like a fire

The Wiki says:

Process (lat. processus - movement) is a naturally occurring or designed sequence of operations or events, possibly taking up time, space, expertise or other resource, which produces some outcome. A process may be identified by the changes it creates in the properties of one or more objects under its influence.

It is a common understanding of salvation that the outcome is to go to heaven instead of hell. But what if the process by which we are saved is more important than the outcome. The process of salvation is from distress and death to a Savior to deliverance. While not many would argue that Justification happens once and for all, the process of being delivered is very evident to not occur at a single moment. The whole idea of Ordo Salutis is based on the idea that salvation is a process. It isn’t in that idea though that the benefit of Process ministry is seen. It’s in deliverance.

Deliverance is the process by which we are freed from the effects of our sin. Even though we are declared holy by God, the effects of our sin are in constant need of a Deliverer. We have very little power to reach the ultimate outcome of salvation (heaven) and the process of living here is a process of deliverance. Try telling a porn addict or a drug addict that they should be committed to the outcome of salvation and not the process of deliverance. Try telling that to someone with a life-long debilitating illness or a terminal illness. Then try telling that to someone who is completely happy with who they are and with their life. You will get two different responses. The people who struggle in life will laugh in your face and the person who is happy with their life will agree wholeheartedly with you.

The problem with salvation as an outcome is that it denies the work of Christ. The work that was then and is now and ongoing.

The process of salvation is a continual work in our lives. We need a continual work of deliverance from our lives in this world. The process is evident and the work of it is as important as the outcome. Maybe more.