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BIBLE BASICS for the Family

(A Study in Systematic Theology)

Soteriology

(The Study of Salvation)

GRACE, PART II

A Review and Further Study on the Teaching of Efficacious Grace

Grace declares that salvation is not the Grace declares that salvation is not the culmination of our quest for God, but culmination of our quest for God, but rather it is God who has rather it is God who has takentaken thethe initiativeinitiative towardtoward usus..

Ephesians 1:4Ephesians 1:4:: ““. . . He . . . He chosechose usus in Him before the in Him before the

foundation of the world, that we should foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself . . .as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself . . .

Jesus:Jesus:

John 6:44:John 6:44: ““No one can No one can

come to Me come to Me unless the unless the Father who sent Father who sent Me Me drawsdraws him.” him.”

F.F. Bruce:F.F. Bruce:

““It is the Grace of God that It is the Grace of God that brings us to Faith and carries brings us to Faith and carries us on the pathway.”us on the pathway.”

CommonCommon: To : To allall people; the All of people; the All of God’s good gifts (rain, sunshine, God’s good gifts (rain, sunshine, etc.). What is needed to survive.etc.). What is needed to survive.

EffectualEffectual: To : To somesome people; to people; to enable them to believe in Christ.enable them to believe in Christ.

Efficacious grace is an act of God Efficacious grace is an act of God related to His sovereignty, using or related to His sovereignty, using or employing human instruments.employing human instruments.

Efficacious grace is the means by Efficacious grace is the means by which God brings life to a sinner, which God brings life to a sinner, through the Word of God by faith . . .through the Word of God by faith . . .

Common Objections to Common Objections to Efficacious Grace:Efficacious Grace:

““It will kill missionary zeal!” It will kill missionary zeal!” (i.e., “If God has predestined only “some” to be (i.e., “If God has predestined only “some” to be

saved, He knows who they are, so why go?”)saved, He knows who they are, so why go?”) ““Then we’re all robots!” Then we’re all robots!” (i.e., “we are passive persons who have no (i.e., “we are passive persons who have no

freedom of will. We’re like a machine; God freedom of will. We’re like a machine; God punches the button and we’re saved whether punches the button and we’re saved whether we want to be or not.”)we want to be or not.”)

Response:Response: These objections neglect man’s responsibility These objections neglect man’s responsibility

and the and the mysterymystery of salvation. The fact is, of salvation. The fact is, God God commandscommands us to evangelize. The Apostle us to evangelize. The Apostle Paul, the greatest missionary in history, was the Paul, the greatest missionary in history, was the person through whom this doctrine came.person through whom this doctrine came.

The doctrine of efficacious grace should make The doctrine of efficacious grace should make us more desirous to be used by God, and it us more desirous to be used by God, and it should make us that much more aware of our should make us that much more aware of our dependencedependence upon Him. upon Him.

Summary Reflections:Summary Reflections:

Far from violating our wills or personality, Far from violating our wills or personality, God’s grace appeals to our deepest God’s grace appeals to our deepest yearnings and therefore when we are yearnings and therefore when we are exposed to grace, intrinsically we are exposed to grace, intrinsically we are drawn to it.drawn to it.

As As A.W. TozerA.W. Tozer has said, “Salvation is from has said, “Salvation is from ourour side a side a choicechoice, (but) from the , (but) from the divinedivine side it is a side it is a seizing uponseizing upon, an , an apprehendingapprehending, , a conquest by the Most High God.”a conquest by the Most High God.”

Reflections Reflections Continued . . .Continued . . .

Therefore, we are not merely passive Therefore, we are not merely passive robots. Nor do we even believe that God robots. Nor do we even believe that God merely does “His part” and we do “our merely does “His part” and we do “our part.”part.”

Rather, “God does ALL and we do ALL.” Rather, “God does ALL and we do ALL.” The two (God’s sovereign will and our The two (God’s sovereign will and our human responsibility) human responsibility) gogo togethertogether. They . They complementcomplement one another. one another.

Live with the tension! It is Biblical. Live with the tension! It is Biblical. Remember Deuteronomy 29:29.Remember Deuteronomy 29:29.

From From The Pilgrim HymnalThe Pilgrim Hymnal, 1904, 1904

I sought the Lord, and I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew,afterward I knew,

He moved my soul to He moved my soul to seek Him, seek Him,

seeking me;seeking me;

It was not I that found, It was not I that found, O Saviour true;O Saviour true;

For I was found by For I was found by Thee.Thee.

Thou didst reach forth Thy Thou didst reach forth Thy hand hand

and mine enfold;and mine enfold;

I walked, and sank not, I walked, and sank not,

on the storm-vexed sea;on the storm-vexed sea;

‘‘Twas not so much that I on Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,Thee took hold,

As Thou, dear Lord, on me.As Thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, I find, I walk, I love, but O, the wholebut O, the whole

Of love is but my Of love is but my answer, Lord, to answer, Lord, to

Thee!Thee!For long beforehand For long beforehand Thou didst bless my Thou didst bless my

soul;soul;And ever hast loved And ever hast loved

me.me.

The Big Point Here:

• The point of God’s Amazing Efficacious Grace is our realizing that we didn’t just “come to God” as though we woke up one day and decided to become a Christian.

• Rather, we realize that God, from the beginning of time, has been moving throughout history, throughout our circumstances, drawing us to Him because of His loving grace.

• From our side, we may think we chose Him. But, the truth is, HE MADE THE FIRST MOVE!

QUESTIONS?

How Does all this Apply? • Knowing this (that God chose us first; that He

made the first move), we should . . .

• Live our lives as a “Thank You Note” to God.

• Do Christian deeds, then, not because we feel we HAVE TO (Legalism), but because we WANT TO (Love)!

• Are you motivated more by legalism, or love?