SOTERIOLOGY – THE STUDY OF SALVATION

Salvation:

negatively, deliverance from sin, death, and divine wrath (and even God Himself), and positively, the
bestowal of far-ranging spiritual blessings both temporal and eternal. God freely conveys these benefits
on the basis of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Mediator. (Bruce Demarest)

Humankind’s Need for Salivation:

All have sinned – Psalm 53:1, Rom. 3:10-12,23

Sinners Present Condition:

Perishing – John 3:16

Lost – Luke 19:10

Condemned already – John 3:18

Spiritually depraved – Eph. 2:1-2, 4:17-19

Alienated from the life of God - Eph. 2:12

Dwell under the curse of the law – Gal. 3:10

Enslaved by sin, death, and the Devil – Rom 6:16-17, Heb. 2:15, II Tim 2:26

Sinners Future Condition:

Conscious torment – Matt. 5:22-23

Everlasting duration – Matt. 25:41, 46, Rev. 14:11

I. The Plan of Salvation:

A. Grace

1. We are saved by grace. Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 5:8

a. While we were yet sinners. Rom. 5:8

b. Grace is woven through every part of salvation.

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2. Grace is:

a. a choice God makes; it is not required to be given. Ex. 33:19, Rom. 9:15-16

b. unmerited favor, a gift, not of works. Works nullify grace. Rom. 6:23, 11:2-6

1. If God’s grace is not dependent upon our works, upon what is it

dependent? Rom. 9:10-16

2. Why does God save us by grace? Eph. 2:8-9, I Cor. 1:26-31, Isa. 42:8

3. When does God’s grace end and it start to be dependent on our works?
(Never forget this.)

3. What happens to God’s grace when those who are in Christ sins? Rom. 5:20

a. Those in Christ cannot out sin God’s grace in number or in depth.

b. Because of what we know about God’s grace, why is this not only true, but
logical?

c. Why doesn’t this lead to uncontrolled licentious living for those who are in
Christ? Rom. 6:1-14

1. We have died to sin.

a. We have been crucified with Christ. Gal. 2:20

b. Sin now does not have dominion over us.

2. We are alive to God.

3. What does a life without the dominion of sin look like? Rom. 7:15-25

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4. Man-centered questions that can distort our understanding of God’s grace.

a. Before the questions, Pelagian and Semi-Pelagian views of grace.

b. In order to be fair, doesn’t God’s grace have to be given to all men?

1. Ex. 33:19, Rom. 9:15-16

2. Why isn’t this unfair?

c. Isn’t it unfair to hold people accountable for their sins, if they are born in sin
and have not been provided the grace to be free of their sin?

1. Rom. 9:16-23

2. What is Paul’s answer?

d. Isn’t it unfair if God does not provide the same chance for everyone to be
saved?

1. Rom. 9:10 -15, Rom. 5:12

2. Why does man need God’s grace?

e. By believing it is unfair if the above are true, it results in the view of grace
below:

1. God provides His saving grace to all people.

2. Man cooperates with God’s grace to complete or effect salvation.

(Synergism vs. Monergism)

3. It is man’s will that determines his final destiny, not God’s choice.

4. Since man got his salvation by what he did, he can also lose his
salvation by what he does.

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f. Is it God’s ultimate will that all be saved? I Tim. 2:4, 2 Pet. 3:9

1. If the answer is yes, why isn’t everyone saved?

a. Most would answer that it is because man’s will

overrides God’s will.

b. What does the Bible say - Psa. 115:3, 135:6, Dan. 4:34-
35, Isa. 46:9-11, Prov. 21:1, Jam 4:13-15, Acts 9:1-6

2. All are not saved and if God’s will is always accomplished, how
do we interpret I Tim. 2:4 and 2 Pet. 3:9?

a. I Tim 2:4 has two possible interpretations:

1. The verb “thelei” means “wants”, “desires”, or

“takes pleasure in”. God does not determine
that all will be saved, but he does not take
pleasure in those who are not saved.

2. In the context of vs. 1-3, God desires all types

of men to be saved even kings. They were told
to pray for even kings, which they probably
weren’t doing. The king was Nero.

b. 2 Pet. 3:9 needs to be read in context starting in vs. 3.

1. This verb boulomai means “will” or “resolve”.

It is stronger than “wishing” or “desiring”.

2. The “you” in vs. 9 refers back to “those who

have received a faith of the same kind as ours” in
I Pet. 1:1.

3. In context, Peter is saying that the Lord is

delaying His coming in order that all of the elect
may come to faith and not be lost.

4. Haven’t you ever said, “I wish the Lord would

come right now.”? I am sure that those in Peter’s
day thought that too. But if He would have come
back then, we would not have been partakers in
God’s grace. 5. To try to
interpret this verse as meaning God wants all
men saved, how does God delaying His coming
accomplish that?

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B. Election

1. Does God elect?

a. Heb. – elect: bachiyr 13 times, Grk. – election: ekloga 7 times, elect: ekletos 23
times, chosen: eklegomai 19 times

b. Matt. 22:14, 24:22, 24, 31, Luke 18:7, Rom. 8:33, 9:11, 11:5, 7, 28, Eph. 1:4, I
Thes. 1:4, II Tim. 2:10, Titus 1:1, Jam. 2:5, I Pet. 1:1-2, 2:9, II Pet. 1:10, Rev. 17:14

c. Closely related word – predestinate Grk. – proorizo: 6 times, Acts 4:28, Rom.
8:29-30, I Cor. 2:7, Eph. 1:5, 11

d. Biblically, there is no question that God elects (chooses) and predetermines the
results (before the foundation of the world).

e. The questions that arise are:

1. Is God’s election for service equivalent to salvation?

2. Is God’s corporate election equivalent to salvation?

3. Upon what does God base His choice?

2. Is God’s election for service equivalent to salvation?

a. First, God does choose people for specific service tasks. Moses for leadership
Num. 16:5-7, Aaron for priestly duty Ps. 105:26, Saul to be king I Sam. 10:24,
Jerimiah for prophetic ministry Jer. 1:10.

b. Jesus chose his twelve disciples to service. John 6:70.

c. Compare Jesus’ election above to Jesus’ election of His disciples in John 13:18.

d. There is an election to service but it may or may not include an election to life.

e. God’s election to service is conditional and can be revoked by disobedience.

(Saul, Judas)

f. God’s election to life is by Grace and cannot be revoked.

3. Was God’s election of Israel to service or to life?

a. God chooses Israel to be His people for privilege and service. Deut. 7:6-8, I Kings
3:8, Ps. 132:13.

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 b. This election was conditional. Ex. 32:9-10, Ps. 95:11

c. We must make a distinction between ethnic Israel for temporal privileges and
the election of a faithful minority within the nation for salvation. I Kings 19:18,
Rom. 9:6, Rom. 11:4

d. The Bible teaches that the corporate election of Israel to privilege is not a
guarantee of salvation, even though many Jews thought so.

4. What is God’s election to salvation based upon?

a. God’s foreknowledge is the subject of much debate concerning God’s election.

Rom. 8:28-30

1. First we observe that the foundation of the Christian’s calling to

salvation is God’s purpose (resolve or decision). vs. 28, Rom. 9:11, Eph.
1:11, 2 Tim. 1:9

2. What does foreknowledge mean in vs. 29?

a. Foreknowledge (proginosko) is used five times in the NT.

b. When humans are the subject (the one doing the

foreknowing), it means to know beforehand. Acts 26:5, 2 Pet.
3:17

c. When God is the subject it can mean either to know

beforehand or to forelove/foreordain. vs. 29, Rom. 11:2, I Pet.
1:20

1. The base word “to know” yada/ginosko often times

means more than to “perceive” or “understand”, but
rather means to “set regard upon, or to know with
particular interest, delight, affection, and action” Gen.
4:1, 18:19, Ex. 2:25, Ps. 1:6, 144:3, Jer. 1:5, Amos 3:2,
Hos.13:5, Matt. 7:23, I Cor. 8:3, Gal. 4:9, 2 Tim. 2:19

2. Given the strongly relational Hebrew background to

the word, the clear use of foreknown in I Pet. 1:20, and
the use of foreknowledge (prognosis) in Acts 2:23, I Pet.
1:1-2, the probable conclusion is that foreknowing in vs.
29 means to forelove, to set His choice upon them, not
that He knows information about them or their actions.

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 3. Vs. 29 continues that those He foreknew He also predestinate. Those
on whom God in eternity past set His affection, He sovereignly chose for
life.

4. How does God’s grace require us to interpret foreknowledge? Rom.

11:5-6, Rom. 9:11

b. The Bible is clear that election precedes belief.

1. John 10 speaks of the Good Shepherd and His sheep.

a. In vs. 26, Jesus tells the unbelieving Jews that they did not
believe because they were not His sheep.

b. Logically, we might think it should be the other way around,

that they were not His sheep because they did not believe.

c. The question we have then is how do you become His sheep if

it is not by believing?

d. In vs. 29, Jesus tells us how. John 17, 2, 6, 9, 24, John 6:35-37

2. Acts 13:48 states that all who were appointed to eternal life believed.
It does not say, all that believed were appointed to eternal life.

3. God’s books make it clear that our deeds including belief do not get us
into heaven. Rev. 17:8, Rev. 20:11-15, Eph. 2:8-9

c. Doesn’t this teaching (the Bible) make God unfair?

1. The parable of the workers and the vineyard. Matt. 20:1-16

a. Jesus infers that none get less that what they deserve (justice),
while some get more than they deserve (grace).

b. It is not unjust of God to give some more than their due.

2. Jesus also taught that, of old, God favored certain persons with His
grace while passing by others. Luke 4:23-27

3. Jesus also taught of God’s sovereign right to reveal or conceal the

significance of Jesus’ words. Matt. 11:25-26

5. Since the Bible teaches that God elects some for salvation, does that mean He elects
those for damnation in the same way? Double predestination.

a. Order of God’s decree to save men.

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 1. Supralapsarianism – God decreed to save humans prior to the fall.

2. Infralapsarianism – God decreed to save humans after the fall.

b. Supralapsarianism

1. God decrees men to hell the same way He decrees men to life.

2. It is by God’s direct decree that men are damned.

3. This is often referred to as “double predestination.”

4. This decree is done before man is viewed as a sinner.

c. Infralapsarianism

1. God views all people as sinners and actively decrees to save some from
that group of sinners (grace).

2. God leaves (permits) sinners to remain in their sin and gives them
justice.

3. God’s decree to life is direct and active, but God is passive towards the
damned.

d. Why I believe infralapsarianism reflects the biblical view.

1. The Bible only refers to those who are saved as “the elect.” If both the
saved and the damned are elected the same way, we would have to ask
which group is the Bible talking about.

2. The Bible is clear that people are in hell because of their sin not
because they were elected to go there.

3. Rom. 8:29 tells us that God’s purpose in predestination was to conform

us to the image of His Son. This presumes that we were sinners and
needed to be changed.

4. “Supra” can lead people to believe that they have never been lost, but
Eph. 2:1-3 explains that God views all of us as either former or current
“children of wrath.”

5. Matt. 25:41 tells us that hell was not made for man, but for Satan and
his angels. So if God would have decreed man to damnation prior to the
fall then it would make sense that hell would have been made for man.

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6. What does the doctrine of election mean to us who have been saved?

a. Great joy and confidence in being chosen.

1. We are in Christ ONLY because of what God has done, not anything we
have done.

2. He will keep us; we can’t mess up what we didn’t do in the first place.

3. I did nothing for God to choose me, so there is nothing I can do for God
to un-choose me. It rests in Him, not me.

b. Encouragement to preaching, prayer, and evangelism.

1. God ordains the means (preaching and witnessing) to salvation as well

as the goal of salvation.

2. Acts 18:6-10, Paul was tempted to retreat from Corinth, but God told
him that He had many people in this city. Paul could preach with
confidence. (Notice: God did not say I have many people in this city, so
don’t worry about preaching, I will save them without you.)

3. Our praying, preaching, and witnessing are all ordained by God to bring
about His desired results.

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7. Since God elects those for salvation, does man really need to repent? Won’t we be
saved because we are elect?

A. The Bible is clear that we must repent, believe, and obey in order to be saved.
Luke 3:3, John 3:16, 36, James 2:19-20

B. Preaching and witnessing are the means that God carries out His election. Rom.
1:16, 10:14-15, Luke 14:16-24

8. God is sovereign and people make meaningful choices for which they are accountable.

A. Man’s choices are allowed to oppose God’s will, while at the same time, God’s
overruling will is always moving forward. Matt. 23:37, Acts 7:51, Luke 7:30,
Dan. 4:35, Isa. 46:9-12

B. When God’s will is “A” and man’s will is “B”, can, in some cases, man’s will
prevail?

1. What does the Bible say?

2. What does a compatibilist believe?

9. Warnings when dealing with difficult doctrines.

A. “The logical conclusion is …”

1. The truth of Scripture always trumps human logic. Psalm 50:21

a. God is sovereign, man is responsible.

b. God is one and three.

c. Jesus is fully God and fully man.

d. God made light on day 1, vegetation, plants, and trees day 3,

and made the sun and moon day 4.

e. These all make perfect sense to God. He is infinite; we aren’t.

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2. Approaching Scripture with a predetermined system instead of letting
Scripture determine my beliefs.

a. We can easily distort or miss entire truths of Scripture because

we will not read and believe the text because it interferes with a
logical understanding we have already determined.

b. We must deal with all verses in Scripture. Certain Scriptures

do not override other Scriptures.

c. When you read Scripture, always ask, “What does the text of
Scripture not say that I might have expected it to say?”

1. John 6:44 – No one can come unless he so chooses.

Anyone can come, since he is free to choose me or not.

2. I Tim. 2:4 – God has chosen and so desires, that only

His elect to be saved and come to the knowledge of the
truth.

3. Rom. 9:11-14 – There is no injustice in God because He

looks ahead to see who would choose Him and that is
how He chooses them.

3. Matt. 22:14 – Many are invited but few choose to

come. God only invites those He has chosen.

4. Acts 27:22,24,30,31 Does God’s sovereignty interact

with man’s actions? God elects; we preach.

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2. The Application of Salvation:

A. Divine Calling

1. From a logical perspective, the initial step in the application of salvation.

2. Can be defined as that summons from God in time that both invites and draws the
unconverted to Christ in a saving relationship.

3. Historical Interpretations of Divine Calling:

a. Natural ability to answer God’s universal call – Pelagians & Liberals

1. Man is not viewed as a sinner but rather a morally neutral being like
Adam and Eve prior to the fall.

2. Man has the ability to keep God’s laws and come to God apart from
any divine assistance.

3. No need for divine calling.

4. This position can be summed as “I came by myself.”

b. Universally restored ability to obey God’s general call – Arminians

1. Believe that there is but a single, general, or universal call from God
to sinners to be saved.

2. Most affirm that God issues the call by a general working of the Spirit
on the soul (John 1:9, Luke 14:16-17) and by explicit Gospel preaching.
Rom. 10:17

2. Maintain that “prevenient grace,” a benefit that flows from Christ’s

death on the cross, neutralizes human depravity and restores to pre-
Christians everywhere the ability to heed God’s general call to salvation.

3. Prevenient grace and the universal call may either be accepted or

rejected. The determining factor is their own free decision.

4. Those who respond positively to God’s invitation to salvation are said

to be “the called”, “the elect.”

5. Believe that God draws everyone, but not everyone finds salvation.

6. This position can be summarized as “God started the process and I

cooperated.”

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c. A general call that may be resisted and a special call effectual for salvation –
Reformed Tradition

1. Believe that, by virtue of original sin and depravity, sinners are

spiritually incapable of responding to the Gospel invitation. Rom. 8:7, I
Cor. 2:14, Eph. 2:1-2, 4-5, 4:17-18

2. Most view the general call and special call as two aspects of the one
summons of God to salvation.

3. The general call to the unsaved comes through the indiscriminate

offer of the Gospel through the preaching of the Word. Matt. 11:28,
John 7:37-38, Rev. 22:17, Rom. 1:19-21

4. The special call is brought about by the Spirit’s secret work on the
heart. Rom. 1:6-7, I Cor. 1:9, 26, I Pet. 2:9, Rom. 8:28-30, Matt. 22:14, 2
Pet. 1:10

5. The special call enlightens darkened minds, frees stubborn wills, and
inclines are contrary affections towards Christ. In other words, it opens
sinners’ hearts, thereby creating a new desire and hunger to know
Christ.

6. The general call meets with a variety of responses in the

unconverted, whereas the special (effectual) call effectively draws
sinners to Christ. John 6:44-45, 65

7. The preacher’s word in the general call is made effective by the

Spirit’s work in the special call.

8. God does not work against man’s will to force him to believe but
rather removes the obstacles (blindness) so that he now chooses to
believe with the faith that God provides. Phil. 2:13

9. The general call demonstrates that on God’s side no obstacle exists

to preclude sinners from enjoying the blessings of the Gospel. It shows
that failure to respond to God’s invitation resides in the sinner’s own
darkened mind and evil will. Left to their sinful selves, the unconverted
render this general call ineffective by their settled opposition to the
things of God. To remedy this situation, God graciously issues the
special call to the elect. Rom. 8:30, I Cor. 1:22-26, 2 Tim. 1:9

10. This position can be summarized – God brought me to Christ.

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B. Conversion – Repent and Believe

1. Primarily human activities or a divinely enabled human response?

a. Arminian theology teaches that humans have been freed from depravity by
prevenient grace which is universally applied, therefore, people are now able to
choose to repent and believe apart from a direct divine act upon on the sinner.
Conversion is primarily a human activity. Individual faith is not a gift from God
but rather something that is completed by the person. God’s prevenient grace
only provides the possibility of conversion.

b. Reformed theology teaches that because humans are totally depraved and
dead in their sins, it requires a direct action of God upon the sinner in order for
the sinner to respond in faith. Individual faith is a gift from God. People will
choose to repent and believe, but only in response to God’ gift. God’s gift of
faith and repentance will effectually bring about conversion.

2. What is Biblical conversion?

a. By spiritual conversion we mean a person’s decisive turning from sin, self, and
Satan unto God through Jesus Christ and the power of the Spirit.

b. The Greek verb epistrepho literally means a change of direction, but is also
used in the NT in the sense of spiritual turning from sin to God with an emphasis
on the change in the person’s manner of life. Luke 1:16-17, Acts, 11:21, Acts
26:17-20, Acts 9:34-35, 2 Cor. 3:12-16, I Thes. 1:9, Noun- Acts 15:3

c. There is no prototypical model of conversion. God works spiritual

reformation in different ways in people’s lives.

1. One’s conversion may be so dramatic that the time of its occurrence

may be recalled (like Paul and the Philippian jailer).

2. One’s conversion may be sufficiently gradual as not to be readily

identifiable (like Timothy).

3. Number 1 above is more common among those who have no prior

knowledge of the Gospel; while number 2 above is more frequent
among youth nurtured in a Christian home.

d. Summary, conversion is turning from an evil lifestyle (2 Cor. 12:21) unto the
Lord (2 Cor. 3:16) in total submission and obedience.

3. Repentance – Where we have been

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A. Repentance literally means to “turn in the opposite direction”, “change of
mind.”

B. In the Pentateuch, God issued frequent warnings to Israel about profaning

the sacred covenant. Yet the loving God also specified a path of return from
violations thereof.

1. After willfully sinning, Israel must acknowledge their “unfaithfulness”

and “hostility.” Lev. 26:40

2. Confess it to the Lord. Vs. 40

3. Humbly repent of all known offenses. Vs 41

4. After Israel turned to the Lord, He would renew the covenant and
bless them. Vs. 42

C. David’s penitent psalm after his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah outlines God’s
pattern of repentance.

1. David expressed awareness of sins. Psalm 51:1-3

2. He offered heartfelt confession of sins. Vs. 4-5

3. David evidenced a true attitude of contrition. Vs. 17

4. He uttered a prayer of pardon for sins. Vs. 7-9

5. David sought an experience of profound inner renewal. Vs. 10-12

6. Finally, David experienced the joy that comes from deliverance from
sin and its consequences. Vs. 12

D. The prophets spoke against mechanical, ritual forms of repentance. Isa. 1:11,
29:13, Hos. 7:13-16

E. True repentance possesses three essential aspects.

1. An intellectual element.

a. One must understand God’s holiness, righteousness, and

displeasure against sin. Deut. 25:16, I Kings 14:22, Luke 16:15

b. One must be aware of personal sin and guilt. Luke 18:13,

Rom. 3:20

c. One must be persuaded of God’s readiness to forgive. Matt.

6:14, Eph. 4:32

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 2. An emotional element.

a. One must abhor sin. Ps. 119:104, Ezek. 20:43

b. One must experience godly sorrow and remorse, not for the
pain it has caused us, but for the grief it has caused God and
others. Joel 2:12-13, Ps. 51:4, Job 42:6

c. “Godly sorrow” is different than “worldly sorrow” 2 Cor. 7:9-

11.

1. Godly sorrow is characterized by a remorse for

offending God. (the root of repentance)

2. Worldly sorrow is characterized by self-pity and self-

anger. (the root of depression)

3. A volitional element.

a. One must determine to forsake sins and amend their life.

b. Repentance is more than just confessing sin, but rather

includes turning from those sins. Prov. 28:13, Job 22:23

F. Repentance as a divine gift.

1. The Old Testament prophets state that the unsaved cannot turn from
their sins to the Lord by their own strength.

a. Notice the order of who acts first in repentance. Jer. 31:18,

Lam. 5.21

b. Jeremiah tells us that sin is so ingrained; unbelievers (apart

from special grace) cannot repent. Jer. 13:22-23

c. Speaking of Israel‘s pervasive sinfulness, God says their deeds

do not permit them to return to their God. Hos. 5:4

d. Thus God must grant them a spirit of prayerful repentance.

Zech. 12:10, Lam. 1:13

2. The New Testament also teaches that repentance is divinely initiated.

a. Peter tells us that Jesus grants repentance and forgiveness.

Acts 5:31

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 b. The Jewish leaders, reflecting on the conversion of Cornelius,
state that God has granted the Gentiles repentance unto life.
Acts 11:18

c. Paul agreed that repentance is a gift and an enablement of

God. Rom. 2:4, 2 Tim. 2:25

d. The gift of repentance cannot be understood as the general

fruit of prevenient grace, for God’s gift in the preceding
Scriptures is not the possibility of repenting but the actual
enabled act.

e. Repentance is thus a divinely enabled human response.

4. Faith – Where we are going.

A. Faith is the means by which we receive justification and salvation. Eph. 2:8-9

B. Abraham is the chief example of faith in the OT.

1. The Lord called and Abraham and promised him posterity and a land.
Gen 12:1-3

2. Abraham obediently moved from Haran to Canaan, built an alter and

called on the name of the Lord.

3. Later God renewed the covenant and promised Abraham and Sarah a
son in their old age. Gen. 15:4

4. Abraham’s response was, “He believed the Lord and He credited it to

him as righteousness.” Gen. 15:6

5. His faith was both mental (he believed God’s word of promise) and
personal (he committed his soul to God who had revealed himself.)

6. Abraham was justified fourteen years before he was circumcised.

Gen. 15:6, 17:10-14

C. The brazen serpent of the OT further illustrates the character of saving faith.

1. God commanded Moses to place a bronze snake on a pole so that

“when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze serpent,
he lived”. Num. 21:9

2. The bronze serpent represents Christ who took the form of a man
and was cursed for us.

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 3. For healing to occur, no religious work was involved; a person simply
looked in faith and lived. John 3:14-15

D. Three essential aspects of saving faith.

1. Knowledge of Christ’s person and saving work. (Jesus and His Gospel)

a. John’s Gospel commends us to have a solid intellectual belief

in:

1. Jesus’ preexistent deity. John 8:24

2. Jesus’ supernatural unity with the Father. John 14:11

3. Jesus as the Son of God. John 11:27, I John 4:15

4. Jesus as the promised Messiah. John 6:69, I John 5:1

5. Jesus’ incarnation at the Father’s initiative. John

11:42, 17:8, 21

6. Jesus’ full humanity. I John 4:2

b. Paul also states that saving faith meant correct beliefs about
Christ’s person and work. 2 Thess. 2:13, Tit. 1:1, Rom. 10:14,
17, Phil. 1:27, I Tim. 4:6

c. The Book of Acts plainly teaches belief in the person and work
of Christ. Acts 14:23, 16:31, 4:4, 6:7

d. Scripture allows for degrees of faith (Rom. 14:1) but the

minimum beliefs one must assent to for salvation include:

1. Christ coming in human flesh

2. His atoning death

3. His resurrection from the grave

2. To intellectual knowledge of essential doctrines must be added

emotional assent of the heart to the realities they signify.

a. Correct beliefs must be followed by assent to their personal

relevance. John 2:22, 4:50, 5:47,

b. Another way of putting it is to say that knowledge of the

mind must be followed by knowledge of the heart. Col. 1:2-3, 9-
10

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 3. Finally, saving faith must include wholehearted trust and
commitment to Christ, evidenced by obedience and good works.

a. Biblically speaking, there is a great gulf between knowing

about a person and knowing the person in a relationship of trust
and commitment.

b. Jesus gives us clear imagery of how saving faith is more than

just knowledge and assent. John 6:53-56

c. Paul confirms the same. I Cor. 13:2, Gal. 5:6, Rom. 1:5, Tit.
2:14, 3:8

d. James clearly tells us that assent to truths without being

validated by good works is useless. James 2:14-26

e. There are some who claim that Paul and James clashed on
their views of saving faith. But Paul appeals to Abraham’s faith
in God’s promise given before Isaac was born, while James
pointed to the evidence of Abraham’s faith shown by his
willingness to sacrifice his beloved son.

f. Saving faith will produce good works. Good works do not

save us.

g. Faith enables Christians to go beyond present trials to

apprehend future and invisible realities promised by God. Heb.
11:1

E. Faith as a divine gift.

1. Although Jesus repeatedly called for faith, He seemed to suggest that

2. Paul reiterates faith as a gift from God. Eph. 2:8-9, I Cor. 12:3, Phil.
1:29, I Tim. 1:14

3. Other NT writers concur. Heb. 12:2, 2 Pet. 1:1

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C. Regeneration

1. The new birth or the creation of new life in those who repent and believe – born again.

2. Some evangelicals place regeneration prior to conversion in the order of salvation.

Others state that divine calling is the means of conversion followed by regeneration.

3. Questions that we need to answer concerning regeneration:

a. In light of man’s current achievements, does he really need a new birth?

b. What actually happens to the person when God transforms them from spiritual
death to spiritual life?

c. Is regeneration a work of God alone (monergism), or whether the individual

cooperates in the new birth (synergism)?

d. Does God work regeneration through human instrumentalities such as the

sacrament of baptism, membership in a church, or birth to Christian parents in a
godly family?

e. Were OT saints such as Adam, Abraham, and David truly reborn by the Spirit of
God or must regeneration in some sense awaited the fullness of salvation under
the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus?

4. Historical interpretations of regeneration:

a. Self-actualized regeneration – Pelagians and Liberals

1. Liberal authorities maintain that each person born into the world is a
child of God and thus is indwelt by the divine principle.

2. Pelagians and liberals broadly view regeneration as the process of

ethical development stimulated by the ideals of Jesus. In other words, a
process of self-improvement realized by self-effort and the example of
Christ.

3. Liberationists generally explain regeneration as man’s self-creation of

a new social order that embodies the hopes and dreams of the
marginalized and oppressed.

b. Baptismal regeneration – Roman Catholics, Lutherans

1. Although differing in some details, the sacramental traditions agree

that baptism confers cleansing of sins, the infusion of regenerating grace,
and union with Christ.

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 2. According to Richard McBrian, a prominent Roman Catholic
theologian, “The Church has always taught that Baptism is necessary for
salvation.”

3. The Council of Trent (1545-63) stated “If anyone . . . denies that the
said merit of Jesus Christ is applied, both to adults and to infants, by the
sacrament of baptism rightly administered in the form of the Church, let
him be anathema” (Sess. V.3).

4. The Second Vatican Council (1963-65) insisted that for Roman

Catholics faith and baptism are necessary for salvation, but now claims
that all people are saved by the “baptism of desire.” The baptism of
desire is equivalent to the non-specific implicit faith all human beings
possess. Gregory Baum states “One may seriously wonder whether
baptism of desire is not the way of salvation for the great majority of men
in this world, chosen to be saved.”

5. Luther would have rejected the connecting of sacramental grace and

meritorious works like the Catholics, but he still held to baptismal
regeneration.

c. Presumptive and promissory regeneration – Covenant Reformed

1. Covenant theologians, with other evangelicals, define regeneration as

that radical change of nature from spiritual death to spiritual life wrought
in us by Christ through the power of the Spirit.

2. Regeneration is not a cooperative work between God and sinners

(synergism); rather, salvation is God’s work from beginning to end
(monergism).

3. Presumptive regeneration asserts that infants of believing parents are

baptized not to become regenerated but because in some important
sense they already possess the seeds of faith.

4. Promissory regeneration (more common) states baptism is judged a

visible sign of God’s covenant promise of new life to believing adults and
their children. Proponents insist that baptism does not effect
regeneration; rather, it portrays as a sign and confirms as a seal the
blessing of redemption. Thus baptism introduces the baptized into the
visible church and promises future regeneration.

5. In both theologies above, divine regeneration logically precedes the

human responses of faith and repentance. Hence, most theologians in

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 these traditions place regeneration before conversion in the scheme of
salvation.

d. Synergistic regeneration – Arminian Theologians

1. The order elements in Arminian soteriology is prevenient grace,

repentance, faith, the new birth, and continued obedience.

2. The Arminian believes that regeneration occurs through synergism

(cooperation) of human willing and divine working.

3. God regenerates when a sinner believes by a free act of the will, which
involves ceasing to resist the moral influence of the truth presented to all
persons everywhere.

4. This action is said to be possible by means of prevenient grace (that

flows from the cross of Christ), which works in all sinners to remove
intellectual blindness and willful hardness.

5. Under this view, everyone is born in a state of grace. Since this divine
grace can be resisted, ultimately it is the will of the sinner that determines
whether or not the person will be reborn.

6. The saved are those who choose to cooperate with God’s (resistible)
prevenient grace; the unsaved are those who fail to cooperate.

7. Faith is something that man provides in the act of salvation versus God
providing it as a gift.

8. Since salvation was obtained by a human choice many Arminians

believe that it can be lost by willful sin.

e. Regeneration a work of God in response to faith – Reformed Evangelicals

1. Evangelicals in the Reformation tradition maintain that sinners,

afflicted with total depravity, must receive a new spiritual nature in order
to gain eternal life.

2. This view upholds the monergistic view of regeneration, that the new
birth is entirely a work of God.

3. Advocates claim that the Spirit regenerates not on the basis of the faith
of godly sponsors, church membership, or performance of the
sacraments (baptism, mass).

4. Rather, God regenerates by virtue of the individual’s conscious

decision to repent of sins and believe in Jesus Christ.

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 5. Baptism attests to the conversion of the believer; it is not the cause of
regeneration.

6. Each person individually must be born again by God’s Spirit through

faith.

7. This view holds that conversion and regeneration happen

simultaneously.

8. Some theologians view regeneration as logically prior to conversion.

Others identify the first wish to please God as the result of effectual
calling, and thus place conversion prior to regeneration in the order of
salvation. Both sides will agree that temporally (in the sense of time),
both conversion and regeneration occur simultaneously.

9. One determining factor for above is whether you believe regeneration

is an instantaneous work or a process.

5. The need for regeneration.

a. Some believe that man does not need to be converted or regenerated.

b. Others believe that man has the capability to choose to be regenerated or can
accomplish this by his own means.

c. What does the Bible say about the human condition?

1. The unregenerate are morally evil. Gen. 8:21, Matt. 7:11, John 3:19

2. Man’s natural heart is stone. It must be removed and replaced with a

heart of flesh. Ezek. 36:26

3. We cannot change ourselves. Jer. 13:23

4. Unsaved live in spiritual darkness. Eph. 5:8

5. Our minds are blind. Rom. 3:11, 1 Cor. 2:14

6. We are spiritually dead. Eph. 2:1, Col. 2:13

7. Incapable of following God’s law. Rom. 8:7

8. Cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. John 3:5

9. God’s wrath is upon us. John 3:36, Rom. 1 18, Eph. 2:2-3

6. The language and meaning of regeneration.

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a. A re-creation – a radical inner change accomplished by God’s power whereby
one becomes a new spiritual being. 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15

b. A spiritual resurrection – from death to life by identification with the risen

Christ. It is not the addition of a new element to the human nature; it is the
making alive of what was dead. Col. 2:13, Eph. 2:4-6

c. A circumcision of the heart – an inner spiritual transformation born out of a

repentant faith, not a mere cutting of the flesh. Col. 2:11

d. A washing – signifying the cleansing of sins. I Cor. 6:11, Eph. 5:26

e. A new spiritual birth – an instantaneous event whereby believers receive the

new nature. John 1:13, 3:3-8

1. The word translated “again” in John 3:3, is “anothen.”

2. “Ano” means above and the word “anothen” is more often translated
“from above.” John 3:31, 19:11, James 1:17, 3:15, 17.

3. Being “born from above” would compare to John 1:13 of being “born
of God.”

4. Also compares to John 3:6, where Jesus explains “Flesh gives birth to
flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

5. Our spiritual birth is from above, of God, by the Spirit; it is not by flesh.
It is a monergistic birth not a synergistic birth.

6. Jesus goes on to explain that our spiritual birth is both of water and the
Spirit. John 3:7

a. What does the water mean?

1. Several interpretations: symbol of purification, the

water of John’s baptism, the water of Christian baptism,
a synonym for the Spirit, as a symbol for the Word of
God, or the water that accompanies the physical birth.

2. The first interpretation is the preferred for the

following reasons:

a. As a studious Jew, Nicodemus was familiar

with the OT use of water as a symbol for
purification from the defilement of sin. Lev.
14:8-9, 2 Kings 5:10, Ps. 51:2-3, Zech. 13:1

24
 b. The purifying function of water and the
regenerating power of the Spirit are set side by
side in the prophecy of the new covenant in
Ezek. 36:25-27

3. By “water and Spirit” Jesus most likely meant that in

order to enter God’s kingdom Nicodemus must be
purified from sin and be spiritually renewed.

b. Along with this passage and Mark 16:16 some will say that
baptism by water is required in order to be regenerated.

1. The emphasis in Mark 16:11-16 is on believing or not

believing. Baptism is secondary.

2. Vs. 15 speaks of preaching the Gospel to everyone.

What was the Gospel that was preached?

a. Repent and believe. Mark 1:15, 6:12, John

1:12, 3:16

b. Thief on the cross was never baptized but was

promised to be with Christ in Paradise.

3. Baptism often times (and should) followed conversion

immediately, but Scripture states they were already
saved. Acts 10:33-48, 16:32-34

4. F.F. Bruce concluded, “baptism in water continued to

be the external sign by which individuals who believed
the gospel message, repented of their sins, and
acknowledged Jesus as Lord, were publically
incorporated into the Spirit-baptized fellowship of the
new people of God. It is against the whole genius of
Biblical religion to suppose that the outward rite had any
value except in so far as it was accompanied by true
repentance within.”

5. What changes the heart is the powerful, inner work of

the Spirit, not a humanly administered ceremony or even
the Spirit AND the religious ceremony.

7. The results and “New Nature” of regeneration.

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a. The effects of regeneration are, in brief, breaking the paralyzing bonds of
depravity and radically renewing the sinner’s heart, mind, and soul into the image
of Christ. While in some people the visible evidences come to light soon after
regeneration; in other lives time is required for their manifestation, but in the end
“every good tree bears good fruit . . . a good tree cannot bear bad fruit. Matt.
7:17-18

b. Consider the results of regeneration:

1. Intellectually – regeneration enables minds of sinners once blind and

ignorant of spiritual truths to comprehend the things of God. I Cor. 2:12,
14-16; 2 Cor. 4:4, 6; Col. 3:10

2. Volitionally – the new birth liberates believers’ wills from moral

bondage enabling them to affirm and pursue kingdom values. We now
have a passion to glorify the King of Kings. Rom. 6:13; Phil. 2:13; 2 Thess.
3:5

3. Emotionally – regeneration initiates the reordering of affections and

feelings which enables twice-born persons to be more capable of
showing love, empathy, compassion, etc. Rom. 8:15; 2 Tim. 1:7

4. Morally and ethically – regenerate believers are freed from depravity

and enslaving passions and indeed progressively become like Christ in
thought, word, and deed. Gal. 5:22-23

6. Relationally – the new birth establishes genuine fellowship with the

triune God (I Cor. 1:9; Eph. 2:22, I John 1:3) and meaningful relationships
with other believers. Rom. 12:5; Eph. 2:14-15; 19-20

c. The “new nature”

1. Because of regeneration we can “participate in the divine nature.” 2

Pet. 1:4

2. Prior to regeneration we possessed only an “earthly nature” Col. 3:5, a

“sinful nature” Rom. 7:5, 18; 8:3-5, 8-9, 12-13, Gal. 5:13, 16-17, or an “old
self” Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22-24

3.” Regeneration does not add to, or subtract from, the number of man’s
intellectual, emotional, or voluntary faculties. But regeneration is the
giving of a new direction or tendency to powers of affection which man
possessed before.” Strong

4. 2 Peter 1:4 does not say that we participate in the divine being.

26
 a. Rather we become partakers of God’s grace, mercy, holiness,
etc., not in God’s essence. Compare Paul’s take in Rom. 8:9 and
the Hebrews writer in Heb. 3:14, 6:4, and 12:10.

b. No NT writer suggested that the new birth alters the sinner’s

essential constitution. Evidence is lacking to support the view
that by the new birth dichotomous (body and soul) sinners
become trichotomous (body, soul, and spirit) saints.

c. Neither did Peter imply that Christians in any sense become

divine. The human and divine personalities remain forever
distinct.

5. The formation of the “new self” or new nature through regeneration

does not totally eradicate or cancel the old nature. Rom. 7

7. Were old testament believers regenerated?

a. The OT refers to the phenomenon of spiritual circumcision.

1. Often God is the one who circumcises. Deut. 30:6

2. In other instances the people were to circumcise their own hearts.

Deut. 10:16; Jer. 4:4

3. Spiritual circumcision is a figure signifying the opening of the heart to

God.

4. This event undoubtingly includes repentance and communion with

God, but we will see that it falls short of regeneration in the full Christian
sense.

b. The OT prophets expressed the hope of future spiritual rebirth.

1. God would give them a new heart. Jer. 24:7

2. The Lord stated he would make a new covenant in the coming days
that would be far superior to the old covenant. Jer. 31:31-34

a. The old covenant instituted at Mt. Sinai was:

1. a national covenant (with Israel) vs 31

2. an external covenant inscribed on stone or

parchments

27
 3. a conditional covenant that Israel repeatedly broke vs
32

4. sealed by circumcision, the old covenant could not give

life Gal. 3:21

b. In this prophecy, God promised that the new covenant would

transform the heart as the old covenant could not. vs 33

1. This is realized only in regeneration and union with

Christ in the new age of the Spirit.

2. This transformation implies the new birth set forth in

the gospel.

3. Ezekiel 36:25-27 extends a further promise of future, spiritual

transformation.

a. Complete purification of sins vs 25

b. Promise of a radically new nature vs 26

c. A permanent granting of the Spirit in the Gospel era vs 27 (John

14:17, Acts 2:1-4, 2 Cor. 3:6)

d. The promised outcome of the Spirit’s ministry is instinctive

obedience to the law in a God-honoring life vs 27b (Eph. 2:10)

e. In Ezekiel 36:24-30 the phrase “I will” with God as the subject

occurs a dozen times which indicates that this new covenant
including regeneration will be completed by divine activity.

c. In John 3:3-8 Jesus explained to Nicodemus the necessity of new birth by water
and Spirit.

1. Nicodemus, a Jewish scholar, was totally ignorant and bewildered of a

personal, spiritual regeneration.

2. Judaism acknowledged the coming of the messianic kingdom, which

they defined as a new creation or “regeneration” Matt. 19:28

3. It would suggest that Spirit regeneration was not a conscious feature

of Jewish spiritual life under the old covenant.

4. Tenny states, “In Old Testament teaching, the Spirit came upon the
prophets or other specially chosen men for unusual reasons, but

28
 nowhere in Judaism was taught the coming of the Spirit upon all men for
their personal regeneration.”

d. Jesus made a distinction between the Spirit’s occasional ministry prior to

Pentecost and His permanent, transformational ministry thereafter.

1. In John 14:17 Jesus instructs the disciples that prior to Pentecost the
Spirit was “with” or “beside” the disciples and Old Testament saints as a
variable influence, but after Pentecost the Spirit would be “in” them
permanently as a transforming and indwelling presence.

2. vs. 20, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are
in Me, and I am in you.”

3. While Jesus was with His disciples, they did not fully possess the Spirit.
John 14:26; 16:7, 13

4. It wasn’t until after Jesus was glorified that the transforming ministry
of Spirit would take place. John 7:38-39

e. Although it may be best to not be dogmatic on this issue, the following

conclusion may be proposed based upon the biblical evidence.

1. In OT times God set believing men and women in a right relationship

with himself.

a. Their sins were forgiven. Ps. 32:1-2; 85:2

b. They communed with the Lord, and they anticipated the

blessings of heaven. Heb. 11:13-16, 39

2. Before the completion of Christ’s work and the outpouring of the Spirit
at Pentecost, OT believers did not possess the Spirit in a permanent
endowment (Ps. 51:11) nor were they completely transformed. A
principal benefit of the new covenant is the qualitatively different
ministry of the Holy Spirit – including a radical, spiritual transformation
that the NT identifies as the new birth.

3. There are not two ways of salvation. Salvation in the OT and NT is by

faith in God’s faithful word of promise.

a. But salvation under the new covenant is a fuller, richer reality

than experienced under the old covenant.

b. Otherwise, it would have been unnecessary for Christ to enter

this world, suffer, die a cruel death, and rise victoriously.

29
 4. It is interesting when Paul states the chain of salvation in Rom. 8:30,
he uses predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Regenerated is not
specifically listed.

8. Are children who die in infancy saved?

a. Different theological views

1.. Liberal theologian view – Since all infants are born into the world free
from sin, God accepts all of His children into heaven.

2.. Traditional Roman Catholics

a. Maintain that infants inherit sin from their parents

b. Children who receive a legitimate baptism are united with

Christ and inherit heaven’s glory.

c. Infants not baptized will endure a just penalty in the

netherworld.

3. Arminians

a. Accept the reality of original sin, depravity, and punishment

b. But through the benefit of prevenient grace, guilt and

punishment are said to be removed, such that no infant is
condemned eternally.

c. Blessed by universal grace, all children who die in infancy are

welcomed into heaven

4. Covenant Reformed (High Calvinists)

a. Likewise view infant defiled by original sin.

b. But is said to secretly work regeneration in those infants who

are elect.

c. John Owen and many others would identify infants born into a
Christian family and so blessed by the covenant of grace as
among God’s elect.

d. The Westminster Catechism of Faith states that “Elect infants,

dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the
Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth.”

5. Moderately Reformed

30
 a. Also hold to infants being born with original sin.

b. Many, such as Charles Hodge, A.A Hodge, and A.H. Strong,

recall that infants have not deliberately flaunted God’s will for
their lives.

c. Thus by the virtue of the absence of premeditation, naiveté’,

and trustfulness in children prior to the “age of moral
accountability,” God applies to them the benefits of Christ’s
saving work at their death.

d. Thus all little ones who die in infancy, as well as adults who are
mentally incompetent, are regenerated and saved by Christ

b. Biblically there is no explicit answer to this question, but implicit biblical

statements, however, lead us to the probable conclusion that the Moderately
Reformed view may be the most viable.

1. When God pronounced that the evil generation of people in the

wilderness would not enter into the promised land, the children were
exempt from this penalty. Deut. 1:23-39; Num. 14:27-31

2. When God caused the first child of David and Bathsheba to become ill
and die, David was encouraged in his spirit at the prospect of seeing his
child in heaven one day. 2 Sam. 12:15-23

3. Jesus’ attitude toward little children is instructive.

a. Jesus used a child as a teaching illustration. Matt. 18:2-14

b. When the disciples rebuked those who brought little children

to Jesus for blessing and prayer, Jesus accorded special worth
and status in the kingdom to children by virtue of their
dependence, humility, and lack of pretension. Matt. 19:14

4. The most convincing explanation of this problem is that children

incapable of committing willful and responsible violations of God’s law
may receive a special application of Christ’s universal atonement. In
other words, children who die in infancy prior to becoming responsible
moral agents prove to be among God’s elect.

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D. Justification

1. How then can a man be righteous before God? How can one born of a woman be pure?
Job 25:2-4

a. Man was created pure, innocent, blameless, and good. He was disobedient
and became a sinner. Once you fail, how can you become pure, innocent, and
blameless again? Jer. 2:22

b. What is the standard that we must be in order to be with God? Lev. 11:44-45,
I Pet. 1:15-16

c. God will not and cannot just ignore the guilty. Ex. 23:7

d. Luther stated, “Here is a problem God must solve.” (That is only if He chooses
to do so. There already is a solution. (Hell))

2. Justification is a crucial article of Christianity, upon which the Gospel absolutely stands
or falls. It is also the chief point of difference separating Protestantism and Catholicism.
So what are some of the different views concerning justification.

a. Catholicism – infusion of righteousness

1. View justification as a process, not an instantaneous event.

a. Justification in Catholic theology is a comprehensive term that

includes, among other things, what Protestants understand by
regeneration and sanctification.

b. For Catholics justification is a lifelong process of becoming

righteous.

c. Catholicism speaks of the inception of justification.

1. God through Christ’s merits and via the sacrament of

baptism remits past sins and infuses into the soul new
habits of grace.

2. Teach that this first stage of justification makes

persons inherently righteous, “concupiscence” (desire
that is the seed-bed of sin but not sin itself) remains in
Christians.

3. Do not believe that God would accept into His family

those who remain contaminated by sin.

d. The second part of justification is the increase of justification.

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 1. Teach that the baptized work for eternal life by means
of love-inspired virtues that are the fruit of the grace
infused into the soul.

2. Catholic theology upholds the “merits of worthiness”

which is the merit earned by free moral acts performed
in this state of grace.

3. Justification is not a once-for-all event, righteousness

increases or decreases proportional to the person’s faith
and works.

4. Surplus merits earned by Christ and other exceptional

saints can be transferred to ordinary Christians.

5. Mary, in particular, contributes to the justification of

the faithful in several ways.

a. By her holy life and good works on earth, Mary

earned excess merit that can be credited to
others.

b. Mary shared in the pain and suffering of her

Son on the cross, and so possesses additional
merit that can be shared with those with a
deficit.

c. Mary, as “Mother of God,” effectively pleads

with Father in heaven.

e. Justifying grace, defined as the infusion of righteousness into

the soul, can be forfeited by mortal sin but may be restored by
the sacrament of penance (involving confession, satisfaction, and
absolution).

f. If the process of justification (the attainment of righteousness

or transformation) is not completed in this life, the individual
must endure the purifying sufferings of purgatory. The stay can
be shortened by prayers, masses, and the superabundant merits
of saints.

2.Augustine (d. 430) helped to shape the Roman view.

33
a. Augustine was the first post-biblical theologian to explore in
depth the concept of justification with his debates against the
Pelagians.

b. Prior to this time, early church fathers were occupied with

pressing Christology and Trinitarian controversies. Their
discussions of salvation focused on forgiveness of sins and the
gift of eternal life.

c. Augustine, not well versed in Greek, interpreted “dikaioo” as

to “make righteous” rather than to “pronounce righteous.”

d. He stressed that God infuses the principle of righteousness

into a soul at baptism making them righteous by renewing their
inner beings and infusing their hearts with love for God.

e. As a result of this infusion of divine grace and love, believers

can avoid sinning, work righteousness, and fulfill the law and
added that God views these righteous deeds as meritorious, yet
still of grace because the inspiration to will and do came from
God.

f. He also taught the idea of purgatory if the process was not

completed in this lifetime.

g. Augustine included regeneration and sanctification with

justification.

1. Augustine’s order of salvation was predestination,

calling, justification, and glorification.

2. He included sanctification with justification instead of

glorification.

h. In sum, whereas the Protestants have followed Augustine in

his doctrines of sin and grace, Roman Catholic theology expanded
upon his notion that justification is the process that actually
makes a person righteous.

i. The Council of Trent (1546-47) states that since justification can

be lost, the Christian possesses no certainty of present and future
pardon. The realistic attitude of the pious person is hope mixed
with “fear and apprehension.”

34
 j. The Council in responding to the Reformers also pronounces
the following curses:

1. “If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith

alone, meaning that nothing else is required to
cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification …
let him be anathema.

2. “If anyone says that the justice received is not

preserved and also not increased before God through
good works, but that those works are merely the fruits
and signs of justification obtained, but not the cause of
its increase, let him be anathema.

3. Canon 32 added an anathema against the Reformers

who denied that a person’s good works merit eternal life.

b. Remonstrants and Many Arminians – restoration of the moral order of the

universe.

1. Explain justification as forgiveness of sins that enhances God’s wise

governance of the universe.

2. They do not accept the penal substitutionary view where the sinner’s
sin is paid by Christ and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the sinner.

3. Christ’s death was necessary for God’s justice as a perfect ruler of the
universe. It was not necessary to appease His wrath or to grant
righteousness.

4. Under this view, the claim that God regards persons as holy when they
are not actually holy encourages antinomianism (lawlessness).

5. John Wesley held that justification signifies:

a. God’s acceptance of believers as free from sin and guilt.

b. The renovation of their moral character.

c. Like Roman Catholic theology, he assimilates justification with

sanctification.

d. The idea of a Christian is at once both righteous and a sinner

was firmly rejected by Wesley.

6. Many Arminians further assert that faith is not merely the instrument
of justification but rather the ground on which justification rests.

35
 7. This view generally believes that the obstacles to reconciliation reside
on the side of sinners rather than on the side of God. God is always
disposed to restore fellowship with sinners.

8. Charles Finney went as far as making justification dependent on the

believer being sanctified and persevering in perfect obedience. The
opposite of the reformed view.

c. Reformers and Many Evangelicals – God’s legal declaration of righteousness

1. View justification as an instantaneous event rather than a lifelong

process of moral and spiritual renewal.

a. Claiming to recapture the NT emphasis, the Reformation

interpreted justification as God’s judicial declaration whereby,
for the sake of Christ, He freely pardons sins and reckons
believers as righteous and worthy of eternal life.

b. Viewed justification as distinct from sanctification.

Justification involves a change in the believer’s standing before
God rather than a change of nature.

c. The ground of justification is Christ’s righteousness imputed to

the believer, while the means or instrument of justification is
God-given faith in the Redeemer.

d. Most believed that the obstacles to reconciliation exist on the

side of God and sinners.

e. Those who trust in Christ’s finished work can be assured that

they have passed from a state of condemnation to life and favor.

2. Martin Luther (d. 1546), a pious Augustinian monk, helped develop the
judicial or forensic view of justification.

a. Luther sought peace with God through good works and

monastic disciplines, but in spite of earnest striving his troubled
soul found no peace.

b. Luther searched the epistles of Paul for the answer to the

question of, “How can I find a gracious God?”

c. Luther formerly understood the phrase “the righteousness of

God” in Rom. 1:17 actively as that quality in God that punishes
unrighteous sinners (i.e., punitive justice).

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 d. After prayer and study, Luther came to understand “the
righteousness of God” passively as the great gift God imputes to
sinners through faith in the crucified Christ.

e. He concluded that the noble intentions and “good works” of

sinners are of no value in God’s eyes.

f. A figure derived from the law courts, justification means to

“declare righteous or blameless”, not to actually make righteous.

g. Luther further states that justification is that imputation,

whereby for the sake of Christ “God reckons imperfect
righteousness as perfect righteousness and sin as not sin, even
though it really is sin.” Rom. 4:1-8

h. Essential to Luther’s view of justification is his contention that

the justified believer is “righteous and a sinner at the same time.”

1. In their position or standing believers are righteous

even though they are not wholly perfect in themselves,
but God accounts them righteous and forgives them
because of their faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

2. In their practice they are sinful – although the

remnants of sin are not charged to their account.

i. Although good works contribute nothing to justification, they

serve as a litmus test as to whether people truly have been
justified by faith.

3. John Calvin (d. 1564), in writing against Rome’s infusion view of

justification, further develops the forensic view of justification.

a. According to Calvin “to be justified means something different

from being made righteous.”

b. Yet sensitive to the Roman charge that the Reformation view

of justification denigrated good works, Calvin held together the
operations of justification and sanctification.

1. From I Cor. 1:30, Calvin reasoned that you cannot

possess Christ without being made a partaker in His
sanctification.

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 2. He further states that “in our sharing in Christ, which
justifies us, sanctification is just as much included as
righteousness.

3. Calvin further concluded that God justifies the sinner;

but he also justifies the works of the justified.

a. Because Christians remain sinners by nature,

their works are defiled.

b. God, however, adorns Christians’ works with

Christ’s righteousness, covering any
unrighteousness in them, so that both they and
their works are both pleasing and acceptable to
Him.

c. No sinner is justified by works; but God

justifies believers’ works – which works
demonstrate obedience to God and accumulate
rewards in heaven.

3. J. I. Packer offers a concise summary of the Reformation-evangelical

view of justification.

a. The problem posed by justification is how the unchangeable

just Lawgiver and Judge can remain righteous in Himself and
acquit sinners. Rom. 3:21-26

b. Packer states that the Gospel communicates that “the claims

of God’s law upon them have been fully satisfied. The law has
not been abated, or suspended, or flouted for their justification,
but fulfilled – by Jesus Christ acting in their name.

c. Thus on the ground of Christ’s perfect satisfaction of the law,

God does not impute sin; rather, He imputes righteousness to all
who believe.

d. God “reckons righteousness to them [i.e., sinners], not

because He accounts them to have kept His law personally (which
would be a false judgement), but because He accounts them to
be united to the One who kept it representatively (and that is a
true judgment).”

e. It is “the outstretched empty hand which receives

righteousness by receiving Christ.”

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3. What is justification and what does the Bible teach us about it?

A. The problem defined – how can fallen and alienated persons be made right
with God?

1. Obstacle 1 – humanity’s sinful condition. We are totally depraved,

hostile to God, children of the Devil, alienated from Christ, guilty and
condemned before the just Judge of the universe, and locked in a vicious
cycle of sin and guilt and cannot justify ourselves no matter how hard we
try. Rom. 1:28-32; 2 Pet. 2: 19; Rom. 5:10; 8:7; Col. 1;21, John 8:44, Rom.
5:18; Luke 16:14-15; Rom. 10:3

2. Obstacle 2 – is the holy and righteous character of God. God is perfectly

holy. He abhors all sin and uncleanness. He is absolutely righteous in that
He is the perfect standard of true, good and right. He is wholly just in that
He gives to everyone what they deserve. He is also unchanging in that
He consistently acts in accordance with His being, character, and
promises. Hab. 1:12-13; Isa, 45:21; Rom. 2:6-8; Mal. 3:6

3. Obstacle 3 - the uncompromising moral law. Written in the

Scriptures and on human hearts. Upheld by Christ in the new covenant
and is the standard against which all human conduct is measured. Rom.
2:12, 14-15; Heb. 8:10; Rom. 13:8-10

B. Scriptural foundation for justification.

1. The first of two major OT texts that present the foundation for
justification is Gen. 15:6.

a. The NT quotes or paraphrases Gen. 15:6 five times – Rom. 4:3,

9, 22; Gal. 3:6, Jas. 2:23

b. God justified Abram in the sense that He accepted Abram’s

faith in the covenant promise as righteousness, even though
Abram was experientially sinful.

2. The second OT text is Ps. 32:1-2.

a. Paul expounded on this text in Rom. 4:6-8

b. According to David, justification involves three movements on

God’s part in relation to the transgressions of sinners.

1. God “forgives”. The Hebrew verb here means to “lift-

up”, “bear”, or “carry-away”. In response to sincere

39
 faith, God forgives, i.e., bears and carries the crushing
burden of our sinful rebellion against Him.

2. God “covers or conceals” our falling short of His

standard in a way that they are never seen again.

3. God “does not count against him” the iniquity that

deserves divine eternal punishment. The verb “count”
here is the same verb in Gen. 15:6 “credited”. It is not
that they never existed, but that they are not considered
against us anymore.

c. David further demonstrates that God’s gracious justifying work

is contingent upon sinners honestly acknowledging and
confessing their sins. Ps. 32:5

C. The language and meaning of justification.

1. In the OT the verb “sadaq” is used in two forms:

a. Qal form – which means to “be just” or “be righteous” Gen.

38:26; Job 9:15; Ezek. 16:52

b. Hiphil form – in legal contexts means to “vindicate”, “acquit”,

or “to declare to be in the right.”

1. Ex. 23:7 shows God not declaring the guilty as right.

2. Deut. 25:1 also establishes the legal sense of the verb

“to justify.” In this verse the Hiphil form is used for both
“acquitting” and “condemning.” The judge is not
“making” them innocent or guilty but rather “declaring”
them innocent or guilty based upon the evidence.

2. In the NT the Greek verb “dikaioo” corresponds to the Hebrew verb

“sadaq.”

a. A precursor to Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith occurs in

the parable of the Pharisee and the tax-collector. Luke 18:9-14

1. The Pharisee boasting of his own righteousness

brought about by his strict observance of the law was not
found acceptable by God.

2. The tax-collector acknowledging his inability to make

himself right with God asks for God to have mercy. He

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 pled no works of his own but cried out to Jesus for
salvation.

3. The tax-collector went home “justified.” The Greek

word is “dedikaiomenos” which is the perfect passive
participle of “dikaioo.” It is an intensive perfect which
means “the existing state of being declared in the right.”

b. Other uses of “dikaioo” in the NT that show it meaning to

“declare” instead of “make” righteous.

1. Luke 7:29 (ESV) – “they declared God just” – this does

not mean that they made God just, but rather they
acknowledged that he was just.

2. Rom. 8:33-34 – If justify means make righteous instead

of declared righteous I think allot of people can bring a
charge against me.

3. Rom. 3:4 - that God may be justified by His words –

God is not made right because of His words but rather
His words declare and demonstrate His righteous
character.

3. It is clear that in justification God does not make a sinner righteous,

any more than a judge in a court of law makes a defendant innocent or
guilty. By his own actions the defendant is innocent or guilty; and on the
weight of the evidence the judge declares him or her to be so.

1. Note that although acquitted by God, the devout Hebrew was

conscious of sin in their life and was conscious of deeds of
omission and commission. Job 31:33; Ps. 130:3; Prov. 20:9

2. God legally declares sinners to be in the right to the end that

they may become holy in lived experience.

3. Although progressive sanctification follows upon and is

continually rooted in justification, the two are not identical, nor
should they be combined as one.

D. The ground and means of justification. What is the evidence that God will
declare sinners as righteous?

1. Not on the basis of personal worth or works.

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 a. God does not justify based upon personal character or worth.
Rom. 3:10; Ps. 130:3

b. God does not justify based upon personal pedigree or

privileges. Phil. 3:3-7

c. God does not justify based upon works of the law.

1. Paul explains in Rom. 2:12-13 all will be judged by the

law not on the basis of hearing it but doing all of it.

2. Since no one keeps the law in its entirety. Rom. 10:5,

Gal 3:12, Jam. 2:10

3. No human can be justified on the basis of works

required by the law. Rom. 3:20, 28; Gal. 2:16; 3:10-11

2. But on the basis of Christ’s merits.

a. In the first place, the ground of justification is Christ’s virtuous

life. Matt. 3:15-17; John 6:27(NIV); 14:31; Heb. 7:26

b. The biblical ground of justification, in the second place, is

Christ’s obedient death. 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:9, 18-19; I John 2:2;
I Pet. 3:18

c. This is the evidence by which we are declared righteous –

justified – to be in a right standing with God.

3. What God reckons or credits to believing sinners is “the righteousness

of God.”

a. Paul tells us of a righteousness that comes from God, the

revelation of which constitutes the Gospel. Rom. 1:17, 3:21-22,
10:3-4

b. Through the obedience of His life and death Christ acquired

righteousness that the Father would credit to sinners who
believe in Him. Thus the righteousness believers possess is not
their own accomplishment. It is the right standing of another –
Jesus Christ – that is credited to their account as a free gift. I Cor.
1:30; Phil. 3:9

4. God’s justification involves the imputation of the righteousness earned

by Christ to believers and the non-imputation of their sin and guilt.

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 a. The repentant come to God with a sin-stained soul but depart
pure and blameless in His sight. Isa. 1:18

b. Joshua, the High Priest, is a picture of God’s imputed

justification. Zech. 3:1-5, 9

c. Isaiah upholds imputed justification in Isa. 53:11.

d. In Romans 4 Paul uses the verb “logizomai” (a word meaning

to enter into a ledger, hence to “reckon to one’s account,”
“credit”) 11 times. Paul’s purpose was to show that believers are
justified not by works but as God credits righteousness into their
accounts. Rom. 4:6, 22-24

e. Also in Romans 4 Paul concluded that justification involves,

negatively, the non-imputation of sin and guilt. Rom. 4:8

5. The means of justification is faith.

a. Whereas the ground or basis of justification is Christ’s perfect

life and obedient death, the means of appropriating
righteousness is faith enabled by the Spirit.

b. The repentant thief on the cross cried out to Jesus in his final
moments and was justified before God. Luke 23:40-43

c. What does Jesus tell us we must do to work the works of God?

John 6:27-29

d. Paul reaffirms in his letters that the means of appropriating

righteousness from God is faith. Rom. 3:30; 5:1; 10:6; Gal. 2:16;
3:24; Phil. 3:8-9

e. The writer of Hebrews also links righteousness with faith like

Paul. Heb. 11:7

f. A key text on justification that brings this all together is Romans

3:21-26.

1. In verses 5-18 of chapter 3, Paul demonstrated that

both Jew and Gentiles are unrighteous and guilty before
God.

2. In verses 21-26 Paul declares God’s gracious solution

to this fatal, human problem.

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 a. The announcement of justification through
the Gospel disclosed in a way, other than the
futile works of law-keeping, whereby sinners are
made acceptable to God. The key to the problem
is the phrase “the righteousness of God.” Vs 21

b. The instrument by which God justifies sinners

is faith directed toward Jesus Christ. Vs. 22

1. “through faith”, “dia pisteos” not “dia

pistin” “on account of faith”

2, Faith is the means not the ground of

justification.

c. The ground of God’s gracious acts of

justification is the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ.
Vs 24-25

d. Finally, the demonstration of justification.

God remained just at the same time being able
to justify sinners. Vs 25-26

E. The results of justification.

1. The forgiveness of sins. Acts 26:18; Heb. 9:26; Jer. 31:34

2. The sentence of condemnation is annulled. John 5:24; Rom. 8:1, 33-34

3. The gift of eternal life. Tit. 3:7; Rom. 5:18, 21

4. Spiritual peace or the ending of hostilities between God and repentant

sinners. Rom. 5:1; Acts 10:36

5. Positional sanctification. I Cor. 6:11

F. A significant accompaniment with justification is legal adoption into God’s

family.

1. In a court of law a person may be acquitted by the judge of all charges,

but that acquittal does not make the person a member of the judge’s
family.

2. Adoption is the act of grace, logically following conversion and

justification, by which God confers on forgiven sinners the status of
sonship.

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 3. Humans are all created by God, but the children of God are only those
who God has graciously adopted through His Son.

4. The NT describes this declaration of sonship in three places. Eph. 1:5;

Gal.4:5; Rom. 8:15

5. Implications of being children of God:

a. We bear a new name and identity. I John 3:1

b. We experience the indwelling of God’s Spirit. Gal. 4:6

c. Assures us that we are the objects of His special love. I John

4:7-11

d. We receive special care and provision from the Father. Luke

11:11-13

e. We have the right and privilege of bold access into the Father’s
presence. Heb. 4:14-16

f. God will lovingly discipline and chasten believers as a human

father would his own children. Heb. 12:7-8

g. We are heirs of the Father’s eternal kingdom and glory. Rom.

8:17

4. Practical implications of the doctrine of justification.

A. Be delivered from feelings of guilt. Many Christians struggle to varying degrees

under the burden of guilt feelings and accusing consciences. The causes of guilt
feelings in genuine Christians appear to be several.

1. Believers may be inordinately severe on themselves.

a. Some Christians live with the background of a stern and

legalistic upbringing, in the home or in the church.

b. Other believers have had imposed upon them the unrealistic

burden of sinless perfection, which insists that God accepts them
only on the condition that they be perfect.

c. The solution to this unreasonable sense of guilt is:

1. Recall that the omniscient Lawgiver and Judge declares

believers “not guilty!” and, indeed, clothes them with the
righteousness of Christ.

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 2. Christians are God’s forgiven, justified, and adopted
children.

3. The righteous God has pardoned, cleansed, and freed

true believers from the burden of sin and guilt.

4. Overly scrupulous Christians need to celebrate this

glorious reality.

2. Other subjective guilt may be explained as a heightened sense of

unworthiness due to an unusually close relationship with God.

a. Isaiah was one of the most godly men of Israel in his day, yet
when he sees a vision of God, he declares he is undone. Isa. 6:5

b. Paul is another example from his self-description that he is the

chief of sinners. I Tim. 1:15

c. The solution is the same as #1(c) above.

3. Feelings of guilt may arise from unconfessed sins of omission and

commission in the believer’s life.

a. Believers shouldn’t experience guilt in a punitive sense but as

constructive sorrow for sins. Matt. 26:75

b. Christ’s atoning provisions provide the basis for the Christian’s

continued forgiveness, but this forgiveness must be repeatedly
sought and received from God.

c. Christians with unconfessed sin in their lives must not engage

in the inauthentic responses of rationalization, self-justification,
or repression of conscience. Rather, believers must be honest
before their Heavenly Father by faithfully acknowledging sins,
truthfully confessing them to God, AND accepting His forgiveness
and peace. I John 1:9

d. If the Christian deals with sins in this constructive manner, guilt

will serve as a positive, internal alarm system to our behavior in
relation to God’s righteous law.

B. Cast off the burden of perfectionism.

1. Psychologists say that perfectionism (the attitude and behavior pattern

that seeks complete alignment of the ideal) is perhaps the most common
emotional problem among evangelical Christians.

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2. God in His wisdom has given humans an internalized concept of the
ideal or the perfect. However, this is an ideal, not an achievable reality
in this life for finite human beings. Even great saints of God such as
Abraham and David, declared in Scripture as examples of those justified
by faith – were fallible and sinful. Even Paul tells us we want to do good,
but we often fail. Rom. 7:15-20

3. If you are someone who expects perfection from other people and
institutions, you more often than not will end up discouraged and
disillusioned. If you expect perfection of yourself, you usually end up
despairing and depressed.

4. THE FACT IS THAT MORAL AND RELIGIOUS PERFECTIONISM IS NOT A

PRECONDITION FOR PARDON AND RECONCILIATION WITH GOD.
NEITHER IS PERFECTIONSIM A PRECONDITION FOR AN ONGOING
RELATIONSHIP OF INTIMACY WITH GOD.

5. The attainable goal of the new life is GROWTH into Christian perfection,
not the unattainable standard of PERFECTIONISM.

6. The antidote for perfectionism is:

a. God regards the imperfect character and works of true

believers as perfectly acceptable to Him in Christ. The Lord has
clothed us with the righteousness of His Son and now regards
believers as perfect when measured against the ideal.

b. Believers’ works and service in practice fall short of God’s

standard of perfection. Nevertheless, God views the deeds of His
blood-bought people framed in the perfection of His Son. I Pet.
2:5

c. Calvin commented - “As we ourselves, when we have been

engrafted in Christ, are righteous in God’s sight because our
iniquities are covered by Christ’s sinlessness, so our works are
righteousness and are thus regarded because whatever fault is
otherwise in them is buried in Christ’s purity, and is not charged
to our account. Accordingly, we can deservedly say that by faith
alone not only we ourselves but our works as well are justified.”

d. Christians should not engage in the impossible pursuit of

perfectionism, because God views both our persons and our
labors as pleasing and acceptable to Him through the merits of
His Son.

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E. Sanctification

1. Definition from Spurgeon’s Catechism, Q.34, - “the work of God’s Spirit whereby we
are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and we are enabled more and more
to die to sin, and live to righteousness.” Or more briefly, “it is a progressive conformity
of the whole man to the Divine nature.” Octavius Winslow

a. We are saved for a purpose. (not just justification only)

1. saved from our sins, Matt 1:21

2. conformity to Christ. Rom. 8:29

3. to be sanctified. John 17:19

4. for good works. Ti. 2:14, Eph. 2:8-10

5. to be presented holy, blameless, beyond reproach. Col. 1:22

6. to live a holy life. I Thes. 4:3,4,7

7. Octavius Winslow – “There is a sense … in which the believer is dead

to the Law… The believer in Christ is released from [the Law] as a ground
of acceptance, but not as a standard of holiness…Sanctification, then, is
a growing conformity to the spirituality of the Divine Law.” Gal. 2,3

b. Justification and Sanctification are separate but linked together. I Cor. 1:30,
6:11, Rom. 8:30

1. The outcome or fruit of justification is sanctification, thereby

eliminating the error of cheap grace.

2. Sanctification is grounded in justification, thereby avoiding the heresy

of works-righteousness.

3. We are not saved by our sanctification; we are saved by our

justification.

4. We are not made perfect by our sanctification; that is glorification.

5. So what is the purpose of our sanctification?

a. What do we already possess as believers prior to

sanctification?

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 1. Chosen before the foundation of the world.
2. Called by God
3. Complete forgiveness
4. Regenerated – made alive.
5. Right standing with God – Christ’s righteousness
6. Reconciled to God
7. Given the Holy Spirit
8. In Christ
9. Dominion of sin has been destroyed
10. Adopted as His child
11. We are fellow heirs of all that Christ has.
12. Eternal life

b. Sanctification does not earn or keep the above, so what do we

still need that sanctification fulfils?

1. Fellowship/relationship with God. Garden of Eden.

2. Dependency upon God. Godliness

3. Which leads to conformity to Christ.

c. Sanctification is not about performance of a list of rules, but

rather a walking, living, fellowshipping with God in all that we do.

1. Do you long to be with God and spend time with Him?

2. Do you hate what He hates and love what He loves?

3. Do you feel free to fellowship with Him?

4. Do you run to Him when you fail?

5. Do you acknowledge Him in all your ways and all that

you do?

6. Are you dependent or independent?

7. Do you enjoy Him?

c. Sanctification is the event/process by which we are conformed to Christ.

1. Sanctification is an event (positional, definitive, objective). I Cor. 1:2,

6:11, (Romans 6)

2. Sanctification is a process (progressive, subjective). 2 Cor. 3:18, Heb.

2:11, 10:14, Jam. 1:3-4, (Romans 7)

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 a. A believer cannot be more pardoned or more justified than
when they first believe.

b. But a believer can be more sanctified because every grace in

their new character may be strengthened, enlarged, and
deepened. J C Ryle

d. Sanctification is a reality for which every believer is responsible.

1.We are under a special obligation to live holy lives.

2. We are not dead, blind, and unrenewed as others are.

3. We have light, knowledge, and a new principle – Whose fault is it, if we

are not holy, but our own.

4. “If God gives us renewing grace and calls us by His Spirit, we may be
sure that He expects us to use our grace and not go to sleep. It is
forgetfulness of this that causes many believers to grieve the Holy Spirit
and makes them very useless and uncomfortable Christians.” J C Ryle

e. Sanctification depends greatly on a diligent use of Scriptural means.

1. The “means of grace” are such as Bible reading, private prayer,

regularly worshipping God in church (not just attending church)

2.Those who are careless about these things must never expect to make
much progress in sanctification.

3. There is no record of a prominent saint who ever neglected them.

f. Sanctification is a thing that does not prevent a believer from having a great
deal of inward spiritual conflict.

1. By conflict, I mean a struggle between the old nature and the new, the
flesh and the spirit, which are found together in every believer. Gal. 5:17,
Rom. 7:14-25, (external spiritual warfare Eph. 6:10-20)

2. A deep sense of struggle and a vast amount of mental discomfort from

it are no proof that a person is not sanctified.

3. A true Christian not only has peace of conscience, but war within. They
may be known by their warfare as well as their peace.

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 g. Sanctification is a thing that cannot justify a person, yet it pleases God.

1.The holiest actions of the holiest saint that ever lived are all more or
less full of defects and imperfections.

2. “They are either wrong in motive or defective in their performance and

in themselves are nothing better than “splendid sins,” deserving God’s
wrath and condemnation.” J C Ryle Isa. 64:6

3. To think that such actions can stand the severe judgement of God, and
somehow atone for sin and merit heaven is simply absurd. Rom. 3:20,28

4.So how can God ever be pleased by our actions?

a. First of all Scripture says that He is pleased with the holy

actions of a sanctified believer. Heb. 13:16, Col. 3:20, I John 3:22

b. I Pet. 2:5 explains how God can be pleased with our actions.

1. Through Jesus Christ.

2. Not only are we sanctified, but our actions are also

sanctified.

h. Sanctification is absolutely necessary in order to train and prepare us for

heaven.

1. “Most men hope to go to heaven when they die; but few, it may be
feared, take the trouble to consider whether they would enjoy heaven if
they got there. Heaven is essentially a holy place; its inhabitants are all
holy; its occupations are all holy.” J C Ryle

2. To be really happy in heaven, it is clear and plain that we must be

somewhat trained and made ready for heaven while we are on earth.

3. Glimpses of sanctification on earth make us long for the place where

there will be full sanctification.

2. Now how do we live in our sanctification?

a. What happens when we sin, and what is God’s response to our sin?

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1.Is it judgement, disappointment, anger, offense, discipline?

a. The only proper punishment is eternal burning in a lake of fire

separated from God or the full force of divine wrath on a
perfect God/man with the shedding of blood.

b. So can we pay for it or make it up in any way?

2. What is Jesus doing right now in Heaven? Heb. 7:25

a. I thought Jesus said it was finished. Why is He continually

interceding for us?

b. Is it because the Father forgets about Jesus’ sacrifice or grows

tired of us sinning and needs to be appeased again? We would
not say this, but we say things like, God will not forgive me for
this or I have committed this sin too many times for God to
forgive me.

c. Intercession is the moment by moment application of what

the atonement accomplished.

d. Jesus’ first response to our sin is to intercede – not condemn

or get angry.

e. God justifies us by bestowing on us not by expecting from us.

Bunyan Christ a Complete Savior

f. I know God forgives but there is one sin or area that I just
don’t feel that God will or can forgive me. Completely,
uttermost, forever

3. Jesus is also our Advocate. What is that? I John 2:1 does not say we
will have an advocate but rather we do have one.

a. An Intercessor stands between two parties and an advocate

stands alongside of a person or appears on behalf of another
person.

b. Intercession is something Christ is always doing while

advocacy is something He does on occasion. (compare
passages)

c. Who is Jesus in those moments of our spiritual lacking? Not

after we have conquered that sin but in the midst of it. Satan
accuses but Christ has the last word. Rev. 12:10

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 d. Do not minimize your sin or excuse it away. Raise no defense.
Simply take it to the one who is already at the right hand of the
Father, advocating for you with His wounds. Let your own
unrighteousness, in all your darkness and despair, drive you to
Jesus Christ, the righteous, in all His brightness and sufficiency.

4. A primer on God’s grace.

a. Sin never overtakes God’s grace – Rom 5:20 So are we free to

live sinful lives? No, but we must understand the dominance of
grace in order to access the power to fight sin.

b. Because of grace, we are free to pursue holiness and

obedience. Titus 2:11-14, Jude 24

c. Rom. 8:1, a little bit? as long as you do things mostly right? at

least for now? Why? - Christ can receive no condemnation, and
we are in Christ.

d. John 6:37 unless you really mess up? Gentle & Lowly page 60-
62

e. Rom. 8:31-39 as long as you do everything perfect?

f. What is the glory of God? His goodness? I thought it would be

his holiness, His justice. No God says His glory is that he has
compassion on whom He has compassion. Grace. It is one of the
most amazing attributes of God.

g. Hos 11:7-9 I am God not a man therefore I will not come in

wrath. What? I thought it should say I will come in wrath.

h. Isa 55:6-9 My ways are not like a man’s ways.

i. Lam 3:33 does not afflict from His heart.

j. Jer. 32:41 shows mercy with his whole heart.

k. Isa 28:21 acts of justice are His strange work.

b. What does it look like to live in the strength of the Spirit and not in my own
strength?

The key – transforming the way I live by the way I think and believe. Rom. 12:2

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From John Flavel – Keeping the Heart

1. Season 1 – times of temptation – six arguments by which Satan

subtly deceives and misleads in the temptation. Few Christians
are so well-skilled in detecting the error and refuting the
arguments which Satan uses to tempt us, that we come off safe
in those encounters, even David & Solomon. Mark 14:38
a. Satan says with a smiling face and a charming voice, “Here is
pleasure to be enjoyed.”
1. First response – Satan, you say that sin is pleasant, but
what about the wounds of conscience and flames of hell,
are they pleasant also? Matt. 26:75, Ps. 38:2-8, Ps. 51
2. Second response – Why do you talk about the pleasure
of sin when, by experience, I know there is more true
pleasure in obedience than can be in committing sin.
b. Satan says, “This sin will never be made public; no one will
know.”
1. Response – No one may know about it, but can you
find me a place absence of the divine presence for me to
sin in? Job 31:4, Prov. 5:20-21, Luke 12:3
2. Even if no one knows, there is also another to be
feared who always has a pen in its hand to record my
most secret actions – my conscience.
c. Satan says, “Why are you so nice and such a prude; don’t you
want to experience all that life has to offer to make you happy?”
1. Response – But what profit is there if a person may
gain the whole world but lose their own soul?
2. We have an immortal spirit within our earthly bodies,
of more value than all earthly things, that will live for all
eternity.
d. Satan says, “It is such a small matter, a little one, who is going
to find any real harm?”
1. First response – But is the majesty of heaven a little
one too? If I commit this sin, I will offend and wrong a
great God.
2. Second response - Is there any little hell to torment
little sinners in? Are not the least sinners there filled with
the fullness of wrath?
3. Third response – The less the sin, the less attraction to
commit it. Shall I break with God for such a small thing.
Destroy my peace, wound my conscience, grieve the
Spirit, and all this for nothing. Am I crazy?

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 e. Satan says, “Come on, God will forgive you for this. Just say
you’re sorry afterwards.”
1. Response – Where do I find a promise of mercy to
presumptuous sinners? Indeed, for involuntary and
unforeseen failings, unavoidable and grieved infirmities,
there is a pardon of course; but where is the promise to
a daring sinner who sins upon presumption of pardon?
Num. 15:27,30
2. If God is a God of so much mercy, how can I abuse so
good a God? Shall I wrong Him because He is so good?
Or rather should the goodness of God lead me to
repentance? Rom. 2:4, Ps. 130:4
f. Satan says, “So and so has sinned and been restored; therefore,
this is what grace is all about, and you will be saved nevertheless.
1. First response – Though good men may have
committed the same sin that I am tempted to commit,
did they ever venture to sin on such a ground and
encouragement as this?
2. Second response – Did God record these examples for
my imitation or for my warning? I Cor. 10:6
3. Third response - Am I willing to feel what they felt for
sin? David – Ps. 51

2. Season 2 – times of injury and abuses from people – eight

remedies how a Christian may keep their heart from vengeful
actions under the greatest of injuries and abuses from other
people.
a. Convince yourself of the severe prohibitions of revenge by
the law of God. Prov. 20:22, 24:29, 25:21, Rom. 12:17,19
1. This has been an argument by Christians throughout
the ages to prove their religion to be supernatural
and pure, that it forbids revenge; it is a shame if such
an argument is lost.
2. When my flesh says, “My enemy deserves to be
hated.”, let our conscience reply, “But does God
deserve to be disobeyed?”
b. Look to the most prominent examples of meekness and
forgiveness, so your soul will fall in love with them.
1. Our flesh often says, “Nobody would let this go by.”
or “People will think I am a coward or fool if I don’t
avenge myself.”
2. Christ’s example. Is. 53:7, I Pet. 2:21-23, Matt. 5:45

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 3. Paul’s example. I Cor. 4:12-13
4. Unsaved people may think you a fool, but God and
good people will think you wise.
c. Consider the spiritual state of the person who has wronged
you.
1. If they are a good person:
i. Their conscience and the Spirit will eventually
bring them to repentance.
ii. Christ has forgiven them greater sins against
Him, how can you not forgive them of this?
2. If they are a wicked person:
i. You have more of a reason to exercise pity than
revenge towards them.
ii. If they do not repent, there is a coming day that
they will have more misery than you could ever
wish upon them.
d. Restrain your heart by the realization that by revenge you
can satisfy a lust, but by forgiveness you will conquer a lust.
1. Suppose by revenge you can destroy one enemy; but
by forgiving you can conquer three:
i. Your own lust.
ii. The devil’s temptation.
iii. Your enemy’s heart. I Sam. 24:16-17
2. To some it will be a sin-punishing fire to others it will
be a heart-melting fire. Prov. 25:21
e. Seriously consider this question: “Have I received any good
by the wrongs and abuses I have received, or have I not?”
1. If you say, “no”, then take your revenge out on you
that you should have such a bad heart that you can
get no good out of such troubles.
2. If you say, “yes’, it has made me search my heart
more and consider my ways; it has made me see how
I have wronged God.
i. If you have received good, then why would
you not forgive the person through which
the good came.
ii. If God has used it for good, there is no reason
to be angry.
f. Remember who ordains and allows all of our troubles.
1. David’s example with Shimei. 2 Sam. 16:10
2. Job’s example. Job 1:21

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 g. Consider how you daily wrong God, and you will not be so
easily inflamed with revenge against others who have
wronged you. Matt. 18:32-33, 6:15
h. Those who believe they have a God that makes things right
and will enact proper vengeance, will not wrongfully try to
enact their own vengeance. James 5:7-9
1. We learn the Judge is near.
2. We learn from the farmer’s example of patience.
3. We learn of the danger of us taking our own
vengeance.

3. Season 3 – times of sickness – seven arguments to make the

people of God cheerfully entertain the messengers of death and
die, as well as live, like saints.
a. The harmlessness of death to the people of God.
1. Why should we fear this sickness will lead to our
death as long as we know that the death of Christ is
the death of death? I Cor. 15:55-57
2. Satan is often busiest at our deaths; he cannot win
our soul from God, but he can discourage us and
make us unwilling to go to Him.
b. Consider the necessity of death in order to attain the full
fruition of God.
1. There is no other way for our happiness to be
complete and see God. II Cor. 5:6
2. Most people need patience to die, but a Christian
who understands all what death gives to us should
rather need patience to live.
c. The immediate succession of a more excellent and
glorious life.
1. When we die we are immediately with our Lord. II
Cor. 5:8
2. It is a better existence then what we currently
experience. Phil. 1:23
i. If our souls slept that would not be better
because at least in this body, we can still
fellowship with Christ.
ii. If our souls are alive and see Christ that is better
than living by faith alone.
d. By their death God removes His people out of the way of
all temptations and trouble upon earth.

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 1. God often times when extraordinary calamities are
coming upon the earth takes his people out of
harm’s way through death. Rev. 14:13, Isa. 57:1
2. Political strife, immorality, and godlessness does
not exist in heaven.
e. Consider the great advantage you will have by death
above all that you ever enjoyed on earth.
1. Your communion with God – the time of your
perfect communion with God has come.
2. Your enjoyment of other believers – no more sin-
tainted relationships, no more hurts or
disappointments, everyone loves each other as
themselves.
f. Consider what heavy burdens death will ease your
shoulders of.
1. Death cures all of your diseases and ailments.
2. Glorification destroys sins very being and existence.
3. All temptations cease at our death.
g. Examine all the pleas and deceptions for a longer time on
earth.
1. Plea #1 – I have many relations in this world and I
do not know what will become of them.
i. Are you concerned about their physical well-
being? Jer. 49:11
ii. Are you concerned about their souls?
1. Even if you live, you cannot covert them.
2. If you are dead, can’t God still use your
prayers and counselling to impact upon
them?

4. Season 4 – times of being without (physically and/or financially)

– seven considerations on how a Christian may keep his heart
from distrusting God, or complaining against Him, when outward
insufficiencies are either felt or feared.
a. Consider the dangerous, ensnaring temptations that come
with a pleasant and prosperous condition; few of those who
live in the pleasures and prosperity of this world escape
everlasting perdition.
1. Even though your situation may be new to you, it is
not unique to other great saints.
i. Paul – I Cor. 4:11
ii. David – I Sam. 25:8

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