  This is especially true for those who are unfamiliar with a concept or do not have a firm understanding of it.  Copied below is a diagram I was able to create which demonstrates what the conditional time salvation controversy is all about.  For those who know what this doctrine really teaches, this will appear as elementary.  However, for those who do not we hope this will be of help in demonstrating what the doctrine teaches and be delivered from its snare.

This is what I like to refer to as the timeline of the elect.  It shows their timely phase as they journey here in the earth.  The two main parts of the diagram, regeneration and conversion, are the key factors involved in the conditional time salvation heresy.  There certainly are other doctrines which come into play, but these are the main ones.  The first thing to notice is that they are separated, denoting an expanse of time between their occurrence.  Second, conversion is represented by a dashed line in order to convey the notion that it is not certain to the elect, contrary to their regeneration which is certain (solid line).

When I started to see the error of this doctrine, this was the mental image which developed in my mind. Using it as our reference, there are two things which must be done in order for a return to truth.  First, the line of conversion must be made solid.  This would then suggest that the elect would definitely be converted but there would be some time after regeneration before they attained to it. 

We know that there are some who hold to this “gap of time” theory, and are thankful that there has at least been a return back to this position.  Though we disagree with this, it is closer to the truth and definitely a step in the right direction from that position which removes conversion completely from the picture.

This is where the second step now comes in.  Gotta close the gap! 

If we take that line called conversion, having made it solid, move it to the left and place it either on top of regeneration or right beside it…

We will then have things right.

As our forefathers stated:

“We believe, in like manner, that God's elect shall not only be called, and justified, but that they shall be converted, born again and changed by the effectual workings of God's Holy Spirit” (1777 Kehukee Association Articles of Faith)