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THEOLOGY III: The Doctrines of Salvation

THEOLOGY III: The Doctrines of Salvation. Part I Common Grace Election and Reprobation The Gospel Call and Effective Calling Regeneration Conversion. THEOLOGY III: The Doctrines of Salvation. Part II (subsequent presentation) Justification Adoption Sanctification

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THEOLOGY III: The Doctrines of Salvation

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  1. THEOLOGY III:The Doctrines of Salvation Part I • Common Grace • Election and Reprobation • The Gospel Call and Effective Calling • Regeneration • Conversion

  2. THEOLOGY III:The Doctrines of Salvation Part II (subsequent presentation) • Justification • Adoption • Sanctification • Perseverance of the Saints • Death and the Intermediate State • Glorification • The Destiny of the Unevangelized

  3. Election and Reprobation The Gospel Call and Effective Calling Regeneration Conversion Justification Adoption Sanctification Perseverance of the Saints Death and the Intermediate State Glorification Ordo Salutis:The Order of the Events of Salvation

  4. Common Grace [Romans 6:23 & Galatians 6:7-8 We must take God seriously, at His word: we all really do deserve to just die, because of our sin.] DEFINITION Common Grace is the grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation

  5. DEFINITION Special Grace is the grace of God that brings people to salvation; also known as “saving grace.” Common Grace differs from Special Grace in Results Recipients Source Common Grace does not in itself result in salvation, but is intended (in part) to lead sinners to repent Romans 2:4 Special Grace

  6. Examples of Common Grace in the • Physical Realm • Intellectual Realm • Moral Realm • Creative Realm • Societal Realm • Religious Realm

  7. Common Grace  Special Grace • Common grace → Church benefits • Special grace → Church actions • Church actions → Common grace • 1 Cor. 12:27 • Eph. 4:12

  8. Reasons for Common Grace • To Redeem Those Who Will Be Saved • To Demonstrate • God’s Goodness and Mercy • God’s Justice • God’s Glory

  9. Questions on Common Grace • How has your study of Common Grace changed your perspective on the prosperity and blessings enjoyed by the unbeliever? • God is good even to those who will never be saved. Why?

  10. Election and Reprobation • DEFINITIONS • Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure. • Reprobation is the sovereign decision of God before creation to pass over some persons, in sorrow deciding not to save them, and to punish them for their sins, and thereby to manifest his justice.

  11. Romans 11:5-6 • “So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” • Grace and works are mutually exclusive • Is faith a work? • Let’s look at Romans 4 • Can we believe our way out of sin and death and into eternal life?

  12. A Paradox • You are saved by the free (sovereign) will of God who chooses to make His plan operate through the choices of humans • His plan is predetermined • Matthew 25:34, Ephesians 1:4, Revelation 13:8, 17:8, 1 Peter 1:20 • Your choices are real and necessary • Deuteronomy 30:19, Joshua 24:15, John 5:40, Revelation 22:17, John 3:16-18

  13. Election is in the Bible. Why? • As a Comfort • As a Reason to Praise God • As an Encouragement to Evangelism • Deuteronomy 7:7-9 • The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.  But it was because the LORD loved you … (!)

  14. An Either-Or Exercise • Either God’s choosing you is • Required for a human to be saved, or • Not required for a human to be saved

  15. An Either-Or Exercise • Either God actually • Does choose to save humans, or • Does not choose to save humans

  16. An Either-Or Exercise • Either God actually chooses • Freely to save humans, or • Not freely to save humans (He is constrained in some way in His choosing)

  17. An Either-Or Exercise • Either a human’s choice is • Required for that human to be saved, or • Not required for that human to be saved

  18. An Either-Or Exercise • Either humans actually • Choose to be saved, or • Don’t choose to be saved

  19. An Either-Or Exercise • Either humans are • Able to choose freely, or • Not able to choose freely

  20. An Either-Or Exercise • Either God’s choosing you is • Required for a human to be saved, or • Not required for a human to be saved • God’s choosing you is required for a human to be saved • John 6:44

  21. An Either-Or Exercise • Either God actually • Does choose to save humans, or • Does not choose to save humans • God actually does choose to save humans • Exodus 33:19 • Ephesians 1:4-6

  22. An Either-Or Exercise • Either God actually chooses • Freely to save humans, or • Not freely to save humans (He is constrained in some way in His choosing) • God chooses freely to save humans • Deuteronomy 7:7-8 • Romans 11:5-6

  23. An Either-Or Exercise • Either a human’s choice is • Required for that human to be saved, or • Not required for that human to be saved • A human’s choice is required for that human to be saved • Revelation 22:17 • Romans 10:9-13 • Luke 11:28

  24. An Either-Or Exercise • Either humans actually • Choose to be saved, or • Don’t choose to be saved • Some humans actually choose to be saved • John 6:35-37 • Some humans actually don’t choose to be saved • John 5:40

  25. An Either-Or Exercise • Either humans are • Able to choose freely, or • Not able to choose freely • Humans are not able to choose freely • Deuteronomy 29:29 • Matthew 16:17 • John 6:44

  26. An Either-Or Exercise • We should not say “choose freely” because the phrase is ambiguous. It could mean • Having every available option as a potential selection, or • Having every motive fully under one’s control, or • Having every unseen influence fully under one’s control. • “Choose freely” begs a question: Are humans omniscient (A) or are humans omnipotent (B & C)? • Humans are neither

  27. Free will is a fiction • Total autonomy is not possible, since the Fall • Theological efforts based on fiction are doomed to failure • Election is required, if any human is to be saved

  28. N, S, and N&S Conditions • For a human to be saved, it is necessary for him/her to choose to repent and believe the Gospel • Luke 13:3 • John 3:18

  29. N, S, and N&S Conditions • For a human to be saved, it is necessary for God to choose to save that human • John 15:19 • Acts 22:14 • Matthew 22:14 • No person is saved that is not first chosen by God

  30. N, S, and N&S Conditions • God’s choosing you is sufficient to bring about your salvation • John 10:28-29 • It is enough to save you

  31. N, S, and N&S Conditions • God’s choosing you is necessary and sufficient to bring about your salvation • Without it, you can’t be saved • and • It is enough to save you

  32. The Drowning Man Analogy • A man is drowning in the middle of a lake • He tries to save himself, and cannot • He cries out for help • A man in a boat arrives • The drowning man reaches up • The man in the boat reaches down

  33. The Drowning Man Analogy • What is necessary for the man to be saved from drowning? • What is sufficient for the man to be saved from drowning? • Faith is the drowning man reaching up • Grace is the man in the boat reaching down, and grabbing the drowning man • He is saved by grace, through faith – Ephesians 2:8

  34. The Effective Calling • Those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified. Romans 8:30 • The calling is powerful: 1 Corinthians 1:9 • The calling is necessary: 2 Thessalonians 2:14 • The calling is to call Him: Jeremiah 33:3

  35. The Effective Calling • An act of God the Father, speaking through the human proclamation of the gospel, in which he summons people to himself in such a way that they respond in saving faith. • Contrasts with external calling, which can be (and is) resisted

  36. Regeneration • I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. –John 3:3 • Regeneration is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us • We play no active role at all in regeneration

  37. Passively Made Alive! • James 1:18 • 1 Peter 1:3 • Ezekiel 36:26-27 • Ezekiel 37: the valley of dry bones • Colossians 2:13 • Ephesians 2:5 • 2 Corinthians 5:17

  38. More on Regeneration • The Exact Nature of Regeneration Is Mysterious to Us • In This Sense of “Regeneration,” It Comes Before Saving Faith • Genuine Regeneration Must Bring Results in Life

  39. The Destiny of the Unevangelized • Restrictivism • God doesn’t save those who fail to hear of Jesus and come to faith in Him before they die • Scriptural support • John 14:6 • Acts 4:12 • 1 John 5:11-12 • Ronald Nash: http://www.henryinstitute.org/commentary_read.php?cid=191

  40. The Destiny of the Unevangelized • Ronald Nash: http://www.henryinstitute.org/commentary_read.php?cid=191

  41. The Destiny of the Unevangelized • Universal Opportunity Before Death • All people are given a chance to be saved by God’s sending the gospel, one way or another, or by middle knowledge • Scriptural support • Daniel 2 – Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (especially vss. 21 & 47) • Acts 8:26-39 – Ethiopian eunuch • Rev. 1:1 – God can send an angel

  42. Inclusivism The unevangelized may be saved by responding to God based on the revelation they have Scriptural support John 12:32 Acts 10:43 1 Tim. 4:10 Parables The Destiny of the Unevangelized

  43. Inclusivist - John Sanders • Released from Huntington University for his vigorous promotion of open theism • Now a visiting professor at UMC Hendrix College • Narrowly avoided expulsion from ETS • Believes the effects of Christ’s atonement are not limited to those who bear the external “badges” of being “Christians”

  44. Poor exegesis of the parables, Pharaoh’s hardening, premessianic believers: they don’t teach inclusivism, but do teach God’s love for and desire to save lost humanity Premessianic Jews/God = Unevangelized/God??? Infants/God = Unevangelized/God??? Mentally incompetent/God = Unevangelized/God??? Smuggles in a requirement of belief in a personal God, but can’t account for this in impersonal Hinduism, nontheistic Buddhism, etc. Strangely silent on the nature of the Fall Faith principle lacks support, is contrary to Rom. 10:9-13 General revelation is made virtually contentless Inclusivism seems to blend in with universalism Fallacies employed: strawman, complex question, false dichotomy, word-loading, quoting out of context Inclusivism diminishes greatly the value of preaching the Gospel Criticisms of Sanders’ Inclusivism

  45. The Destiny of the Unevangelized • Postmortem Evangelism • The unevangelized get a chance to believe in Jesus after dying • Scriptural support • John 3:18 – Whoever believes in Him is not condemned • 1 Peter 3:18-20 & 4:6 – Christ preached to the dead • Romans 8:38 • John 5:25 – The dead will get a chance to hear

  46. PME’s Gabriel Fackre • Professor of Theology at Andover Newton Theological Seminary (liberal non-denominational stance) • Student body is 38% Congregationalist, 24% Unitarian Universalist • Ties to American Baptist Churches USA and United Church of Christ denominations • Believes a “canonical reading” of Bible illuminated by the “analogy of faith” will show Christ preaches the Gospel to the unevangelized after they die

  47. Founds a theological doctrine on a problematic portion of Scripture (1 Peter 3:18-20 and 4:6) Extends the Noahic Covenant unbiblically (pp. 83-84) Employs novel interpretations of Scriptures 1 Cor. 1:25 (84) 1 Cor. 15:19 (84) John 10:16 (85) John 5:25 (85) Acts 14:17 (90) If Christ preaches to the unevangelized after death, why risk doing it now? The Christian missions imperative is gutted (93-94) Verges on irrationalism (95) Depreciates the value of premortem conversion Depreciates the value of premortem sanctification Seemingly ignores Luke 16:19-31 Heb. 9:27 Matt. 7:15-20, 21-23, 24-27, 13:24-30, 24;41-46 Criticisms of Fackre’s PME

  48. The Destiny of the Unevangelized • Universalism • All people will in fact be saved by Jesus. No one is damned forever. • Scriptural support • Rom. 5:18 – Life for all men • 1 Cor. 15:22 – All will be made alive • 1 John 2:2 – For the sins of the whole world

  49. The Soteriological Problem of Evil • God is • All-loving (omnibenevolent) • All-knowing (omniscient) • All-powerful (omnipotent) • Jesus is the only Savior • No one is saved who has not professed faith in Jesus • Those who don’t hear about Jesus cannot profess their faith in Jesus • A large proportion of those who have lived will not be saved • “Statement 5 conflicts with Statement 1”

  50. One Solution • God loves us so much as His creation that He will not coerce us to choose Him • Coercion would violate the precious faculty of choice He endowed us with • Coercion would be tantamount to divine rape • He chooses rather to woo us

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