Saturday, March 31, 2012
John Murray: Irresistible Grace, and The Sovereignty of God in Salvation
John Murray (1898-1975) was a theologian who taught at Princeton Seminary
and helped found Westminster Theological Seminary, where he taught for many years.
I am highlighting a quote from writings by Murray about the doctrine of "irresistible grace,"
and the sovereignty of God in salvation.
The words in parenthesis are related scriptures, added by me, plus some comments of mine.
This one paragraph is filled with wonderful Biblical truths that every Christian needs to
know, about the power, God and God alone has, to save his people!
*********************************
"When a sinner comes to Christ in the commitment of faith (conversion), when the rebellious
will is renewed (regeneration - "born again"), and tears of penetence begin to flow (repentance),
it is because a mysterious transaction has been taking place between the persons of the Godhead"
('To God's elect, ... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his
blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.' 1 Peter 1:1a-2. Chosen by the Father, sanctif-
fied by the Holy Spirit, and redeemed by the blood of Jesus).
"The Father has been making a presentation, a donation to his own Son" ('All that the Father
gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away' John 6:37).
"So perish the thought that coming to Christ finds its explanation in the autonomous determinations
of the human will" ('Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the
right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or
a husband's will, but born of God" John 1:12-13).
"It finds its cause in the sovereign will of God the Father" ('What then shall we say? Is God un-
just? Not at all! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I have compassion. It does not therefore, depend on man's desire or effort,
but on God's mercy' Romans 9:15-16).
"He has placed upon this person the constraint by which he has been captivated by the glory of
the Redeemer and invests in him all his interests" ('For the grace of God that brings salvation has
appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-
controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem
us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what
is good' Titus 2:11-14).
"Christ is made wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption" ('And be-
cause of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, and
sanctification and redemption,' so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'
1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
"Here is grace surpassing; and it is grace insurmountable" ('No one can come to me unless the
Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day' John 6:44.
'And he said, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the
Father' John 6:65).
************************************************
The quote from above is an excellent illustration of the Doctrine of "Irresistible Grace," and
the sovereignty of God in salvation.
Irresistible Grace - "The doctrine that teaches that the saving grace of God is effectually applied
to those whom He has determined to save (the elect), because of His sovereign will and purpose, to
the praise of his glory, whereby in God's timing He overcomes their resistance to the call of the
gospel, and irresistibly brings them to a saving faith in Christ."
"Those who obtain the new birth do so, not because they wanted to obtain it, but because of the
sovereign discriminating grace of God. That is, men are overcome by grace, not finally because
their consciences were made more tender or their faith more tenacious than that of other men."
"Rather, the willingness and ability to do God's will, are evidence of God's own faithfulness to
save men from the power and penalty of sin, and since man is so corrupt that he will not decide
and cannot be wooed to follow after God, sovereign efficacious grace is required to convert him."
"This is done by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, whereby a fallen man who has heard the
gospel is made willing and necessarily turns to Christ in God-given faith." Theopedia - An
Encyclopedia of Christianity
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
DEATH AND GLORIFICATION
The final two steps in the Biblical Order of Salvation are DEATH and
GLORIFICATION.
DEATH
For the Christian, death is not the end of life, but just another step toward
receiving the rewards and blessings promised by God to those who are faithful
to Him.
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not men, knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the
Lord Christ." Colossians 3:24
Each one of us will die one day, unless the Lord returns before that day comes.
"It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment ..." Hebrews 9:27a
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may
receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." 2 Corinthians 5:10
Believers will be rewarded for the good they've done, but will not be judged for their sins,
as those were blotted out by Christ's atonement for them.
************************************
Life on earth ends for the believer at death, but continues for eternity, in fellowship with
God in heaven.
"Jesus said to her (Martha), 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me,
though he die, yet shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do
you believe this?" John 11:25-26
Believers will rise to new life with a glorified body, because Christ paid the penalty for
their sins and rose from the grave.
DEATH leads to the final step in the Biblical Order of Salvation - GLORIFICATION.
**********************************
GLORIFICATION is receiving a glorified body like Christ's at the moment of physical death
here on earth.
Paul tells of the glorification of the believer's body using the past tense for a future event to
stress its certainty. We take on the image of Jesus.
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,
in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."
"And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified,
and those whom he justified he also glorified." Romans 8:29-30
Jesus changes our weak and sinful bodies to be like his glorious body.
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to
subject all things to himself." Philippians 3:20-21
There will be no more pain or sickness or sin or death when we get to heaven.
"So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is im-
perishable (No more sickness and death). It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory (no more
shame because of sin). It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power (no more frailty in
temptation). It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body" (no more limits to the
time/space sphere).
"If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, 'The first man
Adam became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the
spiritual that is first but the natural, and the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man
of dust; the second man is from heaven."
"As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven,
so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we
shall bear the image of the man of heaven." 1 Corinthians 15:42-49
John MacArthur comments on 1 Corinthians 15:45-49:
"Adam was created with a natural body, not perfect, but good in every way (Gen.1:31).
The 'last Adam' is Jesus Christ (Rom 5:19, 21). He is saying that through the first Adam we
received our natural bodies, but through the last Adam, we receive our spiritual bodies in
resurrection. Adam's body was the prototype of the natural, Christ's body of the resurrection.
We will bear the image of his body fit for heaven (Acts1:11; Phil.3:20-21; 1 John 3:1-3) as we
have borne the image of Adam's on earth."
****************************
This concludes the series on the Biblical Order of Salvation.
The Bible shows us that God's people are ELECTED, CALLED, REGENERATED
(Born again), CONVERTED, JUSTIFIED, ADOPTED, SANCTIFIED, AND GLORIFIED,
through God's power and grace.
GLORIFICATION.
DEATH
For the Christian, death is not the end of life, but just another step toward
receiving the rewards and blessings promised by God to those who are faithful
to Him.
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not men, knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the
Lord Christ." Colossians 3:24
Each one of us will die one day, unless the Lord returns before that day comes.
"It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment ..." Hebrews 9:27a
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may
receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." 2 Corinthians 5:10
Believers will be rewarded for the good they've done, but will not be judged for their sins,
as those were blotted out by Christ's atonement for them.
************************************
Life on earth ends for the believer at death, but continues for eternity, in fellowship with
God in heaven.
"Jesus said to her (Martha), 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me,
though he die, yet shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do
you believe this?" John 11:25-26
Believers will rise to new life with a glorified body, because Christ paid the penalty for
their sins and rose from the grave.
DEATH leads to the final step in the Biblical Order of Salvation - GLORIFICATION.
**********************************
GLORIFICATION is receiving a glorified body like Christ's at the moment of physical death
here on earth.
Paul tells of the glorification of the believer's body using the past tense for a future event to
stress its certainty. We take on the image of Jesus.
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,
in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."
"And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified,
and those whom he justified he also glorified." Romans 8:29-30
Jesus changes our weak and sinful bodies to be like his glorious body.
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to
subject all things to himself." Philippians 3:20-21
There will be no more pain or sickness or sin or death when we get to heaven.
"So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is im-
perishable (No more sickness and death). It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory (no more
shame because of sin). It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power (no more frailty in
temptation). It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body" (no more limits to the
time/space sphere).
"If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, 'The first man
Adam became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the
spiritual that is first but the natural, and the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man
of dust; the second man is from heaven."
"As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven,
so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we
shall bear the image of the man of heaven." 1 Corinthians 15:42-49
John MacArthur comments on 1 Corinthians 15:45-49:
"Adam was created with a natural body, not perfect, but good in every way (Gen.1:31).
The 'last Adam' is Jesus Christ (Rom 5:19, 21). He is saying that through the first Adam we
received our natural bodies, but through the last Adam, we receive our spiritual bodies in
resurrection. Adam's body was the prototype of the natural, Christ's body of the resurrection.
We will bear the image of his body fit for heaven (Acts1:11; Phil.3:20-21; 1 John 3:1-3) as we
have borne the image of Adam's on earth."
****************************
This concludes the series on the Biblical Order of Salvation.
The Bible shows us that God's people are ELECTED, CALLED, REGENERATED
(Born again), CONVERTED, JUSTIFIED, ADOPTED, SANCTIFIED, AND GLORIFIED,
through God's power and grace.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
PERSEVERANCE
The next step in the Biblical Order of Salvation is PERSEVERANCE.
Perseverance is the believer's ability, solely through God's power and grace, to
remain in Him forever.
****************************
Many Christians believe in the doctrine of "once saved, always saved," but
that belief can't be true in a "man-centered" theology. If man is the "ultimate
decider" in his own salvation (that is, he makes the final decision to believe in Jesus,
not that God has chosen him from the beginning for salvation, in Him), then man can
lose his salvation just as easily as he gained it, by "doing" something wrong.
If the faith he has is from within himself, and not from God, then his work (his faith)
is the deciding factor in his salvation. If his salvation depends on something he did, then
he is able to do something that can cause him to lose it.
In other words, there is something good that comes from within the person (his
intelligence, courage, ability, etc.) that causes him to believe, instead of the clear teaching of
the Bible, that God changes a person's heart from a heart of stone (unresponsive to Him)
to a heart of flesh (responsive to God), and gives him understanding of the gospel, and makes
him willing and able to come to Christ for salvation.
****************************************
Those with a "God-centered" theology, where salvation depends entirely on God's
grace, have an assurance that they will never lose it because God's word tells them they
can't.
(Jesus said),"All that the Father gives me (Ephesians 1:4) will come to me, and whoever
comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will
but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall
lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." John 6:37-39
Everyone the Father draws to Jesus WILL come to Him, and will be raised up at
the last day.
(Jesus said), "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I
will raise him up at the last day." John 6:44
The NIV commentary states: "It is God who initiates salvation, who continues it and
who will one day bring it to its consummation."
"... He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of
Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6
*************************************************
Since God is the author of salvation, no one can snatch His people from His hand.
(Jesus said), "My sheep (His people) listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow
me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of
my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch
them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." John 10:27-30
************************************
God is able to keep His people from falling away and losing their salvation.
"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious
presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty,
power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!
Amen." Jude 24-25
Jesus perseveres for us so that we never lose our salvation.
"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we
command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."
2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
God is able to and will keep His people blameless.
"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your
whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
The believer who relies entirely on God's grace, and not his own ability to choose to
believe, will never lose his salvation.
**************************************
Next time - the final two steps in the Biblical Order of Salvation - DEATH and
GLORIFICATION.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
SANCTIFICATION
SANCTIFICATION
The next step in the Biblical Order of Salvation is SANCTIFICATION.
In a process that continues throughout life, God sets us apart to be more like
Christ. Ideally, the believer is set apart by God to do only what God wants and to
hate what God hates.
"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:
'Be holy, because I am holy" 1 Peter 1:15-16.
"I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy"
Leviticus 11:44.
************************************
John MacArthur commented in the ESV Bible: "Sanctification is accomplished by
means of the truth, which is the revelation that the Son gave regarding all that the Father
commanded him to communicate and is now contained in the Scriptures left by the apostles."
"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.
Jesus sanctified himself so that his people could truly be sanctified.
(Jesus prayed to the Father), " Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you
sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that
they too may be truly sanctified" John 17:17-18.
************************************
Before God granted his saving grace to us, we were immoral and unrighteous, and
without hope.
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor men who
practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
"Washed" refers to the new life, through spiritual cleansing and regeneration.
"Sanctified" means the believer is transformed from a sinful lifestyle to one of obedience
and holiness.
"Justified" refers to what God has done by imputing Christ's righteousness to us, and
placing our sins on Him.
This work is accomplished by the Holy Spirit.
***************************************
God's word commands us to forsake our sinful ways, and follow Him.
"Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the
implanted word, which is able to save your souls" James 1:21.
****************************************
Paul's letter to the believers in Colossae contains a guide for righteous and holy living.
" If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that
are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who
is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexuality immorality, impurity, passion,
evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is
coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must
put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."
"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and
have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,
free; but Christ is all, and in all."
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness,
humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and if one has a complaint against
another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And
above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one
body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing
one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in
your hearts to God."
"And whatever you do, in word in or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to the God the Father through him" Colossians 3:1-17.
AMEN
***************************************************
Coming up: The next step in the Biblical Order of Salvation - PERSEVERANCE.
The next step in the Biblical Order of Salvation is SANCTIFICATION.
In a process that continues throughout life, God sets us apart to be more like
Christ. Ideally, the believer is set apart by God to do only what God wants and to
hate what God hates.
"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:
'Be holy, because I am holy" 1 Peter 1:15-16.
"I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy"
Leviticus 11:44.
************************************
John MacArthur commented in the ESV Bible: "Sanctification is accomplished by
means of the truth, which is the revelation that the Son gave regarding all that the Father
commanded him to communicate and is now contained in the Scriptures left by the apostles."
"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.
Jesus sanctified himself so that his people could truly be sanctified.
(Jesus prayed to the Father), " Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you
sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that
they too may be truly sanctified" John 17:17-18.
************************************
Before God granted his saving grace to us, we were immoral and unrighteous, and
without hope.
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor men who
practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
"Washed" refers to the new life, through spiritual cleansing and regeneration.
"Sanctified" means the believer is transformed from a sinful lifestyle to one of obedience
and holiness.
"Justified" refers to what God has done by imputing Christ's righteousness to us, and
placing our sins on Him.
This work is accomplished by the Holy Spirit.
***************************************
God's word commands us to forsake our sinful ways, and follow Him.
"Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the
implanted word, which is able to save your souls" James 1:21.
****************************************
Paul's letter to the believers in Colossae contains a guide for righteous and holy living.
" If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that
are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who
is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexuality immorality, impurity, passion,
evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is
coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must
put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."
"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and
have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,
free; but Christ is all, and in all."
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness,
humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and if one has a complaint against
another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And
above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one
body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing
one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in
your hearts to God."
"And whatever you do, in word in or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to the God the Father through him" Colossians 3:1-17.
AMEN
***************************************************
Coming up: The next step in the Biblical Order of Salvation - PERSEVERANCE.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
ADOPTION
For God's chosen people, He has elected us, called us, regenerated us,
converted us, and justified us.
The next step in the Biblical Order of Salvation is ADOPTION.
Adoption is the act of God making us members of His family.
*******************
Before God adopted us into His family, we were hostile toward Him,
and followers of the Devil.
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you
used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the
kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient"
Ephesians 2:1-2.
We did not obey God or love others as He commanded.
"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of
the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is
anyone who does not love his brother" 1 John 3:10.
We were unable to hear what God said.
(Jesus said), "Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to
hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your
father's desire." ...He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not
hear is that you do not belong to God" John 8:43-44,47.
***********************
God predestined us for adoption before the founation of the world, even though
He knew we would be his enemies before coming to Him for salvation.
"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" Ephesians 1:4-6.
When God adopts us into His family, we become His heir.
"But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under
law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because
you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,
'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God
has made you also an heir" Galatians 4:4-7.
The NIV commentary states: "By adoption, the justified believer is a full adult and
heir in God's family, with all the attendant rights and privileges" (we receive His Spirit,
and share in His sufferings and glory).
We need not fear His wrath or be anxious.
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive
the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption
as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba, Father!'"
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if
children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with
Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" Romans 8:14-17.
John MacArthur commented, "Because of their life of sin, unregenerate people are
slaves to the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15), and to their fear of final punishment (1 John 4:18).
...God has made us His children, and, therefore we can come before Him without fear or
hesitation as our beloved Father."
MacArthur adds, " 'Abba is an informal, Aramaic term for Father that conveys a sense
of intimacy. Like the English terms 'Daddy' or 'Papa," it connotes tenderness, dependance,
and a relationship free of fear or anxiety" (Mark 14:36).
*****************************
Next time, we'll look at step 7 in the Biblical Order of Salvation - SANCTIFICATION.
For God's chosen people, He has elected us, called us, regenerated us,
converted us, and justified us.
The next step in the Biblical Order of Salvation is ADOPTION.
Adoption is the act of God making us members of His family.
*******************
Before God adopted us into His family, we were hostile toward Him,
and followers of the Devil.
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you
used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the
kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient"
Ephesians 2:1-2.
We did not obey God or love others as He commanded.
"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of
the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is
anyone who does not love his brother" 1 John 3:10.
We were unable to hear what God said.
(Jesus said), "Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to
hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your
father's desire." ...He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not
hear is that you do not belong to God" John 8:43-44,47.
***********************
God predestined us for adoption before the founation of the world, even though
He knew we would be his enemies before coming to Him for salvation.
"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" Ephesians 1:4-6.
When God adopts us into His family, we become His heir.
"But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under
law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because
you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,
'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God
has made you also an heir" Galatians 4:4-7.
The NIV commentary states: "By adoption, the justified believer is a full adult and
heir in God's family, with all the attendant rights and privileges" (we receive His Spirit,
and share in His sufferings and glory).
We need not fear His wrath or be anxious.
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive
the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption
as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba, Father!'"
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if
children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with
Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" Romans 8:14-17.
John MacArthur commented, "Because of their life of sin, unregenerate people are
slaves to the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15), and to their fear of final punishment (1 John 4:18).
...God has made us His children, and, therefore we can come before Him without fear or
hesitation as our beloved Father."
MacArthur adds, " 'Abba is an informal, Aramaic term for Father that conveys a sense
of intimacy. Like the English terms 'Daddy' or 'Papa," it connotes tenderness, dependance,
and a relationship free of fear or anxiety" (Mark 14:36).
*****************************
Next time, we'll look at step 7 in the Biblical Order of Salvation - SANCTIFICATION.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
JUSTIFICATION
So far, we've looked at the first four steps in the Biblical Order of Salvation -
ELECTION, THE CALL, REGENERATION, AND CONVERSION.
The next step is JUSTIFICATION.
Justification is a right legal standing in God's eyes.
It is the instantaneous legal act of God in which He:
1) Thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as
belonging to us and
2) Declares us to be righteous in His sight because of Jesus' atonement on the
cross for us.
Because we broke His law, we were guilty before God, but Jesus' death paid the
price for our (His people)sins.
God put our (believers) sins on the sinless Jesus and imputed His righteousness to us,
making us just in His eyes.
"For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we
might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We are justified by faith, which is a gift from God.
"...yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in
Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith
in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified"
Galatians 2:16).
"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified
by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus
you are all sons of God, through faith" (Galatians 3:24).
Every one of God's children has been declared not guilty because of Jesus' atonement
for them on the cross.
****************
So far, we've looked at the first four steps in the Biblical Order of Salvation -
ELECTION, THE CALL, REGENERATION, AND CONVERSION.
The next step is JUSTIFICATION.
Justification is a right legal standing in God's eyes.
It is the instantaneous legal act of God in which He:
1) Thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as
belonging to us and
2) Declares us to be righteous in His sight because of Jesus' atonement on the
cross for us.
Because we broke His law, we were guilty before God, but Jesus' death paid the
price for our (His people)sins.
God put our (believers) sins on the sinless Jesus and imputed His righteousness to us,
making us just in His eyes.
"For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we
might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We are justified by faith, which is a gift from God.
"...yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in
Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith
in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified"
Galatians 2:16).
"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified
by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus
you are all sons of God, through faith" (Galatians 3:24).
Every one of God's children has been declared not guilty because of Jesus' atonement
for them on the cross.
****************
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
CONVERSION
Continuing our series on the Biblical Order of Salvation (steps one through
three are ELECTION, THE CALL, and REGENERATION), we now look at
step four - CONVERSION.
Conversion is our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely
repent of our sins and place our trust in Christ for salvation.
Before conversion, we were hostile, and at war with God because of our sin-
fulness. "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not
submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please
God" (Romans 8:7-8).
God must give us the ability to come to Him. (Jesus said), "This is why I told
you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him" (John 6:65).
Since we were unable to please God in anyway, we weren't able to come to Him
for salvation. Jesus gives his people the understanding of His gospel to make us
willing and able to submit to Him.
"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so
that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son
Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20).
****************************************************************
God then grants us repentance and faith.
"Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not
knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance" (Romans 2:4).
"God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and
they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being cap-
tured by him to do his will" (2 Timothy 2:25).
******************************************************************
We receive the gift of faith.
"For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him
but also suffer for His sake..." (Philippians 1:29a).
"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).
Grace, salvation, and faith, are all gifts from God.
********************************************************************
We repent and trust in Jesus for salvation.
"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ
appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the
things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago" (Acts 3:19-21).
"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas
worldly grief produces death" (2 Corinthians 7:10).
******************************************************************
We confess Jesus as Savior.
"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe
and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10).
*******************************************************************
We receive Him as Lord and Savior.
"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become
children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's
will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13).
Those who have received Jesus will be changed and live obedient lives.
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built
up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness"
(Colossians 2:6-7).
As you can see, conversion, as with all the other steps, is totally the work of God,
and not man!
********************************************************************
Next time, we'll look at the next three steps in the Biblical Order of Salvation -
JUSTIFICATION, ADOPTION, AND SANCTIFICATION.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Regeneration
The Biblical Order of Salvation Continued
So far we've looked at the first two steps - Election and The Call.
The next step in the biblical order of salvation is regeneration, also known as
the new birth (being "born again" or "born from above").
Regeneration is the secret act of God in which He imparts new spiritual life
to us.
Webster's describes the term as "formed or created again, or to be spiritually reborn
or converted."
************************************************************
The Bible describes what happens when regeneration takes place in Ezekiel 11:19-20
and Ezekiel 36:26-29a.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your
heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and move you
to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.... You will be my people, and I will
be your God. I will save you from all your uncleaness" (Ezekiel 36:26-29a).
God takes our heart (which is hard as stone toward God, and leads us to desire what we
want and not what God wants) (unresponsive), and He softens our heart and gives us a heart
of flesh, which makes us willing (responsive) and able to come to Him for salvation.
Then He moves us to follow Him in obedience, as we have become His people and He
becomes our God.
**************************************************************
Before we recieved Christ, we were at war with God and were dead in our transgressions
and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Because of our sinfulness we were objects of God's wrath (Ephesians
2:3), "but because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, MADE US ALIVE WITH
Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians
2:4-5).
When the gospel is proclaimed and we hear it and believe in Jesus for our salvation (even
though we are dead in our sin), God will give us new life that lasts for eternity.
(Jesus said), "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me
has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you
the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of
God and those who hear will live" (John 5:24-25).
******************************************************************
The Bible makes it clear it is God who is working to bring about the new birth, not man.
"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, GOD
MADE YOU ALIVE WITH CHRIST. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written
code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away,
nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:13-14).
God and God alone, is totally responsible for our new birth, and He guards and keeps our
salvation safe for eternity.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, HE
HAS CAUSED US TO BE BORN AGAIN to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in
heaven for you, WHO BY GOD'S POWER ARE BEING GUARDED THROUGH FAITH
FOR A SALVATION ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5).
*****************************************************************
Why do we need to be born again?
1. To avoid God's wrath for our sins, and eternity in hell where there will be weeping
gnashing of teeth, and agony.
2. To see the Kingdom of God. The kingdom is heaven and everywhere that God reigns
in majesty. Believers inherit eternity in heaven with God and we will reign with Him forever.
Jesus told Nicodemus that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again"
(John 3:3). Moments later he said, "You must be born again. The wind blows wherever it
pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (John 3:7-8).
The NIV commentary states, "The Holy Spirit is sovereign. He works as He pleases in
His renewal of the human heart."
3. Since we were dead in our sins before, we need to be made alive or spiritually born
again. When we are born again, we are still the same human being, but we have a new heart
and a new nature.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold
the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
*******************************************************************
We don't "born again" ourselves; it is totally a work of the grace of God the Father and
the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ the Son.
Next time: Step 4 - Conversion.
So far we've looked at the first two steps - Election and The Call.
The next step in the biblical order of salvation is regeneration, also known as
the new birth (being "born again" or "born from above").
Regeneration is the secret act of God in which He imparts new spiritual life
to us.
Webster's describes the term as "formed or created again, or to be spiritually reborn
or converted."
************************************************************
The Bible describes what happens when regeneration takes place in Ezekiel 11:19-20
and Ezekiel 36:26-29a.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your
heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and move you
to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.... You will be my people, and I will
be your God. I will save you from all your uncleaness" (Ezekiel 36:26-29a).
God takes our heart (which is hard as stone toward God, and leads us to desire what we
want and not what God wants) (unresponsive), and He softens our heart and gives us a heart
of flesh, which makes us willing (responsive) and able to come to Him for salvation.
Then He moves us to follow Him in obedience, as we have become His people and He
becomes our God.
**************************************************************
Before we recieved Christ, we were at war with God and were dead in our transgressions
and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Because of our sinfulness we were objects of God's wrath (Ephesians
2:3), "but because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, MADE US ALIVE WITH
Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians
2:4-5).
When the gospel is proclaimed and we hear it and believe in Jesus for our salvation (even
though we are dead in our sin), God will give us new life that lasts for eternity.
(Jesus said), "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me
has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you
the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of
God and those who hear will live" (John 5:24-25).
******************************************************************
The Bible makes it clear it is God who is working to bring about the new birth, not man.
"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, GOD
MADE YOU ALIVE WITH CHRIST. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written
code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away,
nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:13-14).
God and God alone, is totally responsible for our new birth, and He guards and keeps our
salvation safe for eternity.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, HE
HAS CAUSED US TO BE BORN AGAIN to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in
heaven for you, WHO BY GOD'S POWER ARE BEING GUARDED THROUGH FAITH
FOR A SALVATION ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5).
*****************************************************************
Why do we need to be born again?
1. To avoid God's wrath for our sins, and eternity in hell where there will be weeping
gnashing of teeth, and agony.
2. To see the Kingdom of God. The kingdom is heaven and everywhere that God reigns
in majesty. Believers inherit eternity in heaven with God and we will reign with Him forever.
Jesus told Nicodemus that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again"
(John 3:3). Moments later he said, "You must be born again. The wind blows wherever it
pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (John 3:7-8).
The NIV commentary states, "The Holy Spirit is sovereign. He works as He pleases in
His renewal of the human heart."
3. Since we were dead in our sins before, we need to be made alive or spiritually born
again. When we are born again, we are still the same human being, but we have a new heart
and a new nature.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold
the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
*******************************************************************
We don't "born again" ourselves; it is totally a work of the grace of God the Father and
the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ the Son.
Next time: Step 4 - Conversion.
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