Years ago, I decided to put the Ordo Salutis (order of salvation) on a laminated bookmark and make them available to our congregation. It took only an hour or so to type up and format. After a quick trip to the local print shop, it was done.

The end result was an attractive little navy blue bookmark that not only came in handy for marking that last passage of Scripture reading, but also gave folks a quick reference to those verses which pertained to each item in the ordo salutis.

I can’t remember exactly how many I had made up, but it didn’t take long to run out of them. I thought I’d show you what was actually on the bookmark in case you would like to do something similar. Maybe you can think of your own enhancements and, if you have a mind to, create a similar one.

Order of Salvation
(Ordo Salutis)

Predestination:

Rom. 8:29, 30; 9:1-25;
Eph. 1:3-14; 2 Thess 2:12,13

Effectual Calling (Regeneration)

John 1:12,13; 3:1-10; 6:44,45, 63-65
Eph. 2:1-5; Titus 3:3-6, Rom. 8:30

Faith/Repentance

Acts 20:21
(Faith)
Eph. 2:8,9; Phil. 1:29; Acts 13:48; 16:14;
18:27; James 2:14
(Repentance)
Acts 5:31; 11:18; 2 Cor. 7:10-11

Justification (Legal Declaration)

Deut. 25:1; Acts 10:43; Prov. 17:15
Rom. 3:21; 4:8; 5:1,2, 12-18; 8:32; Gal. 2:16;
3:1-13; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9

Adoption

Rom. 8:15-17, 23-25; Gal. 4:1-5
John 1:12-13; 8:40 to end
I John 3:1,2

Definitive Sanctification

John 10:26-30; Rom. 6; I Cor. 1:2; 6:9-12

Progressive Sanctification

Lev. 11:44; Matt. 5-7; Rom. 13; Eph. 4-5;
Phil 2:1-13; I Cor. 13; Gal. 5:16-23; I Peter 1:15,16
2 Peter 1:1-10; 3:18
(Preservation of the Saints)
Jer. 32:40; John 6:37-40; 10:26-30
Rom. 8:30-end; Phil. 1:6; I John 3:9

Glorification

Matt 25; I Thess 4:13-end; 2 Cor. 5:1-8
Phil. 1:23; 3:20,21; I John 3:1-3
Rev. 6:9-10

The size of the bookmark itself is 2 1/2 by 10 inches. At the top of the bookmark, I placed a logo, church name and address. I typeset as many bookmarks as I could for an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, printed it on a color printer, white text on a blue background, then took the proof to a local copy shop, had them printed, cut and laminated. Voila!

The lamination obviously adds longevity to it, and the bookmark has come in quite handy during those discussions I’ve had with someone on the atonement.

Salt Cellar

As a quick aside, I’ve decided to add a little something new to 5ptsalt.com. The Salt Cellar will be a place for finding those little tidbits of internet news, articles, videos, etc. that I found worthy of note. There are many times when I’ve found things I’d like to post or pass on to readers, but just didn’t seem to have the time to do so….or I forgot about them altogether.

Treating Terrorists Like Common Criminals

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) expresses her incredulity of the Obama administration treating the ‘Christmas Day Bomber’ like a common criminal – as opposed to a foreign terrorist. Interrogated less than an hour, then given a lawyer? What happened to the “war on terror”?

New Film Released: George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Way

A new film on the life of George W. Carver is now available from Franklin Springs Family Media. The film is narrated by Voddie Baucham. This looks like a film I’ll probably watch, and post on later.

“His journey was extraordinary:  though born a slave, by the end of his life, presidents and corporate titans valued his friendship.  Millions of Americans benefited from his innovations.  His scientific genius is legendary, but less known is his remarkable path to greatness, defined by a life-long passion for serving others.  George Washington Carver blazed trails in his personal and professional lives.”

True Church Conference 2010: The Quagmire of Hyper Calvinism

The TCC conference is set for February 18-21. Conference speakers this year are Michael Haykin, Barry King, Conrad Mbewe, David Miller, Jonathan King and Jeff Noblitt.

San Francisco’s Answer To Westboro Baptist Church

Westboro Baptist Church set out to protest in front of Twitters offices in SF this past week, but soon found themselves on the receiving end of absurdity. Apparently, some folks decided to make their own signs – pretty much mocking WBC. Some of the prankster’s signs are actually humorous. A few examples “I Have a Sign”, “God Hates Retweets“, “I’m Tired!” and my personal favorite – “I Was Promised Donuts!”

Cause and Effect In Sanctification

Kim Riddlebarger has a very good post on sanctification over at the Riddleblog. Many believe “Christians are saved by grace, justified by faith, and sanctified by works.” Sound right? Hmmm. Riddlebarger shows why that formula is incorrect and “when discussing sanctification, the formula confuses the cause (God’s grace) with the effect (good works).”