When we think of life here, today - our physical lives; there are bright spots, but also negatives. Some things we can control; lots of things we can't. We hear words like hate, war, disease, death. Ultimately there is decline for all of us, which we can't change! Bummer.....

But we can add on spirtual; that's when things become brighter and the scales start to tip. And the incline begins!

Thumbing through my Bible, I found six words and definitions in Romans:

ELECTION - God's choice of an individual or group for a specific purpose or destiny.

JUSTIFICATION - God's act of declaring us "not guilty" for our sins.

PROPITIATION/EXPIATION (pretty big words!) - The removal of God's punishment for sin through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

REDEMPTION - Jesus has paid the price so we can go free.

SANCTIFICATION - Becoming more and more like Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit.

GLORIFICATION - The ultimate state of the believer after death when he/she becomes like Christ.