The Precious Truth of the Gospel of Grace: The Good News of the All-Sufficient Lord Jesus Christ

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1:               Understanding Salvation

Chapter 2:               Divine Predestination

Chapter 3:               The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation

Chapter 4:               Comprehending Effectual Calling

Chapter 5:               Regeneration of the Holy Ghost

Chapter 6:               The Atonement of Jesus Christ

Chapter 7:               The Doctrine of Particular Redemption

Chapter 8:               The Sense of Free Will

Chapter 9:               Discerning the Christian Faith

Chapter 10:             Saving faith of Christians

Chapter 11:             Justification by Faith Alone

Chapter 12:             Five Blessings of Justification

Chapter 13:             The Doctrine of Faith and Works

Chapter 14:             Faithful Repentance

Chapter 15:             The Doctrine of Merit and Grace

Chapter 16:             The Perseveration of God’s Saints

Chapter 17:             The Assurance of Salvation

Chapter 18:             The Doctrine of the Intermediate State

Chapter 19:             The Final Resurrection

Chapter 20:             The Glorification of God’s Saints

Appendix 1:           The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Appendix 2:           The Saving, Life-Changing Gospel of Christ

Appendix 3:           The Holiness of God

Appendix 4:           The Nature of Man

Appendix 5:           The Wrathfulness of God

Appendix 6:           The Divine Solution is Christ Himself

Appendix 7:           The Complete Worthiness of Christ in The Place of Unworthy Sinners

Appendix 8:           Salvation by Grace Alone Through Faith Alone in Christ Alone

Appendix 9:           The Choice of God

Appendix 10:         Salvation is the Work of God Alone

Appendix 11:         Faith and Repentance

Appendix 12:         Ask for Forgiveness to the True God Alone

Appendix 13:         The Time is Now

Appendix 14:         Hearken to the Narrow Gate

Appendix 15:         Your Desperate Need for the Gospel

Introduction

                My desire in writing this book is to bring glory to God alone in presenting and proclaiming His matchless, glorious and precious gospel of grace.  This book is based on Dr. R.C. Sproul’s order of chapters on salvation in his book Essential Truths of the Christian Faith.  Each chapter derived from Dr. Sproul’s book has endnotes to his work to give credit where credit is due.  My objective is not to write something novel but to simply write Reformed orthodox theology.  I am not a theologian of novelty.  My God-appointed assignment is to state old Reformed truths.  I also wanted to state my source to express my deepest thanks to R.C. Sproul.  I believe he is a man of spiritual buried treasure in terms of orthodox theology.  I am happy to use him as a source for this book.  I want to write Reformed salvation to offset the lack of Reformed materials.  The purpose of writing this book is to express clear and coherent theology in a day of muddled theology.  It is my pleasure to use Dr. Sproul’s book to express sound theology.  I pray that God will use this book to edify and help the reader to understand the basics of Reformed salvation.  Those grounded in the basics of sound theology will express sound words in evangelism to be used as a means to reach the lost, and edify God’s people.  Finally, I urge you to, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15 KJV).

Chapter 1: 

Understanding Salvation

                The salvation question is the supreme question of the Christian Bible.  The topic of Holy Scripture is that of salvation.  The angel proclaimed Jesus Christ as our Savior.  The Saviorhood of Jesus Christ and salvation are mutual.  The task of the Savior is to save His people.  This is what Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior did in the past; has done in the present and will continue to do in the future until the very last day.

                Theologians ask, what are we saved from?  The scriptural sense of salvation is wide and diverse.  In Israel the term, save meant to rescue from a threatening circumstance.  For instance when Israel went through a battle and escaped their enemy, they experienced salvation.  When I recovered from a life-threatening sickness, I experienced salvation.  The hopeful result from a dangerous situation is salvation.  Turn to Acts 27:31, “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.”  (NASB).  Paul refers to their salvation in the ship on the sea.  Turn also to Acts 28:4, “When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.”  (NASB).  The people said they were saved from the sea.  They are an example of a people who experienced physical salvation.

                The Christian Bible uses the word salvation for a particular meaning.  It means to have redemption from sin, from God’s wrath and from hell.  Salvation is holy reconciliation to God through Christ by His Spirit.  Salvation is escape from the judgment of God.  Christ “delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV).

                The Christian Bible explicitly states, there will be a final day of judgment.  Human beings are accountable before the Living Triune God.  This is known as the day of the Lord.  For some this day will be a dreadful day.  For others it will be a day to remember in joyfulness!  It will be the final day God will deliver His wrath to the unregenerate.   Christians will be delivered from God’s holy and blessed wrathfulness.  Christ performed a rescue work to save His people as their Savior. 

                The word salvation is used in senses and tenses in the Greek language.  According to Reformed thinking, the following is a list of what salvation means:

·         Christians were saved before the foundation of the world.

·         Christians were being saved by the actions of God in history.

·         Christians are saved because of justification.

·         Christians are being saved because of sanctification.

·         Christians will be saved at the end of redemption in heaven. 

                Justification is a passed, once and for all, act of God, where Paul looks back upon His blessed salvation.  Justification is by faith alone, and His people have assured peace with God the Father through the God-man.  Before peace with God, His people we at enmity with God the Father, but salvation came through Jesus Christ:  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 5:1 NKJV).

                Before regeneration, justification, adopted, sanctified and glorified, God’s elect were pre-converted, and in their sins.  The pre-converted elect were in totally depravity, and in total inability, but God quickened His people, who are saved by sheer and pure grace: “…even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:5 NKJV). It is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ.  Faith is the gift of God: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV).  God’s elect only were called with a holy calling, and it was never according to our works but of His own purpose according to His good pleasure: “…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…”  (2 Timothy 1:9 NKJV).  It was not because of works of righteousness but of God in His sovereign work of regeneration:  “…not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…”  (Titus 3:5 NKJV).

                Abraham was justified by faith alone:

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?  For if Abraham were justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  For what does the Scripture say?  Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.  But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. (Romans 4:1-6 NKJV).

People who believe in God the Son has everlasting life, but whoever does not believe God the Son will perish in their sins forever: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17 NKJV).  People who believe have life in His name:  “…but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life in His name” (John 20:31 NKJV).  Whoever calls upon the name of the LORD will be saved: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:13 NKJV).  Christ died for the ungodly, and His people are “at the same time just and sinner”:  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NKJV).  Paul was sent to preach the saving message of the gospel of grace and peace of Christ Jesus:  “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17 NKJV).

                His people are not appointed to wrath but salvation through the God-man, Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Redeemer: “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9 NKJV).  God choose His people for salvation through sanctification by His Beloved Spirit, and belief in the God’s divine truth: “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV).  God’s elect only are kept by God’s power through for salvation which will be manifested: “…who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5 NKJV).   

The Christian Bible tells us about salvation.  The Holy Scripture indicates salvation ranges from the past (Ephesians 2:8), present (1 Corinthians 1:18) and future (Hebrews 9:28).  Regarding justification, theologians rightly assert, justification with the term salvation as meaning the same thing.  Justification refers to our present state in Christ Jesus by the power of His Spirit.  We also see justification as a stairway to sanctification.  We will discuss justification and sanctification in more detail.

Let us understand the centrality aspect of salvation.  Salvation is not of man in part of or in whole or in anyway whatsoever!  Salvation is wholly of God alone!  Salvation is not a manmade endeavor.  Salvation is completely a heavenly and supernatural action of God.  God acts; man reacts in faith and then holiness.  Salvation is wholly applied by God.  Salvation is of and from our Lord God Almighty alone.   It is the Lord Jesus Christ Who utterly saves His people from the holy wrathfulness of God the Father.  God saves His people to the uttermost![i]

Chapter 2:

Divine Predestination

                The doctrine of divine predestination creates much controversy.  Church history demonstrates this historical reality.  There is no doubt that divine predestination must “be handled with great care and caution.”[ii]  Divine predestination is nothing less then a true biblical doctrine.  Christian must not put it aside or ignore it because of its controversy and difficulty.  All different kinds of Christians have some idea of some kind of predestination.  Predestination is plainly seen in Scripture.  It is unavoidable to miss this great doctrine of predestination.  Different churches within Christianity disagree on the meaning of predestination.  The Methodist, Lutheran and Presbyterian understanding of predestination differ.  Yet each Christian group is trying to understand and plumb the depths of Christian predestination. 

                Predestination means, in its most basic form; people’s final destination is planned by God before we are born.  Predestination teaches that our ultimate destiny is the God’s hands.  In other words, God decided to save from all eternity certain people according to His good pleasure, and let the remaining perish in their sin to the praise of His justice: He choose to pass over come and follow the ramifications of their sin in eternal torment in hell.  Many accept this understanding in churches.  Let’s get to the heart of the matter: in what way does God choose?  The popular view is that God chooses based on His foreknowledge.  He chooses people that choose Him.  This is known as the prescient view of predestination.  It rests upon God’s foreknowledge of choices of human beings. 

The Reformed understanding is different.  The ultimate decision rests with God in salvation not with man.  The election of God is sovereign.  Foreseen faith of Arminianism is rejected because this view makes the will of man the deciding factor in salvation.  If man says, “no” to cooperative grace, God has failed to save.  But in the Reformed view, belief is the evidence of God’s election in salvation.  Decisions of men flow from the sovereign grace of God.  In Reformed theology, man left unto himself, would never choose God.  God must first choose us in order for His people to believe according to His beloved good pleasure.  Fallen humanity has free will but not libertarian free will.  Fallen people chose what they desire.  Humanity has no desire for God.  We must be regenerated. Regeneration comes before faith.  If God saves us in regeneration, we will respond in belief.  The elect will respond.  Faith is a sure gift of God.  It comes from be born from above.  Only the elect will respond to the pure gospel of grace.  Christ saves His people perfectly and completely.  He will not fail to save His people.  The acceptance of the gospel does not depend on man but upon God’s choice alone.  We choose God because He first chose us.  Election depends solely on the mere blessed good pleasure of God not the something man does.  Salvation is dependent on the almighty free will of man (Rom. 9:10-12, 16).  What hurts the pride of man is simply this: God does not predestine to save all people who have ever lived or who will live.  No one is predestined for reprobation.  God has mercy upon whom He will have mercy.  Some people will experience salvation because God has chosen a people.  God passes over people; He leaves them in their sin.  Justice is granted on the non-elect, but the elect receive mercy.  The elect and non-elect never receive injustice.  God does not save from obligation but He saves in graciousness.  God is never unrighteous toward any people at anytime (Rom. 9:14-15).[iii]

Chapter 3:            

The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation

All coins have a “flip side.”  There is a “flip side” to the Christian doctrine of divine election.  The Christian doctrine of divine election refers to an element of the wider question of predestination.  The “flip side” of the coin concerning election is reprobation.  Let’s understand the situation between Jacob and Esau.  God proclaimed that He loved Jacob and hated Esau.  We must understand the concept of divine hatred!  To this we now turn.

                The concept of predestination is double sided.  If one tried to avoid the Christian doctrine of predestination, one becomes a Universalist.  Additionally, someone either has to believe that God Himself preordains all people to election or that He Himself predestinates no one to election!  The Christian Bible explicitly instructs God’s people that predestination to election is a reality.  Thus the Christian Bible denies universal salvation for everyone.  Therefore we must determine that predestination is double!

                Double predestination encapsulates election and reprobation.  If we are going to take the Scripture seriously, we must adhere to the Christian doctrine of double predestination!  We must understand how double predestination is comprehended.  This is essential for our Reformed perceptive.

                Some theologians have seen double predestination with equal causation.  This view is called the positive-positive standpoint of predestination.  This view states that God is in the same way accountable for causing the non-elect not to believe and the elect to believe.  This view also tells us that God Himself works in the elect grace to bring forth faithfulness.  This view also tells us that God Himself works evil in the unregenerate or reprobate.  He prevents the reprobate from coming to faith.  This is called hyper-Calvinism.  This view goes against my orthodox Reformed view of Calvin and Luther concerning double predestination. 

                Now, let us examine the Reformed orthodox viewpoint of double predestination which is known as the positive-negative plan.  Regarding the chosen elect of God, He works in their Christian lives grace to bring forth belief.  God insures and promises our salvation in and due to the regeneration by the Holy Ghost.  Concerning the non-elect, or the reprobate, God never works evilness within them.  Nor does God Himself work in evil the non-elect. 

Instead, God Himself passes over them.  He leaves the reprobate to their own sinful depravity.  There is an absence of regularity of divine work.  The activity of God Himself is unequal among the elect and reprobate.  This means God’s work is asymmetrical. However, there is a type of equal ultimacy.  The reprobates are passed over by God Himself.  Therefore the reprobates are doomed.  The certainty of the doom of the reprobate is as certain as the ultimate salvation of the elect. 

                Moses in Exodus 7:1-5 declares:

“And the LORD said unto Moses, see, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be prophet.  Thou shalt speak all that I command thee:  and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.  And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.  But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mind armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.  And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.  And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.”

Solomon in Proverbs 16:4 proclaims:

“The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” 

Paul in Romans 9:1-24 declares:

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ fro my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” Who are Israelites; to whom pretaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.  Amen.  Not as though the word of God hath taken non effect.  For they are not all Israel, which are Israel:  neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac thy seed be called.  This is, they which are children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.  For this is the word of promise, at this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.  And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, the elder shall serve thy younger.  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.  What shall we say then?  Is there unrighteousness with God?  God forbid.  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will hardeneth.  Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet fin fault?  For who hath resisted his will?  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?  Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus?  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make on vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.  Even us, whom he hath called, not the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?”

Paul in Ephesians 1:3-6 asserts:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children of Jesus Christ himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Jude in the epistle of Jude 1:4 declares:

“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God unto lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We see in Sacred Scripture that God hardens Pharaoh’s heart.  This is explicitly evident in Holy Scripture.  The question is in what way did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?  The question deals with how his heart was hardened.  Martin Luther expressed a vital argument on this issue.  He believed in a passive instead of an active hardening which God Himself accomplished. 

This means that God Himself did not make evilness in the heart of Pharaoh.  Pharaoh had enough evil within him that caused him to be in opposition to God’s beloved and holy will.  When God hardens a person’s heart, He simply removes His grace from them.  He leaves them to their sinful passions.  This is accurately what God Himself does to those who are doomed in eternal hell.  He leaves them to their wretchedness, wickedness, depravity and sinfulness.

Regarding Esau, in what way did God hate him?  God simply had an absence of love toward Esau.   God loved Jacob because He was the recipient of His unworked grace.  Jacob was given grace he did not merit or deserve.  Esau was not given the same grace from God.  God simply hated Esau in His beloved holiness and goodness.  Esau was revolting toward the Lord God Almighty.  Esau was worthy of God’s godly and holy hatred and wrath.[iv]

                Another question arises does God choose people on the basis of foreseeing their faith?  This question must be asked if we are going to get to the truth of the matter.  We must explore what the Christian Bible teaches on this matter.  It is always important to arrive at the author’s intended meaning found in Holy Writ.  If we neglect the Word our doctrine will be false in our understanding.  Let us turn to a vital passage in our consideration of this matter.  This passage is a devastating reality of the denial of what Arminians understand as foreseen faith.  This passage is, perhaps, the clearest passage that straightforwardly refutes Arminianism.  The scriptural argumentation found here is directly taken from Pastor Nichols' Doctrine of Christ video-lectures produced by Truth for Eternity Ministries.  The video-lectures are commendable lessons of theology.  We turn now to the passage in consideration. 

                Matthew 11:20-28 declares:

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  (KJV).

There was nothing that could please the reprobate.  The reprobate focused upon the lifestyle of John the Baptist and Jesus.  The reprobate did this to disqualify them to condemn them.  John the Baptist and Jesus lived differently.  This was ironic since the reprobate condemned John the Baptist and Jesus with opposed arguments.  John the Baptist and Jesus were absolutely committed to the divine Word.  The reprobate had a negative attitude.  John the Baptist and Jesus did not live in a sinful manner.  Christ responds to the prejudicial reaction against John the Baptist and Himself. 

                In verse 20 of Matthew 28, Christ denounced the cities that would not repent.  Christ accomplished this publicly, openly and straightforwardly.  Christ declared their impenitence and sinfulness.  In the midst of the mighty Incarnate Christ their unbelief was clearly evident.  Verse 21 is about Christ’s assertion about reprobation.  This is in the context of denouncing impenitent men, and pronouncing woe upon them.  Christ warned wicked men because it is their responsibility to repent.  But they did not repent.  Christ holds them accountable to repent. 

                Christ introduces the doctrine of predestination.  Christ compares the wicked sinners at Tyre and Sidon.  Christ also refers to the sinners at Sodom.  Christ voices woe upon Chorazin and Bethsaida.  If the works of Christ were done in these cities where Christ performed miracles they would have repented but these cities where Christ accomplished miracles, refused to repent.  If Tyre and Sidon where given the light of the people of Galilee they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes.  They were never given that light.  God did not give them that light.  They died in their impenitence.  God withheld from them light that would have been the means of their repentance and conversion.  Thus this executed one aspect of the reprobative decree.  God withheld light which would have proved to be the means of converting the sinners of Tyre and Sidon.  The same is true for Sodom.  Christ said it would be more tolerable for Sodom then for you.  Why?  Verse 23, it would have remained.  This exposes the falsehood that God elects some to salvation because He foresaw that they would have believed and doesn't elect others because He foresaw that they wouldn't believe.  God in His divine all-knowingness foresaw that they would have believed and repented, and He did not send His Son.

            Why did the Incarnate Christ say this?  Why does He reflect on that state on Sodom, Tyre and Sidon with divine omniscience in retrospect?  He reflected on what would have happened in His divine omniscience.  He knows all things and all things possible.  What would and would have happened. Its not that He knew they would not repent.  Rather He knew they would have believed.  He knew they would have repented from the beginning in eternality passed.  It is a false idea that He knew their faith and chose them on that basis.  Foreseen faith is unbiblical.  This is a false teaching.  Why did He say this?  He intended to use reprobation in His preaching and evangelism.  What is He doing here?  He is speaking evangelistically.  This is an evangelistic message that opens up a decree of reprobation.  This is not very popular today.  By today's standards, Jesus did not know the right and correct way to evangelize.  But this is not true.  Christ did know the right way of evangelism.  Christ preached reprobation in evangelism.  We should take His example and do the same.  Reprobation was used in evangelism to convict the impenitent of their sin.  He did it in order to convert.  Strange as it may appear, our Lord Jesus Christ used reprobation in evangelism.  Christ used the reprobation of the past generation of wicked men to spur His own erring generation to appreciate the gospel light that they had been given and to use it properly.  He says, "You have been given gospel light that would have saved reprobative sinners in Sodom and you're rejecting it.  Don't do it.  It will be better in the day of judgment for Sodom then for you."  In evangelism the offer of mercy is genuinely sincere, and so also is the threat of judgment.  Jesus says, "God has damned sinners with less light then you have.  Beware, repent or He will damn you to, and with a more severe punishment.  If people are given a greater gospel light, and reject it, they will have a greater punishment.  Think of Judas who had Incarnate Divinity teaching him, and yet he rejected Him.  Judas saw the mercy of Christ and rejected His mercy.  Therefore Judas has a greater punishment then others who never had the gospel light.

                God does not choose us because He foresaw what we would do.  Mt. 11 is the clearest passage in Holy Scripture that refutes foreseen faith.  Christ refers to the gospel means of His miracles that attested His divine identity.  If Sodom had that light they would have been saved.  That light would have proven effective for their salvation.  He withheld from them the means of their conversion.  There is a mystery in that.  He emphasizes that the means would have proven effective for them.  Therefore the reprobative decree in their case is withholding the means that would have proven effective for their conversion.  That is what Christ did, and that is what He said He did.  The passage does not say that men are to believe on their own.  The free offer of the gospel and the total inability of man are clear in this text.  To say man could believe on their own is not a necessary inference from the text of Scripture.  The necessary means in their case would have been effectual.  He was talking about the sinfulness of men.  We must not reason beyond the text. 

            You can see the necessary implication about the fact that God does not choose men on the basis on what He foresees.  This is abundantly clear.  One must not go beyond the meaning of the text to understand Scripture that way.  The purpose of interpretation is to arrive at the author's intended meaning.  Christ blames them for not repenting.  He does this because mankind has the responsibility to repent.  Mankind's impenitence is his own fault.  Christ holds men responsible.  Christ holds men accountable to repent even though men cannot repent on their own without the regeneration of the divine Spirit and the divine Word.  He rebukes man from not repenting.  Hyper-Calvinists would deny man's responsibility to repent.  But Christ said they have the responsibility to repent.  This denies hyper-Calvinism.  Arminians would deny man's inability.  The Calvinist position is that man has the responsibility to repent yet man is totally unable.  The point is, therefore, Christ was not a hyper-Calvinist nor was He an Arminian. 

            There is no such thing as a decree divorced from the means of its effective.  God ordains the means and the ends.  The decree included not only the ends but the means.  God uses means.  Means are contingent, certain and necessary.  There is a tension between contingency and necessity.  The very same tension is there in His decision in eternality but it is still true.  Therefore God decided it through means. 

            Verse 25 refers to predestination.  It was pleasing to the sight of God the Father to reveal it to babes, that is, His people.  Jesus praises God for His sovereignty in salvation.  Christ finished denouncing the impenitent that saw great light of the gospel and rejected it.  Christ is the King of the gospel.  Christ held them responsible for it.  They rejected the great light that they saw.  It is not the point that they are totally unable even though this doctrine is true.  The light would have saved others as a means to save them but it was not done.  Here are aspects of predestination:  God discriminates.  See what He does in His discrimination.  God does not act the same way to all mankind.  It shows that universalism is incorrect.  He does not do the same things to all men.  God the Father hid His message of the gospel to those that are lost.  God acted differently to the wise and prudent then He did to babes.  What did He do?  He pulled the veil off of things.  He unveiled to reveal.  He revealed them unto babes.  It was secret.  It is used in Heb. 11:23 which was Moses being concealed from Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  When Moses was a baby, he was hidden.  The enemies of Moses did not know he existed.  The family of Moses made a special effort to keep Him a secret because if he was found, he would have been killed.  This is what God does.  He hides the gospel from the wise and prudent.  God does not simply bypass the wise and prudent.  Men say that God is inactive so no one blames Him.  Such a God would be an inactive God.  Men pictures God as doing nothing.  Christ describes what God the Father does; He hides these things.  That is what He does but consider to whom it does it to. 

            The wise and prudent have penetrating minds (Js 3:13), exercise good judgment (1 Cor. 6:5), and plan and do difficult things (1 Cor. 3:10).  They rise to a position of honor.  They become rich and renowned in reputation.  They are men of influence.  They are leaders of men who exercise authority over men.  This means God hides His gospel from them.  Regarding the babes; their nature is of dependence, helplessness and undeveloped powers.  Why are these things so?  It was well-pleasing in the sight of God the Father, the God of the Incarnate Christ alone, to hide this from the wise and prudent, and to reveal His gospel to babes.  Is God capricious and purely arbitrary?  God forbid! 

            1 Cor. 1:26 refers to God Who choose the foolish things, the weak things to put to shame the things that are strong.  The great concern of God is planning redemption and accomplishing and applying it.  It means He alone should receive the glory.  This is why He does not choose many men with great insight and penetrating minds with sound judgment that cause them to raise in society to be judges with unusual skill of wise master builders.  No flesh will boast in His presence.  Nobody is to be puffed up.  Everybody is to be humbled.  This is one of the crucial factors on whether God chooses to save or reject.  He humbles men and glorifies Himself alone.  Why has He picked us?  It was nothing about us.  He choose us that He alone would receive the glory.  The very lack of unusual powers distinguishes us as a people.  But why?  It is so we are to keep our months shut and not take glory to ourselves but give glory alone to God alone.  Therefore the great aim of predestination is the glory of God alone.  Christ thanks God the Father.  This is how Christ responds.  When Christ thought on the principle of the sovereignty of God in salvation it caused Him to greatly praise God the Father.  All these things are so to take out of us our arrogance and pride.  May we never think about some kind of wonderfulness about ourselves but to recognize the glory of God in the plan of redemption!  There was no basis for us to claim something good of ourselves but God alone is the basis for our salvation.  May we profoundly understand our vileness, weakness, nothingness and foolishness!  This is what God found attractive in us.  It is not because we our wise that we choose God.  Arminians might dare to say this but a biblical Calvinist says, "It's God's choice alone. Amen."  It was not that there was something good in us but it was by the Spirit of God and the Word of God. 

            It is intended to encourage us in an impenitent society.  Christ preached His heart out to these people and attested His messianic identity.  But the people He preached to, and performed miracles on, did not repent.  When believing Christians see little fruit, it tends to discourage us.  Christ was in the midst of deep impenitence.  How did Christ keep Himself from despair?  Christ reasons with His own generation.  At the surface, it may appear that His labor was in vain.  But it was not in vain.  He even refers to the reprobate; that they do not wind up like them.  How did Christ keep from discouragement and depression?  He thought about the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation.  Predestination enabled Christ to praise God the Father in the midst of that rejection and little fruit after much labor.  It enabled Him to maintain a right perspective even though Christ experienced a painful rejection.  This doctrine of predestination enabled Christ to thank God the Father.  This doctrine is intended to: a.) to deflate the pride of the people of God, and b) to furnish fuel to encourage the people of God in the midst of a ministry surrounded by rejection, persecution and impenitence. 

Chapter 4:

Comprehending Effectual Calling

Let’s look at the verses that explicitly teach this precious truth:

Ezekiel 36:26-27 reads:  “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit I will put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (NKJV).  Paul proclaims in Romans 8:30:  “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: whom he justified, them he also glorified” (NKV).

Paul declares in Ephesians 1:7-12:

In  whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:  That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who wortheth all things after the counsel of his own will:  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him (KJV).

Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 announces:  “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:  Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (KJV).

Paul in 2 Timothy 2:8-12 proclaims:

Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:  Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds but the word of God is not bound.  Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us (KJV).

Paul in Romans 11:29 declares: “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (KJV).  Paul in Galatians 1:15 proclaims:  “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace” (KJV).  Paul in1 Timothy 6:12 proclaims:  “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good confession before many witness” (KJV).  

Paul in 2 Timothy 1:8-12 declares:

But not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who has saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immorality to light through the gospel:  Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (KJV).

The Christian doctrine of the effectual calling of God is essential for our theological understanding and it is fundamental in application to our Christian lives.  The call of God is most effective.  God called the universe into existence.  When God accomplished this, the universe came into being.  Nothing can resist God’s will.  God’s preferred outcome came to fruition.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ called Lazarus into life from the grave (John 11:43).  Instantly Lazarus had life within Him when Jesus called him forth, “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43).

                The believer of God receives an effectual call from God in the Christian life.  The call of God within the believer brings a desired result.  The effectual calling of God is in relation to the utter powerfulness of Yahweh.  This is with regeneration of the Holy Spirit of the depraved sinner.  The regeneration of the depraved sinner is from spiritual darkness into spiritual rebirth.  This action of God is appropriately named irresistible grace.  This theological terminology comes from the letter I within the Christian essential of the Calvinistic acronym of Tulip. 

                The effectual call of God refers to the sovereign authority of God Himself toward His people which brings forth His intended, purposeful, appointed and ordained result.  The apostle Paul teaches the following: Those God predestinates He calls.  Those He calls, He justifies.  Those He calls; this is in reference to the effectual calling of God from God Himself. 

                There is an inward call of God. This is known as His effectual calling toward His people.  The effectual calling of God’s chosen people is a classified work of God.  The effectual calling of God is the regeneration by the Holy Ghost toward God’s elect people. It is also know as God’s quickening work of the action of the Holy Ghost. 

The regeneration of the Holy Ghost is an instantaneous uncanny work of the Spirit of God.  The regeneration by God the Holy Ghost acts as an internal transformation of the nature, proclivity and aspiration of the human spirit.  Prior to the effectual call of the Triune Lord, now the individual is capable of approaching Him.  All the pre-converted elect are effectually called.  All the effectual called individuals respond in true faith.   Therefore, faith is a beloved present of God because the effectual call by the Holy Ghost has been given to the individual. 

The outward call is the gospel proclamation of God.  The outward call is heard by the non-elect and the elect.  The outward call may be refused.  The outward call will only be embraced by an individual if the Holy Spirit makes the initial effective inward call a reality.  When the inward call is made, accompanied with the outward call, the person has faith.  The effectual call of God from God Himself is irresistible.  God sovereignly brings forth a preferred outcome.  Yet, however, fallen creatures do resist God’s sovereign grace.  Nevertheless, God’s grace is irresistible in the meaning that God’s unmerited grace succeeds greater than man’s depravity. 

God’s creative powerfulness is His effective call.  His effective call brings forth spiritual life from spiritual death.  To the Ephesians Paul declares:

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  (Eph. 2:1-3 KJV).

The pre-converted elect are those God eventually within time calls out of their spiritual darkness into spiritual light.  We all once were children of wrath.  We all were once spiritually dead.  But by virtue of the internal call of God, through His beloved powerfulness and efficacy, He gave us spiritual life.  The Holy Spirit provides us with eyes to see.  The Holy Spirit provides us with ears to hear.  The Holy Spirit provides us with minds to understand.  Therefore, the regeneration by the Spirit of holiness is a necessary perquisite in order for a person to believe.[v]

Chapter 5: 

Regeneration of the Holy Ghost

 “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the hart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live” (Deut. 30:6 KJV).

“A new heart also will give you, a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ex. 36:26-27 KJV).

“Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30 KJV).

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heir according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7 KJV).

The doctrine of the regeneration of the Holy Ghost is essential, vital, fundamental and basic tents of the Christian faith.  The regeneration of the Holy Ghost is equivalent to the phrase born again.  This is the ultimate experience between non-conversion and conversion to the Christian faith.  Being born again and regenerated of and by the Holy Spirit are the same actions of God in the life of an individual. 

                There is no such person as a non-born again believer.  Or there is no such person as a non-regenerate believer.  To say someone is a non-regenerate Christian is a contradiction in language. To say someone is a regenerate non-Christian is a contradiction in vocabulary.  If a person is truly born again, or truly regenerate, then that specific person must be a true Christian.

                Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ initially proclaimed that spiritual life (was and is) an absolute essential to enter His kingdom of God. He announced to Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NKJV).  The vocabulary of Jesus is essential for our comprehension.  He uses the word unless.  This indicates within the language of Jesus, that regeneration is a necessary condition to see the kingdom of God.  Being spiritually reborn is a most fundamental dogma of the Christian faith.  If someone is not born again, then he cannot enter the kingdom of Christ. 

                Regeneration is spiritual revival.  The regeneration of the Holy Ghost refers to a fresh generating.  The regeneration of the Holy Spirit refers to a new genesis.  The regeneration of the Spirit of God refers to a new beginning.  The regeneration of the Holy Ghost marks a radical transformation.  Peter himself declares, “having been born again, not of corruptible see but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV).

                Being born again of the Holy Ghost is accomplished upon people who are spiritually dead:

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  (Eph. 2:1-10 KJV).

The Holy Spirit of God remakes the individual heart.  He quickens the human heart into spiritual life from spiritual death.  Born again individuals are new creations:  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17 NKJV).  Prior to being born again we were dead in trespasses and in sin.  Before we were regenerated we had no character, partiality or longing for the aspects of God.  Being regenerated by the Holy Ghost we have a godly, holy and pure inclination toward the Father in Christ.  Without being born again, there would be no inclination toward God in Christ. 

                The complete aspect of conversion and regeneration are different.  Our spiritual rebirth is the beginning point of our spiritual journey.  God’s action of regeneration is divine, independent, direct and immediate.  The understanding of our conversion may be ongoing.  Hitherto, regeneration is immediate.  Not a soul is incompletely born again. 

                Being born again is not the consequence of belief.  Instead, regeneration comes before faith.  This is a needed condition for belief.  People do not set out to be regenerated.  We do not cooperate with the Holy Spirit in regeneration.  This reason is, how can a spiritually dead person cooperate?  First, God in His beloved freedom chooses His people that please Him, to be regenerated.  After regeneration we do desire, working together and trust in Christ. 

Our God does not have belief for us.  We exercise our belief from our Spirit-activated will.  The Holy Spirit quickens His people to spiritual rebirth.  He rescues His people from utter and complete gloom.  He frees us from reprobate bondage and spiritual bereavement.  The Holy Spirit makes possible faith for His people.  He makes faith a reality in actuality.  The Holy Spirit regenerates us which gives us the ability to have saving faith in justification in Christ.  Let us not forget the order of salvation: regeneration, faith, justification, sanctification and glorification.[vi] 

Chapter 6:

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Rom. 3:21-28 KJV).

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous (Rom. 5:17-19 KJV). 

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace…”  (Eph. 1:7 KJV).

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith (Phil. 3:8-9 KJV).

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:1-7 KJV). 

Paul declared that he was resolute to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.  He stressed the absolute significance of the Cross of Christ in Christianity.  The centrality of all of Christian theology is the blessed doctrine of the Cross of Jesus Christ.  We know Luther said that Christianity is the theology of the Cross.  The Cross is vital within Christianity.  The universal symbol of Christianity is the Cross.  The understanding of Atonement goes back to the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament).  God made a system where His people could atone for their own sins.  When Atonement is made, it makes amends, and makes things right.  This is why Atonement is necessary because of the reality of sin.  Humanity is in sin, and atonement is made to set things right. 

                The totality of Scripture in Old and New Testaments speak to the reality that all human beings are sinners.  The only exception is Jesus Christ.  He was and is the sinless God-man.  Sin is in opposition to a just, infinite and holy God.  God cannot look or tolerate sin in the sense that He does not take pleasure in it nor approve of it.  True atonement must be made because we must become right before God.  If we desire fellowship with God, atonement must be done.  Sin affects us all.  It taints our best or purest acts of worship.  Human beings are not capable of making a sacrifice which is sufficient.  Our sacrifices are tainted with our own sin.  Continual sacrifice is needed ad infinitum.  The sacrifice of Christ is wholly sufficient.  His sacrifice was done once and for all.  It is not repeated as past sacrifices.  The Atonement of Christ is completely acceptable to God the Father.  There is no human sacrifice valuable enough to atone for sin sufficiently.  Sinners are debtors who cannot pay their debt.  But there is hope.  This hope does not rest in man but in the sinless Lamb of God who bore the sins of His people.  His substitution was pleasing to the Father; for it was the Father’s will for His Beloved Son to pay the debt His people could not pay.  He became sin who knew no sin.  His righteousness is imputed to believing sinners, and our sin is imputed to Him.  He freely gave up Himself to make a sufficient offering to His Holy Father. 

                Christ received the wrath of God the Father upon His Cross.  Christ was perfectly able to make Atonement for His people.  He justly received God’s wrath because sin was applied to Him as the sinless Incarnate Offering to the Father.  The Lamb of God bore and carried the sins of His people upon the cross.  Christ atoned for sin to God the Father.  Christ died to God the Father.  He fully accepted the punishment for sin.  He made full and completed satisfaction for sin.  He satisfied divine justice.  The Covenant of the Old Testament pronounced a curse on any who disobeyed.  Christ took upon the curse, and He surely became a curse for His beloved.  Christ as He said was forsaken.  Yet there is no division between the Father and the Son.  There is perfect unity.  Christ, then, experienced hell upon the cross.  The Creed should say as Calvin rightly wrote “died, and descended into hell.”  What a perfect Savior that saves to the uttermost! 

                Thus, dearly beloved Christian, the Atonement consists of substitution and satisfaction.  Christ took the curse on Himself.  He satisfied the demands of God’s holy and righteous justice.  Christ received the wrath of the Father due to us.  He saved us from the wrath of the Father that is to come.  The wrath of the Father will be done upon all the unbelieving ones in the final analysis if left without unbelief.  The Atonement means “in behalf of.”  This is what Christ did: He died in the place of His people; People from every tribe, tongue and nation.  Christ died for His people and not for Himself.  He had no need to die for Himself for He was and is the sinless Savior.  The Atonement of Christ is vicarious, and He was a divine substitute.  He took the place of His people as the Lamb of God.  He takes away the sin of the world.  The Atonement of Christ was in perfect harmony with the Father.  Christ did not act in opposition to His Beloved Father’s will.  Christ did not snatch God’s people out of the hand of the Father.  Christ did not persuade His Heavenly Father to save those whom He hated to save.  In opposition to this, the Father and the Son determined the salvation of the elect.  Both of them worked together to have it happen.  Christ reconciled the world to Himself (2 Cor. 5:19).[vii]

Chapter 7:            

The Doctrine of Particular Redemption

                The Holy Scripture speaks concerning particular redemption.  Particular redemption means that Christ’s atonement was intended and made for His people. Let’s look at what the Sacred Scripture teaches:

·         “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21 KJV).

·         “But ye believe not, because ye are not my sheep, as I said unto you.  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  I and my Father are one” (John 10:26-30 KJV).

·         “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou has given me; for they are thine.  And all mine is thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.  And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.  Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:9-12 KJV).

The Reformed faith uses the acrostic T-U-L-I-P.  The following is a description of what T-U-L-I-P means:

·         The letter T equals total depravity.  This teaching means that man is dead in transgresses and sin.  Human beings are totally and thoroughly impacted by the fallen consequences of Adam.  Human beings are at enmity with God.  Man is powerless of rescuing himself for salvation.  Total depravity does not connote that human beings are as sinful as they can be.  It does not mean that the image of God is ruined.  Rather, total depravity refers to the frequency of the effects of the sinfulness of man.  Human beings are unable to respond to God apart from the regeneration of the Holy Ghost. 

·         The letter U equals unconditional election.  This teaching means that God Himself choose particular human beings unto Himself for His own glorification and magnification.  The chosen action by God Himself is without reference to what people may do.  The grounds for God’s choice of election are rooted solely within Himself.  It is rooted within His very will, mercy and grace.  Man’s work in part or in whole does not affect God’s choice for election.  God does not foresee the faith of human beings.  Rather, God chooses unconditionally and lastly.

·         The letter L equals limited atonement.  This teaching means that God saves certain human beings unto Himself.  God Himself has chosen these specific people solely through the sinless sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for “a ransom for many” to “save His people from their sins.”  (Matthew 1:21 KJV).  The intent of our Lord Jesus Christ was to save His people exclusively.  Thus Christ atonement is perfect, finished and actual in the achievement of redemption. 

·         The letter I equals irresistible grace.  This teaching means that God transforms the spiritual dead human beings into spiritual life.  This work of God is efficient grace.  God chooses sovereignly to have His pre-converted elect regenerated by and of the Holy Spirit.  It is a work of God.  Likewise, it is like Jesus Christ, who raised Lazarus from the dead. He brought Lazarus from being dead to being alive. Human beings, who are dead in sin, cannot resist God’s irresistible grace.  Yet, men have resisted God’s grace in redemption history.  This dogma of the Reformed faith instructs us about the particular work of regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

·         The letter P equals perseverance of the saints.  I sometimes refer to this as the preservation of the saints.  This is because God is at work in the believer to persist.  Other theologians use the terminology of eternal security.  This is because it focuses upon the impossibility of undoing God’s perfect work in a human being for salvation unto His glory.  When a person has truly been born again in Christ, that person will truly preserve in their life unto the very end.  God safely keep them from truly falling away. The perseverance of the saints demonstrates that Christ has saved His people actually and perfectly!

The term limited atonement is referred to as definite atonement or particular redemption.  The dogma of the Christian faith of particular redemption refers to the blueprint of the atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The doctrine of particular redemption is focused on the atonement of Christ’s intention.  The intent of Christ’s atonement is crucial for our understanding of this doctrine of the Reformed faith. 

Universalists may agree that Christ’s atoning death is particular to those who manifest true belief in Him.  This means that Christ’s atoning death does not benefit non-Christians. All people are not rescued from His sacrificial death.  Universalists may agree that Christ’s atoning death is enough to pay for the transgressions of individuals of all of humanity.  Theologians communicate it in this manner:  Christ’s atoning death is enough for all, but yet only efficient for many. 

This does not arrive at the crux of the subject.  Theologians that deny Christ’s particular redemption say that God’s design of the atonement was made to pay for all of humanities sins.  It also made likely the salvation of all of humanity but ended certain the salvation of nobody. The design of the atonement also is unlimited and indefinite for every person.

The Reformed standpoint embraces the notion that our Lord Jesus Christ’s atoning death was made and purposed exclusively for the chosen of God.  Our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ laid down His life for His flock.  Indeed, salvation was made possible for all the chosen of God.  His atonement was actual not potential.  This means that Christ is the Actual Savior.  God’s plan of redemption is certain and fixed. 

The question is over the offering of Christ’s atonement.   The offer of the gospel is worldwide.  The cross and its gain are delivered to anyone who truly believes.  The elect will believe, so therefore, the outward call is only truly acceptable to them.  The profit of Christ’s atoning death for the human being is never given to the unregenerate.  Repentance and faith are necessary conditions of the chosen of God.  This is the evidence of God’s work.  In the end, the atonement is only applied to the elect by God.  John wrote:

“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, not for ours only but also for the world” (1 John 2:2 NKJV).

This verse is quoted as evidence in opposition to particular redemption.   It appears that this verse seems to suggest that Christ’s death was made for everyone.  Yet, moreover, it will prove more then the non-Reformed individual wants it to.  This means that if Christ propitiated the sins of every single person of humanity, then that would mean that all people would be saved.  God will punish the reprobate in hell.  We have already seen the reality of the doctrine of hell.  Therefore, God would be unjust and unholy if He punished the sins of people in hell if Christ paid for their sins on the cross. 

                There is a definite contrast between our sins those of the whole world.  The people included in the word our, are believers.  However, in the New Testament a repeated contrast is created among the salvation of the Jewish people and non-Jewish people.  The gospel is not limited to Jews only.  The gospel is not limited to Gentiles only.  The gospel is extended to all people worldwide.  God loves the entire planet, but He does not rescue the entire planet.  God saves (or rescues) individuals from their sinfulness in and throughout all aspects of the globe.  I believe that John is saying this:  Christ is the propitiation for our sins (i.e., Jewish believers in Christ) and the whole world (Gentile believers in Christ). 

                God’s purpose for His people was decided prior to the world began!  The atoning death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was not a divine postscript.  The plan of Yahweh in our Savior’s atonement was purposed at the basis of the world.  The make of the atonement of Christ was not presumption.  Rather, it was the particular purpose and design of God Himself.    God is sovereign.  Everyone who Christ died for are or will be redeemed.  The people that Christ died for are or will be redeemed by His vicarious atonement.[viii]

               

Chapter 8:            

The Sense of Free Will

                Within the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, Chapter 9 concerning “Of Free Will” states:

1.  God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil. (Matt. 17:12; James 1:14; Deut. 30:19)

2.  Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God, but yet was unstable, so that he might fall from it. (Eccl. 7:29; Gen. 3:6)

3.  Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. (Rom. 5:6; Rom, 8:7; Eph. 2:1, 5; Titus 3:3-5; John 6:44)

4.  When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly, nor only will, that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil. (Col. 1:13; John 8:36; Phil. 2:13; Rom. 7:15, 18, 19, 21, 23).

5.  This will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only. (Eph. 4:13).

Chapter 9: 

Discerning the Christian Faith

The faith of Christianity is a system of truthful dogmas.  We may consider Christianity a sound faith.  Christianity encompasses criteria of knowledge, which is believed by professing Christians.  Christianity is designated a faith because of its relation to our comprehension to redemption.

                Regarding faith, what is its meaning?  In our world faith is distorted into something it is not.  People within our culture suggest that faith is merely a blind belief.  Faith is not a blind belief.  When people call Christianity, a blind belief, or a blind faith, they disgrace Christians, and have the indignation of God Himself.  The Christian Bible does speak of blindness.   Yet this blindness is a not of belief or of faith, but of sin.  Faith is the antidote to spiritual blindness.  Faith is not the cause of spiritual blindness.

                The meaning of faith refers to trust.  When we have faith of trustfulness toward God Himself it is never an irrational faith.  God has shown Himself in history, revealed and unveiled in Sacred Scripture to be extraordinarily dependable and reliable.  God provides for us various grounds to have faith in Him.  He guarantees that He alone is true and worthy of adoration, trust, devotion, veneration, homage, honor and faith. 

                Concerning faith and credulity, there is a vital difference.  Credulity involves believing something without merit.  It is what superstition is grounded upon.  Faith, on the other hand, is rooted in consistent and reasoned proof.  Peter himself wrote: “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of Hid majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

                Myth and fables are not the basis for Christianity.  Rather, Christianity is based and grounded upon eyewitness and earwitness testimony.  The factualness of the gospel of grace in Christ is grounded upon truthful and genuine events, which occurred in history.  The accounts of Christianity are reliable.  Therefore, the believers of the Christian faith do not believe in vain.  By explicit implication, God Himself forbids us to espouse anything on the grounds of myth.  The author of Hebrews provides a meaning of faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  (Heb. 1:1).

                The very nature of Christian hope is expressed in the Christian faith.  This means Christians place their faith in God.  When believers have trust in God that He Himself will be reliable, we do not exercise presumption or unjustified belief.  God will be faithful that is His guarantee.  We have reliable and credible grounds for our faith.  The evidence of things not seen has reference to the future.  We have faith toward the future.  We do not have faith toward the future by sight.  People look back toward the past, observe the present-future and hope toward the future.  We are specialists in perception.  The promises of God are rock proofs for the future.  Faith provides proof for the things not seen.  People have hope in God for the next day.

                People hope in God that He has an existence.  God Himself is not seen.  Yet Sacred Scripture explicitly affirms that the invisibility of God is evident through visible things (Rom. 1:20).  God is not visible to His people.  God is, because He has made Himself noticeable in creation and in history. 

                Faith encapsulates having belief in Yahweh.  James wrote of this type of belief:  “You believe that there is one God. You do well.  Even the demons believe—and tremble!”  (James 2:19 NKJV).

                James uses sarcasm.  Demons believe in the very existence of God.  Demons believe in God.  Demons do not believe God.  When we believe God, when we trust Him; when we have hope in Him; when we have commitment to Him; this is the very nature of the Christian faith!  This is because the Christian faith has a system of unveiled knowledge about God.    

Those people who truly believe God are called converts of the Christian faith.  The term believer is applied to converts of the Christian faith (Acts 5:14 cf. 1 Tim. 4:12).  Believers are also called beloved (Col. 3:12).  Believers are also called friends (Rom. 16:8-9 NIV).  May all of us remain true beloved, believers and friends of Christ, and with each other, by the sustaining power of the Holy Ghost, within our Christian faith![ix]

Chapter 10:

Saving Faith of Christians

Saving faith is a vital dogma of the Christian faith.  The nature of saving faith is from the action of God (John 6:29), God’s beloved present to His people (Eph. 2:9) and the work of God the Holy Spirit.  The results from faith come from Sacred Scripture (John 20:30-31) the outward call or preaching (John 17:20) and the gospel of grace itself (Acts 15:7).  God Himself and Christ is the object of faith (John 14:1), Christ Himself (John 20:31) and the Spirit Himself (Acts 5:1-5).  Saving faith is the means in which God appropriates His beloved and holy will of salvation for His people (Rom.10:9-10).

                The fruits of saving faith are many:  freedom from spiritual death (John 11:25-26), spiritual life (John 20:31), peace and rest (Rom. 5:1), inheritance (Acts 26:18), access to God (Eph. 3:12), eternal life (John 3:15-16), adoption (John 1:12), salvation itself (Mark 16:16), justification (Acts 13:39), remission of transgressions (Acts 10:43), sanctification (Acts 15:9) and instruction for the body of Christ (1 Tim. 1:4).

                Within the Christian life we are to walk by faith (Rom. 4:12), pray by faith (Matt. 21:22) and live by faith (Rom. 1:17).  Within the Christian life we are to grow in the faith (Rom. 4:20-24).  We are to stand fast in the faith.  We are to continue in the faith.  We are to abound in the faith.  We are to be grounded in the faith.  Most importantly, we are to have assurance of the faith. 

                A heaven-destined Christian is someone who has faith as a child.  Jesus Himself said this was a requirement to enter the kingdom of God in heaven.  Childlike faith is a condition to enter the kingdom of heaven.  There is a vital dissimilarity among childish faith and childlike faith.  The Christian Bible commands God’s people to be babes of truth and goodness.  We must be mature in our comprehension.  The meaning of saving faith is simple, yet it is not unsophisticated. 

                The Christian Bible instructs God’s people in justification by belief alone.  That true, lasting and living belief alone is the precondition for salvation.  We must comprehend saving belief of Christians.   James tells us what a lasting faith is: “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but not have works?  Can faith save him?”  (James 2:14 NASB).

                There is a differentiation among a profession of belief and an actuality of faith.  Someone can communicate that he has belief.  Yet this belief is lacking true, lasting and living quality of the Holy Spirit.  We must profess our Christian faith. We are called out of the world to accomplish this.  Yet, this profession of faith does not equivalent salvation.  People have the capacity to honor Christ with their lips only.  Jesus Himself indicated this to us.  Their hearts were abased from Him.  The manifestation of lip service is a sinful depraved fruit which yields no saving faith. 

                James proclaims: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17 NKJV).  There is no profit or benefit in dead faith.  Dead faith is fruitless and hopeless.   Dead faith does not make anyone right before God.  The faith of Christians is a lasting, living and true faith.  That very faith of Christians is not a dead belief.  Rather, it is a faith that preserves unto holiness in the Spirit. 

                The Reformers expressed that justification was by faith alone.   Saving faith encapsulates knowledge, intellectual information and intimate trust on God.  Saving faith has material to it.  People are not justified in Christ by trusting in something foreign to the truthfulness of the gospel.  Some false ideas are that, people can be merely sincere, and believe whatever they desire.  Such thinking is completely contrary to Holy Scripture. 

The Christian Bible teaches us that it intensely important.  The concept of justification is not sincerity solely.  People can be sincerely incorrect.  Sound doctrine is essential to the gospel of grace and truth.  We must believe in the gospel of grace in order to be saved.  Heretical doctrine does not save.  Someone could deny that Jesus is fully God.  If so, that person is sadly not saved.  We must have the truthful content of our belief to place our faith in the object of our belief: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4).

A correct comprehension of the fundamental truths of Christianity is not sufficient to have salvation.  Student in theology class may earn A’s.  This does not necessarily mean that he is a person who affirms the Christian faith as being true.  Saving belief embraces the mental assent to the factualness of the truth of the gospel of Christ.  

People may believe the truths of the Christian faith.  Yet, however, they may fail to capture saving belief.  Satan and his wicked demons know the gospel is true.  But Satan and his demonic followers despise the gospel because they are evil.   Satan may believe certain things about Jesus of Nazareth.  Yet Satan does not assent to these truths as true Christians do.  There is an aspect of confidence in saving belief.  We must be intimately espoused to Christ.  We must have complete dependence on the gospel of truth, grace and hope. 

Hope, confidence and belief encapsulates the willpower of man.  The true lasting and living confidence that believers have is proof of the work of the Holy Ghost.  We must love the truth of the gospel.  We must have an intense inclination to serve Christ in our lives.  We hold and grasp to the cross of Christ, in all its riches and depths.  We must cling ourselves to Christ.[x]

Chapter 11: 

Justification by Faith Alone

Martin Luther asserted that the doctrine of justification is the cornerstone of the Christian church.  He asserted that the Christian church stands or falls on this particular doctrine.  The Reformation was the theatre of war for the truthfulness and heart of the gospel of grace.  Justification by faith alone is defined as an act by God Himself in which He makes right in His holy sight the ungodly sinner. The ultimate requirement for an ungodly human being is goodness and righteousness.  Christ supplies this righteousness in place of the regenerated believer.  The doctrine of justification is solely by faith, which is grounded by the merits of Jesus Christ solely.  It is not based in any way on our goodness or civil righteousness.  

Justification focal point is on the inquiry of grace and merit.  The dogma of justification by faith alone asserts that works are not sufficient, in part or in whole, to achieve justification.  Paul declares:  “…by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight…”  (Romans 3:20 KJV).  The nature of justification is forensic.  Regenerated believers are counted to be righteous before a holy and just God because of the imputed unified righteousness of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to our account.  The essential precondition for justification is faith alone.

Protestant Orthodox theology asserts that faith alone is the means in which justification is appropriated to His people.  Roman Catholic theology asserts that baptism is the focal means in which the cause of justification begins, and the sacrament of penance is secondary.  Penance in Roman Catholic theology is the secondary plank of justification.  This is for those who have back-slider into sin.  Works in sanctification are a requirement, such as, penance, which is congruent merit for justification.  Roman Catholic theology denies that justification is by faith alone.  Roman Catholic theology has the addition of good works for salvation with faith. 

That faith which justifies is a lasting, true and living faith.  That faith is not a mere empty profession of belief.  Faith is an intimate confidence that grasps to Christ alone for salvation of the soul.  It is penitent lasting faith which possesses Christ as Redeemer and Lord. 

The Christian Bible asserts, declares, proclaims and teaches that people are not justified by good acts.  The Christian Bible teaches that we are justified by faith apart from works in the righteousness of Christ alone.  The righteousness of Christ is accounted to God’s people.  Faith is the instrumental cause of the imputation of Christ’s beloved righteousness. 

There is transaction which takes place.  God transfers to His people the very righteousness of Christ by faith alone from regeneration.  Roman Catholic theology calls this a “legal fiction.”  It is hardly a legal fiction.  Rather, it is a legal fact that Christ’s righteousness is applied to the regenerate believer by faith alone!  The transaction is real, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness is actual and true! 

The doctrine of justification separates erroneous theology from sound theology, hell from heaven, made inventions from Holy Scripture and non-Orthodox religions from Reformed Orthodox Christianity.  The doctrine of justification has eternal consequences.  The doctrine of justification is the heart of the glorious gospel of God.  The gospel of God is the andante for depraved sinners.  The gospel of God is clearly presented, defended, preached and proclaimed in Holy Writ.

                The gospel of God is the solid and unbreakable truth of how a person becomes right with his Creator.  Despite, the utmost significance and eternal importance of the gospel of God, non-Orthodox religions who counterfeit biblical Christianity have manipulated, distorted and replaced the gospel of God with the gospel of man, which is based solely on the imagination of depraved foolishness.  The gospel of God will always be what it is, because of God’s precious promises; despite man’s continuous misrepresentation of God’s holy message of grace.

                The inspired, infallible, authoritative, inerrant and preserved written Word of God declares the gospel of God, believed by true Christians.  The gospel of God consists of essential dogmatic doctrines seen in Holy Scripture, church hymns and early church history.  The gospel of God is the good news, because it is inspired truth, from God Himself.  Church history demonstrates that the church fathers believed God Himself justifies sinners without human works.

                The Church fathers believed that justification is by faith alone based on the righteousness of Christ alone.  Therefore, the Church Fathers support Holy Scripture and particularly the doctrine of justification.  Justification is immensely important.  The reason why the doctrine of justification has eternal importance is because it is the center of the gospel of truthfulness.  Justification is God’s action of pardoning the sins, transgressions, iniquities and guilt of sinners.  Justification means God accepts a sinner because of Christ after God has changes a person’s heart in regeneration by the Spirit of God.  We believe because we are saved.  We do not become saved because we believe.  The individuals’ sin is imputed to Christ and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the sinner.  As once stated previously, salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone because of Scripture alone.

                The works of humanity are not sufficient in part of in whole to stand righteous before a most holy and just God.  The work of God is sufficient on the cross because of Christ’s work which is enough for the grounds of justification.  Faith is the means of justification.  Faith, in Reformed Orthodox theology, is the result of the regeneration of the Spirit of God.  The Holy Spirit changes the heart of the sinner to exercise faith through the person’s will.  The faith produced by the Spirit of God is a living, lasting and true faith, which is the instrument of receiving the imputation of Christ.  The faith is not a mere profession, empty, temporary belief; rather this faith is a possession, full and permanent work of God.  Faith is true commitment, obedience, confidence and trust in Christ alone for eternal salvation in which is eternal security for the believing sinner.  We, who are justified, have the real righteousness and/or merit of Christ. 

                The epistle of Romans is a great theological epistle.  The epistle of Romans deals heavily with the doctrine of justification.  Romans chapter five explicitly presents the blessings of justification.  The five bless consequences of justification are, peace with God (Romans 5:1), access to God (Romans 5:2), assurance from God (Romans 5:3-4), the indwelling of the Spirit of God (Romans 5:5), preservation (Romans 5:6-8) and reconciliation to God by Christ because of His atonement (Romans 5:9-11).[xi]

Chapter 12:

Five Blessings of Justification

The epistle of Romans is a great theological epistle.  The epistle of Romans deals heavily with the doctrine of justification.  Romans 5 explicitly present the five important blessings of justification.  The five blessed consequences of justification are: peace with God (Romans 5:1), access to God (Romans 5:2), assurance from God (Romans 5:3-4), the indwelling of the Spirit of God (Romans 5:5) preservation (Romans 5:6-8) and reconciliation to God by Christ because of His atonement (Romans 5:9-11).

The first blessing of justification is having peace with God (Romans 5:1).  The New Testament writers agree on the results of justification.  The peace of justification is tremendously significant.  The sinner, without being justified, is at war with God.  Romans 5:1 begin with the word “therefore,” which beings the conclusion.  When the word “therefore,” is used, a conclusion is proceeding from it.  Paul is making a conclusion based on his previous argument, presentation and writings on justification.  Paul is concluding one of the results of justification through faith.  The result of this justification is peace with God.  Peace is only assured and established because of Christ’s righteous act of atonement for His people.  Peace, then, is because of Christ, and without the substitution atonement of Christ there is no peace with God.  Understand from church history that the doctrine of substitution is purely Reformed!  What peace would there be without substitution?  What a marvelous doctrine this is!

                Ambrosiaster wrote concerning the faith that gives believers peace with God:

Faith gives us peace with God, not the law.  For it reconciles us to God by taking away those sins which made us God’s enemies.  And because the Lord Jesus is the minister of this grace, it is through him that we have peace with God.  Faith is greater than the law because the law is our work, whereas faith belongs to God.  Furthermore, the law is concerned with our present life, whereas faith is concerned with eternal life.  But whoever does not think this about Christ, as he ought to, will not be able to obtain the rewards of faith, because he does not hold the truth of faith.[xii]

The sinners who do not have peace with God are still at persistent battle with God.  The sinner’s warfare consists of transgressions, iniquity, foolish reasoning against Holy Scripture and the support of demons and human coworkers of Satan.  For without the peace with God in justification, man has the wrath of God upon him and headed for one destination: hell. 

                The peace with God in justification through faith is an everlasting peace.  The peace with God engages the believer to confidently trust in Christ, have a prayerful relationship with God, evangelize and preach the Gospel of God, exercise obedience for God by being an example in life and helping others.  The peace with God believers have comes from Christ’s sacrifice (Is. 53:5), reconciliation (Col. 1:20), justification (Rom. 5:1) and imputed righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).  The peace with God that believers experience in justification provides saved people the opportunity and privilege to be thankful to God for His work.

“…through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2 NIV).  The access given to a regenerated and justified believer comes through Jesus Christ, the King of kings.  The regenerated and justified Christian has the privilege to access God by faith, because of the grace of God alone.  Christians stand in the sufficient grace of God.  The standing Christian in justification is because of the work of God in changing the sinner’s state to a new position with God in Christ Jesus.  The new position believers have in justification is because of the cross of Christ.

                Without the atonement of Christ, Christians could not stand before God as righteous.  God is holy, righteous and just.  He cannot compromise with sin.  He cannot tolerate sin.  Therefore, God sent His only begotten, uncreated, unchanging and eternal Son of God to take the place of His people.  By the merits of Christ imputed to the regenerated believer (Titus 3:5) Christians are righteous.  The believer stands in Christ by “grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone,” because by Christ, through Christ and in Christ, believers have the joy in God, because of our hope solidly founded on the righteousness of Christ alone (Rom. 10:4). 

                Christians have the access to God through Christ Himself (John 14:6), Christ’s blood (Eph. 2:13) and by secure faith (Rom. 5:2).  The access believers have to God is performed by the Spirit of God (Eph. 2:18) and God’s everlasting grace (Eph. 1:6).  The access to God in Christ ought to give Christians the motivation to stand boldly before God (Eph. 3:12) in all aspects of our lives.  The access to God is given to His chosen (Ps. 65:4).  Because of the cross of Christ, Christians have reconciliation (Col. 1:21-22) and confidence (Heb. 4:16). 

                The early Church Fathers had interesting things to say regarding Romans 5:2.  An example of a similar understanding Church fathers held is Ambrosiaster, who wrote:

“It is clear that in Christ we have access to the grace of God.  For he is the mediator between God and men, who builds us up by his teaching and gives us the hope of receiving the gift of his grace if we stand in his faith.  Therefore, if we stand (because we used to be flat on the floor) we stand as believers, glorying in the hope of the glory which he has promised to us.”[xiii]

The access Christians have with God is special.  Christians ought to continually have the conscious awareness of their standing in Christ.  We ought not to think flippantly, carelessly or partially of the importance of our realization of God’s work in the Christian life.  When Christians believe the work of God is precious, we express our thankfulness, appreciation and confidence to God and in turn we show ourselves as an eternal example to other individuals of an internal lasting confidence, as we stand fast in Christ (1 Cor. 15).

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Rom. 5:3-4 NIV).  The early church seen in the historic book of Acts accepted tribulation.  The early disciples of Christ in the book of Acts expected tribulation and suffering (Acts 14:22).  The tribulations Christians experience are for Christ’s sake.  The Christian understanding is to overcome tribulation (Rom. 8:35-37) and be glad in our tribulations (2 Cor. 7:4).  The Christian tribulation in life is not fathomable or remotely comparable with the treasures in heaven established by God (1 Peter 4:13).

                Tribulation produces perseverance because God strengthens the believer by providing an assurance (2 Tim. 1:12).  Christians have an assurance of our justification because we know God keeps His promises!  The fact that God changes the life of a sinner to a new life, position and fruitful walk in Christ; what more could give us hope than the work of God in a sinner’s life?  Perseverance is persistence and steadfastness in the promises of God.

                Christians will have growth in sanctification (Eph. 4:15) because of the secure salvation believers experience.  Christians grow in maturity because of tribulation because we have perseverance, which results in character.  God gives believers unbreakable armor (Eph. 6:11-18).  The Holy Spirit protects our spiritual perseverance in Christ forever.  God’s word demands our confidence in salvation.  The elect of God who have the ability of perseverance in Christ will be rewarded (Gal. 6:9).

                Christians stand before God in the righteousness of Christ in the hope of heaven.  The work of God in justification secures the believer’s virtue to continue in the midst of tribulation because perseverance is God’s steady hand in guiding the believer.  The believer grows in character because God is continually working in the Christian’s life.

                Christians have hope because nothing of God in Holy Scripture is futile.  Christians know that a justified sinner produces and exercises the fruit of the Spirit of God.  The hope that believers have is living (1 Peter 1:3) and steadfast (Heb. 6:19).  Hope is a fantastic and excellent virtue expressed in God in the Christian’s life.  The hope of the believer is in Christ and never empty.

                Christians will struggle in life.  We face suffering, verbal or physical abuse and torture, slander and discrimination.  Yet believers must have patience, love, prayers and courage because our salvation is assured by the work of Christ on the cross and His triumphant bodily resurrection.  The written Holy Word of God presents, declares and preaches the sacred supreme Triune God of the Christian faith, which is the reason for the Christian hope.

                The Christian destiny is heaven.  We have eternal life because God before the foundation of the world chose us.  If we take God’s unfathomable election, and fully realize and critically consider, how he cared, elected and thought of us before we existed and apply that to our lives, we may think of others with more concern.  So Christians may be an example in perseverance, preaching, witnessing the Gospel and ministering to a lost world.

                The perseverance of the saints is associated with Calvinism (which is also known as Reformed theology).  The perseverance believers have is eternally secure because of God’s work in the totality of salvation.  Nothing will make the believer fall out of the position of justification.  God’s preservation of the saints in unbreakable, undoable and not temporary. 

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5 NIV).  The Holy Spirit indwells His chosen people.  The Holy Spirit resides within the person because of the love of God at the cross of Christ.  The Christian has the Holy Spirit living within.  The Holy Spirit is faithful and true.  He lives within each heart of God’s chosen, because of His abundant loving kindness for His people.  The Holy Spirit indwells (Rom, 8:11), guides (John 16:13), strengthens (Micah 3:8) and helps (John 14:16-28) His people.

                The Holy Spirit gives the Christian the ability to bring forth fruit (Gal. 5:22).  The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, who gives righteousness, peace and joy to believers (Rom. 14:17).  The Holy Spirit fills the believer (Luke 4:1).  The realization of the work of the Holy Spirit in justification leads Christians to thankfulness and shows the importance of the work of the Triune God in salvation.

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:6-11 NIV).

Christ perfectly atoned for the sins of His people.  He took our place.  Our sins created our deepest and most profound need of Christ.  In the state of sin Christians, before they were saved and justified, were enemies of a holy God.  Christ came to establish the secure bridge between God and man.  The effectiveness of Christ’s atonement is the believer’s transformation in justification with God.  The Holy Scriptures show the love of God by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

                Luther once wrote that Christians are “at the same time just and sinner.”  Theological concept is taken from Romans 5:8; “…while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (KJV).  Despite the fact that Christians have a new position with God that can never be broken, Christians still sin.  The wrath of God passes over the believer because of the work of Christ wherein He has reconciled us to God by His atonement.  Therefore we ought to have joy and praise to God and boldly witness the gospel of God to this lost world.  Jesus Christ is the answer:  Jesus Christ established our reconciliation.  Through Him and by the blood of the God-man--The Creator Incarnate of the universe--we are declared righteous.  Truly this salvation from and in the Incarnate Christ is most assuredly excellent!

Chapter 13:

The Doctrine of Faith and Works

People believe that they must live a good life in order to get to heaven.  That somehow this is a precondition to enter the pearly gates of heaven.  Their hope is founded upon their civil works.  This to satisfy God’s justice. 

                This confidence of the world is fruitless, vain and pointless.  The law of God has a precondition:  perfection.  Therefore people are not perfect.  We are devoid of the precondition of goodness to see the kingdom of heaven.  Consequently, goodness could not be attained within life from purely human efforts and works. 

The only way to have righteousness is to receive Christ’s righteousness by faith alone.  The merit and work of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is perfect.  The Lord Jesus Christ made ready to His people His righteousness, solely through the means of faith. If people believe that human beings are justified by faith with works, then they may espouse to the legalistic heresy.  If faith does not produce good works; this is the heresy of antinomianism. 

Faith and good works have to be distinguished but yet faith and good works must not be separated. Our good works do not add any work to our faithfulness toward God. The single condition for justification is faith in Christ alone.  Good works must come from our profession of faith to demonstrate that we are possesses of the faith.  Reformed theologians say this:

“We are justified by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.”

Factual justification necessarily produces the gradualness of sanctification.  If justification occurs within the regenerate believer, sanctification will without doubt follow.  If sanctification does not occurs, it is clear that justification did not initially occur.  Justification does not depend upon sanctification.  Justification depends upon lasting and living belief.  This will unquestionably led to obedient works of holiness from the Holy Spirit. 

                James declared that faith without works is dead.  James spoke about a dead faith that had an absence of true works of goodness.  The faith that justifies is a true faith, which is alive in Christ.  Lasting and true belief results in good works.  Yet, however, good works are not the grounds for justification.  Solely the work of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can justify the ungodly sinner of the world.

                Jesus must be embraced as Lord and Redeemer.  People cannot be saved if they only embrace Jesus as Lord and not Redeemer.  Likewise, people cannot be saved if they embrace Jesus as Savior and not Lord.  Lasting, living and true faith espouses to Jesus Christ of Nazareth as Savior and Lord.  We must have complete dependence upon Him who died for us.  We must do as He said, and repent of our sins.  When we repent of our sins we depend upon and submit to Christ Jesus completely, totally, and utterly.  If we reject His Saviorhood and Lordship, we renounce our justification with unrepentant faith.

Good works do not merit salvation in any way whatsoever.  The reward that we receive in the kingdom of heaven will be in accord with our good works.  Augustine commented that this was God’s crowning of His very own presents upon His people.  But the entrance into the kingdom of heaven is through the instrument of faith alone.  The question is not, what will you do with Christ?  Rather, the question is, what will Christ do with you?

Chapter 14:

Faithful Repentance

John the Baptist beginning statement was direct as he preached:

“And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2 KJV).

John the Baptist made a most urgent call to depraved people.  If a person does not repent, how can they enter the kingdom of heaven?  Repentance is a necessity; a precondition; a requirement to enter and see the kingdom of God.  Therefore God’s people accomplish it.  Repentance encapsulates the complete way of a person’s life.  Repentance involves a transformation from sinfulness toward God. 

The action of repentance is not the reason for regeneration.  The work of repentance is the consequence of the regeneration of the Holy Ghost.  Repentance starts with regeneration.  Repentance is a Christian mind-set and work that requires itself to be continual within and throughout the life of the Christian.  If we continue to sin, we must repent. Repentance comes by the sovereign work of the Holy Ghost in the Christian life.  He convicts His people of their sins.  Thus, after the conviction by the Holy Ghost is accomplished, the Christian truly repents. 

There are two types of repentance.  First, is attrition.  Attrition is a counterfeit repentance.   Attrition encompasses remorse because of fear of retribution by God.  This is the type of false repentance that Esau experienced and demonstrated (Gen. 27:30-47).  He was regretful because he had lost his birthright not because he sinned. 

Second, is contrition.  Contrition is truthful repentance.  This means that contrition repentance is authentic.  Contrition encompasses a deep regretfulness for offending Yahweh.  Contrite human beings thoroughly confess their sins with no effort of excuses.  This acknowledgement of transgression is eagerness to make restitution.  David once proclaimed:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me…The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken, a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.”  (Ps. 51:10, 17 NKJV).

Repentance must be delivered to God in a spirit of truthfulness.  The Holy Spirit moved John to write:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Repentance is a necessary requirement for believers.  Repentance is the holy consequence of the Holy Spirit’s regeneration. Once again, attrition is a counterfeit repentance, while, contrition is a true repentance unto holiness.  Truthful repentance involves complete and utter confession toward God.  Truthful repentance involves restitution before God.  We must turn from sin.  As someone would avoid a burning flame with their hand, we must avoid sin. God guarantees His people forgiveness, restoration and reconciliation to everyone who faithfully repentance in genuineness!  May our repentance bring glory to God alone!  May we magnify God alone in our repentance throughout our daily Christian lives![xiv]

Chapter 15:           

The Doctrine of Merit and Grace

There is an historic debate between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism about merit and grace.  The Reformation embraced the view of sola gratia which means grace alone.  This means that salvation is solely by God’s grace.  Regenerate believers do not carry any merit of themselves.  Before the judgment seat of God, only His mercy and grace will avail alone.  Merit means that which is deserved.  Justice requires that merit be given what it is earned.  Merit is something that is appropriated to a person for a feat.  If merit was not granted, an injustice would be appropriated.  

                Roman Catholicism teaches merit in three distinct manners.  First, there is condign merit.  This merit is commendable to require as an obligation for benefit.  Second, there is congruous merit.  This merit is accomplished by doing good acts in correlation with the sacrament of penance.  Third, is supererogatory merit.  This merit is the highest merit may achieve.  This merit is left in the treasury of merit.  This helps those in purgatory go to heaven. 

                Orthodox Protestant theology rejects these three kinds of merit found in Roman Catholicism.  Instead, the only sufficient merit that believers have at their clearance is the merit of Christ.  Christ’s merit comes to His people by grace alone through faith apart from human works.  By definition grace is the unmerited present of God Himself.  Grace is the work of God toward His people.  Our souls are not inhabited by grace.  Instead, we have growth in grace by the assistance of the Holy Ghost dwelling within believers.  He works graciously toward His people.  The instruments of grace that God provides to His people are, Scripture, prayer, fellowship, the church and the sacraments. 

                Once again Sacred Scripture teaches us that grace is God’s unmerited favor.  God is descriptive of eternal life, gifts, the gospel of grace, God’s favor and God’s sustaining forgiveness.  Grace is the source of salvation, consolation, faith, God’s call, justification, sanctification and forgiveness.  Grace is described as manifold, glorious, rich, all-abundant, undeserved, great, and all-sufficient.  Believers are under grace, receive grace, stand in grace, inherit grace, be strong in grace, grow in grace, abound in grace, speak with grace and love in grace.  The dangerousness of grace is that it can be abused and frustrated. 

                We must understand that no one is good, none are righteous and that we are all sinners.  Goodness only comes from God, not man in anyway.  Righteousness is availing toward God because it is from God in Christ.  Merit cannot save anyone in part or in whole.  Christ merited for us salvation by His perfect obedience.  Christ merited for us salvation by His perfect atoning death which is obtained by faith alone (John 15:1-8; Rom. 4:1-8; 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7).[xv]

Chapter 16:

Perseverance of God’s Saints

Before we look at the preservation of God’s saints in some detail, let’s look at what the Holy Scripture teaches about it:

·         “O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer” (Ps. 31:23 KJV).

·         “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28 KJV).

·         “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Cor. 1:21-22 KJV)..

·          “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God you whole spirit and soul and body by preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23 KJV).

·         “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5 KJV).

·         “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless, before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 1:24 KJV).

Perseverance of the saints means that a person is a true believer unto the very end.  Some people make a profession of faith and deny that faith.  If someone is truly saved, he will truly preserve.  If someone is not truly saved, he never had true faith to begin with.  Theologians ask the question:  Can people lose their salvation after they have been saved?  Roman Catholics believe so, as well as some liberal Protestants.  Orthodox Protestantism teaches that people cannot lose their salvation once they have it.  This doctrine is also known as eternal security.  Saving faith is not a dead faith.  Thus saving faith will last unto the very end of life.  John declares:

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be manifest, that none of them were of us.”  (1 John 2:19 NKJV).

It is possible, yet unfortunate, that people may be converted to the doctrines of Christianity but not to Christ:

“A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.”  When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 8:5-8 NKJV).

People may believe initially but fall away.  This means that those who believe had a false profession of faith.  Good ground brings the fruit of obedience.  Jesus Himself says those who listen to the word have “a noble and good heart” (Luke 8:15 NKJV).  The faith of true believers is grounded and from a true regenerated soul. 

                God preserves His people unto the very end of life for His glory alone.   Pail declares:

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6 NKJV).

Christian preserve by God’s grace alone.  God completes what He started.  God guarantees that His plan in His election of His people is not disturbed.  Paul declares in Romans 8:30:

“Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (NKJV).

Paul concludes that nothing…

“…shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39 NKJV).

Christians possess security because of God’s craftsmanship.  The Holy Spirit works in every person that is His.  The Holy Spirit seals every believer.  God has marked us as His property.  Confidence is manifested in the high-priestly work of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The Lord Jesus Christ intercedes for His people.  The Lord Jesus Christ intercedes for blessed Peter.  Jesus Himself uttered:

“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name.  Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12 NKJV).

God’s chosen in Christ by God Himself are the redeemed, who have been given faith by the work of the Holy Spirit.  Those that are chosen by God are eternally secure or saved in Christ because of God’s work alone.  Those that God saves are actually secure in Christ and are kept secure by the awesome power of God Almighty.  Because God keeps His people secure they preserve in true faith in Christ unto the very end.  The salvation of God’s people is completely dependent upon God Himself.  The Father gave His Son for His elect to die for them and really save them.  The salvation of the elect cannot be lost.  The elect are God’s property.  Nothing can separate His elect from Christ’s love.  The Holy Spirit is the promise of His people.  In fact to actually have the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of their salvation.  God’s people which have the Holy Spirit have an eternal inheritance.  Everyone who possesses the truth of God concerning the gospel of God is actually His.  The perseverance of the saints does mean those who profess faith but yet utterly fall away.  If someone truly falls away from Christ, they never truly had true faith to begin with.  True believers are as what Martin Luther derived from Scripture “at the same time just and sinner.”  Although true believers sin, it does not separate them from the everlasting love of Christ from the will of God the Father for His people in His eternal Spirit.  True believers have the outworking of the Spirit of Holiness in their lives which manifest the fruits of the Holy Spirit.[xvi]

Chapter 17:           

The Assurance of Salvation

Is there assured knowledge of salvation?  Some people believe that assurance of salvation is highly presumptuous and arrogant.  Nonetheless the Holy Scripture in its totality, declares, that a person can know that they are saved with sureness.  Paul proclaims:  “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:10 NKJV).  Before we look at what Sacred Scripture communicates to us about assurance of salvation, let’s look at what Holy Scripture teaches:

·         “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-30 KJV).

·         “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God” (1 Thess. 1:4 KJV).

·         “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will…”  (Eph. 1:4-5 KJV).

·         “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them and harlot?  God forbid” (1 Cor. 6:15 KJV).

·         “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24 KJV).

·         “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13 KJV).

·         “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”  (Rom. 5:1 KJV).

·         “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in your that believe” (1 Thess. 2:13 KJV).

·         “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9-10 KJV).

·         “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied” (1 Peter 1:2 KJV).

·         “For the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12 KJV).

We must seek sureness of salvation with carefulness.  We must seek certainty in our salvation so we may grow in the process of sanctification.  Christians must not be questionable about their position of their salvation.  We must believe that we are saved because it depends upon God Himself. 

Christians who are unsure of their salvation are defenseless against the attacks of Satan and his evil demons.  Christians must have assurance of their salvation.  There are four points of view on the assurance of salvation.

  First, there are unregenerate people which know they are not saved.  These people are hostile to God’s gospel.  Second, there are regenerate people but do not know they are regenerate. They are not certain of their election.  Third, there are human beings that know they are regenerate.  These people have espoused to the belief in the work of God the Holy Spirit in salvation (Romans 8:16).  Fourth, there are people that are unsaved and think they are regenerate.  Their sureness is a false sureness. 

Concerning assurance of salvation how is it possible to know that we do not have a false assurance of salvation?  People who believe in living a good life to achieve heaven have false assurance.  If the person has the gospel in his grip of belief, could he have a false sense of assurance?  Yes!  People may think they have saving faith but not actually have it. 

In order to know we have eternal life we must examine our hearts. We must see if we have lasting, living and true confidence in Christ.  We must manifest biblical love toward Jesus Christ.  Love for Jesus Christ would be impossible without the work of the Holy Ghost in regeneration. 

There must be proof of obedience and commitment to Christ which demonstrates our faith, but it is not the basis of our faith; Christ alone is the grounds for justification!  If no fruitfulness is present, there is an absence of faith.  Saving faith will produce lasting fruitfulness.  Assurance of salvation comes from the written of God by the illumination of the Holy Ghost.  He witnesses to our spirit as His beloved children. 

Indeed, it is our obligation to seek assurance of salvation.  Assurance of salvation grows in sanctification.  Incorrect doctrine is grounded and rooted in incorrect doctrine.  We must search our hearts by the power of God.  Complete assurance comes from Holy Scripture![xvii]

Chapter 18:           

The Doctrine of the Intermediate State

The Christian Bible speaks about the doctrine of the intermediate state:

• “And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth” (Luke 8:52 KJV).
• “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 KJV).
• “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:  If so be that being clothed we shall be found naked.  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that morality might be swallowed up of life.  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.  (For we walk by faith, not by sight;) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:1-8 KJV).
• “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  But I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall I wot not.  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more profitable for you.  And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again” (Phil. 1:19-26 KJV).
• “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:13-18 KJV).

The Christian Bible refers to death as sleeping.  However, the Christian Bible rejects the notion of the heretical doctrine of soul sleep.  Soul sleep means a person is suspended between death and the last resurrection.  After the body is raised from the dead, the body is awakened.  There is no consciousness to the soul in the doctrine of soul sleep. 

Rather, the Christian Bible speaks of the transition of death to heaven as direct.  Soul sleep is not orthodox Christianity. For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in soul sleep.  The orthodox theology is the doctrine of the intermediate state.  This view embraces the notion that a regenerate soul will immediately be in the presence of Christ after death.  The believer will enjoy a continual, conscious and intimate being with our Lord.  The believer while in heaven will await the last resurrection of the dead.  The Apostles Creed embraces the notion of the “resurrection of the dead.”  This is an affirmation of the resurrection of our bodies in the final resurrection.

The historic classical standpoint is that at death regenerated persons are directly glorified.  The regenerate believers are made holy as they enter glory.  The body remains in the grave to decay from sin, awaiting the final resurrection.  Jesus proclaimed to the thief on the cross:  “…today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 NASB).  Jesus’ spirit was commended to His glorious Father.  The soul of Jesus went to paradise as Jesus stated.  After death the believer experiences heaven which is much better then life on earth.  Within the intermediate state believer enjoy the blessedness of our Lord in His presence.[xviii]

Chapter 19:           

The Final Resurrection

The resurrection is the doctrine of the Old and New Testaments.  The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is looked upon in confidence (Job 19:25-27).  The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is declared in the Old Testament (Is. 26:19 cf. Dan. 12:2, 3, 13). The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is denied by the Sadducees (Matt. 22:23-28 cf. Acts 23:6, 8). 

The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was affirmed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (John 5:28-29; 6:39-44).  The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was shown by Lazarus (John 11:23-44).  The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was examined away by false teachers (2 Tim. 2:18) questioned by others (1 Cor. 15:12) mocked by the reprobate (Acts 17:32) and declared by the apostle Paul (Acts 24:14-15). 

The resurrection of the dead was accomplished by God’s authority (Matt. 22:28-29), Christ’s authority (John 5:28-29) and the Holy Ghost’s authority (Rom. 8:11).  The resurrection of the dead is evidence of God’s power (1 Cor. 6:14), united with Christ (Rom. 8:11) and is seen in Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12-56).  The time of the resurrection of the dead is on the final day (John 6:39-44), at Christ’s Second Coming (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and at the final trumpet (1 Cor. 15:51-55).

The nature of the resurrection of the dead is like Christ (Phil. 3:21), spiritual (1 Cor. 15:44), glorious (1 Cor. 15:43), transforming (1 Cor. 15:51) and incorruptible (1 Cor. 15:42-54).  The resurrection of the dead is not only of the righteous by of the wicked. It was predicted (Dan. 12:2) depicted (John 5:28-29) and instantaneous (Acts 24:15).

The question may arise:  What will believer appear like in heaven?  Regarding our loved ones, will we be able to recognize them?  Will our resurrected bodies have youthfulness or that of age?  These questions are mysterious to God’s people.  We will be in a resurrected state.  It will exceed our present-future expectations in our life today.  Paul declared:

“…Eye has not see, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9 NKJV).

Paul continues:

“…see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Cor. 13:12 NKJV).

The Christian Bible instructs God’s people of a last resurrection of the bodies of God’s saints.  The bodily resurrection of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ is the first fruits of people who will partake in the resurrection.  Our bodies in the resurrected body will be changed from corruptible to incorruptible. The body will change but not annihilate the person’s identity.  The resurrected bodies will be finished in quantity and quality.  People will be able to know us by our resurrected bodies.  We will not have sickness or death in our resurrected bodies.[xix]

Chapter 20:          

The Glorification of God’s Saints

Paul speaks of this glorification which awaits every regenerate believer:

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”  (Rom. 8:29-30 NKJV).

The dogma of glorification refers to when Christ at His beloved Second Coming will have complete redemption of their bodies. Paul declares:  “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53 KJV).  Death is the final enemy. It will be swallowed up in victory.  The gradualness of sanctification will be finished.  Glorification of the believer is His hope and confidence.  Additionally, there is a certain sense that believers are already glorified.

The future awaits wonderful things for the believer in Christ.  Glorified believers will remain that way throughout eternality.  Glorification is comfort for God’s people in the present-future.  God is working to purify His beloved saints.  The believer is forever a saint of God. The believer once glorified will experience the wonderful and unbelievable fruits of eternality (John 17:13-23; 1 Cor. 15:50-54). I conclude with Paul, who declares:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  (2 Cor. 3:18 KJV).[xx]

Appendix 1:

Introduction to the Gospel of Christ

Jesus Christ is the all-sufficient Incarnate bodily Risen Savior and Lord.  Once you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will abhor sin, turn from it in true and faithful repentance and cling to Christ over your sins.  After regeneration (being born again) and justification (being declared righteous) comes sanctification (the pursuit of holiness).  There is a sense in which a believer has already been sanctified in Christ in a past tense.  Believers also go through sanctification in the present tense.  After all of this, in heaven we are glorified.  This is a wonderful reality for God’s people.  God will finish what He started.  God loses none that are His property.  The gospel is not a message of gloom or sadness.  Rather, it is a message of unspeakable love that Christ has for His people.  It is surely and truly the good news of my Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ: “…except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3 KJV).  If someone dies in their present condition of unrepentant life, he is lost forever.  If you are brought to a time in your life, which indicates that sin is your tremendous plague, in which you are offending God, which is your tremendous grief, and your heart is to please Him and honor Him, then God has given you hope.  This hope is in His Son, Jesus Christ.  “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10 KJV).

If you haven’t already done so, may you surrender to His Lordship, Saviorhood, and surrender to His control in your life.  Jesus blood can wash the foulest human person clean.  The grace of God can securely uphold the weakest person.  Jesus actually saves sinners.  When is the right time to be saved?  “…Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2 KJV).  May you, yield your life to Christ.  May you give Him your all this day.  It’s upon Christ’s life; upon His death, that Christians trust in Him, for eternal life all their lives.  Trust in Christ’s life, His unified righteousness alone and His atoning death, Who rose triumphantly and victoriously from the grave in the same body He was crucified in yet His body that He died in, was a resurrected glorified body; therefore Jesus bodily from the grave, which demonstrated that He is Incarnate Divinity, and His bodily resurrection verified the work that He accomplished for His people on the cross in His selfless sacrificial atonement.  Jesus was ascended into heaven and He is enthroned in the heavens; and ladies and gentlemen, He is the Sovereign King!  Yes, He rules and reigns, and all government is subject to Him!

Let's turn to this following example.  Suppose there is a person and his name is F.  His entire life is an F.  He has tried it his own way all his life and he has failed miserably.  God looks down upon the earth and sees person F.  He gives him a failing grade; He gives him an F.  But because God Who is abundant and rich in the depths of His mercy (Eph. 1, 2); He choose to save person F, He will preserve that person unto the very end of life.  Since God choose to save person F, He will never ever leave nor abandon nor forsake person F.  Because, you see, person F, is now His property.  Now that person F is God's possession, God molds the believer (election unto holiness) in conforming the believer to the image of Christ.  Since person F is now saved by God all because of Him for God’s glory alone, He is given a passing grade to enter heaven on the basis of Christ's merits alone.  The believer is given an A+ not because of something the believer has done or will do, but because of the basis and grounds of Christ’s atonement alone; it’s Christ’s righteousness alone that avails to the Father, in order that His people may stand before God, clothed in the very unified righteousness of Christ Himself.  The Father, in accord with His beloved and holy will, accepts the sinner, through the work of Christ, which was made actual by the operational work of the Holy Ghost.  God loves His people that much, as to save them from their own sinful, selfish ways.  The author of Hebrews says:  “...how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation…” (Heb. 2:3 KJV).  Christians know that true Christians truly believe because God truly worked in us and truly loved us and truly gave His Son for His true people that everyone that truly believes in Him should not perish but truly have or truly obtain real everlasting life (see John 3:16).  So, as Christians understand the true gospel of Christ, we are not to be ashamed of the gospel because “...it is the power of God unto everyone who believeth...” (Romans 1:16).  As the apostle Paul said to the Philippian jailor, so I say to you, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved....”  (Acts 16:31 KJV).

Appendix 2: 

The Saving, Life-Changing Gospel of Christ

Herein is about the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ:  “…Repent and believe in the gospel.”  (Mark 1:15 NASB).  The gospel is, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”  (Acts 16:31 NASB).  It is a true story about the expiation (that is, Christ Himself has removed sin for His elect only “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12 NASB), and propitiated (that is, Christ Himself has appeased the wrath of God the Father), and at the same time, (the Son of God came into the world to save sinners in sinless conformity with the Father’s will not in opposition to it) for His elect people.  This gospel pamphlet is concerning the holiness of God, man’s total depravity, the negative result of that, which is God’s real wrath, and the actual eternal solution to it, Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is from the will of God the Father by His divine Spirit, and people that are His have repentance and faith toward God.  Within the text of Holy Scripture is the message of the gospel of grace and peace.  The Scriptures, as some say, are merely the words of men, and simply an ancient document written with many errors.  The burden of proof is on those who make such false claims.  On the testimony of the sinless, error-free Christ, the divine Lamb of God; the Scriptures are rightly presented, within this presentation of the gospel, as the very words of God Himself (John 17:17; John 10:35 cf. 2 Timothy 3:16). 

Appendix 3:

The Holiness of God

God is holy because of Who He truly is.  His way: “Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God?”  (Psalm 77:13 NASB).  The absolute prefect holiness of God:  “Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3 NASB).  God is holy:  “Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He” (Psalm 99:3 NASB).  God is superlatively holy:  “Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.’  And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke” (Isaiah 6:2-4 NASB).  God is true, good and holy:  “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5 NKJV).  Love the God Who is holy and because He is holy.  Love God for Who He is.  God is holy, now, what about you?

Appendix 4:

The Nature of Man

Within biblical ancient history we know man fell through the disobedience of Adam.  Everyone in mankind, except Jesus Christ of Nazareth (2 Corinthians 5:21), is conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5) and born in original sin (Job 14:4).  Man is in a totally fallen condition because through one man (Romans 5:12) …all have sinned and come short of the glory God (Romans 3:23).  This brought spiritual consequences such as death through sin (Romans 5:11-13) complete separation from God and spiritual blindness (Ephesians 4:18), which means mankind is at enmity with God (Romans 5:10), because of the disobedience of Adam (Genesis 3); mankind is completely sinful (Titus 1:15).  Unsaved man is spiritually deaf to the God-Breathed written Word.  The hearts of human beings are dreadfully and desperately corrupt and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).  Man is in bondage to his sin nature (Romans 3:10-12; 5:12).  After the fall of man, human beings have lost the ability to choose what is spiritually good; namely the gospel of God (Ephesians 2). 

The absolute necessity of being born again (that is, regeneration) by the Holy Spirit of God is essential concerning believing the gospel of Christ (John 3; Titus 3:5).  The definite regeneration of the Holy Spirit upon certain individuals is God’s sovereign choice.  Human beings need the regeneration of the divine Spirit and the divine Word to truly obtain a new heart.  After regeneration occurs, man has a changed heart to believe, and expresses his faith by his will.  If a person truly believed the gospel of Christ; we know regeneration has divinely happened because of God the Holy Spirit; true lasting belief is the evidence of God the Holy Spirit’s work in an individual.  Human beings, who are saved, result in faith apart from works in Christ for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10).  Faith is not something that originated from man from something good within man nor from anything which is from or within man’s capacity to save himself.  Rather, faith is the product of salvation in being born again.  Christians believe because they have been saved by God alone.  Faith is God’s true gift to the sinner.  Faith is not man’s gift to God.  Christians are saved by God’s grace alone through the instrumentality of faith alone (which is from the work of the Holy Spirit) in the Incarnate Christ alone for the Triune glory of God alone from Sacred Scripture alone.  Salvation from start to finish is totally of God’s sovereign grace alone, by God’s sovereign grace alone and from God’s sovereign grace alone.

                The Holy Scriptures (that is, the Christian Bible) clearly shows what and who man is. It is not what man in his natural state thinks himself to be.  It is not what society says he is, but rather, what the Holy Scripture says man is, which is; he is made in the image and likeness of God (James 3:9), and, at the same time, man is in complete depravity and total unworthiness in condemnation, sentenced to hell; who are without Christ.  Man as being totally depraved does not mean man is as bad as he could be.  The sin of man affects and extends to every department of man (Romans 3:10; Ephesians 2; 2 Corinthians 4:4):  Man is not righteous, nor good, nor can he even seek God (read all of Romans 3; it is truly a blessed chapter).  The apostle Paul wrote:  “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15 KJV).  When a person knows of their sin, how great, how terrible it truly is, before God Himself, even conceiving of the thought of it being beyond God’s divine mercy, it is then that God has blessed the person, as seeing themselves as Paul did, the chief of sinners. 

                For “…you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest” (Ephesians 2:1-3 NASB).  Read this verse regarding the nature of man:  “Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments’” (Matthew 19:16-17 NKJV).  The Lord Jesus was not saying He was lacking any goodness but He was clearly pointing out man’s total lack of goodness (man has the ability of civil righteousness, but lacks any spiritual goodness).  Have you come to the place in your life where you have a deep sense of your own depravity before a holy and just God?  Man has total inability (John 6:44), spiritual insanity (1 Corinthians 2:14), and man is totally accountable; that is, God has said man is completely accountable; God revealed this in His Holy Word (see Matthew 16:27; Revelation 20:12-13) (when in point of fact, man by his depraved nature wants no accountability).  

                Man’s heart is wicked above all things:  “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”  (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV).

As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:10-18 KJV). 

And because mankind has a sinner nature, it does not give anyone of us, the right to do wrong.  No one has the right to do wrong.  And the consequence of the sinfulness of sin of a person is the actuality of the wrath of God.  What sinner can stand? “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?”  (Psalm 130:3 NASB).  God pardons sin because of Christ alone:  “For Your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great” (Psalm 25:11 NASB).  The Triune Lord does pardon great sin and He remembers it “…no more” (Hebrews 10:17-18 NASB).  That is, He does not hold the sin that has been confessed to God through Christ by His Spirit against His people any longer.  A person must have true, real and authentic faith and repentance (a section is included on this regarding the fruits of being born again).  If someone has turned to the ways of the world, but now truly rejects it, and if you see how you do not measure up at all in comparison to God, and if you realize your sins are wrongdoing, and wonder if you are savable, the LORD asks a rhetorical question:  “…Is there anything too hard for Me?”  (Jeremiah 32:27 NASB).

Appendix 5:

The Wrathfulness of God

The reality of the wrathfulness of God:  “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him” (John 3:36 NASB).  God’s wrath:  “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness…”  (Romans 1:18 NIV).  If someone is unrepentant, without Christ, it is a certainty of God’s wrath:  “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5 NIV).  For those who refuse to repent…“…said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb…’”  (Revelation 6:16 NASB).  Thus “…what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”  (1 Peter 4:17 NASB).  God is “… dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:8 NASB).

Appendix 6:

The Divine Solution is Christ Himself

But those who are His “…have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!”  (Romans 5:9 NASB).  The Lord Jesus has rescued His people: “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 NIV).  This is what happens when the gospel is covertly denied: “…in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last” (1 Thessalonians 2:16 NIV).  It’s salvation through Christ:  “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9 NASB).

The solution to the wrath of God is Christ Jesus Himself.  The work of Christ alone satisfied God’s divine justice:  He is all-sufficient to cleanse His people from all sin:  “…but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NASB).  Made right with God:  “…and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses” (Acts 13:39 NASB).  The Lord Jesus appeased the wrath of God:  “…whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25-26 NASB).  The gospel is a gracious call for sinners to repent (Matthew 9:13 NASB) because man is spiritually sick:  “But when Jesus heard this, He said, ‘It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick’”  (Matthew 9:12 NASB). 

Appendix 7:

The Complete Worthiness of Christ in The Place of Unworthy Sinners

The worthiness of Christ alone avails before God the Father in the place of a sinner and Christ alone (that is, His unified righteousness); His active obedience (that is, His perfect life) and His passive obedience (that is, His matchless, wholly sufficient, atoning sacrifice of Himself) is the sole grounds for how a person becomes right before a holy and just God; the atonement of Christ is wholly sufficient for the sinner: 

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation (Romans 5:6-11 NASB). 

He Himself died for a particular people:  ^“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21 NASB).  The Lord Jesus Christ came to actually save sinners; He did not come to potentially save sinners but rather He actually saves them!  The Lord Jesus Christ (Who is the exalted, ascended, bodily Risen King) succeeded perfectly in living a sinless life in behalf of elect sinners, whereas sinners have completely failed, but where sinners have failed Christ has wholly and perfectly succeeded.  The atonement of the Divine Substitute was and is limited to the elect only and wholly unlimited for the elect only from the Lord Jesus Christ in its extent (that is, His atonement is boundless, limitless, vast, free, immeasurable and infinite for His depraved sheep who have gone astray) in behalf of poor sinners for God’s glory alone. 

Appendix 8:

Salvation by Grace Alone Through Faith Alone in Christ Alone

Justification (that is, how a person is declared right before God) is by faith alone not by works in any way.  Justification is a once and for all event not a process (rather, sanctification, that is, personal growth after justification, is a pursuit and process of holiness).  Justification is a legal, forensic declaration by God, where He declares a person righteous.  The righteousness of Christ alone (that is, the alien righteousness of Christ alone) is imputed (that is, reckoned) to the born again sinner and all of the elect sinner’s sin (past, present and future) is imputed to Christ alone because He took their place.  The perfect righteousness of Christ is eternally more profitable before God, then all of man’s imperfect, sinner’s “righteousness” combined.  The imperfect righteousness of sinners is a stench before God, that is, “…we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6 NASB).  Not even the good of all the holy angels in heaven avails before God in the sinner’s place.  Therefore, neither the imperfect human “righteousness” nor the good of the holy angels nor will ever avail before God in behalf of sinners, it, indeed, will never be acceptable in His holy sight for sinners.  Rather, it is the sinless righteousness of Christ alone which solely avails before God in behalf of the sinner.  Christ alone is the sole grounds for justification.  It is to the person who does not work but to him who believes who is justified:  

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”  Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.   But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.  “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”  Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Romans 4:1-9 NASB). 

As we have seen in justification, it is solely by the works of another, that is, Christ alone.  And after justification, there is sanctification where we are created to do good works.  We are never saved by our good works; we are saved unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).  A true and living faith has much fruit.  Faith alone is never alone, that is, it produces good works.  But a dead faith has no fruit.  Therefore, it is a living faith producing fruit which is authentic but the fruits of God that occur after justification in sanctification do not form in any way the grounds for how a person becomes right with God.  It is Christ alone that forms the grounds for justification.  Christ alone saves not man.  To have life is to do what Christ commanded.  He commanded, as opposed to an invitation, to repent and believe.  There is more on this within this gospel presentation below.  After someone becomes a Christian in sanctification they ought to be “…Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16 cf. Colossians 4:5 KJV).   To do whatever is right (Philippians 4:8), and always trusting Christ for their salvation.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (the instrument by which we are made right, that is, our justification, with God) in Christ alone not by works in part or in whole (or anything people can muster in and of themselves): 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:4, 5, 7-9 cf. Romans 4:1-9 NASB).  

The apostle Paul provides a warning not to believe another gospel (which is no gospel at all), and if someone does believe a different gospel, a different Jesus, they are to be accursed under the just apostolic condemnation (Galatians 1:6-10).  Therefore, believe the true gospel.

Appendix 9:

The Choice of God

No good nor evil that anyone has done but of Him alone Who calls:  “…(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls)…” (Romans 9:11 NKJV).  The choice of salvation does not depend upon man:  “…Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity…” (2 Timothy 1:9 NASB).  It is solely God’s divine choice (John 10:16; Romans 8:28-30; Revelation 5:9; 7:9; 14:6).

Let us consider the doctrine of blessed self-despair.  It is when the poor sinner is most near to grace as Luther taught.  “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” (Romans 9:16 NASB).  Have you understood and experienced “blessed self-despair”?  It is when you realize you cannot save yourself. 

Appendix 10:

Salvation is the Work of God Alone

In order to be saved, a person must be drawn by God the Father to God the Son:  “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37 NASB).  Is there such a thing as a seeker?  In the garden Eden man hid himself (see Genesis 3:9-10).  It was not man who sought God, but God Who sought man.  If a pre-converted elect person, truly comes because of the sole reason of the drawing of the Father, the Lord Jesus will welcome the person to come to Himself.  God’s people are graciously and lovingly made a willing people (but they are not forced).  We must be born again (and being born again, enables His people to believe): 

Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’  Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?’  Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.’  (John 3:3-8 NASB).   

It is by the written Word of God and the living Spirit of God that actually changes the heart.  Salvation is God’s achievement alone not man’s achievement in any way.  Before someone believes, one must be born from above.  Listen or read the written, active Word everyday; hear the Word preached everyday (that is, faith cometh by hearing) and cling to it as if your life depends upon it; pray in your closet secretly, God would change your heart.  As Reformed thinkers rightly say, a decision for Christ never saved anyone, but rather, you must be born again.

The opening of the Scriptures in their minds:  “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures…”  (Luke 24:45 NSAB).  About the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ: “…there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NSAB).  Believe the Lord Jesus is the Great I AM (the Second Person of the Trinity):  “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24 NASB).  God the Son is the Eternally Self-Existent One.  The Lord Jesus will give His people rest:  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NASB).  Deny yourself:  ^“And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me’” (Mark 8:34 NASB). Thirsty, drink:  “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink’” (John 7:37 NASB).   To do what the Lord Jesus says is to be founded upon the rock, that is, Him: 

Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:47-49 NASB). 

All that the Father gives to the Son, will never be cast out:  “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37 NASB).

Appendix 11:

Faith and Repentance

The fruits of being born again (that is, having spiritual life) are faith and repentance with the promise of the forgiveness of sins.  Believe in your heart:

…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9-13 ESV). 

Repentance (that is, turning from sin, that is, because we have offended Him and have committed wrongdoing), to God through Christ by His Spirit for forgiveness is proclaimed everywhere:  “…and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem…”  (Luke 24:47 NSAB).  If you truly believe, you have forgiveness of sins:  “…Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43 NASB).  Believe in Christ’s atonement:  “…whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed…”  (Romans 3:25 NASB).  Everyone everywhere must repent or perish:  “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent…”  (Acts 13:38 NASB).  Christ came to save sinners:  “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15 NASB).  Be reconciled to God:  “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NASB).  Christ alone nailed it to His cross:  “…having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14 NASB).  Christ alone freed His people by His cross regarding sin:  “…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever.  Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6 NIV).  To repent and believe the gospel is the right thing to do.  This is the free offer of the gospel.  Elect sinners have their sins paid in full wherewith Christ Himself said this on His dreadful cross where He took the sin of particular people and paid their debt of which His people could never pay (John 19:30).  Christ came to die in their place for their sins, not any of His; He was, indeed, the “…Lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19 NKJV).

  

Appendix 12:

Ask for Forgiveness to the True God Alone

The Lord Jesus Christ (Who is fully God and fully man; two natures in one Person) the Second Person of the Trinity, had His elect people in view when He graciously made the command to proclaim His gospel truth.  The ones which truly respond are truly His; to truly believe God the Father (see John 5:24); to truly believe God the Son (see John 6:38); to truly believe God the Holy Spirit (see John 14:17); three distinct persons in one true being of God (three in person but one in unity and being; the Holy Trinity) (see Matthew 28:19 cf.  Deuteronomy 6:4).  Christians identify the Holy Trinity rightly as He, Thee or Thou; indicating God (Who is the LORD) is not one person but one true being; God is true; God is one (again Deuteronomy 6:4).  The work of salvation is a Trinitarian work of God (just as His creation and His purpose are as well).  Without the Holy Trinity there would be no salvation, nor creation, nor purpose.

When a person asks for forgiveness, it must not be because they fear to go to hell, that is, punishment, which is attrition, (this is not true repentance).  Rather, true repentance is contrition.  Know this:  you have offended God Himself with serious and eternal sins (every sin is an eternal offense against God).  One must have godly sorrow not worldly sorrow.  An example of godly sorrow is the apostle Peter (see Matthew 26:75).  The sorrow was godly because he knew he committed an offense in wrongdoing against Christ.  That is, he remembered the Lord Jesus’ statement about his denial; his offense of wrongdoing; that is, he repented because of the wrong he did to Christ not because he feared punishment.  Thusly, Peter was forgiven because he had Christ as his Savior (see Acts 5:29-32).  One can never have enough godly sorrow over the wrongness of sin that leads to repentance.  But we know Judas was not forgiven.  Why?  Because Judas had worldly sorrow as did Esau (Matthew 27:2-5 cf. Hebrews 12:15-17); both Judas and Esau were without the Savior.  Esau was a reprobate (that is, a damned person); justly hated by God (Romans 9:13) for “…God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11 NKJV).  The true stories of these reprobate men are written within Scripture for people not to commit the same sin of unbelief, and to believe the Savior for the Savior brings peace with God (Romans 5:1).  These men died without truly believing the Lord Jesus Christ.  After death there is no second chance.  If someone dies without the Savior, there is only one reality they will know: torment in hell.  They will be punished for their sins because no one took their place to bare their sin.  But for elect sinners, the divine Substitute, took their place.  One must recognize their offenses against a sinless God, and to understand it is wrongdoing, and ask for forgiveness because of it being an eternal offense opposed to God.  If one knows of their total depravity, and how they are stinking sinners, how desperately wicked, then surely they will ask for mercy and repent of their total depravity.  Truly ask for forgiveness (not only for sin but also for guilt in real sincerity) through Christ crucified alone (Who solely paid the eternal debt that sinners could never pay; the God-man paid for sin and guilt) in the name of Christ, and it is certain that you have forgiveness only because it is based on the unchanging promise of God Himself.  Thusly “…Bear fruit in keeping with repentance…” (Matthew 3:8 ESV) and “…I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5 ESV).  Therefore acknowledge, forsake and faithfully repent of your sins; it’s repentance of sins unto remission of sins (see 1 John 1:9).  Truly if this is done, it is the lovingkindness of God in Christ Jesus. 

It is possible to know you are saved.  It our duty to seek after assurance of salvation.  Thusly, the Scripture says, “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13 KJV). 

Appendix 13:

The Time is Now

God has given His people an unbelievable message, and “…how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard…” (Hebrews 2:3 NASB).  The time for faith and repentance is now:  “…for He says, ‘AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.’  Behold, now is ‘THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,’ behold, now is ‘THE DAY OF SALVATION…’”  (2 Corinthians 6:2 NASB).  Life is but a vapor:  “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away”  (James 4:14 NASB).  Repent and believe:  “and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:15 NASB).  Will it be you, who the angels in heaven rejoice because of faithful life-long repentance (see Luke 15:10)?  A truly regenerate person, will truly have faithful repentance through Christ crucified.  Regenerate sinners will truly preserve in Christ in the faith through life.  If someone claimed to believe once, and falls away, they never had true faith to begin with for Scripture says, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19 NASB).  The elect sinner will continue to repent of particular sins, particularly.  And will it be you who the Lord Jesus says on the last day, “…Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…” (Matthew 25:34 NASB)?  Or will He say to you “…Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels…” (Matthew 25:41)?  If a person is truly regenerate, that person will truly preserve in the true grace of God not using His grace as a cover-up for evil (see 1 Peter 2:16):  “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me…My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand” (John 10:27, 29 cf. Philippians 1:6 NASB).  There is an elect, and only they will be saved (2 Timothy 2:10).  Will it be you?  “They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31 cf. Romans 4:24; 10:9 NASB).  Looking back on how Paul became right with God, he says: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”  (Romans 5:1 NASB).

Appendix 14:

Hearken to the Narrow Gate

You must enter the narrow gate:  “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24 NASB). Those that cannot enter the narrow gate were not drawn by the Father.  Those who are drawn by the Father enter the narrow gate.  It is essential:  “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14 NASB).  Once you are through the narrow gate, it is an indication of being saved.  If God grants you to truly come to Him, you will never truly be forsaken (see Hebrews 13:5) nor will He cast you out.  Once a person is in Christ “there is…no condemnation.”  (Romans 8:1 NASB).  To one person the gospel of Christ is the fragrance of death, and to another person the gospel of Christ is the aroma of life (see 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NASB).  Believe the eternal Son of God:  “…but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31 NASB).  God’s people who believe, who have received Him, become the children of God (John 1:12).  Moses asked, as do I, “…Who is on the LORD's side?...”  (Exodus 32:26 KJV).

Appendix 15:

Your Desperate Need for the Gospel

"...repent and believe in the gospel."  (Mark 1:15 NASB).

We must understand that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone based upon Scripture alone for God’s glory alone.  The Christian Bible teaches the true gospel.  It is essential to believe the true gospel of the Bible.  Do not turn and believe a different gospel.  Rather, believe the gospel of the Bible (Gal. 1:6-10).  This tract is about your desperate need for the gospel. 

                First, are you born again?  God must give you a new heart in order for you to believe:  "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ez. 36:26 NASB).  Only God makes someone born again.  God does not save from obligation.  Rather He saves voluntarily in graciousness.  Have you experienced the work of the Spirit (2 Tim. 1:9)?  Have you been convinced of your sin and misery (Acts 2:37)?  Have you been enlightened in your mind of the knowledge of Christ (Acts 26:18)?  Have you been persuaded and enabled by God the Holy Spirit to embrace the gospel (John 6:44-45)? If you desire God to change your heart of stone, listen or read the Word of God daily (i.e., start off with the Gospel of Luke), and hear the Word preached.  Ask God in your prayer closet to change your heart (John 3).  Have you been chosen by God (Rom. 9:11-13)? 

                Second, do you believe that God is holy?  God is perfect, good and holy.  He does not tolerate sin (Is. 6:2-3).  Therefore, we are not like Him, and He is not like man that He should sin. 

                Third, have you believed that you are a totally depraved sinner, and that nothing you do in the flesh can please God?  "...as it is written,  "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;  THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;  ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE..."  (Rom. 3:10-12 NASB).  "...and those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8 NASB).   Even though mankind is totally depraved and totally unable, mankind still has total accountability.  Do you have a profound hatred regarding your sin nature?  In order for you to become able, your heart must be changed by God the Spirit and the written Word of God in being born again. 

                Fourth, since you are a sinner without righteousness that avails before God, do you see the need for the unified righteousness of Another, that is, Christ?   "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed..."  (Rom 3:21-25 NASB).  "...But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works…"  (Rom. 4:5-6 NASB).  Only the righteousness of Christ avails before God the Father:  "...and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith..."  (Phil. 3:9 NASB).  On the last day, will you stand in your sinful righteousness (that which will not avail before God the Father), or will you be found to be in Christ, standing in the righteousness of Christ alone? 

                Fifth, do you have the evidences of being born again?  The fruits of being born again are faith and repentance.  A person cannot have faith without repentance and a person cannot have repentance without faith.  Have you placed your trust in Christ, and have you repented of past particular sins?  You must place your faith in Christ, and what He has done regarding living a perfect life and atoning for sin.  Understand that if you repent and believe in the divine Christ; faithful repentance does not end but rather it is a life-long priority.  The sin of God’s people was punished on Christ on the cross.  He satisfied divine justice in the place of His people.  He appeased the wrath of God the Father.  He saved His people from sin, misery and eternal hell.  The people without Christ are under God’s wrath, and their sin will be punished in hell if they do not come to Christ.  The inspired Word calls people to repent:   "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2 NASB).  Have you bore fruits consistent with repentance (Matt. 3:8)?  Evidence of being born again is following the gospel:  "...repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15 NASB).  Christ calls sinners to repentance:  "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32 NASB).  If you do not repent, you will perish:  "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5 NASB).   Therefore "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31 KJV).  And “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19 KJV). 

                Sixth, have you believed that Christ alone is sufficient for how you are declared righteous before God?  The Bible teaches that Christ is wholly sufficient for the basis for how a person is declared righteous (but not made righteous) before God (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16).  It is a judicial edict of God.  Justification (that is, declared righteous before God) is not a process but an event.  After justification other changes will occur.  In justification the standing of the sinner is changed, freed from the charge of guilt and the complete righteousness of Christ is transferred to the sinner’s account.  It is Christ plus nothing else that forms the grounds of justification.  He alone is the all-sufficient Savior Who took the place of His people.  Christ said "It is finished" on the cross (John 19:30).  It literally means "paid in full."  Therefore Christ is enough.  It is not by our works but by faith alone (from a changed heart):  "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:8-9 NASB).  It is not by works of righteousness at all:  "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit..."  (Titus 3:5 NASB).  It is of Him alone Who calls:  "...for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls..."  (Rom. 9:11 NASB).  It is Christ Who finds His own, because He first loved His people:  "We love, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19 NASB).  Ask for forgiveness for sin and guilt to God the Father through Christ crucified (that is, repentance unto remission).  Go to Christ.  Come to Him and beg for His mercy.  Additionally, repent of your total depravity for all the days of your life.

                Seventh, have you trusted the true Jesus of the Bible?  Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man; two natures in one person.  God the Son took upon flesh:  "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us..."  (John 1:14 NASB).  Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity (Matt. 28:19), and He is the eternal Son of God.  He declared: "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24 NASB).  Jesus refers to Himself as the Great I AM.  This is a clear indication of His deity as the divine Son of God Who bodily rose from the dead (see John 20:24-29).  To have true life in Christ, one must believe the true Jesus of Scripture.  Jesus Christ is the only Son of the Father.  It has been ordained that Christ alone is the only way to God.  Do you trust Christ alone?

                Eighth, have you trusted God the Father and God the Spirit?  Trust God the Father:  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life" (John 5:24 NASB).  The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person (see Acts 5:1-4).  God’s people know the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18).  Therefore, God is one in unity, being and essence, but three in person: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (see Matt. 28:19; Deut. 6:4).  Without the Holy Trinity (the one true God) there would be no creation, providence or salvation. 

                Ninth, when is it the time for people to repent and believe the gospel?  The Bible declares the time is now:  "...Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION..." (2 Cor. 6:2 NASB).  God does not invite people to repent.  Rather He commands them.  Hearken to the gospel command:  "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent..."  (Acts 17:30 NKJV).  So therefore I ask as Moses did, "...Who is on the LORD's side?..."  (Ex. 32:26 KJV).  In Matthew 11, Christ preformed miracles in places where they did not repent.  Christ denounced them as damned people.  He refers to the reprobates who would have believed if He preformed the miracles He did in certain places in His earthly ministry.  Christ in His divine all-knowingness knew what would have happened.  He refers to the past reprobates so people would be convicted and converted.  Do not be like the reprobate who did not repent.  Sinners were damned with less light then you have.  Beware, repent and believe the gospel.  It is your responsibility to repent.

                Tenth, if you have truly believed, now what?  The destination of a Christian is heaven.  What we do now counts for eternality.  God created His people to do good works (Eph. 2:10), but these works do not save at all in how a person is declared righteous before God.  People are to do good works to show their faith.  It is a true, lasting and living faith but not a dead, fruitless and reckless faith.  If a person is truly born again, he will truly preserve unto the very end.  After someone is declared righteous before God, he must grow in grace through a process.  Out of love for Christ we must follow His commandments (1 John 5:3), and seek to please Him (1 John 3:22).  Do not use your freedom for evil (1 Pet. 2:16) or God will judge you.  Regarding Christian discipline, begin (or build up to) a daily private 30-minute Bible study.  Daily mediate and memorize His Word.  Finally, join a Reformed (Calvinistic) church and get involved in the things of God (Heb. 10:25).  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock” (Matt. 7:24-25 NASB).  Are you the wise person who will put into practice what King Jesus has declared?  My prayer for you is to believe the God of the Bible for God’s glory.  Poor sinner, may you believe the gospel and ask for forgiveness to God, and do what God rightly commands. 

End Notes

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[i] RC Sproul.  Essentials Truths of the Christian Faith (Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), 159-160.

[ii] Sproul, 161.

[iii] Sproul, 161-162.

[iv] Sproul, 165-167.

[v] Sproul, 169-170.

[vi] Sproul, 171-172. 

[vii] Sproul, 173-174. 

[viii] Sproul, 175-177. 

[ix] Sproul, 183-185.

[x] Sproul, 187-188.

[xi] Sproul, 189-190.

[xii] Gerald Bary. Ancient Christian Commentary: New Testament VI: Romans.  (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 127.

[xiii] Bary, 128.

[xiv] Sproul, 193-194.

[xv] Sproul, 195-196.

[xvi] Sproul, 197-199. 

[xvii] Sproul, 201-203.

[xviii] Sproul, 205-207.

[xix] Sproul, 209-210.

[xx] Sproul, 211-212.

The Precious Truth of the Gospel of Grace focuses upon the essential doctrines of the Christian faith concerning the good news of Jesus Christ.  In a time of doubt and confusion about God’s blessed gospel, this work provides a straightforward presentation of God’s saving message.  Holy Writ supports the Reformed salvation.  The salvation of today is becoming ever more increasingly muddled doctrine, foreign to biblical Christianity.  The fundamental sin of another gospel is the denial of the basic essentials of salvation.  This work is designed for Christian people who seek to be grounded and edified in His glorious gospel of peace.