The Doctrines of Grace

Transcription

1 Life in Christ The Doctrines of Grace Pillars of the Reformed Faith John A. Bouwers and Ronald L. Scheuers

2 Life in Christ The Doctrines of Grace Pillars of the Reformed Faith Rev. John A. Bouwers and Rev. Ronald L. Scheuers

3 The Doctrines of Grace: Pillars of The Reformed Faith Published by First United Reformed Church, 6159 Riverside Drive, Chino, California Distributed by Reformed Fellowship, Inc., 3363 Hickory Ridge Ct. SW, Grandville, MI Phone: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means for example: electronic, photocopy, recording without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. Requests for permission to quote from this book or to translate it into other languages should be directed to: Clerk of Council, First United Reformed Church, 6159 Riverside Drive, Chino, CA, Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. NKJV. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Quotations of the Christian Creeds and Reformed Confessions are from the Psalter Hymnal, Copyright 1976, Board of Publications of the Christian Reformed Church, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI. Quotations of The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms are from The Confession of Faith and Catechisms, Copyright 2005, The Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Willow Grove, PA. Book design by Jeff Steenholdt /Erika De Vries. ISBN Printed in the United States of America 2

4 General Editor s acknowledgements Many people have contributed to the writing and preparation of this series of books, Life In Christ. I want to thank the council of the First United Reformed Church, Chino, California for their vision, love for the truth, and commitment to prepare these instructional materials for young people in accord with the glorious truths of God s Word and the Reformed confessions. The council and congregation have graciously granted me time away from many of my regular pastoral duties to work on this project over the past five years, and have prayed for and contributed significantly towards its completion. We thank the many congregations in the United Reformed federation who have made this curriculum possible by their faithful prayer and financial support, as well as their evaluations. I am grateful to each of the authors for diligently preparing these lessons written out of their experiences as pastors, teachers, and parents who show their deep love for the Word of God, our confessions, and young people and others who will benefit from their insights. I deeply appreciate the careful attention to details demonstrated by our editors, including Rev. Doug and Grace Barnes, Laura Darnell, Annette Gysen, Glenda Mathes, Dr. Scott Swanson, and Marcia Vander Pol who each had a part in editing various aspects of the curriculum. The input and leadership of the members of the Committee of Oversight have been very valuable. Members have included Dan Dundon, Mike Meeks, John Rietkerk, Stacy Soerens, Geoff Vanden Heuvel, Larry Vanden Berge, and Wilma Van Dyk. Joan Dundon, our church secretary, has graciously contributed in far too many ways to list. Special thanks goes to Jeff Steenholdt and his staff, as well as Henry Gysen, for the wise counsel they have offered and the professional work they have accorded this project. Above all others I am profoundly indebted to my loving wife, Faye, my constant companion and encourager, best friend, most valuable critic, and insightful editor, without whose help these volumes would not have been completed, and my children who also greatly encouraged me. I am especially grateful to my son, Timothy, who provided the original concept for the logo and contributed to the basic design of the covers. And most of all I thank our gracious God who gave me eternal life, though totally undeserving, this privilege to write and edit Life In Christ, a love for His Word and the confessions, and a deep interest in the history of God s people. Rev. Ronald Scheuers January 2011 author s acknowledgements I am grateful to the council and congregation of the First United Reformed Church of Chino, California for granting me the opportunity to write sections of this book, and to edit and incorporate sections that Rev. John A. Bouwers composed in his book, The Golden Chain of our Salvation: An Introduction to the Canons of Dort. In his preface Rev. Bouwers wrote, Though much has been written for study purposes that deal with what have come to be known as the Five Points of Calvinism, there is not much in the way of study-material available that seeks self-consciously to deal with the actual Canons of Dort themselves. This material attempts to fill that void. Rev. Bouwers has kindly permitted us to use his book, updated in 2000, as the foundation for the study of the Canons of Dort which appears in Lessons 7 through 21. Some of his work also appears in the first lesson. I had the privilege to write the remaining lessons. The Publications Committee of the Reformed Church in the United States graciously allowed us to use their introduction to the Canons of Dort. We thank them for this opening page of the Canons which appears in the back of this volume for easy reference. I am grateful to my wife, Faye, for her diligence in editing this volume, her attention to details, and her encouragement to finish this book. She loves the Word of God, and shares it openly with her friends and with a class where a number of community women attend. She and I both stand in awe of God s sovereign grace to us, and delight in the glorious truth that our salvation is all of Him from beginning to end. We thank Him for His surpassing love and great mercy to us. Rev. Ronald Scheuers January

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6 CONTENTS Lesson 1 The Sovereign Love of God 7 THE PILLARS OF SOVEREIGN LOVE Lesson 2 The Scripture Alone 15 Lesson 3 By Grace Alone 23 Lesson 4 By Christ Alone 29 Lesson 5 Through Faith Alone 37 Lesson 6 For the Glory of God Alone 43 THE BEGINNING OF SOVEREIGN LOVE Lesson 7 The Basics of God s Election 49 Lesson 8 The Basis of God s Election 55 Lesson 9 Reprobation 63 THE SACRIFICE OF SOVEREIGN LOVE Lesson 10 Satisfaction Demanded 69 Lesson 11 Satisfaction Applied 75 Lesson 12 Satisfaction Guaranteed 81 OUR NEED FOR SOVEREIGN LOVE Lesson 13 The Root of Our Problem 89 Lesson 14 Original Sin 97 Lesson 15 Total Inability 103 THE POWER OF SOVEREIGN LOVE Lesson 16 Effectual Calling 109 Lesson 17 A Will Made Willing 115 Lesson 18 Regeneration and Conversion 121 THE PERSEVERANCE OF SOVEREIGN LOVE Lesson 19 Preservation and Perseverance 129 Lesson 20 Perseverance and Assurance 135 Lesson 21 The Persevering Christian Life 141 THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOVEREIGN LOVE Lesson 22 God s Covenant With Us 147 Lesson 23 A World and Life View 155 Lesson 24 Our Testimony to the World 163 Lesson 25 Our Life in the Church 171 Canons of Dort 177 5

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8 LESSON 1 The Sovereign Love of God Pillars of the christian faith When we publicly profess our faith, we are asked, Do you heartily believe the doctrine contained in the Old and the New Testament, and in the articles of the Christian faith, and taught in this Christian church, to be the true and complete doctrine of salvation, and do you promise by the grace of God steadfastly to continue in this profession? To honestly answer Yes to this question, we must have a good grasp of the doctrines or teachings of the Scriptures. What are those basic teachings of our faith? In this volume, we want to explore some of the key doctrines of the Bible so that we will come to appreciate more fully God s work for us as believers. Let s compare the Christian faith to a building that is held up by a number of pillars. If you take a trip to the ocean, perhaps you will see a pier, a restaurant, or even a home that is near or on the water and is supported by pillars. The pillars are sunk down deep into the soil, and therefore they stand firmly. The waves would destroy that building if it were not supported by the pillars. What would happen if you took away any of the pillars? Obviously, the building would be seriously weakened and soon would crumble into ruin. The pillars of the Christian faith are biblical truths securely holding up the entire building of our faith. If we take away any of the pillars, the entire building is weakened and begins to crumble. In these lessons, we want to discover some of the main pillars of the Christian faith. All the pillars of the Christian faith stand on the sovereignty of God. It is easy to remember the meaning of the word sovereign by looking at its parts. It means that God reigns over all things. Our God especially demonstrated His sovereignty when He saved us from His wrath against our sins. He saved us completely, from beginning to end, showing us the greatness of His sovereign love. We shall see that all of the pillars of our faith point to and stand on the sovereign love of God for us. In the first part of our study, we will consider five great pillars that were rediscovered at the time of the Protestant Reformation. They are called the solas of the Reformation because they emphasize the word alone sola in Latin. These five pillars of our faith are Scripture Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, and the Glory of God Alone. In the second and major part of our study, we will consider the so-called Five Points of Calvinism clarified for the church by the Synod of Dort. These five points are: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. In the final section we will study God s covenant, how we are to engage our world, witness to others, and live out our faith in Christ s church. Each of these is an important pillar of the biblical faith. 7

9 keys to better understanding 1. What do we mean when we say God is sovereign? for memory 2 Timothy 1:8 9 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. Heidelberg Catechism 1Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death? A. That I am not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me whole-heartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him. Westminster Larger Catechism 1Q. What is the chief and highest end of man? A. Man s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him for ever. Westminster Shorter Catechism 36Q. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. 8

10 The Confessions Summarize the Christian Faith As you may know, the Belgic Confession (1561), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), and the Canons of Dort ( ) make up what we call the Three Forms of Unity. These are three documents that we, as Reformed Christians, believe and hold as our confessions. Other Reformed Christians believe and hold to other Reformed confessions, such as the Westminster Confession and Catechisms. Together we say that this is what we believe. Together we are convinced and agreed that this is what the Word of God, the Bible, teaches. When a church believes and holds to its confessions, it is a confessional church. We don t hold to these teachings alongside of the Bible, over against the Bible, or instead of the Bible. We believe these confessions because they teach what the Scripture teaches. Even the confessions themselves tell us that it is to the Bible, and to it alone, that we must go to find the truth. Article 7 of the Belgic Confession reminds us, We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. To be a confessional church, then, means that together we will stand for, fight for, live out of, and love these confessional truths because they are plainly and clearly derived from the Bible alone. We can see that the church takes this commitment to the confessions seriously. The office bearers (elders, deacons, and ministers) are required to take an oath by signing what we call the Form of Subscription. This oath is a promise... diligently to teach and faithfully to defend the aforesaid doctrine.... In that oath the Canons of Dort receive special mention when our office bearers are called to promise... not only [to] reject all errors that militate against this doctrine... but also... to refute and contradict these and to exert ourselves in keeping the church free from such errors. Besides office bearers, all of us are called to love these truths. When we profess our faith we declare that we heartily believe these doctrines taught in our church. As we study the doctrines of grace from the pages of Scripture, may these teachings become wonderful to us. By His grace, may we become more and more impressed with the greatness of our sovereign God and the depth of His love. How great is the love of our sovereign God toward His people! keys to better understanding 2. List some of the benefits of having confessions for our church. 9

11 3. Which members of the church are to love the biblical truths of the confessions? Where is that stated? 4. Why is it important for you to have a good understanding of the confessions? The Background of the Pillars All of the Protestant reformers stood together against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church by affirming that our standard for faith and life is the Scripture alone, and not the Bible plus the traditions of the church. They all agreed that we are saved by grace alone, by Christ alone, and through faith alone. Similarly they stressed that in our salvation and life, God alone is to receive all the glory. These five solas were among the pillars of the Reformation and were taught throughout Europe. As a result, the Reformation spread rapidly and became deeply rooted in a number of countries. One of the main leaders of the Protestant Reformation was John Calvin. He is most widely recognized as the reformer who, by God s grace, recovered the Bible s truths that we are totally depraved, saved by God s unconditional election, through Christ s limited atonement, by the Spirit s irresistible grace, and preserved forever as His saints. These truths were eventually called the Five Points of Calvinism. Reformed churches hold to these biblical truths taught by John Calvin. Calvin did not invent these five truths. He simply reclaimed them from the Scriptures just as Augustine had done more than 1000 years before. These teachings are the same as those of the apostle Paul, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They are biblical. That is what we hope to understand and appreciate through this study. After the Reformation in the sixteenth century, Reformed believers in Holland suffered intense persecution by the Roman Catholic Church under the Spanish rulers Charles V and Philip II. Under the leadership of Holland s Prince William of Orange, the Dutch fought hard against their oppressors and won independence. As a result, Calvinism became the official religion of the land. Soon it seemed everyone wanted to be a part of the Reformed churches. People began joining the church for social and political reasons, seriously weakening it from within. 10

12 Satan was attacking the churches as error crept into their teaching. The gospel was distorted as God s sovereignty was denied and man was given too much credit for his own salvation. Some in the church who were doctrinally weak rejected the teaching of Heidelberg Catechism A. 8, that... we are totally unable to do any good and are inclined toward all evil. They also said that the Catechism s teaching that we are justified by faith alone was too extreme. They showed sinful pride which refuses to admit the seriousness of sin. And they considered themselves capable of making their own choice to believe. When Jacob Arminius, a prominent minister of the Reformed Church in Amsterdam, was asked to defend the Catechism s explanation of biblical truth by writing against these new errors, he realized he did not agree with the Catechism. Instead, he became a leader of those who opposed our confessions. Those who opposed the Reformed faith would come to be called the Remonstrants. Though Arminius himself died in 1609 before these issues were fully resolved today we use the term Arminianism to describe this error. Finally, a synod was held in the city of Dordrecht in the Netherlands from the fall of 1618 until May of Delegates of the Reformed churches were sent from all over the Netherlands, as well as from the Palatinate (a part of Germany), Switzerland, England, and Scotland. Except for the Reformed Church of France (the Huguenots), which was prevented by persecution from coming, most of the Reformed churches of Europe were represented. At this synod meeting, the Remonstrants presented their opposition to the Heidelberg Catechism with five main points. Their five erroneous points were rejected by the Synod. These will be discussed in later chapters. The Synod s decisions promoted the true understanding of the sovereign love of God. As a result, today we have in our hands the Canons of Dort, which we will study together in the middle section of this volume. keys to better understanding 5. On which five basic truths did all of the reformers agree? a. b. c. d. e. 11

13 6. Why are the five solas so important? 7. Give a brief summary of the background of the Canons of Dort. 8. How would you summarize the teachings of the Canons of Dort? 9. Circle the letter before the one true statement below. a. Calvinism is only a man-made teaching. b. The Heidelberg Catechism teaches that we are partially depraved. c. The five solas are biblical truths. d. Calvinism teaches that we can lose our salvation. 10. Was the apostle Paul a Calvinist? Explain your answer. 12

14 KEY WORDS AND CONCEPTS John Calvin ( ) This central figure in the Protestant Reformation wrote and taught in Geneva, Switzerland. Calvinism A system of teaching which gets its name from John Calvin. Its basic principle is that God is sovereign over all, and its purpose is the glory of God. Jacob Arminius ( ) Arminius was a minister and professor in Amsterdam who opposed the biblical teachings of Calvinism. Arminianism This system of teaching, held by most evangelical Christians today, emphasizes the responsibility of man for his own salvation in such a way that God is robbed of His glory. Remonstrant This is the historical name for the Arminian party in the Netherlands. A remonstrant is one who protests, just as the Remonstrants were protesting against the biblical and Reformed understanding of the Bible. Canons Canons are a set of rules, principles, or standards for the church. In the case of the Canons of Dort (named after Dordrecht), these teachings define what we believe from the Scripture. 13

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16 The Pillars of Sovereign Love LESSON 2 The Scripture Alone A Very Important Word At the time of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, the reformers used a small word that became very important. This particular word held great meaning for the reformers and the churches which had recovered the truth of God s Word. The word was alone. Although it is a common word, it packs a lot of power. If you say, My friends and I lifted a 200 pound weight together today, or if you declare, I lifted a 200 pound weight alone today, that word alone makes a big difference. If your four friends lifted two hundred pounds with you, each of you would have lifted only forty pounds. But if you can lift two hundred pounds alone, all by yourself, you are very strong. The reformers discovered that the Bible often emphasizes the idea alone ( sola in Latin). Scripture teaches that we are not saved by what Christ does for us, plus what we do for ourselves. It teaches that we are saved by Christ alone. The reformers also understood from the Bible that we are not saved by grace plus our good works, prayers, or good intentions. We are saved by grace alone. In addition, the churches of the Reformation reclaimed the Bible s teaching that we are saved through faith alone, and that this is done for the glory of God alone. In this lesson we will study Scripture alone, the other great sola. Scripture alone, or sola Scriptura, is a very important pillar of the Christian faith. Without it the whole of the Christian faith falls into ruin. Everything else depends on this vitally important teaching. If we do not build on the Word of God alone, we are left to build our faith on what we think or what some great person taught. That s the basis of a man-made religion. The Christian faith, however, is built on what God tells us alone. The Background of this Teaching At the time of the Protestant Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church was teaching and it continues to teach today that there is more than one standard or authority for our faith. The Roman Church taught that the Bible is true, that it is God s Word, and that it has authority for believers. However, it also declared that the Bible alone is not the only authority for the Christian faith. Because the Church had determined that the Bible is not sufficiently clear for the common believer, it taught that we need something more than the Scriptures to govern our faith and life. Since it claimed that the Bible cannot stand alone, the Roman Church said that the traditions and teachings of the church are needed, in addition to the Scripture, as a sure foundation for the Christian faith. Through the years many decisions had been made by the popes and church councils. The Church claimed that these decisions or traditions possessed authority equal to that of the Bible. In fact, the Council of Trent, held 15

17 between 1545 and 1563, openly declared that Scripture and the church s tradition have equal authority. Both must be accepted and honored with equal reverence. Confronting this unbiblical teaching, the reformers declared sola Scriptura Scripture alone. Martin Luther, for example, said that the church s teaching must come from the Bible and not from church tradition or councils, which sometimes make mistakes. He claimed that the Bible alone is our standard. In 1521 Luther was ordered by Emperor Charles V, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, to appear at a meeting called a diet in the German city of Worms. There he was required to give an account of what he believed. He was told to recant, publicly admitting that what he had written was false. Instead, Luther declared that only the Bible could persuade him to change his teachings. My conscience is captive to the Word of God, he courageously told the court. I will not recant anything, nor do I wish to, for to go against conscience is neither honest nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen. All the other reformers stood with him in his declaration that the Bible alone is the final authority for the church. Popes, councils, and the traditions of the church have no authority when they do not agree with the Bible. The Bible is enough. We do not need anything else, in addition to the Bible, as the final standard or authority for the Christian faith. keys to better understanding 1. What does the Church of Rome teach about the value or place of tradition in the church? 2. Do you think this teaching of the Church of Rome about tradition is wrong? Why or why not? 3. How did Martin Luther show his confidence in God s Word at the Diet in Worms? 16

18 What Sola Scriptura Does Not Mean The truth of sola Scriptura as one of the pillars of the Christian faith could be misunderstood by some people. We must clearly understand what the words Bible alone do not mean. 1. Sola Scriptura does not mean that all truth is found only in the Bible. God has revealed Himself to us in two ways. Special revelation is God s written Word, the Bible. God also reveals Himself in His creation; we call this general revelation. From general revelation we learn many fascinating, helpful, and necessary truths about medicine, geography, history, and science, among other things. We do not learn these from the Bible. To be sure, all that the Bible tells us is true, no matter what the subject is, but it does not tell us everything about everything. Special and general revelation never contradict each other because both of them come from God who speaks only the truth. 2. When we use the term, the Bible alone, we do not mean that every verse in the Bible is clear to every believer. There are passages which still perplex even the most knowledgeable theologians after many years of study. The message of God s grace, however, is so clear to all who read it in faith that we do not need the church to explain it before we can believe it. 3. Emphasizing Scripture alone does not mean that the preaching and teaching of God s Word by the church and its ministers are of no help in understanding the Bible. Sola Scriptura does not mean that we don t need good instruction from those appointed by God to explain the Word. This pillar must not be misunderstood to mean that the church is unnecessary. 4. Sola Scriptura does not mean that we may be disobedient to others who have authority over us. We must be obedient to the laws of our land and to our parents, teachers, and elders. God s Word clearly indicates that this is our duty. But the final and ultimate authority remains the Word of God. What Sola Scriptura Does Mean Sola Scriptura means that everything necessary for our salvation, and for living the Christian life, is so clearly taught in the Bible that believers can understand these truths for themselves. The Bible alone is the basis of all that we believe and the standard for living the Christian life. Is there anything besides the Bible that is needed in order for us to know the truth of God for our salvation? Do we need someone to interpret the Bible before we can believe in God and trust His Word? The resounding answer is, No. The Bible alone is sufficient. If anyone suggests that we need the Bible plus something else, that suggestion is a formula for error. Sola Scriptura says the Bible is enough. 17

19 keys to better understanding 4. List four things sola Scriptura does not mean. a. b. c. d. 5. In one sentence tell what sola Scriptura means. 6. If we hold to the Bible s teaching about sola Scriptura, is the preaching and teaching of God s Word necessary? Why or why not? Why Do We Confess Sola Scriptura? In the Old Testament, God Himself teaches that Scripture alone is sufficient as the final authority for our faith. In Deuteronomy 31:9,... Moses wrote down this law... that he had been teaching the people. Verse 12 commands that these words are to be read to the people...so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. Then Deuteronomy 32:45 47 say, When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you they are your life. In other words, the Scripture was sufficient for their life, their salvation. They didn t need something else before they could know the truth. The words written down were enough. 18

20 In the New Testament, Paul gives the following command to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14 17: But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Because the Bible is indeed the very Word of God, breathed out by Him, it is completely true. It is entirely without error. We cannot say this about any other book. We cannot say this about the decisions of the pope or councils of a church. They are only human and full of sin, while the Bible is divine and never fails. So the Bible alone is our final authority. Why is it so crucial that we uphold this pillar of the Christian faith? It is because God s Word is the truth, and only the truth will survive as the standard for our faith and life. Jesus confessed to God the Father in John 17:17, Your word is truth. God s Word is the truth because it alone is inspired by God. Man s word is filled with error because he is sinful. God knows all things, but our knowledge is limited. God s Word is fully sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16 17), but our word is inadequate. The Word of the Lord stands forever (1 Peter 1:25), but man s word will pass away. We firmly hold to the pillar of sola Scriptura because the Bible alone is the very Word of God. Man is not the standard for truth. God is! This pillar teaches that the Bible alone is our final authority because the sovereign God is its author. If we believe the Bible isn t enough, and we honor man s word as much as God s Word, we end up with a mixture of truth and falsehood. God will judge us not on the basis of man s word, but on the basis of His Word, His standard. That s why He declared in Revelation 22:18 19: I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 19

21 FOR MEMORY 2 Timothy 3: From infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Belgic Confession, Article 7 We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. [We may not] consider any writings of men, however holy these men may have been, of equal value with those divine Scriptures.... Therefore we reject with all our hearts whatsoever does not agree with this infallible rule.... Westminster Confession I, 10 The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture. keys to better understanding 7. List five ways in which the Bible is different from man s word. a. b. c. d. e. 8. Why is sola Scriptura important to you? 20

22 KEY WORDS AND CONCEPTS The Protestant Reformation The Reformation is the period of church history ( ) in which God brought about major reform in the church and returned it to the biblical faith. Sola Scriptura The Scriptures alone are our final standard for truth, faith, and life, not the Bible plus the church s traditions. Special Revelation Special revelation is God s written Word, the Bible. General Revelation General revelation is God s creation which tells us about His wisdom and power but does not tell us about how we can be right with God through Jesus Christ. 21

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24 LESSON 3 By Grace Alone Our Need for Sovereign Grace The Bible begins on a glorious note: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. After having created this vast and intricate universe in all of its detail and beauty, God saw all that He had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Included in God s perfect world was the crown of His creation: man. And the first man, Adam, was made without any sin. But God s Word soon tells us about the most tragic moment in all of human history. Adam and Eve disobeyed their Maker and Ruler. They violated His command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16 17; 3:6). The beautiful, living, and perfect relationship that Adam and Eve had with God was broken. Not only did their hearts become evil (Jeremiah 17:9), but also they were guilty before God (Romans 5:12). And Adam was our covenant head, or representative. His actions would be imputed (or counted toward ) all men who came later. So Romans 3:10 12 say that all of us are sinful:... There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Perhaps someone might dare to say, So what! If we are all sinful, if we all make mistakes, aren t we in good company? What s the big problem? But the big problem is that we sinners must face the Holy God of Heaven! Isaiah 6:3 declares that God is Holy, holy, holy. He is holy to the highest degree. God cannot tolerate sin in any form. Because He is holy and just, He must punish sin. We need deliverance from His wrath against our sins, or else we will spend eternity suffering in hell for our sins. We need God s sovereign grace! keys to better understanding 1. Why do we need God s grace? 2. Read Psalm 51. According to verse 4, against whom has David sinned? 23

25 Why is this part of his confession so important? When you pray do you confess your sins to God? Can you be a Christian without doing so? Why or why not? 3. According to Psalm 51:5, when did David begin to be a sinful person? 4. What is David asking God to do in Psalm 51:9? god is not required to save anyone In this lesson, we come to the second great pillar of the Christian faith. We want to understand the meaning and importance of being saved by grace alone, or sola gratia. Grace is the undeserved favor of our holy God, given freely to us who are sinful. We can only see how marvelously gracious God really is when we realize that He doesn t have to give His grace to anyone. God is not required to save us. No one could charge God with injustice even if He had decided not to save anyone. He has the perfect right to send everyone to hell. If God is required to save us, then our salvation is not of grace. The truth is that all of us fully deserve God s wrath. None of us deserve His grace. It absolutely amazes us, then, that God saves anyone. Grace is grace! No wonder the apostle John could write, How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are (1 John 3:1)! 24

26 FOR MEMORY Ephesians 1:5 7 In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.... Heidelberg Catechism 62Q. Why can t the good we do make us right with God, or at least help make us right with him? A. Because the righteousness which can pass God s scrutiny must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law. Even the very best we do in this life is imperfect and stained with sin. Westminster Confession of Faith, XVI, 5 We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God... as they are wrought by us, they are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God s judgment. God s Grace is Given Freely Ephesians 1:6 speaks about the grace of God,... which he has freely given us in the One he loves. And when God gives freely, He also gives generously. The words of Titus 3:5 7 are very precious to us: He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. When something is given freely, it is not earned. If you have a job at a fast food place, a store, or a shop, the money you receive for your work is earned. You put in the time, effort, and hard work. In turn, your boss pays you a wage. You earn that wage. It is a fair exchange. He gives you money for your hard work. But grace is different. Remember that grace is completely undeserved mercy. Grace cannot be earned, or else it wouldn t be grace. Grace is given freely. It is never deserved or earned. That s why Titus 3:4 5 are so important to remember: But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. God says since we are saved... by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace (Romans 11:6). But despite the clear teaching of the Bible, many throughout history have wanted to contribute something toward their salvation. Our sinful nature desires to contribute 25

27 something along with God s grace. We have convinced ourselves that there must be some way for us to contribute toward our salvation. Maybe we need God s help. Maybe we need Him to show us the way back to Him. But, in our sinful pride we are convinced that God helps those who help themselves. The Bible s teaching that we are saved by grace alone was recovered during the time of the Protestant Reformation. The Roman Catholic Church of that time did teach that we must be saved by grace. But it denied that we are saved by grace alone. It denied that God acts alone to save the sinner. It taught that we must do our part by cooperating with grace. And if we do not do our part, then God cannot save us. Therefore, grace alone does not save us; God needs our cooperation. And yet the Bible teaches that we are spiritually dead and unable to even cooperate with God s grace. Ephesians 2:1 humbles us by reminding us that by nature we are dead in transgressions and sins. A dead person cannot help himself or anyone else. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that... all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.... To this very day people still deny this biblical truth that we are saved by grace alone. Some people tell us that God cannot save us unless we first accept this gift of grace. They say that we are the deciding factor. God is dependent on our accepting His grace. So, they say, it s not grace alone, but grace plus our acceptance that saves us. This contradicts the Scripture which says, It does not, therefore, depend on man s desire or effort, but on God s mercy (Romans 9:16). A spiritually dead person cannot accept God s grace. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8 9). If God s grace is in any way dependent on us, then it is no longer grace. However, the Bible teaches that God s grace alone saves us. It stands alone. Grace needs nothing from us in order to make us into God s children. Sola gratia. keys to better understanding 5. What is grace? 6. Tell why receiving something by grace is the opposite of earning something. 7. Why do people want to contribute something along with grace? 26

28 8. Explain: If God s grace is in any way dependent on us, then it is no longer grace. God s Grace is Sovereign In our previous lessons we have learned how important God s sovereignty is for us. Remember that God s sovereignty means that He rules over all things. He reigns over the whole world and all that is in it. This also means that He is totally in control of the grace that He gives. When we think about God s sovereignty and His grace, we should recall two important biblical truths. First, because God is sovereign, His grace actually saves people. It is not a weak and ineffective grace. God s grace is an effective grace. When God decides to give His grace to someone, that person is actually saved, washed, cleansed, and given eternal life. Christ s grace is so strong that it alone is enough to save us. Nothing needs to be added to His grace in order for the Lord to redeem us. His grace, and His grace alone, actually saves us. This is why the apostle Paul could so strongly affirm, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Ephesians 1:7 8). Second, because God s grace is sovereign grace, God gives His grace only to those whom He chooses. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13). He conveyed the same message to Timothy when he spoke of God... who has saved us and called us to a holy life not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time... (2 Timothy 1:9). Think about Ephesians 1:3 6, which say, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Thank God that He saves us by grace alone! Thank Him that we need not contribute anything to be saved. Thank Him that we are saved at the start, in the middle, and at the end all by the grace of God! Give Him the praise He deserves for this great gift. 27

29 keys to better understanding 9. Why does the Roman Catholic Church reject the Bible s teaching that we are saved by grace alone? 10. Two important biblical truths about God s grace become clear to us when we think of God s sovereignty. What are they? Explain both of them. KEY WORDS AND CONCEPTS Grace God s grace is His undeserved favor to us sinners. Sola Gratia We are saved by grace alone which God gives us freely. Cooperation with Grace This teaching of the Roman Catholic Church tells us that unless we cooperate with God, He cannot save us. Effective Grace Because God s grace is effective, it actually saves us. 28

30 LESSON 4 By Christ Alone the third pillar How do you feel when someone lies to you? You feel betrayed, don t you? We want people to be honest with us. If this is true in daily life, then you and I should be very grateful that God never lies to us. Even when He tells us about ourselves, He doesn t misrepresent the facts. In the Bible He shows us exactly who we are, and what we really look like to Him. Sometimes we can put a good show on the outside to other people. But God knows what we actually are on the inside and outside. And He is frank and honest with us. He tells us that by nature we are sinful. We are offensive to Him because we have broken all of His commandments and have not loved Him with all our heart and mind and soul and strength (Matthew 22:37 40). We deserve to suffer His holy wrath for eternity. We may not like to hear God s evaluation of ourselves but it is the truth. God never lies. In our last lesson, we learned that by nature we are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). We are not spiritually healthy! Nor are we simply spiritually sick, or even very ill. A person who is ill may be able to get better with the help of doctors and medical treatments. A person who is dead, however, has no hope of ever getting better. Because we are spiritually dead, we can do absolutely nothing to make ourselves spiritually well again. No doctor, friend, minister, or scientist can make us spiritually alive. The wonderful news, however, is that there is hope for us! The Bible gives us the gospel, the good news, that there is eternal life for spiritually dead people. This new life does not come from within us. It comes from outside of ourselves. This is the good news that the reformers discovered from the Bible at the time of the Protestant Reformation: that we are made spiritually alive by Christ alone, or solus Christus. We are saved forever by the glorious and perfect work of Christ, God s own Son. This marvelous teaching stands as a crucial pillar of the Christian faith. Without it we have no hope. Without it the Christian faith crumbles into ruin. Without Him we have no life. keys to better understanding 1. Why do we deserve to suffer eternally in hell? 29

31 2. True or False. How would you change the false statements to make them true? a. We are spiritually dead and can do nothing to help ourselves. b. We need God s help to save us because we are spiritually sick. c. We do not need a savior because we are spiritually healthy. d. By nature we hate both God and our neighbor. what christ did What did Christ do to save us from spiritual death? Why can He alone give us spiritual life? Christ completed four important tasks for us that are absolutely necessary for our salvation. Without completing these tasks, He could not save us. No one can save us, or even help save us, without accomplishing all of them. In order to make us spiritually alive, God required the Savior to obey Him perfectly in our place, die in our place, rise again for us, and restore us to His fellowship. Only Christ could perfectly fulfill these requirements. That is exactly what He did. That s why we cry with the reformers, Solus Christus. The first task that Christ performed in our place was to obey God perfectly. Adam disobeyed his Maker and brought down God s wrath against our sin. The guilt of Adam s sin is imputed to us. This means that we have a sinful record in heaven, because Adam s sin was placed on our record. Someone had to change that sinful account in heaven in order to save us. Someone had to obey God perfectly in our place in order to make us spiritually alive. The Bible tells us that Jesus perfectly obeyed His Father in our place. He did what we could never do. And His righteousness is now imputed to us. His perfection is placed on our account. As Christians we now have a perfect record. That s why we are so happy for these words in Romans 5:18 19 (ESV), Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 8:3 says, For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. In this way... the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us... (Romans 8:4). Only Christ perfectly obeyed God in our place. Solus Christus! Second, Christ died in our place. God did not only require someone to perfectly obey His law in our place. Someone also had to pay the penalty for our sin. Because God is holy and just, He must punish sin. He would deny His own character if He permitted sin to go unpunished. Either we must suffer eternally in hell for our sin, or someone must take our punishment. Thank God that the gospel tells us that Christ has taken the full punishment for all who believe in Him! No one else paid the full penalty for our sins. Christ alone satisfied the justice of God. He alone carried all of our sins away. Galatians 3:13 tells us that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.... We are saved from the wrath of 30

32 God as a result of Christ s death in our place. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). In other words, we now have a new standing before God. Jesus righteousness has been placed on our record in heaven. Adam s sin was laid on us, our sin was placed on Christ, and His perfect righteousness is now imputed to us. We call this double imputation. We rejoice in God s Word in 1 Peter 2:24: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. Romans 3:24 25 (ESV) remind us that we... are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. Propitiation means that Christ s death fully satisfied the wrath of God against our sins. No one else could die in our place to save us from God s wrath. Christ alone did this for us. Solus Christus! Christ also rose from the dead in our place. If Christ had stayed in the grave He could not have saved us. He would be dead like all other so-called prophets and religious leaders. But our Savior did not stay dead. To show that He had conquered death, Satan, and sin, He rose on the third day. His resurrection means that He earned eternal life for us. Because He lives forever we can rejoice in the words of Romans 4:25, He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. No one else could rise from the dead in our place to give us new spiritual life. Christ alone accomplished this for us. Solus Christus! Our Lord also restored fellowship with God for us. We are clearly reminded in 1 Corinthians 1:30 that, It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Christ s work for us was effective. It did what God wanted it to do. Christ s work saves us totally. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13 14). No one else can or does restore us to God s fellowship and bring us into His kingdom. This Christ alone has done for us. Praise God! Solus Christus! keys to better understanding 3. Why was it necessary for Christ to obey God perfectly in our place? 4. Explain double imputation. 31