What process do believers go through in salvation, as pictured by Israel?
Believers identify by faith with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. As Israel left Egypt’s bondage, passed through the Red Sea, and came out redeemed, so believers rest in the fact that when Christ died, they died; when He was buried, they were buried; when He rose, they rose from deadness in sin and received eternal life.
Les explains that Paul is not talking about mere head assent—simply saying, “I believe He died, I believe He rose again.” It is every individual coming to the place where they genuinely, totally, and completely rest on the fact that when Christ died, I died; when He was buried, I was buried; when He rose from the dead, I was raised from deadness in sin and the old Adamic estate, and He imparted eternal life. This gospel is pictured in Israel coming out of Egypt. Israel’s lot was slavery and bondage, but through the blood of the Passover lamb they escaped the death angel, yet they did not stay in Egypt. They went through the Red Sea, a picture of the burial and death of Christ, and came out on the other side redeemed. They did not work for it; it was all the power of God, but it required the shed blood indicative of Christ’s death. They had to go through a burial experience, the Red Sea, and came through on the other side a redeemed people, a resurrection experience. We go through that same process.