Soteriology Salvation Bible Teaching Course NY PDF
Soteriology Salvation Bible Teaching Course NY PDF
Soteriology Salvation Bible Teaching Course NY PDF
SALVATION
(Soteriology)
Taught by:
Vincent Sawyer, International Evangelist
www.MCMinistries.org
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SOTERIOLOGY
Weekly Homework
PAPER TOPICS:
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--II Thessalonians 2:13
--II Corinthians 5:21
--Hebrews 9:22
--James 2:14-26
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The Doctrine of Salvation
I. CONDEMNATION: The Desperate NEED for Salvation
(He saw me!)
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V. REGENERATION: The Immediate BLESSINGS of Salvation
(He renewed me!)
SALVATION
INTRODUCTION:
The testimony of Paul - "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (I Timothy 1:15).
The doctrine of salvation is (as far as the sinner is concerned) the most important and
most comprehensive doctrine taught in Scripture. This doctrine encompasses several
other Scriptural teachings which are vitally linked to Biblical salvation--such as the doctrine
of God (whose holiness necessitates salvation), the doctrine of Christ (whose deity, death,
and resurrection make salvation possible), the doctrine of the Holy Spirit (whose power
imparts salvation), the doctrine of the Bible (the truths of which are the basis for salvation),
and the doctrine of the future (the promises regarding this give future confidence of
salvation).
The doctrine of salvation is a very broad and very deep subject, yet is so simple that a little
child can understand its essential truth.
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This study makes no pretense at being exhaustive, but will unfold the major Bible truths
involved in salvation so that the student will:
3. Discern the errors propagated by the cults and other false teachers regarding
salvation
4. Exalt and glorify Jesus Christ, the "Author and Finisher" of our salvation
The question which naturally needs to be asked and answered is: "Delivered from
what? Rescued from what? Saved from what?"
The salvation which God places so much importance on is salvation from sin and
its consequences.
This section of notes will briefly cover the following features of sin:
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5) The intensity of sin (depravity)
6) The penalty of sin
Definition explained:
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d. "Your attitude" - To sin in your thoughts, motives, and
internal desires (Jer. 17:9; Is. 1:5; Heb. 3:12).
Ephesians 2:1ff -
Romans 3:9-10 -
Romans 7:6, 8-11 -
NOTE: The Bible teaches that sin existed in the soul of man
before he was aware of it, and that the Law simply makes
man conscious of sin which already dwells in him (Romans
7:7-14).
*Men are guilty first of all because of what they are ("sinners")
and only secondarily because of what they do ("sin").
The word "essence" simply refers to the most fundamental and basic nature of something.
From what does man's sin stem? What is the common denominator for all sin? What is
sin at its most basic, ultimate core?
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All forms of sin have their root in selfishness (cp. Strong, p. 569). Selfishness is the
underlying factor behind all sin.
2) Selfishness says: "My will be done" not "Thy will be done" (Mt. 6:10)
2. Diagram of selfishness being the core, cause, or source of every other sin:
( ) ( )
................SELFISHNESS
( ) ( )
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3. The manifestation of selfishness:
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b. The "Man of Sin" - "opposing and exalting himself against all that is
called God" (II Th. 2:3-4).
God uses a variety of words to picture the many facets or manifestations of evil
involved in sin.
*"Chata" is the primary word for sin in the Old Testament - 590 times.
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g. "Rasha" ( 3:9 ) - literally = Confusion or disorder - Job 3:17
_ Wickedness or criminal wrong - Ps. 1:1
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D. The INHERITANCE of Sin
When God created Adam, He created him "in his own image" (spiritually
and morally perfect) - Gen. 1:26-27; 31
After Adam sinned, he begat sons "in his own likeness and image" (Gen.
5:3) (morally corrupt and in need of salvation)
3. Adam's sin nature was then inherited by his children and passed down from
generation to generation each time a child is conceived in the womb (ps.
51:5).
The solidarity of the human race in Adam is the reason for the continuation
of the principle of sin. This racial unity is illustrated in Hebrews 7:9, 10 and
Genesis 46:26.
5. Our own sin is imputed to us when we violate God's Law (Rom. 5:13; Rom.
4:8; II Cor. 5:19).
God does not impute Adam's sin to you; rather, He imputes your sin to your
account.
Contrary to the views of many theologians, the Bible does not speak of the
imputation ("logizomai") of Adam's sin to the human race. However, the
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impartation of Adam's sin nature is taught.
Deserved imputation is when someone is credited with their own sin (by
merit)
Three views:
What is depravity?
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d. That an unsaved man will necessarily indulge in every form of sin
a. That every man has the same potential to fulfill even the vilest of sins
(Rom. 1:18ff; 3:10-18)
When the unsaved do right, it is for selfish purposes, not for God's
exclusive glory (Mt. 6:5; II Tim. 3:4).
6) The emotions
No act of the will of man (by itself) can change his nature or
relationship to God.
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How extensive is depravity? All men are depraved.
a. I Ki. 8:46 -
b. Eccl. 7:20 -
c. Is. 53:6 -
d. Lk. 11:13 -
e. Rom. 3:10, 23 -
f. Gal. 3:22 -
g. I Jn. 1:8 -
a. The fact that all men need atonement (Jn. 3:16, 12:47), repentance
(Acts 17:30) and regeneration (Jn. 3:3-5), proves that all men are
sinful and lost.
b. The fact that all men stand condemned apart from God's saving
grace shows that all men are depraved (Jn. 3:18, 36; I Jn. 5:19)
Depravity is:
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The Bible teaches three basic consequences for man's sin:
b. Unsaved man is blind (II Cor. 4:3-4; I Cor. 2:14; Eph. 4:18)
h. Man is associated with Satan (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2; II Tim. 2:26)
2. Death
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Rom. 3:23)
Chart:
Perhaps the hardest concept for a man to accept is what the Bible says
about sin and the condemnation of the sinner.
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1) "Gehenna" (referring to a place of burning - Mt. 5:29-30)
2) "Destruction" (Mt. 7:13)
3) "Outer darkness" (Mt. 8:12a, 22:13)
4) "Weeping" (Mt. 8:12b)
5) "Gnashing of teeth" (Mt. 8:12c)
6) "Destruction of soul and body" (Mt. 10:28)
7) "A furnace of fire" (Mt. 13:42, 50)
8) "Everlasting fire" (Mt. 25:46)
9) "Everlasting punishment" (Mt. 25:46)
10) "Their worm dieth not" (Mk. 9:44a)
11) "The fire is not quenched" (Mk. 9:44b)
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c. The sequence of events for those who die without Christ:
Illustration:
Answer: God is holy and just - His holiness demands that sin
separate all who are infected with it from God's holy presence
(Hab. 1:3). His justice demands that a violation of His law be
paid for without partiality.
God's standards are not our standards, i.e. the way He sees
things does not always match ours. From God's perspective,
every sin is seen as an enormous, putrifying, ugly blot of
darkness against the backdrop of His pure, brilliantly white
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holiness.
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A. Redemption DEFINED:
The word "redemption" basically refers to the price that was paid to free or
bring deliverance to someone. It was used of freeing captives from captivity
and of delivering people from torture (Heb. 11:35).
Psalm 103:4 -
Psalm 107:2 -
Hosea 13:14 -
Job 19:25 -
Is. 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 59:20 -
Ps. 130:7-8 -
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Gal. 3:13 -
The act of redemption was His death (Mt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45).
B. Redemption ILLUSTRATED
Animal sacrifice, which began with the fall of Adam (Gen. 3:21, 4:4, 8:20-21,
15:9-18), was legislated by the Law of Moses (Lev. 1-6, 16).
All Old Testament sacrifices are a picture or symbol of the great sacrifice of
Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.
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In this way the slain innocent animals foreshadowed or pre-figured the
innocent Lamb of God whose blood was shed as a substitute sacrifice for
the sins of the world (John 1:29).
Note the following truths which correlate O.T. sacrifices with Christ's
sacrifice:
Important note:
While Old Testament animal sacrifices could never remove sin and spiritual
guilt from the offerer (Heb. 10:4, 11), those sacrifices did provide an
"atonement" (Lev. 4:35, Num. 15:25, 26).
"The Scriptures tell us that something really did happen to the Israelite
offerer when he came to the right alter with the appropriate sacrifice. What
happened was temporal, finite, external, and legal -- not eternal, infinite,
internal, and soteriological" (Dr. John C. Whitcomb, Israel My Glory, April
1987, p. 13).
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OLD TESTAMENT ANNUAL SACRIFICES
(One Time Per Year)
Two Key Days which illustrate the perfect Sacrifice -
Jesus Christ, who cleansed us once and for all time
NAME RITUAL SACRIFICE MEANING SYMBOL
Celebrated on the 14th day of Sacrifice was The Christ is our
first month. roasted in fire deliverance Passover
and totally eaten of Christ's Lamb
1) The lamb was w/out blemish by offerers and sacrifice
Passover (Exod.12:5; I Pet.1:19) families. The (Jn. 1:29;
blood was Mt. 26:17-
(Lev. 23:4-5; 2) The lamb was killed sprinkled on the 29; I Cor.
Exod.12:1-13) (Exod.12:6; John 12:24,27) door posts. 5:7)
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Kippur The other goat
2) The priest offered for was led into the II Cor.5:21
(Day of himself (v. 11) wilderness never
Atonement) (Christ didn't need to - to be seen again
(Lev. 16:1-34) Heb. 7:26, 27) (picturing the
removal of sin).
3) Two goats for sin offering:
a) 1st goat - slain
(v.15-19)
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OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICES
A 5-Dimensional View of the Perfect Sacrifice
Jesus Christ, Who Cleanses Us Daily
NAME RITUAL SACRIFICE MEANING SYMBOL
--Voluntary offer Totally burned The fullness of Christ was the
Burnt --Laying on of hands "Wholly Christ's sacrifice complete
--Slain by offerer consumed" sacrifice
Offering --Blood poured (Cp. Rom. 12:12)
--Animal totally (Heb. 10:5-7)
(Lev. 1:1-17)
burned up
--Fine flour mixed A pure gift to God The Christ was the
Meal with frankincense, oil, (cp. Heb. 10:14) flawlessness of perfect sacrifice
salt (no leaven) Christ's sacrifice (Heb. 7:26-27)
Offering
(Lev. 2:1-16)
--Spotless lamb or A peaceful The fruitfulness Christ is our
Peace goat fellowship of Christ's peace with God
--Laying on of hands between God sacrifice (Col. 2:20;
Offering --Slain by offender and man Eph. 2:17)
--Part sacrificed/part (cp. Rev. 3:20)
(Lev. 3:1-17)
eaten
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Offering was burnt For sins Covers the Christ is the
Sin outside the camp committed principle of sin atonement for
(v. 11, 12, 16:27) against God's sin's guilt
Offering commands
(general (Heb. 13:11-12;
(Lev. 4:1-5:13;
atonement) Jn. 19:17-20)
cp. 6:25-30)
(cp. I Pet. 2:24)
An offering plus For sins Covers the Christ is the
Trespass restitution is given committed practice of sin atonement for
(5:16, 6:5) against God's sin's damage
Offering "holy things" and
against His (Is. 53:10)
(Lev. 5:14;6:7)
commands
(specific
atonement)
(cp. I Jn. 1:9)
NOTE:
1. The first three offerings (burnt, meal, and peace) are called a
"sweet smelling savour"
(cp. Eph. 5:2 - Christ became a "sweet smelling savour" to the Father).
2. The last two offerings (sin, trespass) are called a "non-sweet savour"
(cp. II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13 - Christ became a sin offering and a curse for us).
C. Redemption PROVIDED
Christ provided our redemption (and fulfilled the Old Testament prophetic symbols and types
of animal sacrifice) by giving His life as the purchase price necessary to release man from the
penalty, power, and--one day--from the presence of sin.
1) Abraham by faith said to his son Isaac: "God will provide Himself a lamb
for a burnt offering" (Gen. 22:8). Note: Abraham's offering of Isaac on
Mount Moriah was not only a test of faith (Heb. 11:17-19), it was a
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foreshadowing of God offering up His "only begotten Son" (Heb. 11:17;
Jn. 3:16).
2) Isaiah, who lived over 700 years B.C., foretold of Christ's substitutionary
death with these words:
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed." (53:6)
"Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin" (v. 10)
By "substitute" we mean that Christ "took the place of us." The death we deserved, He
died; the penalty we should have paid, He paid.
Two New Testament Greek words emphasize the substitutionary death of Christ:
Mk. 10:45 - "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
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minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (cp. Mt. 20:28)
The crux (key truth) of the Gospel message is the substitutionary ("vicarious")
death of Christ (I Cor. 15:3; cp. I Cor. 2:2).
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Christ's death for (in the place of) sinners is the most essential element of
God's plan of salvation (In I Cor. 15:3, the words "first of all" mean "first in
importance" - showing Christ's substitutionary death and bodily resurrection to
be the most essential contents of the Gospel message).
7) Have an example to suffer patiently (I Pet. 2:21, 4:1; cp. I Jn. 3:16)
Much confusion exists today over the issue of the blood of Christ. Debate
rages concerning the nature and efficacy of Christ's blood. Questions are
asked such as:
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"When we sing 'Are You Washed in the Blood?', 'Saved by the
Blood,' 'There is Power in the Blood,' 'Nothing but the Blood,' etc.,
what blessed truth are we communicating?"
To answer these questions, the student of God's Word must not speculate
and go beyond what the Scripture clearly teaches. The Bible clearly
teaches the following propositions:
"The atonement is the scarlet cord running through every page in the
entire Bible. Cut the Bible anywhere and it bleeds; it is red with
redemptive truth." (William Evans, cited by Borkert/Pulliam, The
Blood of Christ, Calvary Baptist Theological Journal, Fall, 1987, p. 1).
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2) The book of Hebrews emphasizes both Christ's offering of His
body and His blood for the redemption of man.
Jesus was the God-man. Total God and total man. His spiritual
nature was totally divine; His physical nature was totally human.
Beware: Any view which denies the literal, human blood of Jesus is
akin to Gnosticism and Docetism, which deny Christ's humanity (I
Jn. 4:2-3; II Jn. 7)
e. It is not merely the blood, but the shed blood on Calvary's cross
that saves
(when the proper emphasis is placed on the word "shed", the modern
confusion over the blood issue is resolved).
"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins" (Mt. 26:28; cp. Mk. 12:24; Lk. 22:20).
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2) Christ's death and blood are linked together in Scripture.
"Christ died for us. . . justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:8-9).
"By the blood (v.13). . .in His flesh (v.15). . ."by the cross"
(v.16)
Interesting Analogies:
Note: The rest of the blood was then poured out at the base of the
altar into the ground. In similar manner, Christ's blood was spilled
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below the cross (Exod. 29:12; Lev. 1:15; 3:2; 4:18, 25, 30, 34, etc.;
cp. Jn. 19:34).
Because Jesus over 2,000 years ago shed His blood for sinners,
believers now have the following blessings:
D. Redemption APPLIED
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The word "efficacy" simply refers to "the power to produce an effect." Hence, when
we speak of the efficaciousness of Christ's death, the question that needs to be
answered is: What did the death of Christ accomplish? Exactly what did Christ
make atonement for? What effect does Christ's death have on the believer?
Basic Answer:
a. Christ died with the specific and exclusive purpose of paying for man's
sin.
b. Christ's death is effective to pay for the sins committed before the
cross (O.T. saints)
Romans 3:25 - "...the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God"
How could God remit (pass over) the sins committed previous to Christ's
atoning death? How could He "forbear"?
Answer: God saved the O.T. believer because of the guaranteed certain
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payment His Son would make in the future.
They were, in a sense, saved "on credit" (i.e. with a view of future
payment).
God could forgive and justify Old Testament believers because in His
sovereign, omniscient mind payment was as certain as if it had already
been made.
c. Christ's death is effective to pay for the sins committed after the cross
(N.T. saints)
In other words, when Jesus died, did He die not only to save us from our
sins, but also to save us from sickness, disease, physical deformity, etc.?
(This view is held by contemporary charismatics and Pentecostals and is
called: "The Full Gospel")
Biblical explanation:
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sicknesses"
Biblical explanation:
Christ died so that we could have eternal life, not an illness-free life.
For many Godly believers, to have a "thorn in the flesh" is according
to God's plan and is for the purpose of bringing Him glory (II Cor.
12:7-10; Job).
*Note: By dying for our sins, Christ did make it possible that one
day--in Heaven--we will be free from pain, sickness and sorrow. But
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that is future tense! (I Cor. 15:53-54; Rev. 21:4)
How many people did Christ die for? Did He pay the price for all men's sins?
One of the points of hyper-Calvinism (Reformed churches) is the belief that Christ
did not actually die for all men. They teach a concept known as "limited
atonement" - also called "particular redemption." (". . . in the intention and secret
plan of God, Christ died for the elect only. . ." - Loraine Boettner).
1) Matthew 1:21 - "He shall save his people from their sins. . ."
3) John 10:11, 15 - "the good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. . . I
lay down my life for the sheep."
4) Acts 20:28 - "the church of God, which He hath purchased with His
own blood."
5) Ephesians 5:25 - "Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it."
7) John 17:9 - "I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them
which thou hast given me; for they are mine."
Those verses do say that Christ died for particular people, but those verses
do not say that those people are the only ones Christ died for. Such a
method of interpretation, if consistently applied, would force one to hold that
Christ died only for Paul (Gal. 2;20); which all would deny.
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Note: the faulty reasoning - To read John 10;11, 15 and conclude that
Christ only died for "his sheep" and not anyone else is to say the following:
c. Those who hold a "limited atonement" view would ask: Did Christ die for the
sins of the non-elect? If He did, is not that extra "un-used" suffering a waste
and is His work on the cross a failure as far as the lost are concerned?
Answer: Because Christ is God and therefore infinite, His death was infinite.
He had to die an infinite death to satisfy His infinite holiness. Jesus would
have to suffer as much in becoming a sin offering to atone for just Adam's
sin, as He did for the whole world? It is the all-encompassing quality of His
sacrifice that appeased the wrath of God. When you think of Christ dying
for sin, it is improper to merely think of Him as dying for sins (plural) but
better to understand that He died for sin as a whole!
*His death is sufficient for all men, but is only efficient for those who
believe (See: Chafer)
This, of course, does not mean that all are saved (universalism), but that all
have the same opportunity to be saved. The payment has been made,
whether or not it is accepted, imputed, or benefitted by.
1) I John 2:1-2 - "He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours
only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
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2) I Timothy 2:4 - "Who will have all men to be saved and come unto
the knowledge of the truth"
4) I Timothy 4:10 - "Who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that
believe" (Christ's death is sufficient for all, but only efficient for those
who believe)
6) Titus 2:11 - "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared
to all men"
7) II Peter 2:1 - "False teachers . . . even denying the Lord that bought
them"
8) God offers salvation to "all" (Is. 53:6; Mt. 11:28; Rom. 3:22; 5:18;
Acts 17:30; II Pet. 3:9)
9) God offers salvation to the "world" (Jn. 1:29, 3:16-17; II Cor. 5:18-
20; I Jn. 4:14)
10) God offers salvation to the "whosoevers" (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 10:13;
Rev. 22:17) ("Whosoever" occurs 110 times in the New Testament)
"The death of Christ is like some benefactor paying the tuition of all students
in all schools everywhere. If that could be true, what should we be telling
students? The good news that their tuition are paid. *Christ died for all.
What should we be telling the world?" (Ryrie, p. 323)
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III. ELECTION: The Eternal PLAN for Salvation
(He chose me!)
Introduction:
The Bible reveals some mysteries that are not totally understandable or explainable
(Deut. 29:29).
However, by faith, the believer accepts the truth God has revealed, and waits till glory
when the "secret things" will be revealed. Then our limited knowledge will be replaced by
a perfect knowledge of all spiritual truth (I Cor. 13:12; I Jn. 3:2).
1. The Trinity (Lk. 3:22; Mt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14; Gen. 1:26)
2. The two natures of Christ (totally God and totally man - Phil. 2:5ff)
3. The production of Scripture (Holy Spirit and holy men - II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:21)
4. Prayer (God knows our needs in advance - Mt. 6:8; God expects us to pray - Mt.
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6:11)
5. Living the Christian life (we must work, God must work - Phil. 2:12-13)
*Whenever the divine and human meet - there are workings that are higher than our finite
minds can handle -- and election is one of them.
The Biblicist must take and believe what the Bible says about election and stop there; we
cannot rationalize and logically formulate ideas and doctrines that are not specifically
stated in Scripture.
Definitions:
The word "elect" or "election" (¦68@(0 - ekloge) simply means to be "picked out," to be
"selected," to be "chosen."
The verb (eklegomai) occurs 21 times in the New Testament and means "to choose"
(Eph. 1:4). In the middle voice, it means to "choose for oneself, not necessarily implying
the rejection of what is not chosen, but choosing with the subsidiary ideas of kindness or
favor or love" (Vine, p. 189).
The noun (ekloge) occurs 7 times and refers to a selection of God (Rom. 9:11, 11:5, 7,
28; I Thes. 1:4; II Pet. 1:10).
The adjective (eklektos) occurs 23 times in the New Testament and always refers to
God's selected ones ("the elect" - those people chosen by God - Rom. 8:33; Col. 3:12)
with one exception ("elect angels" - I Tim. 5:21).
The word "haireo" means "to take to oneself" (II Thes. 2:13).
The word "tasso" means to appoint, give a position to, or ordain (Acts 13:48).
Anyone who believes the Bible, must believe in "election" since the word occurs frequently
in Scripture. The questions, however, are: "What is meant by 'election'?" "What did God
elect?" "What did He select or choose?" "What is the basis for His selection?"
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A. God Chose the Plan of Salvation
God's marvelous plan of salvation was not an afterthought--after Adam and Even
sinned--nor was it something that just happened by accident.
God sovereignly and purposely designed a just (righteous) plan of saving mankind
before the world began.
1. He chose to send His Son (Is. 42:1; Mt. 12:18; I Pet. 2:6)
2. He chose to sacrifice His Son (Mt. 2639, 42; I Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8)
The emphasis in Ephesians 1 & 2 is the believer's union with Christ. The
phrases "in Christ" (1:3, 10). . . "in Him" (1:4). . . "by Jesus Christ" (1:5). . .
"in the Beloved" (1:6). . . "together with Christ" (2:5), etc.
1) Abraham (Gen. 12:1,2), Isaac (Gen. 21:12), and Jacob (Rom. 9:11-13)
2) Israel - Dt. 7:6; Is. 45:4)
3) Jeremiah (Jer. 1:5)
4) The Disciples (Jn. 15:16)
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5) Paul (Gal. 1:15)
"Election is that eternal act of God, by which in His sovereign pleasure, and on
account of no foreseen merit in them, He chooses certain out of the number of
sinful men to be the recipients of the special grace of His Spirit, and so to be made
voluntary partakers of Christ's salvation" (A.H. Strong).
1. John 6:37 - "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that
cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out."
3. John 6:44 - "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent
me draw him..."
4. John 6:65 - "No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of
my Father"
5. John 17:2 - "that He [Jesus} should give eternal life to as many as thou [the
Father] hast given Him" (cp. v. 6, 24)
Note: The Father's selection of those who would belong to the Son perfectly
corresponds to the metaphor of the "Bride of Christ" (Jn. 3:29; Eph. 5:23-
32; Rev. 19:7, 9; 21:9; 22:17)
c. Rapture - the Son is coming back to receive only His Bride unto
Himself (Mt. 25:1-13)
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--The word "ordained" (tetagmenoi) means to appoint or enroll
--This verb is passive in voice - showing that God did the act of
foreordaining.
--This verb is perfect in tense - showing that the time of the ordaining took
place before (prior to) the time they "believed"
7. II Timothy 1:9 - "Who hath saved us...according to His own purpose and
grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."
Answer: No!
Reasons:
Answer: Yes!
Reasons:
2) God is fair in molding vessels for His own glory (v. 19-23)
4) God is fair in rejecting a people who attempt to be saved by their works (v. 30-
33)
QUESTION: Romans 9:18 - When God hardened Pharaoh, did He harden a heart that was
previously soft?
No! When God hardened Pharaoh's heart, He was actually keeping hard that which was
already hardened (cp. Ex. 8:15, 32 with Ex. 9:12, etc.)
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QUESTION: Romans 9:22 - Does God form occupants for hell?
No! Rather, He does have the prerogative to take people who have "fitted themselves" (middle
voice) for destruction and keep them on their path of doom.
10. I Peter 1:2 - "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father..."
Unconditional election - teaches that God's choice was based upon His
foreknowledge of whom He would choose.
Therefore, the Biblicist position is to believe in both election and free will.
God must choose you, and you must choose God. Your choice of God is a
confirmation that He had already chosen you (Jn. 6:37).
Note how the following verses teach God's sovereignty to elect and man's
responsibility to believe:
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John 6:37 "the Father giveth..." "...him that cometh"
We need to understand the will of God. There are two sides to the will of
God
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(What God desires to happen) (What God has decreed will happen)
II Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack Eph. 1:11 - "In whom also we have
concerning his promise, as some men obtained an inheritance, being
count slackness; but is longsuffering to predestinated according to the purpose of
us-ward, not willing that any should him who worketh all things after the
perish, but that all should come to counsel of his own will"
repentance."
(Cp. Eph. 1:5, John 1:13)
It will produce:
Throughout human history, men have wondered about the same question that
the ancient Job asked: "How should a man be just with God?" (Job 9:2; cp.
25:4).
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25)
to be declared righteous (Rom. 3:24, 28, 30)
2. The term "justified" is a courtroom term which deals with legal matters.
In the same way a judge would uphold law, evaluate the evidence, pass
judgment, and declare a verdict, so God (the Judge of the universe)
renders a verdict regarding men (the verdict is either: just or unjust
[righteous or unrighteous] - cp. Dan. 12:2; Acts 24:15).
3. Definition:
*JUST IF I ED
Psalm 143:2 -
Galatians 3:11 -
This truth was revealed in the Old Testament (Rom. 1:2; Acts 10:43)
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Noah - Gen. 6:8
Abraham - Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6
Moses - Ex. 33:17
David - Ps. 130:2, 3; Ps. 51:1ff
Isaiah - Is. 45:24
Redeemed Israel - Is. 45:25
Isaiah 53:11 - "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities."
a. "...my righteous servant (shall) justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities (Is. 53:11).
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2) The Body (I Cor. 12; Eph. 4:4-16)
3) The Bride (Eph. 5:23-32; Rev. 19:7, 9)
4) The Building (I Cor. 3:9; Eph. 2:21, 22)
1) "By (in) him all that believe are justified from all things" (Acts
13:39)
2) "Ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the
Spirit of our God" (I Cor. 6:11).
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It is the Holy Spirit who spiritually unites the believer to
Christ (II Cor. 12:13; Rom. 6:1ff). This union then results in
the "imputation" of Christ's righteousness to the sinner's
account (II Cor. 5:21) (Illustration: the poor peasant who
married the prince)
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b. Note: Justification is not an "infusion of grace" (Roman Catholic
view), but rather an imputation of righteousness because of God's
grace.
a. "Faith" (O.T. "aman"; N.T. "pistis") - to rely upon that which is totally
dependable; a firm persuasion; a conviction based upon
unshakable truth.
2) "By Him all that believe are justified from all things" (Acts
13:39)
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You will know the blessing of having:
a) Your sin "lifted off" your shoulders (v. 7a)
b) Your sin "buried out of sight" (v. 7b)
c) Your sin "not held against you" (v. 8)
d. Note: "Repentance" and "faith" are related terms. They are like
"two sides of the same coin." "Repentance" is negatively a turning
from; "faith" is positively a turning toward (cp. I Thess. 1:9).
a. Justification means:
Peace with God (Rom. 5:1)
b. Justification means:
Pardon from God's wrath (Rom. 5:9)
c. Justification means:
A promise of God's glory (eternity with God) (Rom. 8:30; cp. Ti.
3;7)
d. Justification means:
Protection from God's enemies (Rom. 8:33)
John Calvin said: "Faith alone justifies; but faith that justifies is never
alone."
"Faith" without works is a "dead faith" (it is impotent; not saving faith).
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When James uses the word "justified," he is not using it like Paul does (in
the sense of "to declare righteous") but rather in the sense of "to prove
righteous" (cp. Rom. 3:4; Mt. 11:19; Lk. 7:29, 35; I Tim. 3:16; Ps. 51:4)
The point in this context is that Abraham and Rahab were proven to be
righteous (shown to have true saving faith) by their works.
Good works may prove (or give evidence) that someone has been justified
(Ja. 2:21, 24, 25), but works are not the means by which one is justified
(Gal. 2:16).
Man's problem, however, is that he has not perfectly obeyed the Law. All
have missed the mark of God's perfect standard (Rom. 3:9-23);
"therefore, by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified."
To understand the Biblical view on this subject we must examine 2 time factors
regarding the Lordship of Christ:
Answer: both!
When we invite men to receive Christ as Savior, we are implicitly asking them to
receive the One who is LORD! Jesus is LORD.
Note: The title: LORD (gk. kurios) is the greek equivalent for the O.T. Hebrew
words: YAHWEH (Jehovah) meaning eternal God; and Adonai meaning ruler or
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master.
Those who reject Jesus as Lord also reject Him as Savior. They have "another
Jesus". Jesus cannot be Savior without being Lord. (see: Is.43:11 & Acts 4:12)
Either you have Christ, all of Christ, the way He is or you do not have Him at all.
(What kind of Savior would we have if He could not command those He saves?)
Therefore we should not tell a new Christian to make Christ Lord of their lives,
but rather we are to tell him that He is Lord of their lives. If you really trusted Him
you trusted Him as both Lord and Savior.
When you get saved you are bought (redeemed) with a price (I Cor.6:20)
Therefore: I now belong to Christ. He tells me what to do. Its no longer my life.
Its His! I now have no choice but to submit to His will!
You receive Christ the LORD to be your Savior for salvation (Rom.10:9);
And you submit to Christ your Savior because He is your LORD upon salvation
(ie. as soon as His Spirit comes into your life at conversion - I Cor. 12:3).
Illustration: You must meet (and be hired by) an employer before you serve him.
You must accept Jesus Christ as Lord (personally) before you serve Him as
Lord.
But serving Him always follows accepting Him (and there should be no delay in
time -service is a natural response to:
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1) His Lordship over you (Who He is - Lord); and
2) your Love for Him (What He has done for you as your Savior)
You became His servant when you received Him into your life.
This promise given by the LORD God describes the new eternal city that will one
day be the home for every Christian (Rev. 21:5).
We not only have a new future to look forward to, but the Bible teaches that we
ourselves become "new" the moment we believe the Gospel message.
This "newness" of life is called regeneration. This section of notes will reveal the
facts about regeneration.
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Regeneration is the instantaneous work of the Holy Spirit, who imparts
spiritual life to one who was spiritually dead.
This spiritual life is referred to in Scripture as the "new birth," being "born again,"
or being "renewed" (Ti. 3:5)
Prior to regeneration, the Bible teaches that the following is true about man:
The answer is clear from the context that Jesus is referring to the water in
the womb from which a child enters this life.
The phrase "born of water" refers to the first birth (physical birth), whereas
the phrase "born of the Spirit" refers to the second birth (spiritual birth).
Proofs that the phrase "born of water" refers to physical birth:
a. Nicodemus was thinking about this kind of birth and makes mention
of the mother's womb (v. 4)
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b. The phrase "born of water" literally should be translated "born out
of water" ((,<<020 ¦> ß*"J@H)
c. The parallel in verse 6 contrasts the physical birth with the spiritual
birth.
Just as one is born physically only once, so one is born again spiritually
only once (for all time). (cp. Jn. 1:13; I Pet. 1:23)
Just as one can see the effects of the wind and not the wind itself, so one
can see the effects of the new birth, but not the birth itself. The effect of
the new birth is a changed heart (Mt. 12:33, 35) which evidences itself by
a changed lifestyle (II Cor. 5:17).
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Gospel and accepts Christ as Savior)
The new birth is provided because of the love of God (I Jn. 3:1; Ja. 1:18)
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E. The Purpose of Regeneration
(Why does God regenerate man?)
1. That we would be adopted into God's family (Jn. 3:1-8; Ro. 8:15)
2. That we would receive a new nature (II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:15;
Col.3:10)Not
e: It is by
our faith in
God's
promises
that we
become
energized to
live a
new
life by His
divine nature
- II Pet. 1:4).
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1. A lifestyle characterized by righteousness (I Jn. 2:29)
3. A love for one's brother (I Jn. 3:10, 14; 4:7; I Pet. 1:22-23)
Examples:
--the firstborn (Ex. 13:2; Num. 8:17)
--the priestly office (Ex. 28:41)
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--Israel as a nation (Ez. 37:28)
--Jeremiah before birth (Jer. 1:5)
--Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:23)
--the Sabbath day (Gen. 2:3; Dt. 5:12)
--the Tabernacle and its vessels (Ex. 30:29)
--the Temple (II Chron. 7:16)
--the Cities of Refuge (Josh. 20:7)
--the transcendent, sovereign LORD (Ez. 36:23; 38:23)
--the Bible (Rom. 1:2)
--the adjective form "hagios" meaning holy (I Pet. 1:15) and saint
(Eph. 4:12)
b. The words "holy," "saint," and "sanctified" all have the same
meaning -"set apart"
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tenses:
1. PAST - Positional Sanctification (I Cor. 1:2, 6:11)
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2. Sanctification does not means sinless perfection in this life (Rom. 6-
7)
a. Legalism reverses God's order. God says: "Do this, because you
are holy"; legalism says: "I am holy because I do this"
c. The root of sanctification is a holy heart (II Chron. 29:34). The fruit
of sanctification is a holy life of obedience (I Pet. 1:2).
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto
every good work."
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VII. PRESERVATION: The Eternal SECURITY of Salvation
(He keeps me!)
How secure is our salvation? Can we ever lose it? Forfeit it? Abandon it? Or
have it taken away by God?
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1. Roman Catholic teaching: "Salvation which comes through the Mother
Church can be lost by committing a mortal sin."
4. The Bible's teaching: The Bible teaches that believers are eternally
secure due to the faithfulness and power of God. Once a person has truly
accepted Christ as his Savior, his salvation is secure through all eternity.
"Once saved, always saved."
Psalm 37:28 - "For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His
saints; they are preserved for ever"
HOW CAN YOU KNOW ONCE YOU ARE SAVED, THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS
BE SAVED? Will the salvation of a genuine believer ever be lost?
The Bible, however, declares that "salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9). It is a
work originated by God the Father, wrought through Christ the Son, and applied
by the Holy Spirit. The very definition of the word "salvation" argues for eternal
security because it communicates a saving, rescuing, deliverance, and
preservation from the bondage of Satan, sin, and sin's consequences (hell), and
a permanent restoration and renewal unto God, making the believer a partaker
of the infinite riches of God's grace.
The Apostle Paul gives a definite, clear description of how a sinner is saved by
saying that salvation is "by grace through faith" (Eph. 2:8). Salvation is not "by
faith through grace," which would place the emphasis upon man's faith; rather, it
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is by grace, placing the emphasis upon God and not man.
The Bible declares that a believer has already been saved (past tense); and
Heaven's possession (with its blessings) are already ours.
(NOTE: V. 8 - "are ye saved" = Greek "you have been saved and still are"
(perfect, passive participle)
The Bible declares that a believer has already been saved from the curse of the
Law (Gal. 3:13), from wrath (I Th. 5:9), from death (see II Cor. 1:10), and from
destruction (II Th. 1:9). A sinner who trusts in Christ becomes: a child of God
(Jn. 1:12-13), regenerated (Tit. 3:5), a new creature (II Cor. 5:17), a heavenly
citizen (Phil. 3:20), an heir to God's grace and inheritance (Rom. 5:2; Eph. 1:18),
and complete in Christ (Col. 2:9-10).
Therefore, believers can know that they are: of God (I Jn. 5:19), have passed
from death (I Jn. 3:14), are "in Him" (I Jn. 2:5), possess eternal life (I Jn. 5:11).
In the future, believers shall be: raised (I Th. 4:16), changed (I Cor. 15:52),
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caught up (I Th. 4:17), be like Him (I Jn. 3:2), be with Him (I Th. 4:17), and be
satisfied (Ps. 17:15).
If our salvation was not resting in the unchanging character of God, we might
lose it.
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Paul in Romans 8:35, 38-39 states that absolutely nothing
can separate one who is justified by God (Rom. 8:33) from
"the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom.
8:39).
God, being a just Judge, has been fully and exclusively propitiated
(satisfied) by the atoning, substitutionary work of His Son Jesus
Christ (Rom. 3:24, 25). The justice of God makes the
perseverance of the saints a necessity, because God cannot
punish sin twice. It is impossible that the punishment be paid for
once by Christ (Heb. 8:28; I Pet. 3:18) and a second time by the
ones who have at one time received a pardon. The sentence of
justification is pronounced by God Himself and none can reverse it.
"...It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?" (Ro.
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8:34). Paul triumphantly declares that those who are justified will
also be glorified (Rom. 8:30) and God's work will last forever (Ecc.
3:14; Phil. 1:6).
If our salvation did not depend solely upon the grace of God, we might lose it.
The Bible teaches that eternal life is dependent totally upon the Life-giver. To
make life dependent on the believer is to dishonor the Life-giver, and to make
man his own preserver. Hence, works would play a part in man's salvation and
would thus nullify grace (Rom. 4:4). While believers are not saved by works but
by grace through faith, the Bible is explicit that saving faith will be followed by
works (James 2). However, even in works after salvation, it is " God" that
worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). "For we
are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Eph. 2:10).
Paul, writing to the carnal Corinthians said that it is "our Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful..." (I Cor. 1:8-9). The psalmist wrote, "For the
Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance" (Ps.
94:14; cp. Heb. 13:5).
Every believer is inseparably united by the Holy Spirit into Christ's body (Rom. 6;
I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 5:23-32). "For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and
of His bones" (Eph. 5:30). Being "in Christ" is an extremely strong support for
perseverance. "Your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). The phrase "in
Christ" is found 12 times int he book of Ephesians alone! The believer being "in
Christ" is a body part that will never be amputated.
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6. THE HOLY SPIRIT OF SALVATION PROVES ETERNAL SECURITY
Believers possess the Holy Spirit as a down-payment, promising that the Owner
(God) will receive His possession (believers). Believers are both "sealed"
(indicating security) and are given an "earnest" (a pledge being a guarantee) that
God will fulfill His promises (II Cor. 1:22). "...Having also believed, you were
sealed (past tense) in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a
pledge of our inheritance, with a view (future) to the redemption of God's own
possession, to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:13-14).
EXCURSUS
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
Question: "How do I know I am really saved?"
Satan - the liar - is constantly trying to get men to doubt God. (cp. Gen. 3:1). Many real
Christians are sometimes plagued by torment, fear, and doubt regarding their salvation.
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God seems so far away; they seem trapped.
1. They don't have life (I Jn. 5:12) (This is why there is no change on
their life)
2. They don't have spiritual discernment (I Cor. 2:14) (This is why they
don't understand Scripture)
Note: warnings to beware of false teachers (II Tim. 3:5; Tit. 3:9-10)
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Examples of false teaching:
1. They say, "If you didn't repent enough - you are not saved."
(The question is not did you repent enough; but rather did you
genuinely repent--that is, have a change of mind regarding your sin
and Christ's sufficiency.)
2. They say, "If there is illness, hardship or trouble in your life - you
are not saved."
3. They say, "If you cannot give a specific date - you are not saved."
What is important is not that you can remember the exact date but
that there was one. If you presently believe that Christ died for
your sins (I Cor. 15:3), there was a time when this belief began.
4. They say, "If you have committed the unpardonable sin - you are
not saved."
NOTE: In the context of Mt. 12:24-32, the unpardonable sin is:
"the willful, continued denial of the Holy Spirit's testimony
concerning the person and work of Christ."
5. They say, "The Bible teaches that a saved person can lose his
salvation."
Gal. 5:1-4 ["fallen from grace"] - These were people who never had
God's Grace, because they were trusting the Law and their works.
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D. POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF UNCONFESSED SIN
1. When you sin you break fellowship with God but not your
relationship to God. See: I John 1
Note: Assurance is a gift of the Spirit ("His Spirit bears witness with
our Spirit" Rom. 8) Assurance is a blessing like any other blessing.
Assurance can be forfeited by disobedience because the Spirit
is grieved. Assurance can then come under thee attack of "the
accuser of the Brethren."
Why? 1) His "seed" (God's divine nature) will prevent it (I Jn. 3:9)
John Newton the Author of the old, great hymn "Amazing Grace" said:
Assurance is as simple as 1, 2, 3!
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2. I am safe because of the BLOOD
Read I John 5:13; note: the word "know" appears 35 times in this small epistle.
The purpose of I John is to provide objective evidence so that one can "know" that
he has eternal life
You can be assured of your salvation if you pass the 3 tests in I John.
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[Trust the facts of God's Word]
a. You must believe that Jesus is the Messiah (I Jn. 2:21-22; 5:1a)
b. You must accept the Son just as you accept the Father (They are
equal) (v.23-25)
c. You must believe that Jesus is the true God and Eternal life (I
Jn.5:20)
He is the Savior (I Jn. 4:14-15)
a. You must believe that Jesus left Heaven and became a man -- to die
for men. (I Jn.4:1-3).
(The apostle John gives several signs in your life that show that you have truly
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been saved. Note: And not one time is the gift of tongues mentioned, contrary to
the beliefs of some today)
facts
about
Salvation
1. BELIEF
FAITH
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2. ATTITUDE
LOVE
3. ACTION
OBEDIENCE
feeling
good about
your Salvation
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VIII. GLORIFICATION: The Future GLORY of Salvation
(He will clothe me for Heaven!)
2. Romans 8:18-25
a. The CREATION anxiously awaits our future glorification
(v. 19-22)
b. The CHRISTIAN anxiously awaits his own future glorification (v. 23-25)
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Scripture often describes our "salvation" as a future reality. These references point
to the culmination or completion of our great salvation -- our glorification.
". . . Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" - Romans 13:11.
2. When we see Christ at the Rapture, we will receive our glorified bodies (I
Jn. 3:2; I Cor. 15:52; I Thes. 4:13-17)
a. Phil. 3:21 - "It may be fashioned like unto his glorious body"
b. I Jn. 3:2 - "We shall be like Him" (cp. Lk. 24:13-51; Jn. 20:19-26)
7. Notice that glorification will result in every redeemed soul being perfectly
fulfilled and satisfied. However, this does not mean that the resurrected
state will involve absolute sameness or even equality among all souls.
Strong says that glorification is: "the fullness and perfection of holy life, in
communion with God and sanctified spirits. Although there will be degrees
of blessedness and honor, proportioned to the capacity and fidelity of each
soul (Lk. 19:17, 19; I Cor. 3:14, 15), each will receive as great a measure of
reward as it can contain (I Cor. 2:9)."
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