Transcript The Process of Salvation

The Process of
Salvation
What does the Scriptures reveal
concerning how we are saved.
Process of salvation:
Man’s side
• How does man acquire so great a salvation?
• The wrong answer is fatal and eternally
condemning!
• Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we (or an angel from
heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the
one we preached to you, let him be condemned
to hell! 9 As we have said before, and now I say
again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel
contrary to what you received, let him be
condemned to hell!
Erroneous views add
requirements to faith:
• Repent and believe: Feeling sorry not enough. Should not be
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seen as separate events. Acts 20:21 indicate they are one act.
Believe and be baptized (from Acts 2:38). Peter called on
those guilty of crucifying Christ to be marked as distinct. They were
already believers. Also Mark 16:16 only condemns those who don’t
believe.
Believe and confess Christ from Rom 10:9, refers to
acknowledgement of His deity
Believe and surrender to Christ. Acknowledging Christ as
Lord means His deity, not necessarily as Lord of your life. If not
carnal Christians would be lost still (1 Cor 3:1). Lordship is a
condition for spiritual maturity, not salvation.
Be healed or experience a miracle and Believe. The
question is not if God has been good to you, but are you trusting in
the Word of God and the work of Christ on the Cross (Matt 7:21)
Biblical view of receiving
salvation
Many passages indicate that belief is the only requirement: Jn
1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; 5:24; 12:44; 20:31; Acts 16:31; 1 Jn 5:13
Three elements of biblical faith
1. Intellect (knowledge): unless one believes all that
Jesus claimed to be and do, he will die in his sins (Jn
8:24). Includes (a) personal sinfulness, (b) Christ’s
atoning sacrifice, (c) bodily resurrection (Jn 20:30-31)
2. Emotion (conviction): A sense that it is true (Jn 16:811): A recognition of lostness in self and hope in Christ
3. Will (Decide to trust): An awareness of serious
personal need, a conviction that there is only one
solution, and a willingness to trust Christ’s death with
all your heart (Rom 10:9)
The Grace of God
Common Grace
• The unmerited favor of God toward all men displayed
in His general care for them—does not mean they
are saved! He wants people to trust Him
• “Those general operations of the Holy Spirit whereby
He, without renewing the heart, exercises such a
moral influence on man through His general or
special revelation, that sin is restrained, order is
maintained in social life, and civil righteousness is
promoted;
• “Those general blessings, such as rain and sunshine,
food and drink, clothing and shelter, which God
imparts to all men indiscriminately where and in what
measure it seems good to Him”
Contrasts of the
two births
First birth
• Origin
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Of sinful parents
Means Of corruptible
seed
Nature Of the fleshcorruptible
Realm
Satan’s slave
Position An objective of
divine wrath
Second birth
Of God
Of incorruptible
seed
Of the Spirit–
spiritual
Christ’s freeman
An objective of
divine love
Explanation of Regeneration
• It is instantaneous (Jn 1:13; 3:5, aorist tense)
• It is not the result of human experience
– Experience can be the result of the new birth, but
not cause it
• It is not based on human effort (Jn 1:13)
– Faith and trust are not the causes of regeneration
– They are simultaneous events, but not causitive
Results of Regeneration
• New Nature
– Participation in the “divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4)
– A “new man” or nature (Eph 4:24)
– A “new creature” (2 Cor 5:17)
• New Life
– A “new mind” to know God (1 Cor 2:16)
– A “new heart” to love God (Rom 5:5)
– A “new will” to obey God (Rom 6:13)
Foreknowledge
• Some things in Paul’s writings were hard to
understand (2 Pet 3:15-16, And regard the
patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear
brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to
him, 16 speaking of these things in all his letters. Some
things in these letters are hard to understand,
things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own
destruction, as they also do to the rest of the
scriptures.
• Election and Foreknowledge were not among the hard to
understand –
– Election mentioned 4 times (1 Pet 1:1-2; 2:6,9/ 2 Pet 1:10)
– Foreknowledge mentioned 3 times (1 Pet 1:2, 20; 2 Pet 3:17)
Word study of Foreknowledge
• proginoskein: knowledge beforehand
• Calvinists want a “pregnant meaning” that implies
election
• In all secular, papyrii, inscriptions, biblical texts and
Church Fathers ALWAYS means to “know beforehand.”
• Only Arndt and Gingrich list a secondary meaning,
“chose beforehand”
– The give no linguistic support, rather refer to 4 German
theologians
– Theology must be built on linguistic and exegetical data, not the
reverse.
– Jerome (ag Pelagius Bk, 3) “foreknowledge must not be
understood as involving fatal necessity or compulsion by God,
but that events foreknown by God are done by men of their own
free choice.”
– The idea that if He foreknows it, He must make it happen is
philosophy, or isogeses, not biblical exegesis
God’s foreknown plan for the
Cross
boule, “purpose,
• Acts 2:23 this man, who was
handed over by the
predetermined plan
and foreknowledge of
intent, plan.
Can be resisted: Luke
7:30 However, the
Pharisees and the
experts in religious law
rejected God's
purpose for
God, you executed by nailing
him to a cross at the hands of themselves, because
Gentiles. 24 But God raised
they had not been
baptized by John.)
him up, having released him
The construction
from the pains of death,
indicates the prescience
because it was not possible
or foreknowledge that led
for him to be held in its
to accomplishing
power.
perfectly the eternal plan
Elect according to
foreknowledge (1 Pet 1:1-2)
• “according to” – kata with accusative
always means “according to, in
accordance with, in conformity with”
• If foreknowledge has pregnant meaning
then this is redundant, “we are elect
according to the ‘elective choice’ of God”
– Nonsense!f
Predestination
• Word Meanings
– proorizein: “predestinate” in Latin Vulgate
– Rare word leaving some doubt to translate
– Study of cognates horizein and aphorizein reveal a
meaning of “to pre-appoint”
– The idea of “destiny” is not present in these words
– Hippocrates used it of early diagnosis of a disease (Hp
praec.3)
• Cognates
– horizein: 8x in NT:“to limit, set the limit” or “to appoint”
• Used of being appointed to a service or responsibility
– aphorizein: 10x in NT means “to separate”
• Separating, marking off or appointing someone for service
(Rom 1:1)
Predestination: NT usage
• Acts 4:28 to do as much as your power and your plan had
decided beforehand would happen.
• 1 Cor 2:7 Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in
a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our
glory.
• Romans 8:29 because those whom he foreknew he also
predestined (decided before) to be conformed to the
image of his Son, ….
• Ephesians 1:5 He did this by predestining
(previously appointing) us to adoption as his sons
through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his
will—
• Ephesians 1:11 In Christ we too have been claimed as
God's own possession, since we were predestined
according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all
things according to the counsel of his will
Predestination: Lexicons
• Thayer: “Predetermine, decide
beforehand”
• Vulgate: praedestino, “to foreordain,
appoint beforehand.”
Predestination: Translations
• A number of modern translations have broken
from using “predestinate’
• NEB Rom 8:29, “For God knew His own before
they ever were, and also ordained that they
should be shaped in the likeness of His Son.”
• Williams, “…marked off as His own.”
• Robertson, “…preappointed”
• Berkeley, “…appointed beforehand”
• FF Bruce, “…foreordained”
• “…to be conformed to the image of His son and
His service.”
Ordo salutis
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5.
Foreknow
Foreordination (foreappointment)
Calling
Justification
Glorification
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
• Jewish/Gentile issue in churches in Rome
– Jews expelled from Rome under Claudius Caesar (Acts
18:2) left the church with Gentiles
– When allowed to return under Nero (Priscilla and Aquila
– Rom 16:3) – Hebrew Christians no longer in charge
– Felt Paul abandoned his people to go to the Gentiles –
provoked Paul’s defense
– First issue in context is the transition from Israel being
God’s chosen people to being replaced by the Church
• 9:1-29– God’s sovereign justice in dealing with
Israel
• 9:30-10:15 – Paul focuses on proclamation of faith
to all mankind
• 10:16-11:32 – Paul shows how God foreknew and
used Israel’s fall for the world’s salvation.
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
God’s Dealings with Corporate Israel
• Paul shares his burden for Israel’s salvation
(9:1-5)
• In separating out the nation Israel, physical
descent did not guarantee being in chosen Israel
– 9:6 “For they are not all Israel who are descended
from Israel”
– Two examples: lineage would be through Isaac,
though Ishmael is not mentioned
– Ishmael probably a believer, “God was with the lad”
(Gen 16:10-12; 21:17-20)
– Focus is on the lineage of the nation
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
God’s Dealings with Corporate Israel
• 2nd Illustration: Choice of Jacob over Esau (Gen
25:23, “Two nations are in your womb; and two
peoples shall be separated from your body, one
people will be stronger than the other, and the
older shall serve the younger.”
– Focus is not on individuals, but on nations (Israel and
Edomites)
– Esau never served Jacob! (Edomites subjugated under
David and Solomon
– Paul then goes to Malachi 1:2-4 written 1500 years
later with reference to judgment on Edomites, “Jacob I
loved, but Esau I hated and I made his mountains a
desolation”
– Jacob and Esau are euphemisms of nations
– These are national prophecies, not a doctrine of
individual unconditional election
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
Four Examples (9:14-29) of sovereign justice
1. When Israel sinned in worshipping golden calf (
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God said He would destroy Israel and make a new
nation through Moses (Ex 32:10-14)
Moses willing to blot out his name if God would save
Israel: Moses pled to show him His way (Ex 33:1-16)
God favored Moses to see His presence which Paul
quotes (33:19)
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The issue is continuance of God’s gracious and compassionate
favor on the nation of Israel, esp. Moses
This is the context of 9:11, 16, “God’s purpose,.. does not
depend on the man who wills and the man who runs, but on
God who has mercy.”
Nothing to do with individual unconditional election to salvation
This text is not discussing reprobation or impossibility of
choosing, but on mercy and compassion on Moses and Israel:
not salvation.
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
Four Examples (9:14-29) of sovereign justice
2.
God’s dealing with Pharaoh, god-king of idolatrous nation,
hardening him for judgment (9:17-18)
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Each of 10 judgments are directed against a deity in Egypy
God sated His sovereign intention to Moses (Ex 7:3)
Seven clear references to Pharaoh's being characteristically
hardened (Ex 7:13-14, 22; 8:19; 9:7)
Two references to Pharaoh hardening his own heart (8:15, 32) – Use
of Hiphil or self-causitive act. Form
God then hardens his heart further in judgment (Ex 9:12; 10:1, 20;
11:10; 14:8)
Ex 9:16 quoted in Rom 9:17 – Issue is not individual salvation but
God purpose to bring Israel out of Egypt as symbol of His judgment
on a corrupt idolatrous religion.
Pharaoh and nation were ripe for judgment (Gen 15:13-16)
“He hardens whom He desires” (9:18b) not referring to arbitrary
reprobation in eternity past of unborn, rather it is giving Satan’s
representatives over to depraved mind (Rom 1:24, 26, 28; 2:15)
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
Four Examples (9:14-29) of sovereign justice
3.Jeremiah observation of Potter’s wheel (Jer 18:1-11)
• Paul responds to fatalistic argument to God’s justice to Israel (9:19)
• Note: these are words of an OBJECTOR, not Paul: never base a doctrine
on a skeptics statement
• How have Jews resisted the will of a sovereign God in this regard?
(boulema –not boule – may indicate a more formal, crystallized plan
or counsel, close to decree. Only usage is from a fatalistic unbeliever.
• Paul saw the marred vessel on the wheel, in soft clay, not yet
hardened – nation of Israel is the clay (Jer 18:8,11)
• God’s dealing with Israel was always conditional
• Paul would later state the cause of Israel’s being set aside was their
unbelief (not sovereign choice) (9:30-33; 10:16-21)
• Paul refers to God’s patience with Israel for years of pleading through
Christ and apostles (9:22)
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
Four Examples (9:14-29) of sovereign justice
3. Cont.
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Key words: katertismena (“prepare, make, create”) is it middle or
passive? Arndt and Gingrich suggest middle, “having prepared
themselves for destruction” Rom 9:22 – This harmonizes with
Jeremiah’s usage
Point is God could use Israel for 2000 year then set them aside in
favor of Gentiles
In Rom 11 Paul shows the justice of this decision by showing a
remnant is still being saved (11:1-10) and that God will ultimately
restore Israel to place of corporate blessing (11:11-32)
Now the Gentiles became the object of mercy (9:23-24) by a plan
prepared beforehand (proetoimazein)
Text reveals the patience of God with Israel’s unbelief and riches
of the cross through the Church
Not hint in context for individualizing these texts, thus nothing
about unconditional election.
Election and Sovereignty
(Rom 9-11)
Four Examples (9:14-29) of sovereign justice
4. Four prophetic passages quoted in 9:25-29 (Hos
2:23; 1:10; Isa 10:23; 1:9)
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Context of Hosea is the end-time restoration of Israel
(3:4-5)
Principle here is that those who were not God’s
people can become God’s people in support of 9:2324
Isaiah quote refers to the preservation of a remnant of
believing Jews (which Paul refers to in 11:1-10)
Nothing here about individual unconditional election
Election and Sovereignty
Universal Gospel (9:30-10:15)
(Rom 9-11)
• Poor chapter division: new subject in 9:30
• Vindicates the righteousness of God by the proclamation
of God’s righteousness by faith to all mankind (9:3010:15), then returns to Israel’s unbelief and failure
(10:16-11:32)
• Emphasis is on universal gospel message
• 10:11-15– Salvation of lost is contingent on human
instrumentality
• 10:17 – faith is by hearing the word: not election
• Human instrumentality is vital to prepare the lost for faith,
but the NEW BIRTH is totally a work of the Spirit.
• Major issue is the western mindset of individualism in
stead of the biblical perspective of corporate concepts
and dealings with Israel
Election
• eklegomai: “to chose something for one’s self
• eklege: “selection” having a qualitative connotation.
• eklegomain: “to chose” (21x in NT: 3x man’s choice;
God’s choice; choice of the 12 apostles; the end-time
elect; 2 theological references (Lk 9:35; Eph 1:4)
• eklektos, “chosen, choice, elect” (22x in NT)
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9x ref. to end-time tribulation saints
2x by Peter (1 Pet 1:1-2; 2 Pet 1:10)
2x ref. to Christ: “Choice” One of God (1 Pet 2:4,6)
1 ref. to Church as elect of God 1 Pet 2:9
2 Jn 1, 13 – elect refers to the churches.
• Never any references to singular “elect” individual!
Election
• Christ, the Choice [Elect] one (Lk 9:35)
– Lk 9:35 on Mt of Transfiguration: “This is my Son, My
Chosen One with whom I am well pleased, listen to
him.
– Identified as Elect Servant from Isa 42:1-7, “Beloved”
= “Choice”
– Mocked with this title on the cross (Lk 23;35) “His
chosen One”
• Connotation is “choice” or “select” is demanded
• No way is Jesus chosen by God – He is the Choice One
• Nothing of being chosen out of Israel: this is the basis of 2
heresies: Gnosticism and Ebonitism.
– The chosen (elect) apostles
• Includes Judas (Lk 6;13; Jn 6:20:13:78; 15:16-19)
• No hint of an election to salvation
Election concepts
1. Nature of election is corporate (rejecting Israel
to elect the choice Church)
2. Other corporate symbols (vine, body, temple,
flock, bride, people of God
3. Ordinances are corporate in nature
4. Israel’s election by God is corporate and did
not guarantee salvation to anyone
5. Election is for a function or purpose: apostles
chosen to be messengers to Israel (not a
guarantee of salvation– i.e. Judas
6. Use of elect always plural, that is, corporate,
not individual
7. God chose the corporate church in eternity
past to become His choice people
How can “dead men” believe?
Conviction of the Spirit
• Calvinists claim irresistible grace which
grants regeneration before faith
• Armenianists teach universal prevenient
grace, which enables all fallen men to
respond to God’s message of grace
• Problem: neither is inductively formed but
logically deduced.
Conviction Defined
“the doctrine of conviction as a work of the Holy
Spirit prior to either regeneration or faith, it
seems to me, solves this problem… Prior to
either regeneration or faith, the Holy Spirit does
convict the lost sufficiently so that those who
reject God’s grace are wholly to blame for their
lost condition, and effectively in the elect, so that
those who are saved must acknowledge that
their faith is wholly a gift of God.” (Buswell, A
Systematic Theology of Christian Religion II, p. 157)
Process and Miracle Distinguish
• People come to saving faith in Christ
through a process of human and divine
involvement which leads to…
• The New Birth (miracle) which is 100% the
instantaneous work of the Spirit
Prophecy of coming of Spirit
John 16:7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your
advantage that I am going away. For if I do not
go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but
if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he
comes, he will prove the world wrong
concerning sin and righteousness and
judgment-- 9 concerning sin, because they
do not believe in me; 10 concerning
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will see me no longer; 11 and
concerning judgment, because the ruler of this
world has been condemned.
Meaning of convict, convince
(elegchein)
• LXX translates Heb “to rebuke, to shame, to punish,
condemn, test, examine”
• Buchsel in TDNT, “… it denotes discipling, and
educating of man of God as a result of judicial activity.
This includes all aspects of education from conviction of
sinner to chastisement and punishment.
• Used 16x in NT “to show someone his sin and summon
him to rependence”
• Has the sense of “proof, convincing, refutation,
investigation, and account.”
• Arndt and Gingrich: (1) bring to light, expose; (2)
convince someone of something (3) reprove, correct (4)
punish discipline.
Three Acts of the Spirit’s Work
1.
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Conviction of sin of unbelief
2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only
to those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this age has
blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not
see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God
John 5:25 I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming--and is now
here--when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and
those who hear will live.
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3.
Conviction of Righteousness: revives the conscience as it
is exposed to Truth
Conviction of Judgment: esp. judgment on world and
Satan annulling their authority
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2.
Colossians 2:15 Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has
made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by
the cross.
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of
this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up
from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
Evidences of Conviction of
Spirit before regeneration
• Saul was convicted by Stephen and other
Christians (Acts 26:9-14, “…it is hard for you to
kick against the goads”)
• Philippian jailer was under conviction of Spirit
and cried out, “Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?” (Acts 16:30)
• Not always a positive response to conviction:
– Acts 5:33 Now when they heard this, they became
furious and wanted to execute them.
– Acts 7:54 When they heard these things, they
became furious and ground their teeth at him.
Conviction: Human
Instrumentality Essential
• Activity of apostle used the cognates of elegchein =
proof, refutation, persuasion
• Acts 14:1 The same thing happened in Iconium when
Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and
spoke in such a way that a large group of both Jews and
Greeks believed.
• Acts 18:28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously in public
debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ
was Jesus.
• Acts 18:4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the
synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
• Note Christ’s apostolic charge to Paul: Acts 26:18 to
open their eyes so that they turn from darkness to light
and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may
receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those
who are sanctified by faith in me.'
Extent of the Ministry of
Conviction
• Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of
the gospel, for it is God's power for
salvation to everyone who believes, to the
Jew first and also to the Greek.
• Implies the presence of conviction which
coincides with the proclamation of the
Gospel
Faith Prior to New Birth?
• R.C. Sproul, an extreme Calvinist affirms the maxim that
“Regeneration precedes faith” and is “a cardinal point of
Reformed Theology.” (Sproul, R.G., Chosen by God, p. 72)
• Through the convincing/convicting ministry of the Spirit, the
“dead” can hear and believe: John 5:25 I tell you the solemn
truth, a time is coming--and is now here--when the dead will
hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
• John 1:12, “He that receives (or accepts, Aor.) His truth and
believes are given the right to become the sons of God. Thus
it is impossible to reverse the order, i.e. receive/believe then
born-again as son.
– John 5:24 "I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my
message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will
not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.
– Ephesians 1:13 And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of
your salvation)--when you believed in Christ--you were marked with
the seal of the promised Holy Spirit,
Is Faith a Gift of God?
• Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith
(f.), and this (n.) is not from yourselves, it (n.) is the gift of
God; 9 it (n.) is not from works, so that no one can boast.
• Antecedent agreement in case and gender show refer to
same thing.
• Calvin states, “Many persons restrict the word gift to faith
alone, but Paul is only repeating in other words the former
sentiment. His meaning is, NOT that faith is the gift of God,
but that salvation is given to us by God, or that we obtain it
(salvation) by the gift of God.” (John Calvin Commentaries, trans. Pringle, vol.
XXI, pp. 228-229)
• Phrase “not of works” (2:9) could not refer to faith (nonsense),
but must refer to salvation
• Rom 6:23, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.”
• By its very nature, a gift is to be received or rejected: it is
nonsense the notion of an “irresistible gift”
Faith develops mediately in
human hearts
1. Through the propagation of the Word (Rom
10:17), so faith comes from hearing and
hearing by the Word of Christ.”
2. Conviction of the Spirit prepares the heart for
faith (John 16:8-11– Conviction is neither
universal, nor limited to elect)
3. Faith is always ascribed to man, not God.
1. Jesus commented on faith of individuals (9
individuals in 14 Gospel passages)
4. Christ constantly pointed to the faith of those
individuals who possessed it (i.e. Centurion in
Mt 8:10,13)
Faith develops mediately in
human hearts
5.
Conversion of some people is attributed to antecedent
conditions:
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Parable of Sower indicates different soils are people’s heart (Lk
8:11-15)
Cornelius prayed (seeking God) and told that Peter “shall speak
words to you by which you will be saved.” (Acts 11:14)
God uses people to bring unbelievers to faith (Acts
26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness
to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they
may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among
those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
People are commanded to seek God (50+ commands)
It is clear that God gives people opportunity to believe in
answer to our prayers and witness. 1 Tim 2:1-6, pray
“for all men” (v. 1) with the desire that “all men” might
be saved (v. 4) because Christ “gave himself as a
ransom for all” (v.6)
Problem with Direct Gift of
Faith:
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Why did Christ bother to witness, argue, persuade the
non-elect?
Why should Paul (and us) bother to use persuasion at
all?
Why did Christ marvel at unbelief?
How could unbelief be judged if not option?
How can we explain the degrees of unbelief being
judged more severely?
How can demonic activity hinder a direct work of the
Spirit (Lk 8:12)?
Why are some classes of people harder to win than
others (Tit 1:12-13)
Why does God give the gift of faith to so many
Americans and so few Lyberians, Mongolians, Afgans,
Turks, Aceheans?
Call and Irresistible Grace
• kaleein, klesis, kletos, “call or invitation”
– “For many are called (invited), but few are chosen” Mt
22:14)
• General Invitation
– “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance” (Luke 5:32)
• Effectual Invitation or Calling
– Used by Paul 50x for the completed process in the life
of believers
– How it becomes effectual is the issue:
• Is it irresistible calling, that is, already an accomplished fact?
• Is it a technical sense of those who already responded to the
general call or Gospel invitation and thus by hindsight are the
“called”?
Calling is accomplished through
preaching the Gospel
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we ought to give
thanks for you always, brothers and sisters loved
by the Lord, because God chose you from the
beginning for salvation through sanctification
by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
• :14 He called you to this salvation through
our gospel, so that you may possess the glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why do some get saved and
others remain unchanged?
• Luke 8:15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil,
these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it
with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with
steadfast endurance.
• Matthew 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill
the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How
often I have longed to gather your children together as a
hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would
have none of it!
• Luke 7:30 However, the Pharisees and the experts in
religious law rejected God's purpose for themselves,
because they had not been baptized by John.)
• Acts 7:51 "You stubborn people, with uncircumcised
hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit,
like your ancestors did!
• The key is to confront all men with the Gospel
Views of Eternal Security
• Armenian view: since salvation was fully received
by the will of man, it can be departed from by the will
of man
• Calvinist view: Since salvation depends upon the
Perseverance of the Lord (not the believer),
salvation can never be lost
– Security is based upon the work of the Father, Son and
Spirit
• Mediante Position: Full subjective assurance is
derived from an objective understanding of the
person and ransom-redemption and propitiation
provided by Christ on the cross, as well as a
subjective personal appropriation of, and a heart
dependence upon the promises of God and
willingness to share all of life henceforth with Christ.
Securing work of Trinity
• Father:
– Chosen from eternity past (Eph 1:4)
– Chosen to position of sonship and part of the
Body of Christ (Eph 1:5)
• Son:
– He redeemed the believer (Eph. 1:7), removed
the wrath of God from the believer (Rom. 3:25),
justified the believer (Rom. 5:1), provided
forgiveness (Col. 2:13), and sanctified the
believer (1 Cor. 1:2)
– He prays for believers to be with Him (John
17:24); He continues to be their Advocate at
God’s bar of justice (1 John 2:1); and He
continues to make intercession as the believer’s
High Priest (Heb. 7:25).
Securing work of Trinity
• Spirit:
– Gave him life (Tit. 3:5);
– indwells the believer forever (John
14:17);
– sealed the believer until the day of
redemption (Eph. 4:30),
– the sealing being a down payment,
guaranteeing our future inheritance;
– baptized the believer into union with
Christ and into the body of believers (1
Cor. 12:13).