[paladinan]

Unless you think there are contradictions in scripture it's all present.

I'd actually choose a third option: there are no contradictions, and there are at least three (more, if you count the other tenses from the Greek--Aorist, perfect, etc.) tenses, and CynicalBear is mistaken about them being mutually exclusive and contradictory. That was my entire point, in fact:

1) We "have been saved" in the sense that Christ has conquered sin and death, and the gates of Heaven lie open to all who walk the narrow way and persevere (with His Grace).

2) We "are being saved" in the sense of continually dying to self, growing in virtue and holiness, detaching ourselves from sin and its allurements, etc.

3) We "will be saved" if we freely cooperate with God's Grace and persevere in our walk with Him, down the narrow path which leads to life, until we die in a state of sanctifying grace (i.e. not alienated from God by serious personal sin).

Your example of 1 Corinthians 1:18 doesn't work the way you say when looked at in the Greek. There are still people "being saved" today as they were "being saved" back then.

Aside from the fact that the Evangelical idea of a one-time-for-all "being saved" event is pure fiction, your comment is completely beside the point; so long as a verse describes any sort of salvific phenomenon in the present tense, that point of my argument will stand.

[CynicalBear]

Thank you for finally proving our point. Your points 1,2, & 3 are based on works based salvation.

[ealgeone]

Can you square away Eph 1:13-14 with your statements?