Claim. The 2000 years from Jesus to the Second Advent constitute the growth-stage of the resurrection providence — a period of prolongation forced by the cross. God’s instrument is the New Testament Gospel; the human portion is faith in the Gospel; the justification mode is justification by faith. Believers become life spirits and enter Paradise at death.
Elaboration. Per 2.2.3. The Providence of Growth-Stage Resurrection: “Due to the crucifixion of Jesus, resurrection was left incomplete, and its completion has been delayed until the time of his return. The two thousand years since then have been a time of prolongation, during which God has worked the providence to resurrect people to the growth stage through spiritual salvation.”
The age was not originally the growth-stage age — it was supposed to be the completion-stage age, with Jesus completing the providence directly. The cross collapsed that timeline into a 2000-year extension during which only growth-stage resurrection is achievable. This is the direct soteriological consequence of the cross granting spiritual salvation only.
Ceiling: life-spirit. “Those who have lived in this era could be resurrected in spirit by believing in the Gospel during their earthly life. By being resurrected to the growth stage, they could become life spirits. Upon their death, those who became life spirits while on earth enter and abide in Paradise.”
Why “justification by faith” not “by attendance”: no Lord is physically present to attend. Faith in the absent-but-promised-to-return Christ is the only available mode. When the Lord returns physically (Second Advent), justification mode shifts again — see dp-completion-stage-completed-testament-age-justification-by-attendance-divine-spirit.
This atomic reframes the Reformation: sola fide is correct for the present 2000-year age but is structurally provisional. Paradise itself is interim — see dp-kingdom-of-heaven-is-empty-paradise-is-interim.
See also. dp-second-advent-required-to-complete-physical-salvation