Proceeding to the doctrine of salvation, or soteriology, our passage alludes to four main items. They are conversion, justification, sanctification, and preservation. In a fuller study of salvation, election would come before this list, and glorification would come after. But since these two things are not clearly referenced in the passage, we will focus our attention on the four that are mentioned.

Conversion, in the context of this passage, would be an act of God in connection with the work of Christ by which he changes the sinner's disposition from hostility toward God into adoration and obedience, his intellect from foolishness to enlightenment, and his behavior from wickedness to righteousness. The attitude that the Christian has toward God is often summed up by the word "faith." Its basic meaning could refer to nothing more than an intellectual assent toward revealed propositions. The nature of these propositions is such that, when one truly affirms them, this belief implies an antecedent inner work of God, and produces effects that are demanded by these propositions, such as obedience and holiness.

The atonement secures for the chosen ones justification and sanctification in Christ, so that they may be presented to God "holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." This assumes that the Christian's faith would be preserved from backsliding and destruction, or from the believer's perspective, that he would persevere in his faith. Indeed, Romans 8:29-30 states that all those who are justified are also glorified, so that it is impossible for a genuine believer to fall from his faith so completely and permanently that he could be justified, but then finally loses this justification and fails to attain glorification in Christ.

Since Paul is appealing to the Colossians to persist in their faith, it is appropriate that he stresses their conscious effort in maintaining it: "…if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel" (v. 23). That said, Scripture elsewhere explains that it is in fact God who preserves this faith, so that even our conscious effort are motivated and sustained by God's Spirit (Philippians 2:13). In this manner, no believer will fail to attain glorification, and none shall fall from the grace of Christ. The believer's perseverance is thus a product or effect of God's preservation. Therefore, no believer can boast in his faithfulness, as even this is provided and maintained by God, so that he alone receives the glory. Anyone who boasts can boast only about what God has done.

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