SALVATION Man is presented in three states in the Scripture. Man is presented in a state of innocency but capable of falling.

Transcription

1 SALVATION Man is presented in three states in the Scripture. 1. Man is presented in a state of innocency but capable of falling. 2. Man is presented in a state of sin and incapable of recovering himself. 3. Man is presented in a state of grace and incapable of falling. Man is presented in a state of innocency but capable of falling. 1. Man was originally created in the image of God (GEN 1:26-27). 2. He was created very good and upright (GEN 1:31; ECC 7:29). 3. Man was placed under a law, which he could transgress (GEN 2:15-17). 4. Man's state was conditioned upon his choice. 5. Adam stood as the representative of the entire human race, which descends from him by natural generation so that his actions became binding upon them all (ROM 5:12; 1CO 15:21-22; HEB 7:9-10). Man is presented in a state of sin and incapable of recovering himself. 1. Man died in the day that he partook of the forbidden fruit (GEN 2:17). a. The death man died in that day is described in EPH 2:1-3. b. Physical death and the second death also result from Adam's transgression (ROM 6:23; GEN 3:17-19; REV 21:8). 2. By means of Adam's transgression, all men are under sin, condemnation, and death (ROM 5:12-19). a. When Adam sinned, all mankind became TOGETHER unprofitable (ROM 3:12). b. Men now bear the image of fallen Adam (GEN 5:1-3). c. All men are sinners from their conception (PSA 51:5), from their birth (PSA 58:3), and from their youth (GEN 8:21). 3. ROM 3:9-19, 23 describe fallen man. a. Paul proved the Gentiles to be under sin in ROM 1:18-32 where he describes the state of men who have only the knowledge of God gained from the creation. b. Paul proved the Jews to be under sin in ROM 2:1, where he shows the Jew, who had the law, to be in the same condition as the those described in ROM 1: c. There is NONE righteous, NONE that doeth good. d. Fallen men neither understand nor seek God. 4. In the last days the state of man will not improve (2TI 3:1-5).

2 5. Man is obnoxious to God in this condition. a. His religion, his way, and his thoughts are an abomination to the Lord (PRO 15:8-9, 26). b. All of his righteousnesses are as filthy rags (ISA 64:6). c. Man's best amounts to nothing (PSA 39:5). d. God hates all workers of iniquity (PSA 5:4-5). 6. Therefore, it follows that fallen man cannot recover himself from his fallen condition. a. Can - To be able; to have power, ability or capacity. b. Fallen man is unclean and not one can bring a clean thing out of an unclean (JOB 14:4). c. Fallen man, who is accustomed to doing evil, cannot do good (JER 13:23). d. Man's heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (JER 17:9). i. The heart is the apparatus of thought, intent (HEB 4:12), purpose (2CO 9:7), will (EXO 35:29), and emotion (LEV 26:16; DEU 28:47). ii. Therefore, man's thoughts, decisions, will, and emotions cannot be trusted. iii. No sinner can be saved by an act of decision or will. e. An evil man cannot speak good (MAT 12:33-35). His prayers and confessions are no good. f. A sinner hates the light and loves his sin. Therefore, he will not come to the light (JOH 3:19-20). g. A sinner of himself cannot come to Christ (JOH 6:44). h. A sinner cannot hear God's word so as to understand it (JOH 8:43). i. Fallen man is free FROM righteousness (ROM 6:20). If a sinner could choose righteousness of his own will, then he would be free TO righteousness. j. Fallen man is at enmity with God (ROM 8:6-8). i. He cannot be subject to God's law. ii. Using the law of God to appeal to a carnal man only stirs up his enmity. iii. He cannot please God. k. The natural man cannot know the things of the Spirit (1CO 2:14). i. The things in context are the things the Spirit has revealed in the Scripture. ii. These things are spiritually discerned and the natural man lacks spiritual capacity. iii. Therefore, he cannot be recovered with appeals from the Scripture. l. The sinner is described as being without strength and dead (ROM 5:6; EPH 2:1). Salvation Page 2 of 19

3 m. Men called for the death of Jesus Christ when He was offered to their will (MAR 15:11-13; LUK 23:25). n. The nature of fallen man will not change under the best of circumstances (ISA 26:10) or under the most severe judgments (GEN 8:21; REV 16:8-9). 8. If Adam, a perfect man, did not comply with a condition for life, then what sinner is going to do so? 9. Salvation from sin is impossible with man (MAR 10:26-27; PSA 49:7-8). Man is presented in a state of grace and incapable of falling. 1. There are three ways recovery. a. God purposes to save all mankind with the fulfillment of that purpose being conditioned upon man's response. This cannot be the way because of fallen man's depravity and inability. b. God purposes to save all mankind unconditionally. This cannot be the way because Scripture does not teach that all men will be finally saved (REV 20:15). c. God purposes to save some of mankind unconditionally. This is the way that is taught in Holy Scripture! 2. God does not wait for sinners to improve their condition before He saves them. a. Christ died for us WHILE we were YET sinners and by that death reconciled us to God (ROM 5:8, 10). b. God quickens us WHEN we are dead in sins (EPH 2:1-5). 3. The Scriptures emphatically teach that salvation is by grace (EPH 2:5). a. Grace - Favour; favourable or benignant regard or its manifestation (now only on the part of a superior); favour or goodwill, in contradistinction to right or obligation, as the ground of a concession (GEN 39:4, 21-22; RUT 2:8-10). b. According to the definition of grace, salvation is a matter of God granting man a favour. c. Salvation is NOT a matter of God discharging a debt to man because of man's personal merit or work. d. Grace and works are mutually exclusive (ROM 11:5-6). i. Work - Something that is or was done; what a person does or did. ii. The following passages affirm that salvation is not by works. 1. TIT 3:5: "not by works." a. Works are contrasted with mercy. b. Mercy - Forbearance and compassion shown by one person to another who is in his power and who has no claim to Salvation Page 3 of 19

4 receive kindness; kind and compassionate treatment in a case where severity is merited or expected. 2. 2TI 1:9: "not according to works." a. Works are contrasted with God's own purpose. b. Works are contrasted with grace. 3. ROM 3:20: "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight." 4. ROM 4:4-8: "without works." a. If salvation is by works, then it is a matter of God discharging a debt rather than bestowing grace. b. God imputes righteousness WITHOUT works. 5. ROM 9:10-16: "not of works." a. Works are identified in v. 11 as doing good or evil. b. God's purpose is contrasted with works. c. Human will is also excluded in v GAL 2:16: "a man is not justified by the works of the law." iii. The doctrine of works for salvation frustrates the grace of God (GAL 2:21). e. Salvation by grace is a FREE gift (ROM 5:15-18). i. Free - Of a gift: Given out of liberality or generosity (not in return or requital for something else). ii. We are justified FREELY by God's grace (ROM 3:24). 1. Freely - Of one's own accord, spontaneously; without constraint or reluctance; unreservedly, without stipulation; readily, willingly. 2. Since God is doing the justifying, justification is based on God's own accord, God's freewill. 3. There is no stipulation that we must meet in order to be justified. f. Salvation by grace is a free GIFT (ROM 5:15-18). i. Eternal life is GIVEN, not earned (JOH 10:27-28; 17:1-2). ii. It stands in contrast to a wage, which is earned (ROM 6:23). g. Salvation MUST be by grace because sinners have no good works and can do no good works to earn it. h. What is the means of grace? Salvation Page 4 of 19

5 i. mean - That which is in the middle; an intermediary agent or instrument; one who acts as mediator; an instrument, agency, method, or course of action, by the employment of which some object is or may be attained, or which is concerned in bringing about some result. ii. By what agency or instrument does God communicate His saving grace to sinners thus giving them eternal life? iii. As seen above, our works stand in contrast to grace and thus are not the means whereby we attain grace. iv. Neither is our faith the means whereby we attain this grace. 1. Our faith is a work (JOH 6:28-29). 2. 1JO 3:22-23 teaches that faith is DOING a commandment, that is, it is a work! v. Good works, including faith, are the effect of saving grace (1CO 15:10-11; EPH 2:10; 1JO 2:29; 5:1; ACT 18:27). vi. Jesus Christ is the means of grace (1TI 2:5; JOH 1:14-17). 4. The salvation of sinners is founded in God's election. a. Consider the definitions pertinent to this subject. i. Election - The action of electing. ii. Elect - To pick out, choose (usually for a particular purpose or function). iii. Choose - To take by preference out of all that are available; to select; to take as that which one prefers, or in accordance with one's free will and preference. iv. See MAR 13:20; ISA 42:1 with MAT 12:18. b. God intends that election be understood (EPH 3:3-4 with 1:4-10). c. The following blessings accrue to God's elect: i. salvation (2TH 2:13). ii. justification and holiness (ROM 8:33; EPH 1:4). iii. the application of Christ's obedience and blood (1PE 1:2). iv. forgiveness (COL 3:12-13). v. that which Israel seeks (ROM 11:7). vi. special rank and privilege (1PE 2:9-10; DEU 14:2). vii. being with the Lamb (REV 17:14). viii. the gospel (2TI 2:10). ix. faith and the knowledge of God (ISA 43:10; 2TH 2:13; TIT 1:1). Salvation Page 5 of 19

6 x. answered prayer (LUK 18:7). xi. the church (1PE 5:13). d. Consider the teaching of EPH 1:3-5 regarding election. i. ALL spiritual blessings are in Christ. 1. These blessings include faith and eternal life. 2. One must be in Christ to get these blessings. ii. "HE hath chosen" - God does the choosing (1TH 1:4). iii. "hath chosen US" - God chooses persons (PSA 65:4; ROM 16:13). 1. Election is not merely God's choice of the nation of Israel. The Ephesians were Gentiles. 2. Election extends to more than Christ's choice of the apostles (2JO 1:1). iv. "in him" - The elect are reckoned in Christ. 1. God chooses us out of the world (JOH 15:19). 2. God hates sin (HEB 1:8-9). 3. God's love is in Christ Who takes away sin (ROM 8:39). 4. Outside of Christ, God hates sinners (PSA 5:4-5; 11:5-7). v. "before the foundation of the world" - This is when God chose His people. vi. "that we should be holy and without blame" 1. Persons are elected that they should be holy, not because they were holy. 2. God saw His people in a state of unholiness and chose to save them from it. 3. To save them from unholiness, God elected His people UNTO the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ (1PE 1:2). 4. Therefore, election is not based on foreseen merit in those elected. vii. "before him" - The elect will be presented to God holy and blameless (EPH 5:25-27; COL 1:21-22). viii. "in love" - All traces of ungodly, defiling hate shall be removed from the persons of the elect. ix. Those whom God has chosen He has also predestinated (destined beforehand) to be adopted as His children. 1. Adoption - The action of voluntarily taking into any relationship: esp. of taking into sonship. Salvation Page 6 of 19

7 2. "Adopt" is derived from the Latin word "adoptare" which means to choose for oneself, esp. a child. x. God's will, not the sinner's freewill, is the basis of God's election and predestination. 5. Election is according to God's foreknowledge (1PE 1:2). a. God's election is according to or in a manner agreeing with His foreknowledge. i. This verse does NOT state what the foreknowledge is of. ii. ROM 9:10-18 and ROM 11:5-6 plainly teach that God's election was NOT based on God foreseeing something meritorious in the sinner. 1. Were this the case, then none would be elected. 2. PSA 53:2-3 plainly shows what God foresaw in sinners. b. In election God's foreknowledge refers to His knowledge of His people (ROM 8:29; 11:2). i. God foreknows all men and events in the sense of cognition (JOB 36:4; PSA 147:5). ii. God foreknows His people in the sense of acceptance of them and special favour towards them (AMO 3:2; 2TI 2:19; ROM 8:28-29). iii. This sense is used regarding the knowledge of men (GEN 4:1). iv. God's does not know some men and events in this sense (MAT 7:23; HOS 8:4). v. God showed special favour to His elect before the world began; hence, He foreknew them. 6. The evidence of election is faith and following the Lord (1TH 1:4-6; ACT 13:48; TIT 1:1; 2PE 1:5-10). 7. The following are objections raised against election. a. EPH 1:4 says we are chosen in Christ, not into Christ. We get into Christ by our freewill and are thus chosen in Him. i. However, it is of God that men are in Christ (1CO 1:30). ii. Being in Adam, he represented us (1CO 15:21-23). iii. Being in Christ, He represents us. iv. Christ represents those God gave to Him (JOH 6:38-39; 10:28-29; 17:2). v. Since Christ is God's elect, those who are given to Him are chosen in Him (ISA 42:1; 1PE 2:6). b. Election makes God a respecter of persons (ACT 10:34). Salvation Page 7 of 19

8 i. God's election is based upon His free will without respect to anything in the one chosen. ii. Were election based upon works, nationality, pedigree, or position, God would be a respecter of persons. c. God would be unjust not to make salvation available to all alike. i. This implies that God is indebted to man, which He is not. ii. ROM 9:20-23 answers this objection by putting man in his place. iii. Man was given his chance to live by his works in Eden. God is not unjust to deny him a second chance. iv. Is God unjust because He provides no redemption for fallen angels? v. Man deserves damnation, not salvation (ROM 6:23). d. Election is too restrictive. i. Election is rather extensive. ii. God has elected an innumerable host (REV 7:9). iii. Election embraces some from all ranks, both sexes, all ages, all nations, and all generations. e. Election discourages obedience. But only by obedience does one know that he is elected of God (1TH 1:4-6; 2PE 1:10). f. Election would cut out any who wanted to be saved but were not elected. However, those who truly want to be saved are God's elect (MAT 5:4, 6). g. JOH 3:16 teaches that God loves all mankind. i. The world of JOH 3:16 must be reconciled with ROM 9:13 and PSA 5:5. ii. The word "world" is used to refer to different groups of men, which do not include all men without exception. 1. In LUK 2:1 it refers to the Roman Empire. 2. In JOH 15:19 it refers to those who hate the apostles. It does NOT include those chosen out of it. 3. In JOH 17:9 it refers to those for whom Christ refused to pray. a. There are two distinct groups in this verse: the world and those given to Christ. b. Would Christ refuse to pray for a world God loved and sent Him to save? 4. In ROM 11:12, 15 it refers to the Gentiles as opposed to the Jews. iii. The world God so loved is the world Christ came to give eternal life to (JOH 6:33). Salvation Page 8 of 19

9 1. Christ gives eternal life to as many as God has given Him (JOH 17:2). 2. Hence, the world of JOH 3:16 is the world of those given to Christ to save. h. The "whosoever" of JOH 3:16 and REV 22:17 disproves election. i. Only the elect believe (ACT 13:48). ii. Only the elect are willing to come (PSA 110:3; PHI 2:13). i. 1TI 2:4-6 teaches that God wills to save all men. i. All refers to the whole of a given amount. 1. Paul was made all things to all men, but was he made a drunk to the drunkards (1CO 9:22)? 2. God is manifestly EXCEPTED from all things that are put under the feet of Christ (1CO 15:27). 3. All flesh and every man died in the flood, yet this did not include the flesh in the ark (GEN 7:21). ii. The context of 1TI 2:4-6 suggests that "all men" are those for whom Christ is the mediator who are the called (HEB 9:15) who are the predestinated (ROM 8:30). iii. God wills that Christ save ALL that He has given Him (JOH 6:38-39). 8. It is the gainsaying of Core to object to God's right to choose Whom He will (JUD 1:11; NUM 16). 9. The Lord Jesus Christ justifies God's elect from their sins (ACT 13:39). a. Justify - To absolve, acquit, exculpate; specifically in Theology, to declare free from the penalty of sin on the ground of Christ's righteousness. b. Justification is distinguished from condemnation (DEU 25:1; PRO 17:15). c. The holy God hates sin and sinners (HAB 1:13; PSA 5:4-5). d. In faithfulness to His holiness, God punishes sin (EXO 34:7; PSA 11:5-7). e. ROM 3:19-28 sets forth the justification of God's elect. i. God's elect are justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 1. Redemption was only provided for the elect (MAT 1:21; EPH 1:4-7; JOH 10:11, 26; ROM 8:32-33; TIT 2:14 with DEU 14:2; REV 5:9). 2. Christ represented the elect before the law, which demanded their death. Salvation Page 9 of 19

10 3. Christ bore the sins of the elect and the punishment for those sins as demanded by the law (2CO 5:21; ISA 53:5-6; GAL 3:13). 4. The elect are reckoned as having already been judged by the law in the body of Christ (GAL 2:19-20; ROM 7:4). 5. They are thus acquitted from the guilt and penalty of their sins. 6. Christ accomplished redemption in His death (ROM 5:9-10; COL 1:20-22; HEB 1:3; 9:12). ii. The elect are justified by the faith of Christ (GAL 2:16). 1. Christ by His faith produced the righteousness of God, which is imputed to the elect (2CO 5:21). 2. God had faith in the blood of Christ to appease His wrath. 3. Faith - Belief, trust, confidence. 4. Faithful - Full of or characterized by faith. 5. God has faith (ROM 3:3; 2TH 3:3; 2TI 2:13). 6. Jesus Christ possesses and exercises faith (MAT 27:43; HEB 2:13; REV 1:5). 7. Sinners are not justified from sin and condemnation by their faith in the gospel. a. When a sinner believes, he is already justified and the righteousness of God IS upon him already (ACT 13:39; ROM 3:22). b. Cornelius was righteous BEFORE he believed the gospel (ACT 15:7; 10:15, 35). c. Believing on Jesus Christ is obedience to a commandment of the gospel (ROM 10:16; 1JO 3:23). i. Sinners are made righteous by the obedience of ONE, Jesus Christ (ROM 5:19). ii. Therefore, the sinner's obedience can have no part in his being made righteous. d. Like Abraham's faith, our faith is counted for righteousness (ROM 4:3; 22-25). i. ROM 4:3 is a quotation of GEN 15:6. ii. GEN 15:6 was spoken AFTER Abraham departed from Ur of the Chaldees by faith (HEB 11:8). iii. Since it is the just who live by faith (HEB 10:38), Abraham was already just before GEN 15:6. Salvation Page 10 of 19

11 iv. Abraham's faith in GEN 15:6 simply evidenced that he was already justified. v. Therefore, one's faith is the evidence of his righteousness, not the means of becoming righteous. vi. Our faith justifies us only in the sense that it proves that we are already righteous and to do that it must be accompanied by works (JAM 2:24). 10. During their lifetime on this earth, the elect are inwardly changed by an irresistible operation of God. a. God promises to change the inward parts of His elect (JER 31:33; EZE 36:26). i. The inward parts are the soul (JOB 14:22; PSA 42:4) and the spirit (ZEC 12:1; 1CO 2:11). ii. The inward man is thereby remade holy in the image of God (ROM 7:22; EPH 4:24; COL 3:10). b. God produces this change by irresistibly calling His elect from spiritual death unto eternal life by the voice of His Son (1PE 5:10; JOH 5:25; 10:27-28; ROM 8:30). c. This inward change is referred to as being born again (1PE 1:23); being begotten again (1PE 1:3); being regenerated and renewed (TIT 3:5); and being quickened (EPH 2:1-5). d. It is God's will, not the works or will of man, which effects this change (JOH 1:13; 3:8; 5:21; 2TI 1:9). i. Man is passive in receiving this operation of God. ii. God draws His elect to Christ (JOH 6:37, 44). 1. Draw - To cause (anything) to move toward oneself by the application of force; to pull. 2. Compare JOH 18:10; 21:11. iii. God's elect are given eternal life as Lazarus was given life (JOH 12:17 with 11:43-44). 11. At His second coming Jesus Christ will irresistibly raise and change the bodies of His elect fashioning them in His image (JOH 5:28-29; PHI 3:20-21; 1CO 15:51-54; ROM 8:29-30). 12. Man in a state of grace is incapable of falling from that state. a. Scripture declares that God preserves His elect (PSA 37:28; 1TH 5:23-24; JUD 1:1). i. This preservation is in Christ and God does it. Salvation Page 11 of 19

12 ii. Preserve - To keep safe from harm or injury; to keep in safety, save, take care of, guard. b. If Jesus loses so much as a single one He was given to save, He will not have done the will of God (JOH 6:37-39). c. Christ's sheep shall never perish (JOH 10:27-30). d. ROM 8:30-39 clearly teaches the preservation of the elect. i. The process of ROM 8:30 does not allow for the addition or loss of a single soul. ii. God's justification leaves no charge to be laid against His elect. iii. NOTHING can separate one of God's elect from His love. e. The following are objections raised against the preservation of the elect. i. This teaching promotes licentiousness. 1. God's children can backslide (1CO 10:1-11). 2. God's children will be chastened, but not eternally condemned (HEB 12:6-8; 1CO 11:29-32; PSA 89:30-34). 3. They who use grace as a license to sin do but show their damnation (ROM 3:8; JUD 1:4). ii. COL 1:21-23 conditions our salvation upon our continuing in the faith. However, the verb tenses show the text to be descriptive, not conditional. iii. Judas Iscariot is an example of a man who lost his salvation (JOH 17:12 with 6:37-39; ACT 1:25). However, Judas was never saved and he fell from his apostleship. iv. GAL 5:4 speaks of those who are fallen from grace. 1. Those who fall from grace are those who depend upon their works to keep them saved. 2. Those who use this verse to say that men can fall from grace are themselves fallen from grace! 3. GAL 1:6 explains GAL 5:4. They had fallen from the teaching of grace. v. REV 3:5 teaches that we can be blotted out of the book of life. But REV 3:5 says: "I will NOT blot." f. EXO 32:31-33 proves that one can be blotted out of the book of life. However, it does not say "book of life." Compare DEU 9:14. g. HEB 6:4-6 teaches that one can lose eternal life. i. However, this passage would equally prove that, if lost, eternal life cannot be regained. Salvation Page 12 of 19

13 ii. It rather teaches that eternal salvation cannot be lost in that such a loss would incur a fresh crucifixion of God's Son. iii. God's Son will never be crucified afresh (ROM 6:9; HEB 7:27; 9:12, 25-28; 10:11-14, 18). 13. God's scheme of salvation is to the praise of the glory of His grace and not man's will or works (EPH 1:6)! If eternal salvation is all of God, then what is the purpose for the gospel? 1. Only a born again man can hear and believe the gospel. a. In order to believe, one must hear. In order to hear, there must be a preacher (ROM 10:14). b. If faith is either the condition or the means of the new birth, then preachers are necessary for men to be regenerated. c. An unregenerate man cannot hear the word of God (JOH 8:43, 47; 1CO 2:14). d. Those who hear and believe have already passed from death unto life (JOH 5:24). i. "Heareth" and "believeth" are present tense verbs. ii. "Is passed" is a present perfect tense verb suggesting past completed action. iii. Therefore, the verb tenses of JOH 5:24 teach that passing from death unto life precedes hearing and believing. e. Those who believe are already born again (JOH 1:12-13; 1JO 5:1, 4). f. Christ crucified is the power of God only to those who ARE saved and who ARE called whereas it is foolishness to those who perish (1CO 1:18-24). 2. The gospel calls men to the obedience of faith in Jesus Christ (ROM 10:13-17; 15:18; 16:25-26). a. In the new birth, God gives to His elect the ability to obey His commandments (EZE 11:19-20). b. The gospel calls upon the elect to exercise that ability. c. The obedience of the elect to the gospel shows them to be God's regenerate elect. i. This is a process of reasoning from the effect (hearing, believing, and obeying) to the cause (the new birth). ii. Therefore, by means of the gospel men come to know that they are God's elect (1TH 4:4-6). iii. The gospel is not the means whereby men get eternal life; it is rather the means whereby they come to know that they have it (1JO 5:13). 3. The gospel does have a saving effect (1CO 9:22). Salvation Page 13 of 19

14 a. This salvation is for the elect and is in addition to eternal glory (2TI 2:10). b. Scripture teaches salvation from other things besides just eternal damnation. i. Scripture sets forth a plurality of salvations or deliverances (PSA 44:4). ii. PSA 34:4-6 mentions salvation from fears and troubles. iii. PSA 116:8 sets forth salvation from tears and falling feet. iv. 2TI 3:11 speaks of salvation from persecutions and afflictions. v. JUD 1:5 reminds us of the salvation of Israel out of Egypt. c. According to EPH 4:11-15, the gospel saves believers from disunity, ignorance, immaturity, and deception. d. According to 1JO 1:1-7, the gospel will save a child of God to fellowship with God and the fulness of joy. 4. There are texts that are used to teach that God employs the gospel to bring about the new birth. a. 1PE 1:23 speaks of being born again by the word of God and JAM 1:18 says we are begotten with the word of truth. i. Scripture sets forth a written word of God and a Personal Word of God Who is Jesus Christ (JOH 1:1-4; HEB 4:12-13). ii. Jesus Christ is the Word by Which men are born again (JOH 5:25). b. EPH 5:25 says that Christ sanctifies and cleanses the church with the washing of water by the word. i. Jesus says that we are clean through the word which He speaks (JOH 15:3). ii. Sinners are quickened into life by the voice of Christ (JOH 5:25). iii. Christ's spoken word has cleansing power (MAR 1:41-42). iv. It is by the spoken word of Christ Personally that the church is cleansed. c. In 1CO 4:14-17 Paul said that he had begotten the Corinthians through the gospel. i. Paul was not contradicting MAT 23:9. 1. Paul was not the father of the Corinthians in the same sense that God is their Father. 2. God begats His children in the new birth, not preachers (JOH 1:13). ii. According to v. 14, Paul spoke analogically. He wrote to them AS his sons, not that they were actually his sons. iii. Paul was their father in instruction: He had begotten them to his ways, which be in Christ. Salvation Page 14 of 19

15 d. ROM 1:16 declares that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. i. 1CO 1:24 says that Christ is the power of God. ii. Christ said in JOH 17:2 that He was given power over all flesh to give eternal life. iii. It is Jesus Christ that is able (has the power) to save (HEB 7:25). iv. The word "gospel" means good tidings (LUK 4:18 with ISA 61:1). v. The gospel is the good tidings of the power of God to save which power is Jesus Christ. 1. The gospel is not the power itself. 2. It is rather the news of that power. 5. The word of God is the instrument of conversion, rather than the instrument of the new birth (PSA 19:7). a. Convert - To turn in position or direction. b. Regeneration and conversion are not synonymous. i. Conversion involves hearing and understanding (MAT 13:15). ii. Only the regenerate can hear and understand. iii. Therefore, only those who are already regenerated can be converted. c. The New Testament gives examples of people who were already regenerated who needed to be converted. i. Jesus exhorted His disciples regarding the need for conversion (MAT 18:1-3). ii. Jesus told Peter he would be converted and this was sometime AFTER Peter had confessed that Christ was the Son of God (MAT 16:16; LUK 22:32).] iii. JAM 5:19-20 speaks of converting a BROTHER from the error of his way. Are there regenerate elect who do not believe the gospel? 1. There are four types of Calvinists. a. All true Calvinists believe in the doctrine of unconditional election. b. However, regarding the role of believing the gospel in eternal salvation, Calvinists may be divided into four groups. c. The four groups may be characterized as follows: Salvation Page 15 of 19

16 i. All of the elect are regenerated subsequent to believing the gospel. Faith is a condition for regeneration. ii. All of the elect are regenerated simultaneous with believing the gospel. Faith is the means of regeneration. iii. All of the elect are regenerated and afterward they ALL believe the gospel. Faith is an effect of regeneration. iv. All of the elect are regenerated and afterward SOME, but not all, of them believe the gospel. 2. As noted above, regeneration precedes believing the gospel. a. It is obvious that John the Baptist was regenerated before he believed (LUK 1:13-15). b. Therefore, the first type of Calvinist is in error in that he affirms that faith is the condition for regeneration. c. The second type of Calvinist is in error in that he affirms that faith is the means for regeneration. d. The third and fourth types of Calvinists are correct in that both believe that faith is an effect of regeneration. 3. Consider the implication of the position of the third type of Calvinist. a. He affirms that ALL of the elect will be regenerated and ALL of the elect will subsequently hear and believe the gospel. b. If this is true, then all those dying in infancy are damned. c. If this is true, then all those who are incapable of hearing and believing by reason of a handicap are damned. d. If this is true, then all persons who never had an opportunity to hear the gospel are damned. e. If faith is essential to the eternal salvation of rational adults and yet is not essential to the eternal salvation of infants and idiots, then you have two schemes of eternal salvation. f. If the elect must hear and believe the gospel in order to go to heaven, then eternal salvation is through the mediation of men other than the man Christ Jesus. i. One cannot hear and believe without a preacher (ROM 10:14). ii. This is Catholicism! 4. The Bible teaches that there are regenerated persons who do not believe the gospel. a. 1CO 10:1-6: The Israelites in the wilderness were partakers of Christ and yet did not believe the gospel (HEB 3:15-4:2). i. If one partakes of Christ, he has eternal life (JOH 6:54-56). Salvation Page 16 of 19

17 ii. According to HEB 4:2, they heard the gospel but did not believe it. b. MAR 10:17-22: The rich young ruler was loved of Christ, yet he did not obey the call to discipleship. i. If one is loved of Christ, He is elected and will be regenerated (JOH 13:1; EPH 2:4-5). ii. Scripture nowhere teaches that he ever followed Christ. c. ROM 2:13-15: There are Gentiles, which have not the law, yet show the work of the law written in their hearts. i. These Gentiles are examples of people who shall be justified. ii. The law in context is the written law (ROM 2:17-23). iii. If one has the gospel, he also has the law since the gospel is preached with the Old Testament (1CO 15:1-4). iv. If they don't have the law, they don't have the gospel either. v. Doing by nature the things contained in the law and showing the work of the law written in their hearts evidence that they are regenerated (EZE 36:26-27; HEB 8:10; 1JO 2:29). d. ROM 11:25-29: Some elect natural Israelites are blinded to the gospel and enemies of it. i. These unbelieving Israelites are plainly set forth as God's elect with whom He has a covenant to take away their sins. ii. However, elect Israel is blinded "in part." iii. Part of elect Israel believe and part are blinded. iv. Part of elect Israel is blinded UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. v. Non-elect Israel is blinded forever (ROM 11:7-10). vi. Therefore, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, there will always be some elect Jews who do not believe the gospel. e. LUK 23:34-38: Those at the cross for whom the Saviour prayed were rejecting, rather that receiving Christ. i. The group for whom Christ prayed included the people (Jews), the rulers, and the soldiers. ii. They were forgiven because God always heard the prayers of His Son (JOH 11:42). iii. If forgiven, they will certainly be regenerated (COL 2:13). iv. However, Scripture nowhere teaches that they all believed. Salvation Page 17 of 19

18 f. JER 31:15-17: The Lord made a promise regarding the children that were slain under the decree of Herod (MAT 2:16-18). i. These children were from two years old and under. ii. Therefore, they were not old enough to have intelligently heard and believed the gospel. iii. Nevertheless, they shall "come again from the land of the enemy" and "come again to their own border." 1. The land of the enemy that they were in was death (1CO 15:26; JOB 10:21-22). 2. Their own border is the promised inheritance in heaven (ISA 35:10; HEB 11:16; 1PE 1:4). iv. Rachel would hardly have been comforted if her children were going to hell. g. Therefore, the fourth type of Calvinist is right. 5. Our unbelief does not nullify God's promise of eternal salvation (2TI 2:13). a. There are unbelieving children of God (see above; also MAR 4:40; 16:14). b. However, God's faithfulness remains unmoved by their unbelief (ROM 3:3; PSA 89:29-34). c. Were God to revoke His promise of eternal life to His elect because of their unbelief, He would deny Himself (TIT 1:2). 6. We know the persons in the aforementioned passages are the children of God because the Scripture presents them as such. a. However, we cannot assume from these examples that we are elect if we do not obey the gospel. b. Scripture does not say that WE are elect if we do not believe. c. For example, I do not fit into any of the above categories. i. I am not an Israelite in the wilderness. ii. I am not the rich young ruler. iii. I am not a Gentile without the law. iv. I am not a natural Israelite. v. I am not one of those at the cross. d. I must obey the gospel if I would know that I am elect since the Bible assures us that those who obey are elect of God (1TH 1:4-6). e. Anyone who would use this doctrine to justify his unbelief is but indicating his own damnation (ROM 3:8; JUD 1:4). Salvation Page 18 of 19

19 f. Hence, this is NOT a licentious doctrine if properly understood. 7. The fact of the unconverted elect magnifies the sovereign grace of God. a. God will save whomever He chooses whether they are reached by men with the gospel or not. b. God is not confined to the evidences of grace to save His people. c. God can see His work in the heart whether we can see it or not (1SA 16:7; 1KI 8:39). d. However, we are confined to those evidences if we would have personal assurance of our election. e. While we cannot always tell who are and who are not the children of God, God can (MAT 13:28-29; 1TI 2:19). Salvation Page 19 of 19