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CHRISTOLOGY

CHRISTOLOGY. Rubens, BJU Art Gallery. ELECTION. Biblical Language bachar, rxB , “choose, elect, decide for” 198x; Deut. 7:6,7; Deut. 4:37; Ps. 135:4; 78:68; I Kings 8:16; I Chr. 28:5; I Sam. 10:24 eklegomai , “Pick for oneself, choose” 22x, Eph. 1:4

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CHRISTOLOGY

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  1. CHRISTOLOGY Rubens, BJU Art Gallery

  2. ELECTION • Biblical Language • bachar, rxB, “choose, elect, decide for” 198x; Deut. 7:6,7; Deut. 4:37; Ps. 135:4; 78:68; I Kings 8:16; I Chr. 28:5; I Sam. 10:24 • eklegomai, “Pick for oneself, choose” 22x, Eph. 1:4 • eklektos, “elected, chosen” 22x, I Peter 1:1, 2:4,6,9 • eklogh, “election, choosing” 7x, Rom. 9:11; 11:5,7,28; I Thess. 1:4 • airew, “take, choose” II Thess. 2:13 • tassw, “appoint, ordain” Acts 13:48 Christology 3

  3. ELECTION • Biblical Language • proginwskw, “foreknow” 5x; Romans 8:29, 11:2 • prognwsij, “foreknowledge” 2x; Acts 2:23, I Peter 1:1-2 • proorizw, “decide upon beforehand, predestine” 6x of God’s decree, Romans 8:29-30; I Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5; 11 • protiqhmi, “plan, propose, purpose” 3x, (Rom. 1:13; 3:25) Eph. 1:9 • proetoimazw, “prepare before” Rom. 9:23; Eph. 2:10 Christology 3

  4. EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • Arminian. Christ died for all people equally. It is Arminian doctrine that “Christ came to save all men; that he died for all; that he atoned for all, even for those that finally perish.” Wesley, Works, X,215 • Calvinistic. Christ died for the elect. The extent of the atonement is identical with the intent of divine election • Hypothetical Universalism. Moses Amylraut (1596-1664) made “a distinction between objective and subjective grace. The former rendering salvation objectively available to all men, he held was universal. The latter, which give the gracious ability to accept the gospel, he admitted was designed for the elect alone.” This is often referred to as “4-Point Calvinism.” Christology 3

  5. EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • “Did Christ offer himself a sacrifice for the whole human race, for every individual without distinction or exception?” Boettner, Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, 150. • This question does not involve the nature of Christ’s work; it is a satisfaction for sin • It does not involve the value of Christ’s satisfaction which is deemed by all to be of infinite value • It does not involve the suitableness of the atonement, for it is appropriate for and adapted to all • It does not involve the application of the atonement- which all (except Universalists) limit! • “The whole question, therefore, concerns simply the purpose of God in the mission of His Son.”Hodge, ST, II,544-5. Christology 3

  6. EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • There are many passages which teach particular atonement: • John 10:11, “the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep”; 14-15, “I know my sheep” • Acts 20:28, “the church of God, which he bought with his blood” • Eph. 5:25, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” • There are passages which limit the extent of the atonement: • Matt. 20:28, “give his life a ransom for many”; 26:28, “my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” • Heb. 9:28, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many” Christology 3

  7. EXTENT OF ATONEMENT • There are additional passages of importance: • Rom. 8:33-34, “gave him up for us all . . . Whom God has chosen” • I Cor. 15:3-4, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” • Eph. 1:4-7, “in him we have redemption” • Matt. 7:23, “I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you’” • John 10:26, “you do not believe because you are not my sheep” • Rom. 9:24-32, “even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles” Christology 3

  8. OBJECTIONS:DEFINITE ATONEMENT • Election violates my free choice to accept or reject Christ • I am not a robot! • What about my free will? • The Devil votes against you, God votes for you- you cast the deciding vote! • BUT, APART FROM THE REGENERATING WORK OF GOD, YOU WILL ALWAYS VOTE THE WRONG WAY! See Rom. 1:18-25; 3:10-18 • Election is unfair • This stacks the deck! • BUT- ISN’T THAT THE WHOLE POINT OF GRACE? IT ISN’T FAIR OR JUST! Christology 3

  9. OBJECTIONS:DEFINITE ATONEMENT • God only expects of me what I am able to give him • But, cf. Ezekiel 37:1-4. Were the bones capable of doing what God required? • God loves everyone alike • BUT, Cf. Luke 22:31 with John 13:27 • God is no respecter of persons! • Indeed- Rom. 3:10, 3:23- in reference to sin  • Election removes any reason for evangelizing • So- God ordains ends without necessary means? Does that make sense?  • Election means the free offer of the gospel cannot be sincere Christology 3

  10. SINCERETY: FREE OFFER OF GOSPEL • “The Scriptures clearly teach that the gospel must be preached to all. Whether we can square this with particular election is another question. But the rule for our preaching must always be the revealed will of God. In the last analysis, it is God’s business to bring into harmony the predetermined outcome of the preaching of the gospel with the general offer of salvation.” Hoekema, Saved By Grace, 68. Christology 3

  11. ARMINIANISM • An abstract concept of Justice governs how God may dispense his grace. “A major part of Christendom has never been able to accept the concept of the unconditional election of individuals as biblical. They declare that Scripture just does not teach such an idea, which appears to be unjust and arbitrary on God’s part and seems to lead to pessimism and quietism on man’s part.” Cottrell, Grace Unlimited, 56. • Re abstract notions, Calvinists argue we must get our concepts of justice and freedom of the will from the biblical data- not from some other philosophical or a-prior source. The concrete biblical teaching on this issue must be determinative for the Calvinist. Christology 3

  12. ARMINIANISM • Based on several concepts • Some passages appear to teach universal atonement, John 6:51; II Cor. 5:19; Col. 1:20; I Tim. 2:6, 4:10; Titus 2:11; Heb. 2:9; II Peter 2:1, 3:9; I John 2:2 • An abstract notion of Free-Will is usually played off against the notion of Divine sovereignty. “So when a theory comes along, whether philosophical, theological, or psychological, which endeavors to deny this intuition of freedom, it is up against a basic human self-perception that will eventually overwhelm it.” Clark Pinnock, Grace Unlimited, 96. Christology 3

  13. ARMINIANISM • Nevertheless, Arminianism results in a limited atonement as well as does Calvinism • All people are “salvable,” since the atonement is not limited • Not all people are saved, since not all choose to believe • Furthermore, even those who will not believe are created and allowed to rebel, according to Arminian doctrine. They are just as certain of damnation as the reprobate in a Calvinistic construct • To interpose “foreknowledge” only moves the problem back one level- it does not remove the problem! Christology 3

  14. FOREKNOWLEDGE • Knowledge, to know, often means intimate personal relationship: Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5; Amos 3:2; Matt. 1:25; 7:23; I Cor. 8:3; Gal. 4:9; II Tim. 2:19 • Foreknowledge is more than merely “knowing beforehand”: Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29, 11:2; I Peter 1:2, 19-20 • In Acts 2:23, “by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge” tou/ton th/| w`risme,nh| boulh/| kai. prognw,sei tou/ qeou/ • In I Peter 1:1-2, “Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit unto obedience” and the sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. • What is NOT asserted here is the idea that foreknowledge is foreknowledge of (ek) or on account of (dia) but unto (eij)obedience. *kata. pro,gnwsin qeou/ patro,j evn a`giasmw/| pneu,matoj eivj u`pakoh.n kai. r`antismo.n ai[matoj VIhsou/ Cristou/( Christology 3

  15. CALVINISM • Christ did make salvation, as an objective fact, possible to all men to whom it is offered, if they will believe • A purpose to make salvation objectively available to those for whom it was never intended (purpose) must not be an independent purpose in itself • Rather, this availability of salvation for all is subsidiary to the main design of entirely effecting the salvation of those for whom it was intended Christology 3

  16. CALVINISM Calvinism Argues: • No one is saved except God intends his/her salvation • Ultimately, “all” God’s people (eschatologically) will be saved • Broad or general passages in Scripture (“all”) are limited by the more detailed and specific passages (“his sheep,” “the elect”) • The practical impact of Arminianism is not significantly different from Calvinism; it explains the universal offer by another, less consistent means Christology 3

  17. ELECTION AND DECREE • Supralapsarian View (Beza, Pink) • To Predestine some to life, others to death • To Create mankind • To Ordain the fall (lapsus) • To Redeem the elect • Infralapsarian View (most Calvinists) • To Create mankind • To Ordain the fall • To Elect some to eternal life, pass by others • To Redeem the elect Christology 3

  18. ELECTION AND DECREE • The Arminian View (Arminius, Works, II,719) • To Appoint Christ as Redeemer • To receive into favor those who believe/persevere • To render all means necessary for faith/repentance • To save those whom God foreknows will believe • Amyrauldian View (Hypothetical Redemptionism) • To Create mankind • To Ordain the fall • To Send Christ to redeem all • To Elect some to eternal life, pass by others • To Send H.S. to apply salvation to elect. Christology 3

  19. CHRISTOLOGY Rubens, BJU Art Gallery

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