Our Union With Christ A systematic study on the Doctrines of Grace

Today s Class Theme Song Irresistible Grace (by David L. Ward)

The Doctrine of Conversion Part 3

Doctrine of Regeneration

John 3:1-8

Experience vs Interpretation of the Experience

Order of Salvation The process by which the work of salvation, wrought in Christ, is subjectively (personally) realized in the hearts and lives of sinners, thereby making them followers of Christ. It aims at describing in their logical order and also in their interrelations the various movements of the Holy Spirit in the application of the work of redemption.

Persistent Newness Perseverance Regeneration New Life Born Again The Process Sanctification of Progressive Newness Salvation Conversion Faith & Repentance Justification New Status New Direction

Order of Salvation Which is correct? 1) Sovereignty vs. Human Responsibility 2) Sovereignty or Human Responsibility 3) Sovereignty and Human Responsibility You never have to reconcile good friends.

God chooses us. God does not choose for us. God s grace guarantees salvation for all that are in Christ before the foundation of the world.

Does ought equal ability?

Does ought equal ability? To answer this question we must understand how we were made and what happened in Adam s fall. Adam was made in the image and likeness of God. Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1, 9:6 I Corinthians 11:7 James 3:9

Four Views of the Image of God: 1) The Substantive View: The image is identified as some definite characteristic or quality within the makeup of the human (mind, will, emotions, conscience, etc.). 2) Relational View: The image of God is that which allows man to have a relationship and communion with God, different and distinct from all of creation. 3) Functional View: The image consists in something man does or how he functions. 4) Combination View:

Does ought equal ability? When Adam fell in the Garden, the image of God, Substantively, Relationally, and Functionally was corrupted, distorted in many ways beyond recognition, and other aspects of them are dead altogether; but nevertheless the image of God remain in place. Gen. 9:6 Whoever sheds man s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. James 3:9...who have been made in the likeness of God.

Substantively: We still have a mind, will, emotions, and conscience, but they must be brought into conformity with the image of Christ. Relationally: We can still have a relationship with God (realm of possibilities); this was not removed. However, it must be reestablished as a result of the corruption of sin by redemption through Christ s blood. Functionally: We still function in many ways as we were designed but from a stand point of corruption, depravity, and the limitations imposed by our fallen nature.

Does ought equal ability? Substantively: We CANNOT use our mind, will, emotions, and conscience to move towards Christ prior to regeneration (related to functional view). Relationally: We CANNOT have a relationship, nor do we have the desire to have a relationship with Christ prior to regeneration (related to functional view). Functionally: We CANNOT function contrary to our fallen nature prior to regeneration.

Does ought equal ability? May vs Can / Cannot Paul could have said, But the natural man may accept the things of the Spirit of God; and he may understand them... Because God has commanded all men to accept and understand, every individual has permission and is invited to accept and understand. does not shows the fallen nature s refusal to accept and the lost man s war with God. cannot shows the fallen nature s inability.

Does ought equal ability? I Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; and he CANNOT understand them, because they are spiritually appraised (discerned). Everything necessary to see and understand was ruined in the Fall. We need our substance renewed, our relational ability reinstated, and we need our functionality in God s image restored before we can even see the Kingdom of God.

Does ought equal ability? The issue that most relates to our question is the Functional View of the image of God. Though we do not have an equivocal (1 to 1 relationship) with the functionality of God and choice, we do have an analogical relationship. Ex.1) God does not choose through a process of learning and evaluating, but humanity does. Ex. 2) God chooses in accordance with His nature. Humanity chooses in accordance with our nature.

Does ought equal ability? Choosing in accordance with our nature is the issue. Someone who is spiritually dead cannot make a contrary choice ; he can only make an alternative choice. Example: Choose you this day whom you will serve... Joshua 24:14-24

Being made in the image and likeness of God demands the ability to choose, but which model is correct? Free Will or Free Agency of the Will

Free Will The Will of the Man Sinful Nature Free Ability To Choose Godly Nature How you choose determines who you are.

Free Agency of the Will The Will of the Man is the Agent of The Nature of the Man Who you are determines how you choose and what you can choose.

This model says that the person s will is above their nature. 1) Your Will is autonomously free to decide what you will be. 2) Your Will is ruler over your nature.

3) This approach also means the person can think and do things contrary to their nature in which they have no ownership in, accountability for, or control over, because their Will is not governed by anything.

The battle with my Will determines who I am. - Our Will is enticed by evil and good. - A strong Will chooses the good, a weak Will chooses the evil, but the Will is not attached to anything that determines what it will be (strong or weak).

Yes, I fed 800 homeless people this year, I m a good person, I won the battle with my Will.

Yes, I killed 800 innocent people in cold blood this year, but I m a good person, I just lost the battle with my Will.

I chose Christ, because I won the battle with my Will.

I rejected Christ, because I lost the battle with my Will.

Free Agency of the Will The Will of the Man is the Agent of The Nature of the Man Who you are determines how you choose and what you can choose.

This is not the whole of reality. When we deal with Sanctification (Progressive Newness) and Perseverance (Persistant Newness), we will also see how the power of indwelling sin affects our Will as Christians.

This model says that the person s Will is the agent of their Nature. This says: 1) Your Will is endowed to perform certain actions within your existence which represent the you behind your biology.

This says: 2) Responsibility of human thoughts and actions are grounded in our functional identity as being made in the image of God (God wills according to His nature).

This says: 3) Freedom of human action is the result of volition/will. - We are responsible for willing the action.

This says: 4) What determines our volition/will is our nature. Secondary influence: environment, family, etc.

This says: 5) Your will is completely free from outside influences (Mark 7:14-23) but acts in accordance with your nature (which for the believer STILL includes the power of indwelling sin).

This says: 6) We own our thoughts and actions because the inclusiveness of freedom is not restricted to the Will/Volition but is derived from the heart.

This says: 7) Normal people do what they do by cognitive choice, driven by their will as a free agent of their nature.

This says: 8) The power of contrary choice.

8) The power of contrary choice. a) There is no actual situation where the natural man can make a contrary choice. b) Regenerate people can make contrary choices. (Power of Indwelling Sin) c) Unregenerate people are able to make alternate choices, not contrary choices. d) The absence of the power or ability to make a contrary choice does not interfere with free agency.

This model says you are a sinner because you sin. The believer sins because he loses the battle with his will. (It is the ultimate blame game)

This model says you sin because you are a sinner. The believer sins because of the power of indwelling sin and sin s residual pollution. -- the Christian sins because he WAS a sinner. -- the Christian sins because he WILLED to sin.

This model says God saves you by drawing your Will. Then when your Will responds correctly, your nature changes.

But there is nothing IN or ABOUT you that is attracted to Christ. (To say there is, is to deny the Doctrine of Depravity.)

The Accusation by the Free Will camp is that Election / Predestination: 1) Means God has to interfere with your freedom. 2) Means it is unfair to those who are not given the same treatment. 3) God forces you to choose Him. 4) Means God compels you to love Him against your will.

Let s Test The Free Will Position Against Itself.

If the Free Will model is correct then: 1) God must externally interfere with your Free Will to bring you to Himself. - (Positive Statement ) God must make Himself more attractive than all other options in order for your Will to freely choose Him. - (Negative Statement) God cannot make Himself more attractive; He must remain only as attractive as other options or He violated your Free Will.

If the Free Will model is correct then: In case you did not catch it, the position jut self-destructed. If God makes Himself attractive to you, then your Free Will was violated. If God does not make Himself attractive to you, then you have no reason to choose Him over any other option. So your choice was simply an arbitrary whim with no reason for your choice.

If the Free Will model is correct then: 2) God must work differently concerning people s Free Will, because if He externally does something that brought one person s Free Will to want Him and others reject Him, then He did not do this external work to the same degree for those who reject Him. The position just self-destructed again.

If the Free Will model is correct then: 3) Additionally, He must do something that interferes with your free choice, or you have the right to boast in your free choice, which violates Eph. 2:8-9. But the Free Will position claims they have no right to boast. The position just self-destructed again, by violating the Law of Non-Contradiction.

If the Free Will model is correct then: 4) Furthermore, this would also mean that He compelled you to love Him through work. a) If He cannot internally affect your Free Will but externally does something to cause you to love Him over other options, then His external work was compelling to your Free Will ; you were not really free to love Him. b) If God did nothing to cause you to see Him as more lovable than other options, then you arbitrarily came to love Him for no reason.

If the Free Will model is correct then: 4) Furthermore, this would also mean that He compelled you to love Him through an external work. Loving Christ when you are still lost in your sins and are at enmity with Him would be the most UNNATURAL thing in all of the universe. The position just self-destructed again.

Free Agency of the Will says God saves you through the means of restoring the functional aspect of being made in His image so that, by regeneration, your Will functions as it should in relation to a Holy God.

Free Agency of the Will 1) Means God does not have to interfere with your freedom; He gives you a new nature in which your Agency was just as free as before. 2) Means God is not unfair; He does not interfere with anyone s Free Agency.

Free Agency of the Will 3) Means God does not force you to choose Him, you freely choose according to your nature. 4) Means God does not compel you to love Him against your will. Loving Him becomes the most natural thing you would ever want to do, and you are free to do what you want.

The issue is your Nature not your Will.

CHOOSE CHRIST REJECT CHRIST

CHOOSE, LOVE, SERVE, REJECT CHRIST and WORSHIP CHRIST

Salvation Before Time Our Predestination Our Election Our Fore-ordination Christ s Fore-ordination

Persistent Newness Perseverance Regeneration New Life Born Again The Process Sanctification of Progressive Newness Salvation Conversion Faith & Repentance Justification New Status New Direction

Persistent New Life FULLY ADMINISTERED Newness Born Again Perseverance Regeneration BY THE GRACE OF GOD The Process THE FATHER, GOD THE of Salvation Progressive Newness Sanctification Justification New Status Conversion Faith & Repentance SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT New Direction

Does ought equal ability? Ought equals INHERENT RESPONSIBILITY, it says nothing about INHERENT ABILITY. Until the Functional aspect of being made in the image of God is restored, the individual has no ability to do anything with regard to God and their soul. Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3